Published on Sunday, May 2, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
"I want a snnnaaaccckkk!" I can't tell you how many times my toddler says that in one day! And finding something healthy (that he'll eat) is always a challenge. I recently wrote about the types of food we eat and how we grocery shop. Because we avoid things like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and trans fats, we're limited when it comes to package... Read More »
Published on Friday, April 30, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
There are moments when I feel like reading a nutrition label is more like a science experiment. It's come down to this...if I can't understand it, I don't buy it (generally...unless I'm having a craving!). We've managed to simplify our shopping routine simply by avoiding the following: high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, MSG, dyes, and trans fats. E... Read More »
Published on Friday, April 30, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
Posting has been super light this week because I've been in Arizona with Bosch learning all about how to organize and effectively do my laundry. But I've come away with some great tips that I'll be sharing with you soon! One of the things I learned was that the way we do laundry, isn't a. the most effective and b. the most environmentally friendly. We have a top... Read More »
Published on Sunday, April 25, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
As Earth Month draws to a close, I have a few sustainable companies I want to tell you more about. For the most part, I've been purchasing products from these companies even before I started reviewing products on my blog. I'm a diligent label reader (something I'll be talking about in a future post) and strive to avoid a handful of "ingredients" (if that's what you ... Read More »
Published on Thursday, April 22, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
When I think about going green, I don't immediately think about the clothing my family wears. But cotton, the textile that a majority of our clothing is derived from, is considered one of the dirtiest crops due to it's heavy use of insecticides, the most hazardous pesticide to human health (Organic Trade Association). Did you know that cotton uses approximately 25... Read More »
Published on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
If it weren't for my water bill, I might not realize how much water we're using. In 2009, the Department of Energy estimated that a family of four spends over $400 a year on showers (based on a 10-minute shower). Now, that might be just a bit less since I'm lucky if I get even a 5 minute shower in. But we consume water in many other ways...rinsing dishes, wateri... Read More »
Published on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
I didn't grow up eating organic food, recycling, or being mindful of my consumption of water, energy, etc. Environmental concerns, while not new, have only recently received public awareness. My hope is that my children will grow up "greener" than I was raised.
There are many ways to involve, educate, and inspire children to care for themselves and their enviro... Read More »
Published on Monday, April 19, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
Because "natural," "hypoallergenic," and "pure" are largely unregulated terms, I find this step to be the most difficult. There are times when I feel like I'd have to be a scientist to understand the ingredients on the back of my body wash, shampoo, and hand cream. Fortunately, there are resources like Skin Deep and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to offer guidance an... Read More »
Published on Monday, April 19, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Sylvia. Congrats!Precycling is a term that is very new to me, but the concept is one I've strived to practice for years. Last week I wrote about how easy it is to recycle. However, if you'd like to deepen your shade of green, consider reducing or even eliminating waste that will need ... Read More »
Published on Sunday, April 18, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Beverly. Congrats!We are a highly technical society, wired in every way. I look around my house and cannot begin to count the number of things I have plugged in. Everything from the television to my coffee maker is wasting energy...simply by being plugged in. It's called standby... Read More »
Published on Sunday, April 18, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
Last week, I had an opportunity to sit in on green-focused webinar hosted by Silk Soy Milk. Terra Wellington, who authored the book "The Mom's Guide to Growing Your Family Green: Saving the Earth Begins at Home,"shared some practical, attainable ways to "go green." Going "green" is really a two-fold endeavor. Not only is it good for the planet, it's good for ... Read More »
Published on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
Plastic is everywhere. It's how many of the products we purchase are manufactured and packaged. It's in toys and baby bottles...it houses food and household cleaners. Two years ago, I was lucky if I found one or even two companies that utilized safe plastics ( BPA-free) in their infant bottles. Today, their is no shortage of plastic alternatives to baby bo... Read More »
Published on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Jennifer (#29). Congrats!As someone who grew up wearing Mickey Mouse Ears and went through a HUGE Winnie the Pooh phase, I'm partial to all things Disney. This year, the company is celebrating by offering Earth-day themed activities, products, and apparel to inspire families to go green!&nb... Read More »
Published on Monday, April 12, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
Once again, I've teamed up with Aller-Ease and The Motherhood for a special seasonal cleaning series. Spring is the season when my allergies kick up a notch (more so than any other time of the year). Those pretty flowers that you see blooming in your backyard only do so because of pollen. Unfortunately, I've been sneezing like crazy! Do you ever feel like you... Read More »
Published on Saturday, April 10, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
My son is still too young to understand concepts like global warming. So most of the eco-education I do is based on modeling and hands-on learning. I want him to view things like recycling as a normal part of everyday life. I want him to grow up with a reverence for our environment and it's precious resources.
We've planted flowers in the past, but he was too... Read More »
Published on Friday, April 9, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
This giveaway is now closed. Thanks for stopping by. The winner is Cheryl M. Congrats!It was a blustery Saturday in Edinburgh and we were prepping to move out of our flat. I took on the bathrooms, my husband the kitchen. We didn't know about toxic cleaners at the time. Thankfully, hormones and intuition took over. The smell was nauseating... Read More »
Published on Friday, April 9, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."
Proverb
My husband and I live in a community that encourages and makes it relatively easy to recycle. We have a "recycle" bin that gets taken out every week along with the trash bins. All I really need to do is sort the trash into that which is and isn't recyclable (paper, plastic, cardboard). I have to s... Read More »
Published on Friday, April 9, 2010 by Caryn Bailey
Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us. ~Henrik Tikkanen
"It's so expensive to buy everything organic"
"It's too confusing to read the labels on cleaning and skin care products"
"I don't have time"
"Natural, organic, sustainable...what's the difference?"
"I don't even know where to begin"
"I recycle, isn't that ... Read More »