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Simple Steps…Read Labels Discerningly
Published on Friday, April 30, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Green Your Laundry Regimen
Published on Friday, April 30, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Shop Sustainable Brands (O...
Published on Thursday, April 22, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Rockin’ Out with The Fresh Beat Band
Published on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 by caryn Last week, the kidlets and I headed out to Paramount Studios to meet the rockin' members of The Fresh Beat Band! It's actually one of the shows I not only tolerate, but enjoy. The show, which is geared towards preschoolers, is centered on four best friends in a band who attend music school together and enjoy singing and dancing. Nickelodeon offers both 30 minute... Read More » -
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Simple Steps…Conserve Water
Published on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Involve, Educate, and Insp...
Published on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Opt for Safe (er) Cosmetic...
Published on Monday, April 19, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Precycle *Giveaway*
Published on Monday, April 19, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Conserve Energy *Giveaway*
Published on Sunday, April 18, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…From Terra Wellington
Published on Sunday, April 18, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Going Green Disney Style *...
Published on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Spring Greening
Published on Monday, April 12, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Plant a Tree…Or a Ga...
Published on Saturday, April 10, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Green Your Clean! *Giveawa...
Published on Friday, April 9, 2010 by caryn 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 » -
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Simple Steps…Recycle
Published on Friday, April 9, 2010 by caryn "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 » -
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Simple Steps…In Celebration of Earth Mo...
Published on Friday, April 9, 2010 by caryn 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 »
