Tips to Help You Raise a #HealthyBaby Plus a Seventh Generation #Giveaway

A question that green advocates like myself often get asked is why. Why do we need to stop using chemicals? Why should I buy organic foods? My short answer? You probably won't like it, but it is the truth: all of these chemicals are killing us. Before we go any further, I want you to take three and a half minutes to watch this "A Wake-Up Story" video.

Chemicals are everywhere. From the food our kids eat, to the grass they roll around on and the soap we use to clean them up. There are more than 80,000 chemicals registered for use in the United States however pre-market safety testing is not required. That's right, companies do not need to prove that a chemical is safe before it is introduced into the market. In Europe, more than 1,300 chemicals have been banned from use in personal care products yet here in the U.S. only 11 have been banned. We are failing to protect our children and now the leading cause of child-related death in the U.S. is cancer.

Let me repeat that:
the leading cause of child-related death in the U.S. is cancer! 

Our babies are dying before they even have a chance to live. They are born with more than 200 chemicals already in their little, vulnerable bodies. So THAT is why we all need to be more aware of what we bring into our homes and put on our bodies. That is why I personally urge everyone to be green.

Now that we have the why, let's get to the how. How can you reduce your child's exposure to toxic chemicals? If this is all new to you, the best thing to do is start off easy and take it one step at a time. Healthy Child Healthy World offers us five affordable tips to lowering chemical exposure:

• Take off your shoes. 85 percent of the dirt in our homes is tracked inside on the bottom of our shoes. And unfortunately, it’s not just dirt, but also toxins like lead, pesticides, gasoline residue and more. So take your shoes off at the door and don't be afraid to request guests to as well.
   
• Buy safer body care. Children are exposed to an average of 27 care product ingredients on a daily basis that have not been found safe for developing bodies. Protect your family’s health by avoiding products with ingredients like parabens, synthetic fragrances and triclosan. I personally use the Seventh Generation baby products and have been very pleased with them all. For a list of most-toxic offenders, download the Healthy Child Healthy World free eBook, “Easy Steps to a Healthy & Safe Nursery.”
   
• Open a window. We spend about 90 percent of our time inside, but indoor air is typically far more polluted than outside. So, open up your windows. Just a few minutes a day can improve indoor air quality. And don't forgot to do this in your car as well. When you first get in the hot car, roll down the windows for a few minutes while you wait for the A/C to kick in.
   
• Eat whole foods. Processed foods are convenient, but they are also loaded with sweeteners, artificial flavors and colorings, and synthetic preservatives. These lack nutrients and many are also linked to health issues like ADHD and even cancer. Stonyfield Organic offers an arrangement of foods for babies, kids and adults; organic yogurts, smoothies, soy yogurts, ice cream and milk. I can tell you that they are delicious, are the only yogurt products I have ever used in the 8.5 years that I have been a mom and most importantly they are all made without synthetic hormones, toxic persistent pesticides, GMOs and artificial ingredients.
   
• Ban the can. Bisphenol-A (BPA), a hormone disruptor that has been linked to everything from obesity to cancer, is in the plastic resin that lines most canned goods—from soups to sodas. Not to mention canned foods are usually loaded with salt. Look for foods packaged in glass or eat fresh, dried, and frozen options.

Now that you have learned a little more about toxic chemicals and how you can limit your exposure, there is still more you can do: take action and educate others. First, contact your senators and urge them to strengthen and pass the Chemical Safety and Improvement Act (CSIA). Click here to send a message to yuor senator now. Next, you can tell your friends, family, PTO, etc. about the dangers of chemicals and the safer products available to them by hosting a Healthy Baby Home Party. There is also a $1 off coupon available to download whether you sign up to host a party or not.

Giveaway
One (1) winner will received a Seventh Generation #HealthyBaby product gift basket. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on July 11, 2013 at 12:00 AM EST. Please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Whole Foods Market Opens in Danbury On May 17

Back in March 2011, I was thrilled to announce that a Whole Foods Market was coming to Danbury, CT. And for the past two years since then I have anxiously awaited for it to actually happen. Finally, the grand opening is almost here! This Friday, May 17, 2013 the brand new Danbury Whole Foods Market will be opening its doors.

The other day I had the privilege of attending a media preview tour of the store. I was honestly giddy with excitement about being able to get a sneak peak and actually being there I felt like a kid in a candy store. All around me I was surrounded by natural foods that are free of chemicals and artificial ingredients and it was just plain awesome. Since this was my fist time ever stepping foot inside of a Whole Foods, I wanted to share some of the areas that excited me the most.

When you first enter Danbury Whole Foods, you will be face to face with the produce department. Here you will find fruits and vegetables from local Connecticut farms as well as regionally local farms in New York and New Jersey. To the right of the produce is the bulk foods area which I cannot wait to dive into. This section is great if you are trying a new recipe and only need a little bit of an ingredient that you don't normally use. It also has the peanut grinder where you can grind your own peanut butter. I'm not sure what it says about me that something like grinding peanut butter makes me super excited, but I can't wait to give it a go.

Over in the meat and poultry department, I learned about the 5-Step Animal Welfare Rating.

"All beef, chicken, pork and turkey in our fresh meat cases must come from producers who have achieved certification to Global Animal Partnership’s 5-Step™ Animal Welfare Rating."

Alright so I am a mom of four very picky little boys. So yes, when I saw that part of the grand opening sale was 12oz packages of chicken nuggets and tenders for just $3.49, I had to snap a picture. I foresee me dumping a bunch of these in my shopping cart this weekend. And I know other moms out there would be equally excited for this deal. Just don't elbow me for the last box please.

We took a quick peek into the grocery aisles and as you can see they are jam packed with yummy goodness. If you are shopping at Whole Foods Market, you are obviously conscious of what you are putting into your body and probably an avid label reader. Whole Foods is making that a little easier for us by labeling non-GMO products from their private label line.

Yes, another grinder caught my attention. This time it is the coffee grinder. I love the smell of freshly ground coffee... possibly more than I actually like the taste of coffee. I normally go for flavored coffees, and it is impossible to find any without artificial flavoring in conventional grocery stores. So I am anxious to shop Whole Food's selection of coffees and get to grinding.

Now I am not a huge beer drinker, but I thought that these shelves of every type of beer imaginable, many local, was pretty darn cool. And I may have drooled just a little bit. This is only a fraction of what was there, it actually wrapped around the corner. And you will notice that these are individual bottles of beer so that if you want to try something new, you only have to buy one bottle. I do enjoy trying local beers so I definitely see a sampling in my future.

The specialty area and counter was filled with some delicious looking cheeses. My husband is a big cheese and crackers snacker so we'll have to pick up some fresh cheese from here. I also thought it was cool that the wood that you see in the signs and those hooks on the wall behind the counter are all re-purposed. For Whole Foods Market, it is not only important that they provide customers with the best, natural food but they try to make their entire operation as sustainable as possible.

Those of you familiar with the Danbury area will know that this new Whole Foods Market is where the old Marcus Dairy and Dairy Bar Restaurant used to be. In honor of that, they added a "Burgers & Shakes Bar" where you can grab yourself a delicious, fresh burger after a day of shopping. And the prices are very affordable with a grass-fed beef burger or cheeseburger starting at only $4. I am already trying to make plans for when my sister-in-law and I can go their to shop and eat. And just down a little ways from here is the Coffee Bar. Sigh. I am going to have to add some extra time in at the gym for all the calories I am going to be consuming here.

The grand opening of the Whole Foods Market Danbury start at 9:00 AM on Friday, May 17, 2013. 5% of the day’s sales will be donated to the Danbury Museum and Historical Society. The first 350 customers will get one free pound of chicken and one free pound of shrimp. Now I am told that the turn out is expected to be pretty big, with customers lining up outside as early as 8:00 AM. So if you want to get it on these freebies, get there early. I will most likely be waiting till after the initial craze of the weekend so I can shop leisurely and enjoy a juicy burger and milk shake when I'm done.


To stay on top of special one day sales, be sure to follow @WFMDanbury on Twitter and Whole Foods Market Danbury on Facebook. To check out the current sale flyer, visit http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/danbury.

Go Green with NBC's Share and Tell App

Who doesn't like shiny new stuff all the time? However nice new things may be, the reality is that brand new isn't always necessary. A gently used item can work just as well while saving you money and helping out the environment. Did you know that for every pound of new goods produced, 71 pounds of waste are generated during manufacturing? So instead of running out to buy that new something, why not ask around to your friends to see if maybe someone is looking to get rid of one?

In honor of Earth Week, NBC has created the Share and Tell app to help you minimize your impact on the planet by sharing your stuff. Here is why you will love this:

• How Are You Green? Eco Quiz - It’s not easy being green…(or is it?) We all want to take better care of our environment and go green, but the question is... How are YOU Green? Take the Eco quiz to find out! • 7 Easy Ways to Start Sharing Now - Now, more than ever, sharing makes sense. Getting started sharing is simpler than you think! Read these 7 easy ways to start sharing now and create healthier, happier families and communities. • Real Life Share and Tell Stories - Read real life stories of how sharing on yerdle has helped people just like you get the stuff they need - without buying a thing! • Get Social - Tweet with the #ShareandTell hashtag to get your audience excited about NBC’s Share and Tell!

You can check out the Share and Tall Blog App right here on this page (below) or to learn more, check out NBC's Green is Universal Facebook Page. Happy Sharing!

Easy Tips To Help You Be Green Year Round

Being green does not have to be an all or nothing lifestyle choice. Even if you can't live off the grid growing all your own organic food, there are lots of little day to day things that you can do that will make a difference. And yes, even the smallest things make an impact, especially if we all start doing them. So here are a few of my tips on how you can easily be a little more green all year round.

Recycle. Most municipalities and private garbage companies include recycling with their garbage removal. If yours doesn't, call around to find one that does. Recycling your plastics, metals and paper takes little to no effrot but has a great impact on the environment.

Turn off the lights. During the day, open up all of your blinds to use natural light instead of electricity. When you leave a room, make sure you turn the lights off. Make sure you teach your kids this since they can be the biggest culprits of leaving lights on all over the house.

Switch to CFL or LED lights. CFL light bulbs use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and can last up to six times longer. LED light bulbs use up to 80% less energy than incandescents and can last up to 25 times longer. While these bulbs are more expensive to purchase up front, they will save energy and money over the long haul. CFL vs. LED

Unplug appliance and electronics. Even when not powered on, plugged in appliances like toasters and coffee pots use electricity. So when you are not using them, unplug them. For electronics like your TVs, DVD players, game consoles, etc., plug them all into a surge protector strip and at the end of the day, you just have to flip one switch to cut off power to them all.

Compost. Instead of placing green waste like vegetable and fruit scraps in a plastic trash bag where they will sit in a land fill for ages, compost them. Compost bins can be very expensive, but you can make your own compost bin fairly easy and cheap. After a little bit of time and work, you will be left with wonderful fertilizer for your garden. Personally, I'm lazy, so in the warmer months I collect my green kitchen scraps in a large fruit bowl and at the end of the day, dump into into our woods.

Eat organic. Eating organic food is better for your body and for the environment. Even though organic prices have come down slightly over the years, they are still more expensive. So do what you can. I feel that the items you consume the most of, like maybe milk, peanut butter, bread, etc., are the things that you should change first. Check out the Environment Working Group's Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists to see which produce items have the most and least amount of pesticides. This will help you choose which produce you want to make sure are organic.

Buy local. During the winter months, there are really no farmer's markets available here in our corner of Connecticut. But in the Spring/Summer/Fall we are part of a local organic CSA plus there is a great farmer's market down on our town green. Buying local produce helps your local economy and community and gives you a chance to talk with the farmer's personally to find out about their farming practices. To find CSAs and farmer's markets in your area, visit LocalHarvest.org.

Do you have any easy green tips? Share them with us in the comments!

Recycle Your Old Electronics at Best Buy

In a world where technology is constantly changing and improving, we leave behind a trail of unwanted electronics in our efforts to upgrade to the latest and greatest. Technology is the fastest growing waste stream on the planet. Well there is a better option other than tossing the old items in the trash. Sure, if the said electronic is in working condition, you can sell it or donate or give it to a friend, but what if it doesn't work perfectly? Or what if it is a decade old? That is where the Best Buy Recycling Program helps us out.

Best Buy's industry-leading recycling program is available for FREE at all of its locations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. They will recycle most electronics including TVs, DVD players, cell phones and more. It does not matter how old your electronic item is, where you bought it or what shape it is in - Best Buy will gladly take it off your hands and safely dispose of it. For each minute that the Best Buy stores are open, they recycle 387 pounds of electronics. That is a lot of metal, plastic, wires and other components that they are keeping out of landfills.

Visit the Best Buy Recycling Program website to find out exactly can be recycled at your store and watch this brief video to find out what happens once your electronics get to the recycler.



When you are finally ready to upgrade from your old electronics and are dropping them off to be recycled at Best Buy, remember that they carry a large line of Energy Star certified products. Not only are Energy Star items better for the environment, they will shave a few bucks off your electric bill as well.

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Home & Beauty Tips

During the holiday season, you probably use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda for making cookies and other holiday baking. But did you know that baking soda has so many uses beyond cooking? When I started down my green living path five yeas ago, one of the first things I learned is that baking soda can make a great natural cleaner. Not only can you use it to clean up around the house, you can also use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to tend to some of your personal care needs. With the holiday season upon us, baking soda provides an inexpensive and natural way to spruce up our homes and pamper ourselves while prepping for holiday guests. Check out these six tips.

Prep Your Home

These household uses for baking soda will help you get your home ready for guests.

Freshest Flavor - Be sure to keep an open box of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in your refrigerator to ensure the freshest tasting ingredients for holiday entertaining.  This is especially important when storing garlic, onions or fresh holiday herbs and spices, which will transfer flavors to more delicate vegetables, meats and cheeses in the fridge.  Be sure to change the box once a month for optimal freshness.

Food Safe Surface Cleaning - Clean your food prep area and tools with natural, food safe Arm & Hammer Baking Soda instead of harsh cleaners. Sprinkle Arm & Hammer Baking Soda onto a clean damp sponge or cloth and wipe clean, rinse thoroughly and then dry.  Great for counters, stainless steel sinks, cutting boards, microwaves, wooden spoons, oven tops, range hoods and more.

Freshen Upholstery - Before guests arrive, remove lingering odors for fresh-smelling upholstered sofas and chairs with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Sprinkle baking soda on upholstery, wait 15 minutes and vacuum up.

Pamper Yourself

Whether you are exhausted from holiday shopping and need something to relax you or you want to make sure you shine for family photos, these tips will help do the trick.

Exfoliating Pedicure - Blend 2 tablespoons of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda in a basin of warm water. After a nice soak, make a scrub using 3 parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and 1 part water. Follow with an application of a rich moisturizer and a warm towel foot wrap. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Feet will feel smooth and clean.

Facial Scrub and Body Exfoliant - For smooth, radiant skin, give yourself a gentle facial and body scrub with Arm & Hammer Baking Soda.  Make a paste of 3 parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda to 1 part water.  Consider enhancing the treatment by including 1 part ground oatmeal. Rub in a gentle circular motion to exfoliate skin and remove dead skin cells. (Be careful to avoid eye area.)  Rinse clean with warm water.  Leaves skin feeling nourished and refreshed. Gentle enough for daily use!

Hair Care Help - Get rid of product buildup by sprinkling a small amount (quarter-size) of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda into your palm along with your favorite shampoo.  Shampoo as usual and rinse thoroughly.  The Arm & Hammer Baking Soda helps remove the residue that styling products leave behind so your hair is cleaner and more manageable.

So what is my favorite way to use Arm & Hammer Baking Soda? I would have to say I love using it to scrub the bathtub and shower. Soap scum is not fun to clean up, but the abrasiveness of baking soda really does it well. It is definitely one of my favorite ingredients for not only baking but cleaning as well. I always have at least 4 boxes of Arm &b Hammer Baking Soda in my house at any given time. One in each refrigerator, one in the pantry and one under the kitchen sink.

What other ways do you use baking soda around your home?


I wrote this review while participating in an Blog Tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Arm & Hammer and received product samples to facilitate my post and a promotional item to thank me for participating.

Becoming an Eco-Driver: Green Car Maintenance Even Your Local Mechanic May Not Know

Becoming an eco-conscious driver doesn’t only mean you have to trade-in your old four-door sedan for an electric or hybrid model. Sometimes the greenest thing you can do is make your current car last for as long as you can. One way to help the car you already have earn its status as the environmentally-friendly vehicle that you’ve always wanted it to be is to find green alternatives to some of the most common car maintenance procedures. Here are just five green car maintenance alternatives that even your local mechanic may not know about.

1. Oil changes – According to Eric Wilson of 2ndGreenRevolution.com, “Choose a re‐refined oil or one made from bio-based animal by-products. Both are API approved and last up to 24,000 miles when matched with our dual stage oil filter.” Using these types of recycled motor oils can increase fuel economy up to five percent and can last twice as long as normal filters and decrease oil use by 70 percent, according to their site.
   


2. Leaking tires – He also writes, instead of filling under-inflated tires with air, to find a place that will fill them with nitrogen. This change will cause leakage to happen slower because nitrogen molecules are larger, making them harder to leak. And since properly inflated tires improve fuel efficiency, nitrogen-filled tires may improve your car’s average gas mileage over time. Look around for service garages that offer nitrogen filled tires, but don’t overpay. Ten dollars per tire will more than cancel out any possible savings on fuel.


3. Low or no VOC paint – Paints with low volatile organic compound levels will always be safer for you and the environment than their highly toxic counterparts. So, if you’re thinking about touching up some rust spots or giving your car a new coat or color, consider using low or no VOC paint to do the job.


4. Windshield wipers – Did you know you can actually buy recyclable windshield wipers? Many windshield wipers are partially recyclable, but now manufacturers are making fully recyclable blades so nothing gets left in a landfill.


5. Windshield wiper fluid – Most windshield wiper fluid is made from methanol, also known as methyl alcohol and wood alcohol according to Ecoki.com. If ingested, this highly toxic chemical can be dangerous and even deadly. But companies are beginning to produce fluid without methanol as its base. These plant-derived products may have a higher freezing point but are just as effective.

When it comes to eco-friendly car maintenance, the products aren’t the only things going green. Jennifer Alsever, an MSNBC.com contributor, explains how shop owners around the country are aiming for a new level of environmentalism not only to benefit their customers, but also their bottom line. She reports that, “Shop owners say that by going green they can cut operating costs, reduce waste disposal costs, cut long-term liability and improve employee health.” It’s a win-win situation and the options really are endless when it comes to green car maintenance alternatives in today’s car market.

So, become an eco-conscious driver and take care of the planet as you take care of your car. Whether you’re looking for a new auto loan to buy a brand new fuel-efficient car or a used car loan for an eco-friendly car that’s a few years old, there are a number of financing options for you. Or, if you’ve decided to stick with the car you’ve already got, consider an auto refinance to help you save money on your existing loan. It could save you more money to use on your next green car maintenance trip.

Fight Fracking in Your Community PSA

Have you ever heard of fracking? Do you know what fracking is? A few months ago, I knew nothing about it. I didn't even know something like this was going on. Fracking is a method of natural gas extraction that involves drilling deep into shale deposits within the earth. Millions of gallons of water, mixed with sand and hundreds of toxic chemicals, are then blasted underground at high pressure to break apart the rock, releasing tiny pockets of natural gas. Learn more about fracking.

When my good friend Lee at MySentimentExactLee.com enlightened me on this we knew we needed to do something to help spark change. To make everyone aware of the dangers of fracking. So we started BloggersInspiringChange.org and hoped to use our collective blog influence to spread the word. Our first big project was putting together the following Public Service Announcement video about fracking, along with actors Ed Begley Jr. and Raphael Sbarge. It is finally done and we are so proud of it. So please take a moment to watch the video below. Share it on Facebook, on Twitter, on your blogs and wherever else you can. Help us make it go viral and help us educate the world on why fracking needs to stop.

Bloggers and Celebrities Unite to Educate Public On the Effects of Fracking

Participants Include Ed Begley Jr, Raphael Sbarge, Lee Allport, Marianna Nichols, Nichol Haskins, Jackie Pletsch, and The Mom Bloggers of ErieRising.com

(Los Angeles, CA August 21, 2012)- Bringing together the voices of actors and celebrities such as Ed Begley Jr. and Raphael Sbarge with bloggers and online influencers, BloggersInspiringChange.org and ErieRising.com have created a PSA to help educate the public on exactly what fracking is and how it can harm their communities.

“Fracking is a method of natural gas extraction that has the potential to poison our families. However, few people even know it’s happening, and that means there is something wrong with this situation,” said Lee Allport, Creator of BloggersInspiringChange.org.

"I'm so happy to be a part of the initiative," said Raphael Sbarge, an actor and founder of the environmental awareness organization Green Wish. "Fracking is of great concern to those of us in the environmental movement, so it's so wonderful to take part in a grassroots effort led by many of those most directly affected by the practice. These are the voices that need to be heard."

Beyond this PSA, BloggersInspiringChange.org and the various participants ask that viewers at home get involved in fighting fracking in their communities by writing to your elected officials or supporting organizations such as http://www.ecowatch.org.

The PSA can be viewed online at http://youtu.be/qX8OBdiWyz8. For additional information on Bloggers Inspiring Change, please visit www.bloggersinspiringchange.org and to learn about how fracking has affected people by visiting www.erierising.com.

Green Your Home Office with Staples

Not so long ago, eco-friendly office supply options were few and far between. Sure you could find recycled computer paper and maybe a recycled paper notebook, but there wasn't much else.  Now that consumers are starting to pay more attention to the products they buy and how said products affect the environment, the demand for sustainable products has grown. Thanks to Sustsainable Earth by Staples, you can fit your home office with products you can feel good about!

My home office has been temporarily relocated to the kitchen table until the kids go back to school.

 
These eco-preferable products are made with renewable resources, recycled materials and/or are third-party certified to validate their environmental attributes. I received a clipboard, a spiral notebook and a mouse pad from the Sustainable Earth line to try out. Obviously the thing I like most about these products is their sustainable qualities, but I also love that they have some color and style to them. Gone are the days of boring just brown recycled paper products!

The Clipboard is made from 100% recycled paper board and has a low-profile clip for easy storage and a built-in hole so you can hang it up. Purple is my favorite color so I love my new clipboard. It is sturdy and was great on my trip out to Detroit a few weeks ago. It is available in sorted colors. $2.99

The Mouse Pad is made from 75% recycled rubber from used car and truck tires. It has a non-skid bottom and can be used with both a standard mouse and an optical mouse. I have been using it with my wireless optical mouse. I like the three nature inspired designs this mouse pad is available in: Ladybug, Blades of Grass and Earth Paisley Design. $8.99

I love the Sustainable Earth by Staples Spiral Notebook because it has a unique quality. It is NOT made from recycled paper. Instead, the notebook and paper are made from sugarcane by-products, which means fewer trees are cut down, and a rapidly renewable resource is maximized. There are a variety of designs available, including the pretty floral one I received.

I was surprised when I opened up my notebook to find a folder inside. This is definitely a neat and handy feature. For me it is great to put product info and press releases into while I am working on a post. The notebooks are available in two sizes: 9 1/2" x 6" size ($3.49) and 8 1/2” x 11” ($4.49).

Sustsainable Earth by Staples offers so many more products then what I have featured here today. From recycled computer paper to calculators and staplers made from recycled plastics. They even have natural cleaning supplies. If you are looking to make your home office (or work office) more eco-friendly, you definitely need to take a look at all they have to offer.

Please note that the opinions and views expressed in this review are my own and based on my personal experience with the product and/or company. You may encounter a different experience with this than I did. I received free product to review.

Green Your World Challenge & Solar Charger Giveaway

Every step we take to a greener lifestyle is a big step in the right direction, regardless of how small you think it might be. Any change is good change and I am a big believer in doing a small something is better than doing nothing. One step at a time, right?

IEEE recently launched its Green Your World Challenge app on Facebook in an effort to inspire more sustainable living. The IEEE is the "world’s largest professional association dedicated to advancing technological innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity." This fun app asks you to create your own green challenge and then share it with your friends  in order to spread the message promoting a more sustainable world.  You can even draw your own challenge, which is great for all of you creative folks out there!

Users who make a pledge also have the chance tow in a solar charger, which can charge USB devices. I have been using it to charge my iPhone and I love it. Once you "like" the IEEE Green Your World Challenge page, you can get started on your own challenges. I decided not to create my own, because there were already so many good ones on there. My first pledge, and you can do as many as you like, was to "Say no to GMO!" A very important issue and one I feel strongly about.

What pledge will you make? Check out the app and help spread the word about sustainable living!

Giveaway
One (1) winner will receive a solar charge for USB devices. Giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on July 17, 2012. Please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2012 Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

While buying organic produce and foods is important to me and definitely a priority, buying everything organic is just not financially possible for us at this time.I wish organic produce wasn't so expensive!  The Environmental Working Group's Shoppers Guide to Pesticides in Produce has been a great help for me in showing me which items I should buy organic and which it is OK to skip on

The guide is broken up into two lists: Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen. The Dirty Dozen list shows the twelve produce items that contain the highest amount of pesticides, like apples and bell peppers. At the other end of the spectrum, the Clean Fifteen list has the produce items that contain the least amount of pesticides. For these, it is OK to buy conventional rather than organic.

The 2012 guide was recently released and I highly recommend that you check it out and download it for your reference. You can print the PDF to keep in your purse or wallet or even better, download the free apps that are available for iPhone/iPad, Android and windows phones. Visit www.ewg.org/foodnews/guide to download today.

I Took the Glad One Bag Challenge #Giveaway

A few weeks ago our twin boys turned five years old and I still can't believe it. They will be heading on to kindergarten in August! On May 19 we hosted a relaxed family party to celebrate their birthday. Something that I am always conscious of when I am preparing for one of the kid's birthday parties is waste. I try to keep our regular consumption and waste down on a daily basis and I an endeavor to do the same with the few parties a year that we have. Garbage at a party can so easily get out of control between disposable plates, napkins, utensils, cups and then food scraps, wrapping paper...the list is endless! For this particular party I decided to go ahead and participate in the Glad One Bag Challenge and see if I could keep all of our trash down to just one bag.

Glad One Bag Party Kit

I had already taken a few simple steps to reduce our waste by providing large, reusable plastic cups for drinks and buying two liter bottles of soda as opposed to cans. (Note: we don't drink soda, but our guests do).  The Glad One Bag Party Kit that I received to help me with this challenge helped me take my conservation to the next level! The napkins, bowls, plates, cups and utensils are all compostable. So instead of throwing them in the trash bin to take up space in a landfill, you can add them to your compost pile and turn them into fertilizer for your garden. Of course included in this kit was the Glad tall kitchen garbage bag which I was happy to learn is made with less plastic than other bags. The Green Works cleaner was perfect for the after party clean up, which was not nearly as messy as I thought it was going to be.

I have to say that my favorite part of this kit is that super cool green market basket you see in that photo. What makes it so super cool? Why, it is insulated and zips shut and it is BIG. This basket is going to be awesome when I am bringing four kids to the lake every week day this summer for their swim lessons! It has plenty of room for our 5 water bottles, fruit, snacks and ice packs. I'm looking forward to using it!

So at 1:00 pm our guests started to arrive, hungry for some food! While I know not many people are as insane as me when it comes to feeding my family food that is free of artificial ingredients, chemicals, etc.; I still like to provide healthy snacking options at our parties. We started off the day with my new favorite snack: unsalted sweet potato chips. If I had known these would have been such a hit, I would have bought more!

I set up my one garbage bag right in the middle of the kitchen next to the island so everyone could spot it easily and access it quickly. Once my husband came back with the six pizzas is when things started to get really busy. I kept my eye on the trash can to see how it was filling and was happy to see there was still plenty of room left in there once it was time to sing Happy Birthday!

Normally I get a giant cake from Costco but this time I decided to bake cupcakes myself, since the twins love them so much. There is nothing good or healthy about these cupcakes: I confess that they were made using a boxed cake mix and are full of junk. But I think it is OK to splurge every once in a while, especially at a birthday party!

Once the cupcakes were eaten and the presents opened, our party started to dwindle down. The guests said goodbye and we were left to start our clean up. I was thrilled that even with the wrapping paper from the presents, I was still able to fit everything into just one bag. I passed the challenge!

Trying to reduce my family's carbon footprint is something that is very near and dear to my heart. After all, we only have one planet and we need to take care of it not only for us and our children, but for future generations to come.  We recycle a ton here at our home, far more than we throw in the garbage. But obviously we still do create some trash and I want to use a garbage bag from a brand that is committed to bettering the environment like Glad is. Most recently they developed a way to produce a trash bag using 6.5% less plastic, which will help save 6.5 million pounds of plastic each year. That is the equivalent of 140 million trash bags out of landfills. For more information on how Glad is caring for the environment, visit gladtowasteless.com.


Giveaway

One (1) winner will receive a Glad One Bag Party Kit that includes the following:
• Box of Glad Tall Kitchen Bags
• Glad One Bag Tote
• Collapsible Metro Cooler Market Basket
• Veneerware compostable flatware & supplies
• Earth Friendly Soy Candle (scent may vary)
• Green Works All-Purpose Cleaner

Giveaway is open to US residents only and will end on June19, 2012 at 12:01am EST. Please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Glad and received a One Bag kit to facilitate my review, a kit to give away, and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So Many Eco Cars, So Little Time #FordNAIAS

In addition to checking out the new 2013 Ford Fusion at the North American International Auto Show last week in Detroit, I also spent some time walking around looking for other electric cars. There were actually a lot of them, which is a very good thing. Are car companies finally embracing the fact that alternative fuels are the future for the automobile? I certainly hope so. I wish I had more time to see them all and read more about their details. Unfortunately I never made it over to the Nissan Leaf, which I would have loved to see. Here is a quick peak at a few of the other eco cars I spotted.

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric is gas free and 100% electric. It is powered by an advanced high-voltage, lithium-ion battery system and boasts 100 MPGe. But the eco-friendly aspect of this car doesn't stop at the engine. Inside the Ford Focus Electric are cloth seats with fabric made with REPREVE® fiber, which is produced from 100% recycled materials. In fact one seat is made from 22 recycled plastic bottles. The foam in the seat cushions is derived from plant oils. Starting MSRP of $39,200.

The BMW i3 electric vehicle is a five door hatchback made from mostly aluminum and carbon-fiber reinforced plastic. This futuristic concept car has a liquid cooled lithium-ion battery and on a full charge can drive between 80 and 100 miles.

The Toyota Prius Hybrid is one of Toyota's top selling models in the United States. It is not surprising with its 51 MPG and affordable starting price of $23,520. In Spring 2012 look for the Prius Plug-In Hybrid model.

The Smart Car Electric Drive is a cute little eco car. This two passenger electric car also has a lithium-ion battery and has a range of about 63 miles. It can be charged in any home socket. Obviously not ideal for a large family like ours, but could be a good commuter car. If I had to drive to work every day again, I wouldn't mind using something like this instead of my minivan.

The Hyundai ix35 FCEV is really cool in that it is hydrogen powered. (FCEV = Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) I didn't even know that car manufacturers were making hydrogen powered vehicles so this was a fun find. The ix35 has a driving range of 360 miles and my favorite part is that the only emissions are water vapors. I would love to get behind the wheel of one of these for a test drive.

The 2013 C-Max Energi is yet another green car from Ford, who really impressed me with their range of alternative fuel cars at the show. This plug-in hybrid has a combined range of 500+ miles and in pure electric mode can reach a top speed of 47 mph.

The Honda Civic Natural Gas took me by surprise. How do they get a vehicle to run on natural gas? All I could envision was a propane tank sitting under the hood, which probably wouldn't be very safe. Though I do love my Honda Odyssey minivan, I'm not all that impressed with this vehicle. Switching from oil to natural gas really isn't all that eco in my opinion, and the Civic Natural Gas only gets 27 MPG city and 38 MPG highway. On the plus side, because natural gas is clean burning, this vehicle produces near zero emissions.

The all electric CODA won "Best Green Vehicle" at the San Diego Auto Show in December and certainly caught my attention in Detroit. While it doesn't have the flash and pizazz that some of the other green cars do, it is what it does that matters. The CODA features a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, has a range of 150 miles and can reach a maximum speed of 85 MPH. This five passenger vehicle also has an interior fabric option made of recycled materials. Starts at $39,900.

The Chevrolet Volt starts at $31,645 and features a battery that allows you to drive 35 miles gas free. There is also an onboard gas generator that produces electricity so you can go up to 375 additional miles on a full tank of gas.

Toyota once again provides an affordable hybrid option with the 2012 Camry Hybrid. Starting at $25,900, this vehicle gets 43 MPG. This hybrid system consists of teams a four-cylinder engine, a high torque electric motor and nickel-metal hydride batteries.

Finally we have the Tata eMO. Tata Technologies is based in India and had a few green concept cars to show off. This electric vehicle has a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 65 MPH. While this is just a concept car, Tata says that it would start at $20,000.

So that was a quick tour of some of the green cars that I was able to see at NAIAS 2012. Some of these are already on the road or will hit the roads soon while other may never ever see the road. But they are all pretty cool in their own way and I hope that the auto industry continues to make huge strides with alternative fuel vehicles. I'd love to see some solar powered concept cars next year. And yes, someone please make a green minivan for me!

What do you think? Do any of these cars catch your eye or spark your interest?

I was not monetarily compensated for this post. Ford flew me to Detroit, housed me, fed me and showed me a bunch of cool stuff in hopes that I would share what I learned with my readers. I am under no obligation to post. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.