Today all over the world people are rallying on behalf of Mother Nature. People are holding up signs, waving around banners with the numbers 350! What does 350 mean?
Scientists say that currently we are at 350 parts per million which is the safe limit for humanity. Currently we are at 387 parts per million; of carbon dioxide that has entered into the atmosphere!
Today’s message is about taking action and sending a message. This December the world’s leaders will meet [...]
Halloween is almost here! Have you been thinking of ways to make it more green? One of the biggest drawbacks to this spooky holiday is all the candy that gets passed out. Approximately, 10 pounds of it! That’s a lot of candy for one child.
If you’re lucky your children might come home with an all natural version of sweets without the high fructose corn syrup. More than likely, their pillowcases will be brimming with candy you don’t support!
Last year, my family focused on easy ways to put a little eco in your Halloween adventures but this year we’re going a little further. We plan to support Fair Trade and participate in Reverse Trick-Or-Treating this year- Learn how you can too!
It’s not too late to get your baby on! This week celebrate the love and closeness with your baby and wear him or her often. Studies have shown that babies who are worn tend to cry less, sleep longer, and eat better. It has also been found that parents who wear their babies are more likely to be content which in turn equals a relaxed baby.One huge benefit of babywearing is being hands-free. Babywearing allows for tasks to get done around the house while keeping the baby comfy and secure.
There are many different types of babywearing options. From slings, carriers, wraps, a piece of cloth or handmade they all have the same outcome. A happy baby and happy parents! Babywearing can br so much fun. Having your baby close to kiss as often as possible and being able to snuggle so closely all while- hiking, bowling, mini golfing, exercising, bike riding, grocery shopping, some house chores or just a simple walk is what makes babywearing enjoyable. It’s worth the investment. The fact that I’m able to move around and be hands-free with a toddler makes the day so much less intense. Both of my sons from birth loved to be worn.
The time has come to make a CHOICE. For the economy, future generations and for the sake of nature!
We must decide who will reign the title of the 2009, Green America People’s Choice Award!
“The People’s Choice Award is a celebration of the leaders of the green economy, and a challenge to corporate America to follow their path.”
In order to get nominated these businesses must pass Green America’s screening process. Green America only chooses businesses that are socially and environmentally responsible.
So, without further ado;
Meet the Top 10 Nominees…
(Listed in alphabetical order.)
Breakfast time is usually a big deal at our house. I try to make sure the little guy gets a healthy nutritious meal to start the day. I also try to stay away from cereals due to their high sugar content but occassionally a bowl of cereal makes it’s way onto the table.
Since having a child I’ve made breakfast important. I mostly make meals from scratch and make the best attempt to stay away from anything packaged. The chickens have been such a blessing. We’re able to cook eggs most days any which way you can think of and have them for breakfast or “breakie” (what we call it here).
Pancakes are the biggest hit for breakie…just ask my son, he’ll tell you he wants *pancakes*! Before I knew about this recipe I’m going to share; I’d always thought I was making pancakes from scratch.
According to the title of an article published in The City of Lancaster’s Outlook (Fall 2009) magazine “The Future Looks Bright for Solar Power in Lancaster”.
My small town, all 475,000 of us, are at the forefront of solar energy! On August 5, 2009, eSolar unveiled the 5 MW (mega watt) demonstration plant known as Sierra SunTower. The solar power plant has24,000 mirrors and two giant tower house boilers. The boilers create what’s known as “thermal solar” which is said to be more cost-effective than the standard photovoltaic approach used in solar cells. The process creates steam to drive the turbine generators. The project was completed in 14 month time frame and has already begun to distribute power to Southern California Edison.
eSolar’s site says “Sierra SunTower will supply 5 MW of clean, renewable energy to the grid. This full-scale power plant, the only one of its kind in the U.S., produces electricity for Southern California Edison (SCE) and will power up to 4,000 homes.”
In just a few days, I will be enjoying the great outdoors again! It’s only been 2 1/2 weeks since we’ve been back from our first trip. Were going to Mammoth and staying in a condo. Our last trip we camped for the remaining four day. Which was a bit hairy at times with a 2 yr. old and 3 mos. old but we managed. I’m so glad we did it too! It was fun to watch Tristan connect with nature. After reading Wild Animal Baby and other wildlife related books Tristan was able to put things into perspective.
During this trip we cloth diapered and had a potty trainer on our hands! The condo at Bass Lake had a washer and dryer and while camping in Yosemite we used the laundry mat at Curry Village. I only did the washing at Curry Village and let the diapers & undies air dry in the sunshine on a tree branch at our site. We were prepared to use a bucket and gloves if we did not have access to a washer! It worked out nicely though. My 2 yr. old loved being in nature and really enjoyed boat rides on the lake. He saw tons of wildlife including a BEAR! While driving back to our campsite, our first day in Yosemite, we watched a bear eating in a meadow through the car window. It was neat. Tristan also saw a “Big ole Buck” on a bike ride first thing in the morning around the campground.
It was so amazing to see nature through his eyes. He chased the squirrels to their holes and around the campsite and collected specimens to put into his bug kit. Our hike to Vernal Falls was quite a journey and I think he understood it’s significance. My husband and I consider ourselves experienced campers. We’ve done a lot of camping. Every time I walk away from a campsite, I have a new perspective on life. Unplugging for the few days and recharging your soul with Mother Nature is a must! Getting away from all the stimulus and “roughing -it” for a few days makes you appreciate the things we have in life.
One of the gifts my son received for his 2nd birthday was a subscription to Wild Animal Baby published by the National Wildlife Federation. The magazine is printed on FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper. Wild Animal Baby is a children’s magazine for the age range 12 months to 4 yrs.
Wild Animal Baby is a wonderful way to get your toddler involved in reading at an early age. The magazine encourages children to get outdoors and appreciate nature. My son loves to get the mail and often asks to check the mailbox for his monthly copy of Wild Animal Baby.
Wild Animal Baby is just the right size for toddler hands. The pictures are bright and engaging and it is filled with several interactive activities for your child. Including I spy, letter/color/shape recognition, songs with illustration motions, captivating stories, child participation and much more.
My son loves to look for Sammy Skunk! I enjoy reading Wild Animal Baby to him because it is educational and entertaining. We burn up some good time going through the pages and doing the activities.
On April Fools Day, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named, Clark. I wrote a post on how to prepare for homebirthand so when the day arrived things fell into place just as planned. The day before I gave birth I’d been experiencing a little cramping. Nothing unusual but the sense a woman gets when her monthly cycle is going to begin. I had a feeling that it was the onset of labor so I told my husband to be prepared to come home (he commutes an hour away). Just after I called him he left work because he too had a feeling. I called him in the early morning before 10AM and we spent the rest of the day taking it easy.
The cramping had subsided by late afternoon. I was 38 weeks and 4 days and ready to have a baby! I didn’t realize that he’d really come on April Fool’s day as some had predicted. That evening I went to bed at 8:30pm and woke up with surprise to what I thought was my water breaking. It turns out that I had a high leak which means that baby Clark only tore my bag of waters rather than rupture it. With my first my water broke and that was that! This time around it was a gradual process.
The nostalgic bear that educates the public on the dangers of wildfires turns 65, today! Smokey Bear’s first public poster release was August 9, 1944. In case you don’t know, Smokey Bear is one of the most recognized symbolic images of the United States Forest Service.
According to Wikipedia, Smokey Bear is often unofficially referred to as ”Smokey the Bear” after two songwriters added the word “the” for rhythm purposes. Smokey Bear vigilantly reminded us with his popular slogan “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires”. It wasn’t until April of 2001 that his message was updated to “Only You Can Prevent Wildfires” which included all unwanted, unplanned fires in natural areas.
When I think of campfires, I envision the fictional character, Smokey Bear. Growing up, there were posters of “Smokey the Bear” plastered on every classroom wall. I can even remember the commercials. A recent study proved 95% of those surveyed could finish the sentence when given the first words of his famous slogan.
