Beyond Lead - Finding Out What's In Your Kids Toys

--Feature: "Greener One w/Molly Hovorka"--

I am the Co-Founder of Greenerone.com, an Eco-ratings community helping consumers make sustainable purchasing decisions. Working on Eco-ratings can be both a blessing and a curse. On the blessing side, I have an arsenal of resources for evaluating products, I stay informed about environmental trends and issues and I am in a position to help people make safer and more environmentally friendly decisions about the things they bring into their homes. On the curse side, I unintentionally bring small talk to a standstill at even the most casual of gatherings.

A few weeks ago, a brunch conversation with some friends and family turned to the issue of lead in toys. To be sure, this is a serious problem: one organization recently found lead in 35% of children’s toys that they tested, and in 38% of jewelry. The glorious sunny afternoon seemed to grow slightly darker when I piped up that the U.S. government restricts the use of lead in toys only in paint, and that it turns up in all kinds of places including jewelry, shoes, bibs, backpacks, and vinyl toys. And not only that, a whole slew of other toxins are founds in toys as well, including:

• PVC, which is a hard plastic that contains vinyl chloride, a carcinogen, and which also produces dioxin, one of the most toxic substances known, as a by-product. In addition, products made with PVC often contain phthalates to make them more flexible. Phthalates are linked to hormonal and reproductive problems, breast cancer, asthma and problems with the kidneys, liver and blood. PVC is used in books, bibs, backpacks, packaging, toys, plastic clothes and shoes and in other plastic products and components. Phthalates are also found in a wide variety of products besides plastic toys, including tablecloths, inflatable pools, detergents and personal care products.

• Cadmium, which is used as a stabilizer in PVC and paints, is linked to low birth weight, developmental disorders, and other problems, and is also a carcinogen. It can be found in painted toys and in backpacks, lunchboxes and bibs.

• Arsenic is a heavy metal that may make its way into children’s products via textiles or dyes. It is a known carcinogen that may also cause problems in the skin, blood, cardiovascular system and hormones.

• Mercury is used in inks, adhesives and in the formation of polyurethanes, and is dangerous to the nervous system and kidneys. While the more dangerous form of mercury (methylmercury) is not likely to be found in toys, there is a danger to workers manufacturing toys containing mercury as well as a hazard to the environment when the product is discarded. Mercury can be found in vinyl backpacks and bath toys.

HealthyToys.org is a good place to look up products by name, brand or type to find out the concentrations of any toxins that are present. While the site stops short of saying how risky a product is, it does provide detailed information about what levels of these ingredients are considered safe (and which organizations set these guidelines), allowing you to draw your own conclusions. To find out whether a product is safe while shopping, you can send a text message to MomsRising, which uses the HealtyToys.org database to provide you with an instant answer.



Molly Hovorka is a co-founder and the marketing director of Greener One, an eco-ratings community that gives you the tools and information you need to make greener choices. In addition, Molly writes the Greener One blog on greenerone.com, as well as the Greener One column on The Lohasian - both providing product reviews from a green perspective as well as environmental news and commentary. To compare products or to share your product knowledge with other conscious consumers, visit GreenerOne.com.


(Note: This post was originally published on greenerone.com)

Challenging Yourself to Generate Less Trash

--Feature: "Green Like Me w/Robin Shreeves"--

One summer my college roommate Allison worked for a waste management company. I had never heard the phrase waste management before. For some reason it struck me as funny. Other than that, though, I didn’t give the process of managing waste much thought back then. Fast forward a few (okay, more than just a few) years, and managing waste has somehow become a part of my daily life.

Allison recently told me that when she was in Germany last spring, she was impressed by how they handle their trash. She said that they recycle so much of their waste that they have huge recycling cans and very small trashcans outside of their homes. She saw this as a challenge and I felt compelled to rise to the challenge, too.

Managing the amount of trash at my house certainly is a challenge. But it’s worth the effort because the amount of trash that goes into the garbage cans and ultimately into the landfill is much less than it was a year ago. Hopefully, a year from now, it will be even less. Here are some tips for reducing the amount of trash that you generate.

• Use cloth napkins and rags instead of paper napkins and paper towels. Buy enough white cloth napkins to last your family for a couple of days. Wash them whenever you wash whites or towels. Don’t worry about keeping them pristine white or ironing them. Hide the paper towel roll under the sink and use old towels as rags.

• Limit the number of plastic and paper bags that you take from stores. If you don’t take them from stores, they can’t end up in your trash. Use reusable bags for all your shopping.

• Reuse disposable food containers as often as possible until they fall apart. Give away batches of homemade soup in them, use them instead of zipper bags in your kids’ lunch boxes, and save them to send home leftovers at holiday dinners.

• Think before you throw something away. Determine if there is another use for an item before chucking it. The twist ties that come on your bread bag can be reused to seal up an open bag of frozen vegetables. Use the empty bread bag when you clean out the cat’s litter box or walk the dog.

• Find new homes for still useful items. Never throw useful things in the trash. Donate. Give to friends. Sell online. Have a yard sale. Freecycle.

• Recycle anything and everything that can be recycled. Most of us are pretty good at recycling paper, bottles, and cans. But batteries, Styrofoam egg cartons, old sneakers, electronics, old cans of paint, and lots of other things can be recycled – you just need to find the places closest to you to drop them off. One of my goals for this year is to find those places closest to me so I can recycle more materials.

I know I’m not the only one who is thinking about trash in this way. According to government statistics, in 2005, Americans actually generated less trash than they did the year before. That’s the first time that has ever happened since records have been kept. That same year almost 1/3 of all trash was recycled. I’m trying to figure out how I can help improve those statistics. Wanna join me?


Robin Shreeves is a New Jersey based freelance writer who has been published in print and extensively online. Her column "Green Like Me" on The Lohasian helps readers new to the Eco-friendly lifestyle by providing simple and easy tips and tricks to "greening" their lives.

Organic -vs- Conventional Consumers: The High Price of Food Beyond the Wallet

--home + food + family--

Although millions of people worldwide are catching on to the environmental and health implications with conventional farming, and the value in organic foods, many still stay the conventional course. In my own discussion with folks I meet I often notice the flip responses to the benefits of eating conventional vs organic. One of my favorites was "we feed our kids conventional foods because there are so many toxins in the environment that it helps them build a resistance." Neat argument, but sort of fell apart when I knew that both parents quite smoking recently, because of those health hazards (and no argument for cigarettes as a method for building up a tolerance would fly). Perhaps it's the sophisticated way in which foods are marketed, competitively priced and conveniently located that makes them so darn hard to quit, and for some - easy to rationalize.

Ten years ago, going organic meant going either to a farmer or a tiny health food store miles away, run by some throw back hippie in most cases (at least in my neck of the woods). I remember days of $6 cups of organic fresh made vegetable juices and the $8 hot dogs, across the aisle from the over ripened organic fruit of every variety. Its a a very different world from ours, one where every major supermarket carries organic, or actually even has their own line of organic products. Organic foods have become cheaper and easier to access - the only issue is they still can or don't seem to market their wares.

For ages I complained that organic kids yogurt can't compete with Danon, because Danimals yogurt just looks more fun. Finally a few months ago I came across a probiotic yogurt made by Lifeway that sports a silly looking monster on the front of their bright pink and orange containers. My two year old loved it. Its a must have item in the house. I'm not much into marketing my kids into submission, but healthy intestines convince me otherwise. My six year old still waits for the Hannah Montana tie-in with our organic cheese. I think that will be a long wait.

Sometime I wonder if we simply posted the straight facts with warning labels on food, people would convert, much like on cigarettes, say "This nectarine has tested positive for pesticides - which has been linked to cancer, fertility problems, brain tumors, childhood leukemia, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma " (according to the EPA). Or how about a big sign when you walk into the grocery store that welcomes you that says "All this gorgeous looking produce comes to you courtesy of 1.5 billion pounds of pesticide that was used this year-enjoy!"

I am sure most folks innocently fondling cantaloupes in the fruit aisle are not aware that 60percent of herbicides, 90 percent of fungicides and 30 percent of insecticides are carcinogenic (again, not my stats - but the EPA). Or for that matter all those loving moms buying pesticide ridden (yet quit healthy looking) apples and strawberries for kids lunch boxes, unknowingly putting their kids at risk. In fact children are especially at risk from the toxic effects of pesticides. Their bodies are still developing and immature, making them susceptible to such damage. Studies by the National Academy of Sciences and the Environmental Working Group have found that children exposed to carcinogenic pesticides are at a high risk of future cancer and other studies determined that pesticide use was associated with an increased risk of childhood malignancies.

It might not be popular to play chicken little in this game of organic-vs-conventional foods - but in this case, the sky is actually falling. Choosing organic is more of a philosophical shift than a lifestyle change. It's easy to change what you do, but maybe less so - what you believe. In this case - all you have to do, is listen to the facts.

HERE is a great resource on most and least contaminated foods brought to you by the Environmental Working Group. The information provided also delivers insight into the methodology for food testing.

Family Matters: Fathering for Luxury and Necessity

--Feature: "Fathering the Family w/Rich Givens"--

As fathers, it isn’t always our first thought to sublimate our desires or alter our way of life to suit our children. We are taught to provide and focus on success defined in ways that aren’t necessarily consistent with our children’s simple needs.

A powerful emotional moment changed my perspective.

My daughter stood at the open door, wailing. Her beautiful eyes were filled with tears, and she reached towards me frantic and hysterical. She was terrified at the thought of us leaving her behind with this stranger. Only one year old, she couldn’t understand our motivations. She just wanted her mommy and daddy. Still, we left our child at the daycare provider’s home and drove away, towards work and responsibility.

People are certainly busy. Fancy houses, twin cars, cable TV, and cell phones all cost money. We exchange our time and our labor for them. This is a lifestyle many of us feel compelled to seek, and I was not immune. My desire to meet my daughter’s needs led me to ask a few questions. What is the difference between a necessity and a luxury? How much is enough? Was the trade I was making a good one?

The answer for me was no. I made a vow to be an advocate for my child. I resolved that I would not be the cause of insecurity or a source of disappointment. Innocence deserves better. Little ones are helpless, subject to forces they can neither understand nor control. They seek security and protection, and we must give it to them. Children have instinctive fears. One of the most primal is a fear of separation from their parents.

As I listened to my daughter cry, my heart stretched and bent. I realized that parents also have instincts. I wanted to be with her as much as she wanted to be with me. I ached to protect her, to calm her fears and restore comfortable order to her world. I chose to spend more time at home, though it impacted us financially. I chose work that was more flexible and friendly to family life. We lived a bit simpler. We had fewer expensive things. We survived

My daughter and I spent countless days playing together. We walked the malls, climbed the jungle gyms, bounced the bouncy balls, and brushed the dolly’s hair. We raced the duckies around the bathtub, snuggled down for naps, read our stories, and danced with wild abandon to old songs. Our relationship bloomed.

Eventually I started my own business. It hasn’t always been easy, but the rewards of being there for my family are well worth it.

It’s been a decade since that teary toddler moment. Our family has changed and grown. My wife and I now work together from home so one of us is always there, available to our children. We deal with the inevitable ups and downs with an understanding that we do what we do for a reason. Our children will only be young for a short while, so we prioritize them. For their part, our kids seem secure and confident in themselves and in our family.

I am thrilled to be present. I have been there for all of the important developments and firsts in my children’s lives. I will be there for the ones that lie ahead. Each moment is priceless.


Rich Givens is Co-Founder of Primal Parenting Magazine, a revolutionary new publication seeking to educate and empower families. For more information on Primal Parenting Magazine go to www.primalparentingmagazine.com

No Child Left Inside: Initiative Reconnects Youth With The Planet

--home + food + family--

No Child Left Inside is a brilliant example of a program that is building a deeply intuitive relationship between our youngest global citizens and our planet. Beyond big talk and nicely written books, the program gets kids intimately involved with the environment.

This special initiative of Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell, coordinated by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection is also meant to encourage Connecticut families and visitors alike to enjoy all the recreational resources and outdoor activities available in Connecticut's state parks, forests and waterways.

Here is a sensational video of some of their inspiring programs:

Perspectives on Family Wellness: The Many Benefits of Yoga For Kids

--body + mind + spirit--

Our children have been born in an age where for many days are jam packed with full schedules including long days at school, heavy loads of homework and often too many extracurricular activities. It is critical that families incorporate activities and practices for kids that help them regenerate and center, to keep their health and spirit in tact. The ancient practice of yoga is an excellent option for children to generate improved well being through better health, increased energy and stamina and a deeper connection to their inner spirit.

Yoga is the right kind of exercise for children as it is gentle, non-competitive and works not only the entire body but also the mind and spirit. Children of all ages and physical abilities can participate.

Here is a partial list of the many benefits of yoga for children.


BENEFITS OF YOGA

• It teaches children about their body in a fun manner. Yoga songs and asanas (stretching exercises) are approachable and fun for kids.
• It helps negate the effects of the competitive life (and it's negative long-term effects)
  
• It helps children to relax, concentrate and focus.
• It builds stamina, stability and balance.
• It helps improve digestion, elimination of toxins and circulation.
• It strengthens the musculature of the body, elongates the spine
  
• Children who practice yoga have a good posture.
• Specific postures help relieve gas and constipation.
• It improves breathing habits through pranayam.
• It develops speech skills through the use of singing and chanting.
• It improves sleeping patterns.
• It improves memory and develops effective concentration skills.

Perhaps the biggest benefit of yoga for kids is that it teaches them the benefits, and gives the experience, of enjoying a wellness based activity that also touches their spirit. It asks the child to slow down, breath and listen to their inner selves - pulling them out of the mad rush of the world. This early influence can have lasting results inspiring a healthier lifestyle as a child matures.

The best way to integrate yoga practice into a child's life is to start early in a mommy and me program. Otherwise seek out programs that specialize in teaching children specifically; adapting yoga practice to their abilities, specific developmental stages, and attention spans. Be sure to ask about an instructors experience in dealing with children, and sit in on the first class or two.

Once a child begins a yoga practice, support them by practicing with them, and share in the enriching experience of parent-child yoga.

When Style Get's Healthy:Solay Salt Lamps For Ambiance and Wellness

--Feature: "Conscious Chic w/Laura Dichtl"--

Add flare, beauty and a touch of the unique to any living space while gently cleansing the air with Solay Wellness, Inc. natural salt crystal and rock salt lamps.

These beautifully lit lamps, are more than just pretty to look at - they're good for you ! Salt crystal lamps generate healthy negative ions that cleanse the air. Negative ions in the air are similar to the change in the air after a good rainstorm - the earths way of purifying itself. These lamps not only can transform the look and feel of any room with their varying styles, shapes, sizes and colors but also purify the air offering special benefits to people who suffer from respiratory ailments due to asthma, allergies, dust, smoke, and bacteria.

Crystal Salt was created millions of years ago, when the ocean waters dried up in various parts of the world. The crystal is hand excavated into various sizes and drilled inside to accommodate a light source. When lit by a small, energy efficient light bulb of 15 watt or less, the crystal salt emits an electrical charge, enriching our environment with health promoting negative ions. These ions are responsible for purification of the air.

The Solay salt crystals lamps colors come from the mineral content, including reds from iron, oranges from copper, and yellows from magnesium. Within one lamp may be a combination of colors. Each lamp is unique; hand chiseled using the best 250 million year old Himalayan crystal salt available.

Your bedroom is where they highly recommend you use these lamps since that is where you do the most healing while you sleep and are rested. The other area they highly recommend using these lamps are on your desk or in the office due the radiation that we are exposed to being around computers. This radiation is called Electro Magnetic Radiation which is known to cause various health conditions, including fatigue and low concentration.

All of Solay Wellness,Inc. salt lamps come from different countries that posses their own unique salt crystal, which varies in energy and aesthetics. They are hand mined in a socially and environmentally responsible manner while supporting Fair Trade and come with a lifetime guarantee as they supposedly never lose strength.

Experience the benefits of nature’s most abundant and healthful resource, along with other accessories for the home by logging on to their SITE


Conscious Chic is written by contributing writer Laura Dichtl, President of La Peruse Interiors. Laura is a respected interior designer with over fifteen years experience working with high end residential and business clients in the East End (Hamptons), North Shore Long Island and New York City.

Laura's inspired environments have earned her a reputation as a design and life-style expert. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines including Hamptons and HOME Magazine's. Conscious Chic by Laura Dichtl covers the best in "style" for the conscious consumers.

Earning My Stripes:Badges of Honor on the Road to Motherhood

--Feature: "Primal Home w/Dena Givens"--

Recently while playing with my youngest daughter, I flopped onto our bed and my shirt flew up a bit. Liberty eagerly jumped up next to me, positioning to blow onto my now-exposed belly (a favorite game in our house). Suddenly, her expression changed and she asked, “Mommy, where did you get your stripes?” Laughing, it took me a moment before I realized that she was referring to my stretch marks.

Later that day, I began to think more about my “stripes.” Having spent the majority of my adolescence in a military household (my stepfather was in the Navy), I was familiar with the terminology and lifestyle. Looking back at that time of my life, I began to draw some parallel connections between motherhood and military recruits.

My brother enlisted in the Navy when I was 17. I remember his initial excitement was mixed with trepidation. There was so much about the impending training that was unknown. The three months he spent in boot camp were among the most physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging times of his young life.

Four years later, when I was just shy of 21, I found myself in basic training of another sort. I had become an unexpected parenting recruit, and it took a while to adjust to the magnitude of the new responsibility. Over the ensuing nine months, my body and mind went through a grueling regimen of exercises and drills to prepare me for my “graduation.” Just before the event, I was awarded with the physical marks—my first set of “stripes.”

Although there was no prouder moment in my life as when I first laid eyes on my new son, I was still adjusting to parenthood. As a young, self-absorbed woman, my new scars horrified me. I felt that my body had betrayed me and had naively assumed that it would return to its original, unmarked state. It didn’t.

Breastfeeding would leave its mark, as well. While many young women would have been thrilled to have such a full bodice, I was not mentally or emotionally prepared for the ebb and flow of cleavage that motherhood provided. Yet another set of stripes.

There were occasions when I felt awkward in my role as a new parent. In fact, there was even a time that I questioned the Universe for christening ME a mother. Why should someone so young and inexperienced be given such a tremendous responsibility? How can I teach my child about life when I have so much yet to learn? Over time, I came to realize that parenting is a transformational process. There are no mistakes, only lessons to learn. Life forces you to accept responsibility, and it brands you in the process.

Just over two years later, I received even more stretch marks with my second pregnancy. For the first time, my rear end was also awarded a set of stripes. However, the transition from one child to two was worthy of the recognition.

Eight years, a new marriage, and two children later, I find myself feeling like a new recruit again. However, this time I felt wiser and more relaxed. While my last two pregnancies left their mark in many profound ways, I was surprised to not gain any more stripes.

Now as I trace my fingers over my highly decorated lower abdomen, I am reminded of the many ways that I have grown over the years. I realize that a mother’s life is one of service and commitment. I am honored to pledge my allegiance to my children. Now, when I put on a bathing suit, instead of cringing at my unsightly scars, I proudly display my stripes. I have certainly earned them.



Primal Home is written by the staff at Primal Parenting Magazine, a revolutionary new publication seeking to educate and empower families. For more information on Primal Parenting Magazine go to www.primalparentingmagazine.com

"Earning My Stripes: Badges of Honor on the Road to Motherhood" was written by Primal Parenting Co-Founder, Dena Smith Givens.



(Photograph by Linnea Lenkus at www.linnealenkus.com)

Happiness and Beans: Cooking as a Celebration of Life

--Feature: "Life w/Fyfe: Confessions of a Holistic Mom"--

I think cooking for my family has made me a happier person.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s a lot of work, especially when you cook traditionally. But it’s connected me to my family on a deeper, more satisfying level. Take yesterday’s dinner, for example.

I made the baked beans recipe from "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. The beans (organic beans are very affordable, especially when you purchase them dry) had to be soaked for 24 hours before boiling. And the beans needed to bake for six hours in the oven. Since I was a little under the weather and we were not going anywhere, I used the oven, but if I had to run out I would have put them in the Crockpot. The smell of tomatoes, molasses, garlic, and onions filled our house — which just makes me happier, and I think it makes my kids happier, too. So, while there was a significant amount of preparation, the actual work was minimal. And it tasted delicious.

The challenge for me is to find ways to balance the extra work that living a natural lifestyle requires and a modern life. I manage pretty well by connecting with like-minded mothers and letting go of the constant pressure to “keep up.” Since I gave up "keeping up," I’ve lost some friends (and realized that they were not real friends to begin with)– but I’ve gained some of the best friends I ever had. Real evidence that I’m on the right track.


Lisa Fyfe is a contributing columnist for The Lohasian. Her column, “Life with Fyfe: Confessions of a Holistic Mom” delivers a perspective on the everyday life of a modern holistic mom, as well as provides an insider look into best strategies for natural health and healing for the whole family.

Lisa is a Reiki Master, and an expert in Essential Oil Healing, and has spent the last several years extensively researching traditional diet and nutrition, with a focus on “whole,” locally grown and raised natural foods. She is a married mother of two children, Sophie and Max. Lisa approaches mothering as her highest calling, and believes that all mothers are natural healers and enjoys helping mothers (and others) help their children through the use of a variety of natural modalities.

To Reach Lisa, Email Here at lisafyfe (at) verizon.net

Toys R Us Get's Earth Friendly With Eco-Friendly Toy Line

--home + food + family--

It takes simple things to make a mother happy; a healthy child, a smiling face..and these days - a safe toy !

Toys R Us, has finally caught up with the times and recognized that parents want safe play for their kids that's also safe for the planet, and are launching their own line of environmentally friendly toys on Earth Day, April 22, 2008 . As headlines seem to appear weekly with warnings of lead infested and otherwise toxic toys, its a good thing that a big retail giant like Toys R Us stepped up to offer their own "healthier" alternative.

"We know that kids are becoming more environmentally conscious and are curious about how they can do their part to help protect the planet," said Karen Dodge, Chief Merchandising Officer, Toys"R"Us, U.S. "Going green is more than just a trend. It's becoming a lifestyle. This is just our first step in offering our customers the best selection of eco-friendly and organic products in all of our Toys"R"Us stores nationwide."

The new collection will include natural cotton plush animals, organic cotton dolls, and all natural wooden toys (just like grandma's). The products will come packaged in earth tone boxes (made of 70% recycled materials) with a green "R" logo with a green leaf and the words 'recycle,Renew, Reuse, Re-Think." All cottons on all toys are organic, all dyes are natural and water based, all woods are decorated with wood burning techniques (marked with a Forest Stewardship Council Logo) and nothing will include bleaches or synthetic materials.

We give a big nod to the retailer for this recent move. Although it still carries a multitude of products that are hardly earth friendly, this step will without question help raise awareness for natural alternatives in the toy market to a demographic that might not be familiar with such options just yet. This move also adds competition with smaller players producing natural toys, while simultaneously boosting the acceptance and recognition of this market segment, within the toy industry.

Eco-Mansions - Green Homes For Millionaires

--home + food + family--

Currently there are 98 homes that are LEED-certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, but the group, which is based in Washington, D.C., expects some 5,000 to be certified in the coming year. Here are three examples of whats possible in green building on a more... "flexible budget."

Frank McKinney is betting $29 million that what luxury home buyers want now are environmentally-friendly estates. His speculative 15,000 square foot mansion in Manalapan, Fla., will be the first home of its size to be certified green by the U.S. Green Building Council and the Florida Green Building Council. The home features eight bedrooms, eleven bathrooms, two elevators, two laundry rooms, two wine cellars, a movie theater and guest house. According to McKinney creating this mansion green added and additional 7-10% in cost to the budget.

Some of the homes cool features include; the use of reclaimed teak,a massive solar panel system (price tag: $120,000), a water system that uses "gray water" from the showers and sinks to irrigate the lawn and gardens, as well as a series of pools, reflecting ponds and water gardens to cool down the 1.5 acre property by 2 to 3 degrees....to list a few.


*The $29 million home is slated to be completed by January 2009.

Welcome to what is currently the largest completed built Eco-friendly house in America. Featuring 27 photovoltaic panels on the roof, solar tubes that snake into interior rooms, geothermal heat pumps, and rainwater-collecting cisterns to name a few of the features in this Tudor Manor. The home is nearly 6,000 square feet and is the largest ever to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The home owners Laura Turner Seydel (as in Ted Turner’s daughter) her husband, Rutherford (an environmental lawyer), spent $1.5 million to build the home, now called the EcoManor. The couple estimates that it cost some 10 % extra to go Eco-friendly. The couple estimates that the expenses will be offset by the savings they get in energy costs which they predict will be 80 to 90 % below average for a like-sized Atlanta home.

Some of the great features of the five bedroom home include wheat-core doors (composed of wheat, and formaldehyde-free), use of wallpaper made of recycled newspaper, floors made of fallen oak from Ted Turner's plantation, and insulation made of cellulose and soy-based foam, to list a few.


*Construction of the home was estimated at $1.5 million


Santa Monica, CA based LivingHomes home builder is a very two year young firm that has carved a niche for itself in constructing self-sustaining mansions which have zero energy, water, waste or carbon emissions, not to mention spacious floor plans, outdoor decks, top-of-the-line appliances and cedar finishings. The homes provide scale, luxury and cool stylings.

Each LivingHomes mansion is entirely Pre Fab (can be built in 8 hours by a modest sized crew) and can be customized by the prospective homeowner right off their web site. Cool features of the model include a roof deck (with solar panels), a rainwater collection and filtration system that holds up to 3,500 gallons, as well as many features of the home which are recycled, reclaimed or reused such as the kitchen counter tops made with Paper Stone, and the bathroom tiles made from recycled porcelain and glass.


*Estimated cost of home (excluding cost of land) will run between $868,000 for a base model (3100 sq. ft 2/ five bedroom) to $1.2mi for the high end version with all the perks.


So if you have a few million you are looking to invest in the real estate market, and scale is just not something you are ready to part with, you can still do it while keeping to an Eco-friendly approach.

Eco-Stylish Down To Your Feet:Earth Friendly Rugs For the Conscious Chic Home

--Feature: "Conscious Chic w/Laura Dichtl"--

Another great find I had to share with you. A California based rug manufacturer who has really taken eco-friendly to the next level and has been able to produce rugs that are not only 100% natural New Zealand Wool, but they are 100% an absolute Wow!

Larson Rugs offers natural New Zealand wool in several styles that are quite frankly inspirational for me as a designer. All rugs are available in silk, cotton and/or linen. All customized to your liking. No more excuses left to go and buy that quick impulse rug at your local run of the mill shop now. Buyers remorse is quick to follow as inevitably those impulse purchases make their way into garages and storage rooms and inevitably, into our landfills.

Larson offers nothing short of heirloom quality – meant to last and be loved for generations. You will be pleasantly surprised by how many styles there are to choose from. Larson also offers custom made rugs in any size or style imaginable (if you are looking to do something truly unique in your home). You can choose from their undyed natural colored rugs for your bathrooms and low-traffic areas, to dyed, shaggy, ultra shaggy, sheared and multi colored rugs that are fun, colorful, cozy and most importantly...”chic.” For an added bonus they offer doing lettering on the rugs like initials for instance, say for fun kids rooms, or imprinted logos for corporate use.

I am always keeping an eye out for unique eco-conscious products for my clients in general. Eco conscious is not only being earth conscious, but people conscious – especially those with environmental allergies. Larson rugs are a great alternative for those with allergies, who don’t want to skip having a rug altogether (just remember to vacuum frequently!). As the rug is made naturally, the rug is not treated with chemicals, synthetic glues or latex’s and is especially gentle and safe for the littlest home inhabitants (who often spend the most time playing on the rugs).

I am not only impressed by the look and content of their products, but also their user friendly website for easy ordering (that get's a special thumbs up for featuring happy smiling sheep on their homepage). It’s so simple to use with clearly stated available sizes and prices and even what showrooms you can order them from. End to end, Larson meets the demand for the discerning conscious chic consumer.

So dig out those measuring tapes and start imagining the rug of your dreams. You’ll make your toes happy sinking into a Larson creation, and put your mind at ease knowing that it was feasible to surround yourself with great earth (and health) conscious décor. And all of this right at your fingertips!

For more information on Larson Rugs go to www.larsonfloors.com



Conscious Chic is written by contributing writer Laura Dichtl, President of La Peruse Interiors. Laura is a respected interior designer with over fifteen years experience working with high end residential and business clients in the East End (Hamptons), North Shore Long Island and New York City.

Laura's inspired environments have earned her a reputation as a design and life-style expert. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines including Hamptons and HOME Magazine's. Conscious Chic by Laura Dichtl covers the best in "style" for the conscious consumers.

Lessons in Serendipity(Or What I Learned From a Petunia)

--FEATURE: "The Sustainable Soul w/Rebecca Hecking"--

There are times in every parent’s life when we are surprised by a gift of unexpected wisdom, dropped in our lap by the Universe. More often than not, it comes disguised as something completely ordinary.

Last summer, my son decided to plant a cherry pit in hopes of growing a tree. His idea was that said tree would provide him with bushels of delicious organic cherries for his own personal consumption. I’m not terribly sure he was completely prepared for the decade or so wait for his project to mature. No matter. The pit went in a pot, covered with soil and dutifully watered for weeks. Nothing happened. A few more weeks passed. Still nothing.

Just as he was about to give it up and maybe try an apple seed instead, a tiny green shoot appeared. He immediately recognized it as the source of future snacks, and began catering to its every perceived need. Every day, he moved it back and forth on the porch to catch the maximum sunlight, watered it faithfully, and offered it words of encouragement in case it was perhaps feeling depressed and needed motivation to grow.

As time passed, it became clear to me (mom the gardener) that this was no cherry tree. It looked more like a weed every day. No doubt it was the product of some random seed blown in from the yard. By now, fall was in full swing, and Matthew decided it was time to bring the “tree” in from the cold. It was truth time. I gently broke the news that this surely was not a tree, but a weed. No, he said. It was most definitely a tree. A tree that needed our care to survive. Weed, I said. Tree, he responded. No, it’s a weed. It’s a tree. Weed. Tree. Sigh… Like any parent, in the face of such determination, I caved. We brought it inside. It flourished on a sunny shelf, pampered and coddled, surely the happiest and most fussed-over weed on the planet.

Then, one day in January I looked at our weed. It was sporting one small, still closed bud. But this was no scraggly weedy blossom. Finally, I saw the plant for what it really was. It was no tree. It was no weed. The next day, a solitary glorious purple petunia bloomed. Matthew was stunned, but finally had to admit that it was most certainly NOT a tree. We were completely wrong. The plant had surprised us both. Caught up in our own perceptions of what we wanted to see, we were blinded to what was really there, growing right before our eyes.

Every day, I walk by that silly petunia, still growing and now covered in flowers. It speaks to me. It reminds me to be careful of arrogant certainty. It offers itself as an object lesson in happy surprises. It cautions me against allowing my opinions to become set in concrete. It makes me smile. The more I ponder its serendipitous presence, the more I truly see and the more deeply I learn. Long may it bloom.


"Sustainable Soul" is written by Rebecca Hecking, a freelance writer and managing editor for Primal Parenting Magazine. Primal Parenting is a revolutionary new publication seeking to educate and empower families. For more information on Primal Parenting Magazine go to www.primalparentingmagazine.com

Costs and Payoffs in Organic Spending

--Feature: "Greener Days w/ Sara Gordon"--

When British economist Nicholas Stern released The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change in October 2006, he convinced a whole lot of movers and shakers that the significant investment required in the short-term to retool global production in ways that would slow and then reverse global warming – 1% of gross domestic product (GDP) per year – was a great bargain compared to the degree to which the global economy would likely shrink in the not-too-distant future (the long-term) from the effects of ignoring climate change and its effects – a projected 20% reduction in annual GDP, worldwide.

Pay a penny more per dollar now, or see that dollar earned down the road shrink to 80 cents. Pay now, or boy oh boy will we pay later. The Stern Review is 700 pages of support for the position held by many that the there’s no time like the present to realign humans’ relationship with resources and with the planet that is our only home.

This is one part of the argument I use (and win) with myself for spending more to purchase organic milk and local produce, environmentally friendly products for my home, even clothing from organic fibers and sweatshop-free manufacturing when I can manage it: the additional cost now is a small investment in a healthier home and world, and it’s a modest contribution by my family – modest even when my wallet’s feeling pinched. Modest, because it is so easy for me to imagine the alternative as immeasurably more costly.

The other argument I use is that that extra penny is the expression of my power to be a change agent. The only way those higher prices are ever going to come down is if the alternative market grows, and I want to be a part of bringing that to be. It’s working – many of the mainstream producers, the big corporate players, are going green now and making products that cause less harm in their production and their use. And when legislators (please remind them every chance you get that they work for us) finally compel producers to factor in the true costs of environmental impacts of production and transportation, those harmful products that seem so ‘cheap’ now no longer will be. It will be the healthful, safe products that make sense, not just environmentally but economically as well. Be a part of that shift. Stop the destruction; employ saner alternatives; shift the consciousness.

So in a tight week, I’ll choose to buy the organic milk for twice the price of milk from the cow that’s fed heaven-knows-what, and find the extra pennies or dollars by dropping another item from my list, or taking my lunch in to work from home, or whatever way of economizing works just then. And I’ll buy higher-priced produce from a local organic farm stand, where I actually know the people who grow the food, because I know that the price of the ‘cheap’ romaine lettuce from California does not reflect the true cost of the truck trip across the country, or the petroleum-based fertilizers and pesticides it was grown with, nor the nasty long-term effects of the runoff from those distant farm fields.

It’s that important – we must spend the money to change the ways things we do things now, so we can prevent terrible future costs to ourselves, to our descendants, to us all. We can also find ways to use saner alternatives that don’t cost more. Buy by bulk with a local food cooperative (and meet kindred spirits while you’re at it). Try growing a few rows of your own veggies, nourished by compost from your own food scraps. Replace harmful conventional cleansers or pricier eco-cleaners with the five miracle substances earlier generations relied upon: baking soda, borax, lemon, salt and white vinegar (see Michael de Jong’s Clean: the Humble Art of Zen Cleansing). Maybe the price of these includes some time and effort, but the reduced long-term cost is surely worth it.

Keep at it. Find the ways that work for you. Believe in the importance of your choices, your individual actions. These choices, these actions are our power, our hope, our contribution, our gift to our mother Earth and to our children.

Next time: A look at the costs of energy efficiency.


*Note: Check out Sara's last piece "Infinite Impact and the Consumer Effect" exposing the ultimate impact of consumer spending

Sara Gordon is the founder of Greener Days, a green coaching and buying service assisting businesses and homeowners with reduction of ecological footprints. Sara is a LEED® Accredited Professional through the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design program. She is also one of 1,000 North American Climate Ambassadors of The Climate Project and trained with Al Gore, in a team of educators and scientists, to educate citizens on environmentalism. For more information on Greener Days go to www.greenerdays.net



*Note: This is an archive feature post - original post was on December 24, 2007.

Economics of Going Green

--WEEKEND FEATURE ARCHIVE: "Greener Days w/Sara Gordon"--

Going green seems like a luxury to many. The costs to invest in energy efficiency can seem prohibitive, but once again, it’s essential to put it into context, and to force ourselves out of short-term thinking. Efficient light bulbs cost more but the payback is less than a year. Weather-stripping, low-flow shower heads, better insulation – these all cost something now, but save money nearly right away. Other strategies have sizable up front costs, while some steps we can take cost nothing at all.

I talk to a lot of people about installing photovoltaic (PV) systems that produce electricity from sunlight and silicon, right on the roof of one’s own home or business. No more electricity from burning fossil fuels to inefficiently, filthily produce electricity somewhere away. It’s expensive. In my area, after the utility company’s rebates, it costs somewhere around $15,000 to make the switch to PV. At the pace electric rates are going up here, though, the solar panels, with a life-expectancy of 25 to 30 years, will produce well over $150,000 worth of electricity; the break-even point is around 8 years. (These figures are within a range that varies according to system size, patterns of energy use and local electric rates.)

It’s hard to understand why that $15,000 investment doesn’t make sense to the consumer or business owner who can afford to finance it. Why, for instance, does a new car purchase make sense, but not a similar or smaller payout for a technology that – in stark contrast to a car – will pay for itself, then save us a small fortune, meanwhile instantly eliminating or greatly reducing our contributions of CO2 into the atmosphere? If your roof is southerly-facing and can receive unobstructed sunlight for about 8 hours a day, make a few calls, get a couple of local PV system providers to come out and give you a free estimate, and see what your costs and long-term savings will be. No obligation.

I worked last year for a small business in a little converted house with a sizable south-facing roof. I coordinated the process of soliciting bids, choosing a system provider, replacing the roof and installing the PV array. I knew quite a bit about PV going in, and yet I was surprised and moved by how it felt for me, for the whole staff, the day the system went online and our meter started running backward. Suddenly, we were deriving clean energy from a combination of sun and sand and sending it back to the grid, instead of tacitly accepting the polluting power provided by our electric company. We’d take note of the weather in the morning and picture a sunny day powering our office, and stop on our way in to look the meter going backward while it generated enough clean power to meet our use and send some back into the grid. In ensuing weeks, we took delight in making changes in our use patterns that enabled us to further conserve.

It is a simple but profound choice that is profoundly rewarding. And worth every nickel, if you can possibly swing it.

Whether or not solar electricity is feasible for you at this time, try investing small amounts of money, or no money but a little time, or simply the brain power, the mindfulness to change your ways, in order to reduce your reliance on, your overuse of conventional power. Perhaps one or more of these alternatives can work for you:

1. Change a light bulb, or a fixture. Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) come in various hues now that include a warm, yellow light very much like incandescents. Remember, incandescent bulb technology has not advanced since Edison invented it; these bulbs waste 95% of their energy in heat. LED bulbs, which require a different socket, are much more efficient even than CFLs, and will become more and more widely available in the near future. Check out LEDs if you’re looking at new lamps or fixtures.

2. Drive less. Figure out ways to reduce car use by at least 20 miles per week. Ask your employer about telecommuting, or about creating an incentive plan for carpoolers. Take the time to plan shopping so you can make fewer trips to the store. Use your bike or mass transit, or walk!

3. Recycle more. Reduce your household CO2 emission by a ton or more by recycling just half your household waste.

4. Check your tires. Improve your gas mileage by the simple, mindful step of keeping your tires inflated properly. This is a fun one to do with your kids, an easy exercise they can help do and help by reminding you.

5. Reduce hot water use. Low-flow shower heads cost about twelve dollars and will reduce your energy bill. Wash in cold water instead of warm or hot.

6. Choose products with less packaging. Less packaging = less garbage; a 10% reduction in your household garbage volume saves over 1,000 pounds of CO2 emissions.

7. Adjust your thermostat. Two degrees cooler in winter, two degrees warmer in summer; that’s another ton of carbon dioxide saved. Wear a sweater at home in the winter, and use area fans to efficiently augment or replace air conditioning in summer.

8. Turn off the switch! Turning off electronic devices, using a power strip so you can easily turn off all the computer components, turning out the light when you leave the room! Radically simply actions each of us can take. Work toward the “one person, one light” paradigm: where you are, the light is on; where you are not, the light is not on.


Note that the suggestions on this particular list require little or no monetary investment. There are countless other alternative energy choices you can adopt if you can afford to, like one I just heard about: the solar-powered jacket that recharges an iPod! As time passes inventive producers will enable even the most high-consuming lifestyles to adapt to clean energy use.

Remember, it’s not about perfection, just progress. Small actions on a grand scale have enormous impact. Seek your individual path to reduced energy consumption. It’s out there. It’s up to you, it’s up to each of us, to find it.


*Note: Check out Sara's fascinating previous piece "Infinite Impact and the Consumer Effect" exposing the ultimate impact of consumer spending.


Sara Gordon is the founder of Greener Days, a green coaching and buying service assisting businesses and homeowners with reduction of ecological footprints. Sara is a LEED® Accredited Professional through the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design program. She is also one of 1,000 North American Climate Ambassadors of The Climate Project and trained with Al Gore, in a team of educators and scientists, to educate citizens on environmentalism. For more information on Greener Days go to www.greenerdays.net

Gardening as a Lesson in Parenting - Blessing Our Seeds and Letting Them Grow

--FEATURE: "The Primal Home w/Primal Parenting Magazine"--

Even though much of the country is still in winter's grip, February is a time for warm-weather dreams. I am a gardener, and no one dreams like gardeners do this time of year! We spend hours perusing seed catalogs, planning September's harvest, and then planting rows of loamy-scented flats with seed-dreams. Will the garden grow? August will tell the tale. For now, it's all in the dreaming.

When they are born, children are like the seeds of February. They are full of possibility, promise, and hope, with a dash of parental fantasy thrown in for fun. Part of mindful parenting is remembering to nurture their souls, to help them grow into resilient and strong individuals able to withstand the "slings and arrows" of daily life. Ironically, we strive for the human spirit equivalent of tenacious weeds rather than the fragility of hothouse flowers. This year, put some mindfulness in your spring planting. Even if you're not a dirt-loving, grubby fingernails gardener like me, planting something simple with your child and watching it grow can be a magical experience for both of you.

Experienced gardeners can always put a new twist on their routine. Grab your seeds, potting mix and watering can. Find a spot away from the winter winds where your seedlings can grow and thrive until they are ready to be transplanted. Bring along your child. Together, talk about the miracle that is the seed. Explain what the seed needs to grow. Harness your child's imagination, and have her talk to the seed, promising it the care that it needs. Let your child hold it in his hand, and imagine the seed dreaming of summer sunshine. Place it carefully into the soil. Cover it. Water it. Now, bless it.

When I garden with my daughter, blessing the seed is simply a normal part of the process. We pat the soil firmly in place, and whisper a simple, "Bless you and grow!" to our seeds. This simple act connects us to the mystery and miracle that is life. It reminds us that ultimately, we are not in control of the process. We can water our seedlings, shelter them from the worst storms, but in the end the growth is their doing alone.

So it is with our children. We love them, nurture them, shelter them just a little, feed them, and stand in amazement as they grow before our eyes. In the presence of such wonders, what can we do? Hold onto the moment, hug them tight and whisper, "Bless you and grow."

Primal Home column is written through a collaboration with Primal Parenting Magazine. "Gardening as a Lesson in Parenting" is written by Rebecca Hecking, a freelance writer and managing editor for Primal Parenting Magazine. Primal Parenting is a revolutionary new publication seeking to educate and empower families. For more information on Primal Parenting Magazine go to www.primalparentingmagazine.com

Reducing Consumption at the Risk of Being Un-American

--FEATURE: "Life w/Fyfe - Confessions of a Holistic Mom"--

Recently I read about a man who saved his garbage for one year in order to show the world exactly the amount of refuse a single person leaves behind in 365 days. It got me thinking about the kind of values I am teaching to my daughter, who understands the importance of recycling and would never litter, but am I teaching her to consume less? It almost seems un-American…

Then I got to thinking about where we purchase most of our food – from local farmers who sterilize and reuse the milk bottles we return each week. The egg cartons are also sent back to be recycled. We use milk crates to carry the food to and from the car, and return those each week, as well. Before we started eating this way – relying on local farms to provide us with the bulk of our food – I had lots and lots of plastic and paper bags building up under my sink. Not so much any more. Okay, I understand not everyone is as lucky as I am and may not have access to locally raised and grown food – but nowadays everyone can purchase a reusable shopping bag and keep it in the car. That way, you always have something to carry your groceries in if you happen to stop at the store.

Another easy way to reduce consumption (and save money in the process) is to make your own cleaning products. I buy plastic spray bottles from the dollar store and mix up vinegar, water, and lemon essential oil, and I have a really effective window and countertop cleaner. It’s also great for cleaning surfaces in the bathroom, and I make a larger batch of vinegar with a bit of non-toxic dish soap and water to clean my wood floors. It cleans really well, and smells wonderful. I keep a spray bottle with a few drops of lemon essential oil and 8 ounces water and spritz it around the house, on couches, rugs, the dog’s bed--pretty much everywhere-- everything smells great and it disinfects, as well.

I no longer purchase baby moisturizer or diaper cream, as I’ve found that unrefined coconut oil works wonderfully as a remedy for diaper rash, and is a wonderful moisturizer for sensitive young skin (and not-so-sensitive, older skin, as well!), and it works really well as a lip moisturizer.

Hmmmm… reading through this it occurs to me that one might get the idea that I’m really, really frugal, or really, really crunchy, and really, I’m neither. I do take a quiet pleasure in finding small ways to resist buying more “stuff” and helping our Earth in the progress, though.



Lisa Fyfe is a contributing columnist for The Lohasian. Her column, “Life with Fyfe” provides a perspective on the everyday life of a modern holistic mom, as well as provides an insider look into best strategies for natural health and healing for the whole family.

Lisa is a Reiki Master, and an expert in Essential Oil Healing, and has spent the last several years extensively researching traditional diet and nutrition, with a focus on “whole,” locally grown and raised natural foods. She is a married mother of two children, Sophie (4 1/2) and Max (6months). Lisa approaches mothering as her highest calling, and believes that all mothers are natural healers and enjoys helping mothers (and others) help their children through the use of a variety of natural modalities.

Lisa is a distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, and her website can be found at http://lisafyfe.younglivingworld.com

5 Great Tips on Raising Eco Conscious Kids

--home + food + family--

Being Eco-friendly might be "in" and might be vital - but without the next generation adopting behavioral changes ..all this good green talk will mean nothing. Our children will ultimately decide the viability of our good intention. There are several things that we as parents (or other relatives or educators) can do to foster this. Here are a few simple tips to help the little global citizens get earth friendly.


Creative Recycling:

The obvious recycling ideas should be fostered - separate your plastics, from paper, glass, and food. Help your kids understand that everything that is used has to go to somewhere - and the earth friendly options. But take recycling to another level. Help your child understand that more "stuff" is not the better alternative - instead sometimes using existing toys, books, art supplies etc in new ways. Teaching a child to see new possibilities in existent materials not only helps them get more earth friendly but fosters a general sense of creative thinking.

Stubs of crayons can be melted in minutes on wax paper in any oven creating cool new combinations of colors. Broken off wheels of cars, or old plastic toys can be used with clay to create outrageous and avante garde sculptures. Or if you run out of ideas, teach your kids the concept of donating to those more in need - help them gather their donated goods and take them to a shelter or a school in need. Although less "things" is always a better solution - the life of existent stuff can certainly be extended and recycled in innovative ways.


Conserving Resources Made Easy:

Simple habits like teaching your kids to not run the water as they brush their teeth and to shut off the lights as they leave a room is an easy and simple means by which to make a difference. Turn that pesky TV habit into less of a battle by telling your kids that shuting off the TV for one less hour a day - does in fact impact the world (not just the concerned mom). Take that to the next level and show your kids that driving a car can (and in most cases today does) require gas. Explain to your kids why an extra trip has environmental costs that might outweigh the benefit of getting gum, or some other item that they can do without. Combine local trips and get as much done in each stop as possible and explain to your kids the reasoning.

Conscious Consumerism for the Kids:

Turn shopping trips into educational opportunities. Explain to your kids the reason to buy organic, from the health benefits to the environmental impacts. Help them understand that a simple choice such as organic (or buying local) makes a really big difference. Help your kids read labels, teach them to look for symbols of recycled materials and/or products that donate to environmental (or other) charitable causes. Explaining to your kids the impact of a purchase helps them learn how to be mindful citizens in a consumer world.

Living With Nature:

There is no more powerful way to foster a love of nature, and the earth, then by actually spending time in it. Unplug and unwind doing things outdoors. Cold winter snowy days, spring showers, summer heat are all brilliant backdrops to simple activities like long walks and good talks with mom or dad, gardening, leaf collecting, or more elaborate activities like mountain hikes or sailing. Depending on where you are and what the climate is, you can always find an abundance of activities that will help your child discover the beauty and splendor of the great outdoors.

Mindful Game Alternatives:

Today there is no shortage of games that teach kids everything from solar power to sustainable building. From video games to board games, to books and music - creatives in all fields are developing products tailoring to the young. Sites such as www.gigglefishgifts.com and countless others online offer an abundant selection. When buying new entertainment for the young, look into option that offer fun and education.


Do your best to remind your kids of the opportunities they have every day to impact the world in a positive way. Its easy for kids to feel "small" in a big world, with big people, and big issues. Empowering your kids by teaching them how they can influence the world is not only infinitely beneficial to the child's development but to the world which is their home.