Attack of the Green Monster!

Every mom does it. We don't want to and we hardly ever admit it..but we all are in competition with each other. Each and every one of us wants to be a better mother than the neighbor. It might be who discipline better, dresses their kids better, or plays with their child better. Moms love to one up each other. Well, I had my moment the other day. I was so envious because I realized another mother had if figured out better than I.

Normally, I work very hard to provide healthy lunches. I don't like to feed my kids a lot of processed junk. But when faced with the on the go moments I do tend to grab the easiest thing..and that is usually crap. So for Jr's field trip I packed some chips and peanut butter bagels. The kids were delighted..a rare treat of junk always has them on cloud nine. I looked around the lunch table and realized that the other mothers had packed similar lunches. So I breathed a sigh of relief...I'm not the only mom that can't figure the on the go meals. Then uber hippie mom sits down. She unfolds her lunch bag and provides for her child nuts, lettuce and tomato sandwich, and an orange. Why didn't I think to do that????? She had no salty dollar store chips! She didn't use yucky plastic bags! She had reusable wear! There was no water bottle she had a reusable cup filled with juice. I was so jealous that I didn't do that! An ugly green monster reared it's ugly ugly head. Why does it gotta be so damn hard to be green?

Yucky Evil Items Part 2

The men in my life love to wash the truck. It's their favorite weekend chore and I love to sit back and watch them scrub tires with pride. Today, while loading up pictures from this weekend, it came to me...How Eco friendly can washing your car be?

To be honest the thought hadn't occurred to me that my car cleaners weren't green. So I started googling and realized the damage of our weekend ritual. From what I read it seems on avg we are wasting 140 gallons of water. ForShame! How had it not occurred to me if running water while brushing teeth is wasteful; then of course rinsing a car must be ludicrous?

I can't keep my lil boys from the chore they love so much and I was feeling at a lost but always the optimist I started googling for better solutions. I found some great alternatives for cleaning your vehicle with out wasting water or putting icky chemicals onto the ground. Check out http://www.freedomwaterlesscarwash.com/ to learn more.

ice age?

I know the North's weather isn't as sizzly hot as the South but this is insain. 60 degree nights in JULY? It's maddness. Where's my hot sultry tanning weather? Some say we are working our way into a new ice age. That's why the weather is so unusual.

I imagine my self permanatly frozen in my Dodge Durango with an oreo in my mouth. Historians 100s of years from now will point and blame. They will go through my home and see my cell phone plugged into the wall, three computers running, lights left on, my husband frozen over the sink brushing his teeth with the water running, and my sons frozen to the TV. We honestly are trying to "green up" our lives but historians will taste bile in their mouth as they peruse our electronic burdened home. They will point fingers and say "You, you are the reason our Earth looks like poo!" They will be partially right. I am a part of the collective that is finding it hard to change at such a crucial point in history. Will we be too late?

Feeling Green but not acting Green

Since my last post I found out I am going to be blessed with my thrid child. This is great news. The throwing up 24/7, well not so much. It's been a rough time. And the doc apts are insain. I don't remember visiting the doc so much. I ve gone to two apts this week and still have one left. So besides feeling Green Im not acting very Green.

First the smell of food is the number one enemy so Ive fixed the children frozen meals for the last two weeks b/c I can't handle cooking. (NOT GREEN) Plus, all the driving over creation...Bad carbon footprint! Sending Nick for takeout...Bad carbon footprint! And like flushing the toliet a thousand times per throwup...not good water use. Who knew having a baby, something so natural, could be so UNGREEN! What's a prego to do?

Well, it's a struggle. I've got a lot of balls in the air but I won't let myself feel overwhelmed. I am challenging my self to have a very Green pregnancy. Any ideas? Advice? Come on people, it's gotta be possiable!

Someone save me, I am being poisoned!

Walk over to your fridge....You just bought some apples, potatoes, celery. Yum. Did you buy this yummy food from a grocery story? Yea, I thought so. Well, did you know that your food on average traveled 1,200 miles before it reached your fridge? Eww. That doesn't sound so yummy does it? An Eco-minded person, like yourself, understands food traveling from one region to another leaves behind a big carbon foot print. We don't want that, do we?

To lower your carbon foot print why not find a farmer's market where food is locally made and in season. Double YumO! Better yet, look for the Organic seal! Organic fruits and veggies do not get sprayed with pesticides making them much healthier for yourself and your world. (Yes, our government has no problem with poisioning the people!) Hey you don't have to change your whole lifestyle because I said so, look it up. Do your own research and you will come to the same conclusions I and many Americans are comming too. It's an overwhelming problem and these are just simple tips to save our Earth and your dinner!

To eat or not to eat?

I just read Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. Not only was this read eye opening but possiably life changeing. I say possiably because I have not quiet decided if "Vegan" way is the lifestyle for me. I hate not trusting what I put in my mouth. Looking at my poo filled hamburgers and hormone infested chicken; does kind of ruin my appetite.

So is it fear that is making me change or fact? My B/F/F seems woried it's more fear than fact. Although, she is supportive, I know she thinks her dear friend has gone overboard. Or have I? How many studies have I read that lead to my fear of meat? Too many, but our these studies correct? I don't know. No, you can't always believe what you read or hear. People get paid to make the ugly look good, to make the unhealthy seem tastier, ect. Authors, like Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin, are bringing light to issues most were not privy too. But a meat lover could claim they are being payed too. Each individual has to read this information and form an educated opinion. I believe that the meat companies are not as sanitary as we would like them to be. I also believe that we can live healthy lives without meat. It may take me awhile to figure out if a Vegan or Vegetarian eating style is right for my family, but until then I will keep learning all I can in order to protect my family. Cuz, ultimately at the end of the day the only reason I am "going green" is for the sake of my children.

How I became Green?

All my friends know that my son, JR, suffers from eczema. When he was under a year old we rushed him to the doctor because he had this nasty rash. We were told that he had eczema and that most children that suffer from eczema will become asthmatics. Okay, as a new mother this was a lot to handle. No one wants their children to suffer.
We did as the doctor suggested and found what food product made Jr sensitive. Plus the doctor gave us this steroid cream to help him through breakouts. It did not treat his eczema but it helped with symptoms. We did what we could..but his eczema was still there.
After we moved up here to PA our new doctor would not give us the steroid cream. I was pissed. How was my baby supposed to feel better without the medication? And thus my education began.
A few months later both my boys came down with a nasty diaper rash. Hubby had been asking me for two years to change to cloth b/c he had heard it was a healthy decision but I wouldn't listen to him. Well..after battling a nasty case after a nasty case I did some research. Did you know that those sweet cheerful easy to use disposable diapers stay in the landmine for a life time?? I didn't. Plus the chemicals inside that diaper cause the wretched diaper rashes that I had fought and fought. We now use cloth diapers. They are not hard to maintain and they certainly reduce what we put into the landmine. The best part...diaper rash is not an ongoing battle in my home.
Through research and my favorite soap opera that did a series on "Going Green', I have learned many things. Such as the chemicals in processed food can cause many unhealthy reactions, eczema included. I learned that chemicals in our cleaning products can also emit yucky VOC and lead to many serious aliments...cancer, asthma, ect. I used to be addicted to air fresheners, but how can I in good conscience spray a bottle of VOC laden fragrance into my home knowing that both VOCs and Fragrance can bring on asthma attacks and can lead to other childhood sicknesses.
We began cleaning our home with out harsh chemicals. We use good ole baking soda, seventh generation products, and vinegar. We fragrant our home with essential oils and candles. I act just learned that there our candles made of soy. These particular candles are better for the environment and ultimately that is better for my children. And then my genius mother in law introduced me to the No Nos of BPA. I am grateful to her for it. No more water bottles for us. I just recently purchased a cute pink bpa free water bottle and replaced my plastic tupperware with glass. And as a kicker to make me feel like I am not doing this just to be helping my family...we started using canvas bags at the grocery store. Plastic really is the devil. I want my children to grow up in a healthy environment and that means a healthy world. All these changes have made JR a healthier lil boy and I am grateful for my new found knowledge.
So as eco-conscience as we have become...We are not perfect. Organic food is expensive and with our lil E-5 paycheck we can not live off a completely organic diet. We do buy a few things here and there that our Organic. I am patiently awaiting the day that it becomes more affordable. We also drive a gas guzzler from hell. Another fact due to money issues. It takes Green to be completely Green.
Here is what you can do..even if you are short on green. You can reduce, reuse, and recycle. Buy at least one canvas bag and use it for shopping. That is one less plastic bag that could have ended up as a plastic tumble weed or in a landmine or around some poor animals neck. When more money comes your way you can buy more. Or if the objects really don't need a bag then just carry it out of the store in your hands. Buy some cloth rags, preferably made of organic materials. This will replace the use of paper towels. Before you buy an item really think if you need it..or maybe you have something in your home already that you could modify and use it for that purpose. For instance..I use an old white trash bin for recyclables. No use buying new. And read the back of the products you buy. If you can't pronounce it then you don't want it in your home. I saved money and the Earth by switching to green cleaners. (and everyone that knows me well knows I am a neat freak)
Going Green is a learning experiance. It is something we can all do with lil to minimal work and it is well worth it. It doesn't have to be a hippie crazed event. If you want to read up on it I suggest Healthy Child Healthy World by Gavigan. Just don't be overwhelmed by it. One change can make a difference.