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 in Copenhagen to discuss the climate and amend the current climate treaty. It’s time to put pressure on our leaders to create a just climate treaty that meets the latest science. It’s time for us to recognize that our planet is in danger and needs our help!

I’m off to the local City Park with the kiddos where they plan to have a Pet Parade forSaving the Planet since our furry little friends are also affected by Global Warming.

So, let’s hear it! 350!! 350!!! 350!!

What are you doing on behalf of International Day of Climate Action?

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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!

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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.

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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.)

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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.

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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 has 24,000 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.”

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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.

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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.

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On April Fools Day, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named, Clark. I wrote a post on how to prepare for homebirth and 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.

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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.

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As you know, it’s World Breastfeeding Week and for me that means a plugged duct! Yep, that’s right, I woke up Monday feeling feverish and my left breast was throbbing and sore. I was wondering why the night before I had the chills when I woke up once to switch sides. I’d also felt the breast soreness during the night upon switching sides but I was too tired to really think on it.

It was tender to the touch and I could definitely feel a mass inside. It was also a bit swollen.  I still had the chills. I recounted my breastfeeding schedule the day before and realized Clark did not nurse as often as normal. We had a busy weekend. To make matters even worse, it HAD occurred to me that I was wearing an under wire bra. I don’t normally wear an under wire bra but it was the only clean bra I had that day. Plus, I carried Clark in the Ergo baby carrier several times over the weekend which can contribute to pressure on the milk ducts.

In any case, I did not feel well and immediately started applying natural methods to help rid the situation. This is my second go at nursing, my first go my son had thrush but we overcame it and nursed a few months short of baby number two arriving (18 mos.). I’d heard about this happening and in fact I think it might of occurred with my first. I was completely engorged and remember having to massage my breasts in the shower. Oh, the memories! I figure a little plugged duct can’t be bad, right?! Okay, maybe not. A plugged duct can be painful and annoying. I believe, in my case, I’m somewhere in between. I haven’t experienced terrible pain but I do have a “wedge” in my breast and I have to constantly massage it out. I know you’re thinking this can’t be fun…

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What do BPA and pregnant women have to do with each other?

A job if you’re willing!!! It pays well BUT here’s the kicker: you must be willing to consume a toxic substance.

Seem a little strange? Just when you think we’re getting somewhere with the BPA issue, we’ve been slapped by a tactic discussed by major corporations in the packaging industry…

According to internal notes that were leaked out by the Washington Post, companies like Coca Cola and Del Monte are seeking out “young pregnant women” to tout the benefits of Bisphenol A or BPA. A meeting took place on May 28th with canned food and beverage industry representatives to combat legislative efforts to restrict the use of BPA.

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I can remember as a kid blowing the fuzz off of a dandelion weed and making a wish. Little did I know that dandelions were nutritious. Dandelion greens are considered a leafy vegetable that contain more nutrition than broccoli. Having a higher content of vitamins A, and C, and iron. Dandelions also contain lots of magnesium and potassium.

The best time to eat dandelion greens is in the spring and early summer when the leaves are still young. Dandelion greens should be harvested in early spring, before the flowers appear.  They’re a bit bitter but taste fantastic in a salad. You can also saute the flowers, roots and leaves with onion and garlic, serve them on a sandwich or salad, boil the leaves and serve like spinach or add them to your green smoothies like I do!

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Lava Lamp

Supplies:

Empty plastic bottles
Cooking or Vegetable Oil
Funnel
Water
Food Coloring
Masking Tape or Glue

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20 minutes before guests arrive we realize the balloon method is out the window! We put in a fair attempt but the drying time put a damper on things. We’re planning to try out the balloon method again next year. We may even get to do it sooner.

At this point, we’re scramming to get the supplies we needed for our paper bag pinata. The party was held at my in-law’s so we ran in circles locating everything. Once we put it together we realized that Tristan had sticker’s he received as a gift for Easter and added those to the pinata. We even colored on the front and back of the pinata.  What could you possibly need for a paper bag pinata? It’s really simple and easy.

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We recently celebrated my son’s second birthday which happens to be on Earth Day. Being an “Earth Birthday Boy” we naturally celebrate in an earth friendly fashion.

One of the many traditions in my family is to break open a pinata at a child’s birthday party. Pinatas are a hit (pun intended) with children because they usually contain treats. What kid doesn’t want a chance at breaking open a pinata! As kids we loved being blindfolded, spun in circles and pushed towards the swinging pinata for a strike.

I knew the tradition could carry on but not without a green twist, of course. The idea of this eco-friendly mission is to forgo the plastic and create a healthy and environmentally sound party which includes a pinata. Growing up we never thought about how much waste a pinata created. We just knew that when the pinata was punctured we’d get loads of candy and maybe a few plastic toys.

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It’s almost been a year since we picked up our spring chicks- Henrietta and Dixie. In all honesty, we did have four Spring chicks but our dog Durgen, killed two of them (Fluffy and Lois). It was devastating to say the least.  We decided that two was our lucky number. Having chickens has been such an adventure. When you first get them as chicks they do require to be under a heat lamp for about 2-3 weeks until they get bigger and can face the temperature variations outside. They require a little heat, food (medicated), water, your attention and love. Just before they get bigger you want to teach them to perch so that they are accustomed to doing so when moved into the coop. All you need to do is add a piece of wood inside the box you’re using to house them; elevate it so that they learn to jump up and perch. It’s really that simple.

My husband built the coop and we reused as much material as we could to get it up. For instance, the door was leftover fencing material and some of the wood was from older jobs that didn’t require as much wood as expected. Building the coop didn’t take much time and before we knew it the chickens had there own place to live and roam. Besides the coop they need a nesting box which is where they’ll lay their eggs. Add straw to the nesting box and make it nice and comfy. Some people will put in a golf ball or alabaster eggs in the box so that the chickens get the idea that they should lay the eggs inside the box. We did not do this. Our chickens learned on their own. It took them a few weeks but they figured it out.

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Packing a lunch without using plastic can be a challenging. With all the Ziploc baggies and plastic containers out there makes it hard to avoid. Packing a healthy lunch is one thing but having to worry about packing a plastic and waste free lunch is where it can get difficult.

Look no further…LunchBots are here to the rescue! 100% stainless steel and non toxic lunch containers.

LunchBots was created by a mom who couldn’t find any non-plastic containers to use and no longer wanted to worry about which plastics are safe. Sound familiar?

Jacqueline Linder of LunchBots began the company with the idea that we could eliminate the use of Ziploc bags and other plastic containers that are harmful to the environment. Plus, she wanted them to be unique and have a great design so kids AND parents would love them.

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It took awhile before I became okay with the idea of drinking wheatgrass juice. In realizing the benefits of wheatgrass it was something I didn’t want to miss out on. Wheatgrass shots at your local health food store can be very pricey. So, last spring we started to grow our own wheatgrass for it’s health benefits.

Currently, I take wheatgrass shots about once a week to boost the Vitamin K in my system (did this w first pregnancy, too). This way we can opt out of our son receiving the Vitamin K shot after birth -unless there are visible signs of bruising. Be sure to consult your midwife or physician if your are pregnant or nursing before consuming wheatgrass. In any case, we set up a seed starter tray with soil and planted wheatgrass.

Growing wheatgrass, otherwise known as, “Liquid Sunshine” is very easy to do. Wheatgrass grows quickly. It only takes 3-5 days to emerge in soil 1/8 of inch deep. You can grow it all year round but the preferred temps for wheatgrass to grow is between 50-80 degrees. In warmer climates where I live it will grow too fast and turn yellow quickly and wilt. Therefore, wheatgrass is great to grow in a window box which is what we did after a few attempts in the high heat. Wheatgrass is a uniform green foliage that it gives off a beautiful look when planted into a small pot or tray. It’s vibrant green color is the beholder of it’s many advantages.

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It’s not long before the birth of our baby makes his debut into the world. Preparing for a home birth can be overwhelming but for the most part it has really put things into perspective. For instance, having to get your home ready by doing all the cleaning and sorting and laundry seems to be the overwhelming aspect. Ordering the birth kit and receiving our water birth tub put things into perspective as I realize the birth our baby is not far off. After that, it’s mostly preparation in the home which seems to be a large task but if done at pace, isn’t so bad and well worth it. 

Having the labor and birth items 6 weeks before you deliver is usually key. The cleaning and sorting part can wait till the last few weeks. If you’re anything like me though- it can’t wait. I feel so much better working on things here and there as the weeks go along. Rather than trying to scramble and get it all done in one day or week seems more nerve-racking to me than spacing it out. At this point, I’ve been able to get to all the nooks and crannies that I feel should get cleaned prior to delivering a baby in our home. Focusing on the bathroom and birthing room is a must.

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