10 Green Things To Do with Your Kids

Photo by Sandy Kreps

Spring Break is coming up fast, so let's talk about some easy things you can do with your children to teach them about living more eco-friendly. 

1. Make recycling fun. We make recycling a game at our house. Whenever there's something to discard, while sorting mail, making dinner or just cleaning up, we'll hold each piece up and ask if it's recycle or trash. Kid who answers correctly gets to toss it. For obvious reasons, this game works best for little kids. 
2. BYOB. Invest in a cool reusable bottle for each kid, something fun that they actually like to carry. Then encourage them to use it frequently. Headed outside to play? Here's your water bottle with some cold water. Running out for errands? Here's your water bottle. Let them know that planning ahead will save them from creating more trash later. 
3. Go on a vampire hunt. Make a game of finding all the appliances and charging cables that are plugged in but not in use. Bonus points for using a Watt Meter to find the biggest energy hogs. Talk about ways to *kill* the vampires by unplugging unused items, using smart power strips or finding non-power-using alternatives. 
4. Take a walk. Get some fresh air, talk about the trees, plants, sky and animals. Take a small trash bag, a trash pick or gloves, and pick up litter while you walk. You'll get some exercise and teach a little something about taking care of your neighborhood. 
5. Make water savings a game. Who can take the fastest shower? Who can catch Daddy forgetting to turn off the water while he brushes his teeth? Who can collect more rain water to water the plants with? You'll be amazed at where this game goes -- kids can find water in the oddest ways. 
6. Grow something green. Whether it's a few plants on the windowsill or a veggie garden out back, commit to growing something green, preferably edible, and give your kids the chance to help. My preschooler loves to garden and water the houseplants, and he just planted his own little bean garden, which happens to be doing better right now than my own veggie seedlings. 
7. Make something clean. Try making some of your own household cleaners, and let your kids help. Since homemade cleaners are much safer than traditional toxin-laden ones, your kids can take a hands-on roll with mixing new cleaning concoctions and putting them to the test around the home. Littler ones especially love helping out around the house. You still have to supervise, but isn't it nice seeing the kids scrub the kitchen table and wipe down the mirrors? Help them start a journal detailing their cleanser "recipes." 
8. Get creative about Reduce and Reuse. Before throwing something away, like a can or baby wipe container or paper towel roll, ask your kids if they can think of some other way to reuse it. Their creative imaginations can see treasure in what we think of as trash. Likewise, before buying something new, take the kids on a scavenger hunt around the house looking for something you can reuse in a new way. Maybe you won't need to go to the store after all. 
9. Feed some worms. Kids love creepy crawly things, and a worm bin is an excellent way to indulge their love of all things ooky while teaching some valuable lessons about composting and reducing garbage. My school-age kiddo always sets aside his apple cores and banana peels "so the worms can have their dinner." Once you have some finished compost, let the kids help spread it around their garden or plants, and talk about how the worms have made something wonderfully nurturing as their gift back to us. 
10. Play green. Get the kids away from the TV and video games, and play outside, exploring nature and getting their hands dirty. Ride bikes, make mud pies, feed the birds, and play tic-tac-toe in the dirt with sticks. Getting kids involved in the outside world gives them a new appreciation for what's "real." Do craft projects with found items and reclaimed items that were headed for the trash. Explore the library for "new-to-them" books, music and movies.

12 Tips for a More Eco-Friendly Kitchen

Photo from House Beautiful

Having an eco-friendly kitchen is not just about eating green - it's also about energy-efficient food preparation, non-toxic cleaning habits, and careful, thoughtful use of foods and supplies. Here are a dozen suggestions for turning your kitchen into a planet-healthy gourmet haven. 

1. Start by practicing energy-efficient cooking methods. Tailor your cooking style to make the most efficient use of both energy and time. When cooking on the stove top, match the pot size to the burner size and cover pans with tight-fitting lids to maximize heating. If you're buying new pans, check out copper and cast-iron options for the most conductivity. If you're cooking in the oven, keep the door shut as much as possible and don't preheat longer than necessary. Use ceramic, glass or cast-iron bakeware for maximum heat retention, and try to cook more than one dish at a time while the oven is hot. Microwave ovens are a highly efficient means of cooking food, using two-thirds less energy than an oven. They also heat food quickly without making the kitchen uncomfortably hot. One more tip: try a pressure cooker. Not only are they highly efficient, reducing cooking time by cooking at higher temperatures and pressure, they often produce food much more flavorful than standard oven and stove top cooking.
2. Maintain your refrigerator for efficiency. The fridge and freezer actually use less energy when they are full rather than empty - I keep extra ice and cold packs in my freezer to keep it full when I don't need the space. Check the seal on your fridge and freezer doors by closing a dollar bill into the door and pulling it out. It should slide out, but with effort. If it slips out easily, it's time to replace the seal. For maximum energy efficiency, your fridge should be set to 35° to 38°F and your freezer should be around 0°F. Don't forget to clean the coils underneath the fridge regularly -- use a vacuum or broom to sweep the dust off the coils and keep it clean.   
3. Avoid Teflon-coated cookware - it contains perfluorochemicals that have been linked to female infertility and flu-like symptoms in people when heated in an enclosed area. Scratched teflon pans are a potential health hazard - if you have scratched Teflon, get rid of it ASAP! Teflon-coated cookware is also nearly impossible to recycle. As you buy new pots and pans, look for copper or cast-iron options for maximum durability and heat conduction.
4. Choose cookware and utensils that can stand the test of time and won't have to be replaced often. Low-quality wooden spoons can rot, and plastic melts if you leave it on the stove too long. Buy high-quality knives that you can sharpen by hand. Make the switch to reusable cloth and microfiber towels that you can wash instead of buying paper towels. Go for quality items you'll use often, and get rid of the gadgets that never see action. 
5. Use the dishwasher instead of hand washing. A dishwasher uses only half the energy, one-sixth of the water, and much less soap than washing dishes by hand. Wait until the dishwasher is full before running it, and open it up to air dry instead of using the heat dry cycle. For your handwash-only items, fill a sink or dishpan with warm water and wash everything at once, then rinse everything all at once, instead of letting the faucet run the whole time. 
6. Use natural, non-toxic cleaning supplies. Some of the most toxic household chemicals in the home can be found in kitchen cleaning products. Dishwashing liquids, dishwasher detergents and other cleaners can contain chemicals that are detrimental to water quality in lakes and rivers. Switch to natural, eco-friendly options, and keep the toxic chemicals away from your food. 
7. Avoid purchasing prepared, frozen foods; make it yourself instead. You'll know exactly what is going in to your food, and, hopefully, where the ingredients came from. Buy local, and cut out the extra energy wasted in processing and transportation while supporting local farms and gourmet artisans. Grow some of your own fruits and vegetables, using your own composted kitchen waste as fertilizer. Cook with fresh, whole foods, and avoid preservatives and additives whenever possible for the healthiest, tastiest food. 
8. Reduce food waste and promote a healthy diet by creating a menu, or meal plan. Having a plan in place for the evening meal not only saves your sanity, it will save you money and give you an easy way to ensure a healthy meal at the end of a long day. Plan menus according to what you already have on hand and what's local and seasonal to make the most of your budget and reduce waste.
9. Reduce your meat consumption. Livestock production accounts for almost 20 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and almost 25 percent of water used globally in agriculture. Even if you're not up for becoming vegetarian or vegan, simply try cutting back on the amount of meat you consume and try substituting one or two meals a week with vegetarian fare. 
10. Avoid cooking too much food - unless you regularly consume all your leftovers, pare back how much you buy and cook to reduce food waste.  
11. The kitchen generates the most waste of any room in your house, so take steps to minimize it. Buy out of bulk bins when possible, and take your own bags for buying fresh, unwrapped fruits and veggies (try reusable mesh produce bags or clean lingerie washbags).  Reuse glass jars or bottles to hold leftovers and fresh foods instead of using plastic. Compost organic waste (including cardboard and paper), and use the compost to grow your own veggies and fruits. 
12. Buy a packable reusable bag and keep it with you for impromptu shopping trips. Many stores will credit you a few cents for bringing your own bag.

Guest Post: Planning for Valentine's Day

Editor's note: Today I'd like to welcome a guest post from Mary Ann Rosenthal from www.cybermondaydeals.com.

 © Kati Molin | Dreamstime.com

A former co-worker of mine set the bar high in planning for the February 14 holiday we call Valentine's Day. Because he grew up in a household of five sisters and no brothers, he's particularly tuned in to the women in his family as well as his women friends. Each year he saves and plans to make some really special treats for the people he cares about. It's the wonderful treats that he brought to the workplace for co-workers that really surprised and delighted us. One year it was strawberries dipped in chocolate that he had to carefully transport in a cooler. Another year it was hand-made chocolate truffles; another year it was fudge — I could go on and on. Although the traditional gifts of roses and chocolates are wonderful, if you don't want to go into debt as you are just recovering from the big December holidays, try some of these ideas to create a little loving kindness this year. 

• Send or pick up a pot of tulips or a beautiful pink potted orchid this year. They usually run a little less at the florist than red roses and have the added bonus of lasting much longer if nurtured in their container. 
• Speaking of containers,  I am an unashamed recycler. Lately I have tried to think outside the box when selecting flowers for an occasion or a dinner party. I often pick up unusual vases at garage sales or the thrift store and then buy my flowers in bundles from a grocery store. If you are lucky enough to have all those you love within driving distance, arrange your own flowers from the grocery store in an unusual container and hand deliver it. The extra time you spent arranging and selecting your gift will show, and the fact that they were hand delivered will be appreciated as well. 
• Treat yourself to something new. If you don't happen to have a mini cupcake pan, treat yourself to one. They are great to have on hand for small children, and you can make an easy chocolate treat in the form of rich fudge brownies. The arts and craft store or even the grocery story may have decorated or pink paper baking cups. The brownies can be iced and sprinkled or topped with chopped nuts. Check out your favorite recipe or online source for easy or rich chocolate brownies and try your hand at decorating them! 
• Finally, how do you make something special for the family? If you are a busy working mom or dad, maybe you don't have time to bake or even make a trip to the arts and craft store, but your local grocery store is filled with special treats at this time of year. And if you are on a budget how about this — just purchase red sprinkles and serve on top of chocolate syrup and vanilla ice cream. The sprinkles will keep for next year's holiday cookies if you don't already have them in your pantry and the extra effort will make your family smile! 

Mary Ann Rosenthal is a grandmother to four beautiful children under the age of five. She is dedicated to helping her friends and family save money and works with her son Aaron at www.cybermondaydeals.com. She is also an artist, writer and aspiring photographer living in Saint Augustine, Florida.

"Simple Mornings" in Green Child Magazine

The new Late Winter issue of Green Child Magazine is now out, and it's fantastic! I have an article on page 31 on "10 Simple Habits to Manage Your Mornings," so I hope you'll spend some time checking out the issue and let me know what you think!

10 Tips for an Eco-Friendly Bedroom

The bedroom should be reserved for relaxation and rejuvenation. We spend a third of our lives sleeping, so it makes sense to make your bedroom as eco-friendly and non-toxic as possible. Here are 10 tips for making your bedroom a green, restful sanctuary.

1. When choosing a new mattress, beware of conventional mattresses. They’re usually made with synthetic materials that off-gas toxic byproducts, including PBDEs and petrochemicals, and many mattresses are also covered in formaldehyde-based coatings to make them stain-resistant. Fire retardants are also often used to coat mattresses. Instead, look for natural fibers, which can be more expensive but are a worthwhile investment that can last a decade or longer. Options include organic cotton and natural latex mattresses. 
2. If you can’t afford a new mattress right now, consider adding a pure wool or natural latex mattress topper to your current bedding, and encase your mattress and pillows in organic cotton barrier cloths to protect yourself from dust mite allergens. 
3. The next time you buy bed linens, go organic. Cotton farming accounts for about 25 percent of worldwide insecticide use and 10 percent of pesticide use. Those chemicals leave a residue on the finished sheets that lingers. Organic cotton farming leaves no chemical residue on the finished material, which is much safer for you and the planet. Other natural fibers to consider include linen, silk, jersey and flannel – just be sure the material is organic and that it specifies that no chemical retardants or stain protection chemicals were added. Don’t just look at the content of your sheets – be aware of what all your bed linens are made of, from the mattress pad to the comforter. Avoid down comforters and pillows, particularly if you’re in a humid climate, since they draw moisture and can be slow to dry out, producing mold and attracting dust mites. 
4. Choose your pillow wisely – again, look for organic cotton, wool, buckwheat hulls or natural latex foam pillows. Don’t forget to add a pillow protector, which can lengthen the life of your pillows and protect against dust mite allergies. 
5. When decorating your bedroom, keep it simple. A clutter-free, simple bedroom is relaxing and can be a sanctuary from the chaos of daily life. If it's not restful or sensual, it's got to go. When shopping for furniture and décor, opt for eco-friendly materials or check out resale shops and antique stores. Not only are you avoiding the cost (both monetary and environmentally) of new materials and the waste that goes along with creating new products, you’ll avoid the off-gassing period from the manufacture process. 
6. When possible, remove old carpeting, which is a breeding ground for dust mites and mold. Replace floors with hypoallergenic cork, ceramic tile or wood floors treated with a non-toxic finish. Use rugs that can be easily washed and air dried outside in the fresh air. Avoid paints, stains and sealants with VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and air out rooms and bedding regularly by opening windows to circulate the air. 
7. Use all-natural cleaning products that don’t contain chemicals or additives to clean your bedroom. These are much healthier for you, as well as more eco-friendly. 
8. Don’t use air fresheners – commercial fresheners are loaded with phthalates and are toxic! If you want a bit of scent, try making your own linen spray. 
9. Replace your lightbulbs with eco-friendly CFLs or LEDs, and use the lowest wattage necessary. Opt for low-dose mood lighting and beeswax candles instead of harsh overhead lighting. 
10. Keep the electronic items out of the bedroom, using only necessary items such as a lamp or alarm clock. Keep electronics turned off, and unplug them or use a power strip to shut them down when not in use.