Green Options

A new U.S. organics education and marketing campaign is aimed at families with young children.  The Organic Agriculture and Products Education Institute (Organic Institute) has launched ‘Organic. It’s worth it’, its first national consumer campaign.

“The mission of this campaign is to answer consumer questions about organic with the clear message that organic is worth it in every way from health care and economics to farming and the environment. It will increase consumer trust, knowledge and purchase of organic products,” says Christine Bushway, president of the Organic Institute and executive director of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), the campaign sponsor.

By April 1st, most workers will see a reduction in taxes withheld due to the $787 billion economic stimulus package, but unfortunately, the extra $65 a month for a family of four isn’t going to go very far.

It’s certainly not going to make the payment on a new car or house, but tax breaks on those purchases are also being touted as an important part of the stimulus package. And it’s not going to keep your mortgage payment current.

Temperatures in Jackson, Wyoming, ranged from -6 to 30 during my visit over the weekend. And yet folks were much more likely to be found outside than in. Perhaps that is because the “outside” of Jackson, Wyoming, is so beautiful and offers so much in the way of wonderful outdoor activities, from skiing (alpine, nordic and telemark) to snowboarding to snowshoeing through the magnificent Grand Teton National Park, to name the most obvious. I think the beauty of the scenery and the thrill of the activity keeps us warmer than the temps suggest. This notion occurred to me when I overheard a seemingly non-sensical statement during my trip. As we waitied for a shuttle on one particularly chilly morning, it was -4 at the time, a woman waiting beside me told her friend,

You know, with these temperatures back home, it’d be freezing!

When your child has aches and pains, heat or cold applications offer wonderful, natural therapy.

In my experience as a parent, my children often resist ice or heat unless it it is disguised as a loving toy.  Cornbag Critters are lovable toys that can be heated in a microwave as a natural alternative to electric heating pads.  Made from 100% fluffy cotton chenille, handmade Cornbag Critters can help soothe earaches, growing pains, muscle/joint pains, backaches, and/or cramps.

What is a Corn bag critter you ask?  A corn bag is a natural, earth-friendly alternative to the electric heating pad. Corn bags are used to help soothe and relieve the pain from earaches, toothaches, backaches, cramps, growing pains, muscle and joint pain, neck and shoulder   tension, knee pain, sinus pressure and many other common ailments.   The inside of the bag is filled with whole kernel deer corn and is heated in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.  Since the corn is cracked, it does not pop. Once you remove the bag from the microwave you replace the cover.  This will hold heat for several hours.  In addition to the healing properties, corn bag critters are wonderful to snuggle up to on a cold winter night.

Modern Day Homesteading

I consider my family modern day homesteaders. We started with 160 acres of raw land, which actually was an old homestead and still had some of the original fruit trees. We built our own home from the trees on the land, started a garden, and installed an off-the-grid power system. We live as self-sufficiently as possible, and the only major difference between my family and the original homesteaders is we had to buy our land and the modern conveniences of our home.

Apparently, there is a small trend in the United States for families to give away their possessions, get back to the land, and choose a simpler life. Take for example the Harris family of Austin Texas, who aspire to be organic homesteaders in Vermont.

Now they are trying to get rid of it all, down to their fancy wedding bands. Chasing a utopian vision of a self-sustaining life on the land as partisans of a movement some call voluntary simplicity, they are donating virtually all their possessions to charity and hitting the road at the end of May.

Thunderstorms and tornados have been pounding the southeast USA over the past 12 hours. I woke this morning and found my aunt fretting over her television. She told me that my hometown was ducking for cover because a rotating storm cell was coming in fast; the Weather Channel mentioned Chattanooga by name. At 7am, I knew that most of my family was still asleep. I called home and gave them a heads-up.

Growing up in the southeast we were very familiar with summer thunderheads and tornado drills. At school we practiced ducking for cover in cinderblock hallways and were vaguely aware of the language of dangerous weather. Tornado warnings meant nothing at all; tornado watches were almost as distracting at school; air raid sirens were rare but frightening. Almost everyone had a distant “cousin” who had seen a real tornado.

Green parents want to raise their children with the same eco-values that they hold dear. What books are out there for children after they've read The Lorax? There is no shortage of beautifully illustrated picture books that will help children of all ages understand the value of the environment. Here are a few of my favorites–

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