Mom Goes Green

Okay, I swear this will be the last post about Earth Hour (at least for this year!…)

Take a last look at some famous landmarks and locations around the world turning off the lights for Earth Hour.  This whole event still amazes me!  (Beginning with the second photo, you can click on the image to see it fade.  However, you will need javascript to enjoy this feature.)

And while I’m already “here” – I never gave any real credit to WWF (World Wildlife Fund) for being the driving force behind Earth Hour!  Thanks, WWF!  We loved casting our vote!

We counted down… we turned ‘em off… WE LOVED IT!!!

Our kids were so excited that we were participating in Earth Hour that they ran around the house screaming the minutes until the lights went off.  We watched footage from around the globe as landmarks went dark and each and every time our kids squealed “Keeewl!”  I was ‘Twittering away’ up until the last moment and even had an exchange with Diddy (how crazy is THAT?!?) when he thought it started at 8:00.  (He apologized and corrected himself to his 300K+ followers!)

At the risk of sounding cheesy, it was really heartwarming to be a part of something that was embraced by such diverse cultures around the world.  Nearly 4,000 cities and towns in 88 countries around the globe participated – from Sydney to Jakarta, Singapore to Beijing, New Dehli to Moscow, Cairo to Athens, Stockholm to Rome, Paris to London, and NYC to Las Vegas and LA – the lights went to black in each of our time zones, but we all celebrated our incredible bond and let our voices be heard.  I was truly moved.

Okay, enough of the mushies… but sincerely, we had a great time being a part of this worldwide “vote” against global warming.  Since we were blacked out, the kids did get a little FREAKED out so we let them have flashlights (with rechargeable batteries, of course!).  We spent the hour cheering for Earth Hour, making silly shadows in the illumination of the flashlights, and talking about global warming, being “environmental” and why we were participating in the event.  Our daughter was a little disheartened by the story of polar bears because, as she put it, “Polar bears are my second-most favorite animal in the whole world, Mom!” but I think it really drove home the effects of global warming and gave her a clearer understanding.

We were thrilled to look toward downtown Cleveland (that we can clearly see from the back of our house) and see that some of the skyline had gone dark (kudos, Cleveland!).  We even moved from room to room in our house to see how cool the darkness could be but also felt grateful that, on a “regular” night, we are lucky enough to turn on lights when we need them.  We even took time out to read a story from the Barefoot Book of Earth Tales (giveaway still open!) by flashlight, while snuggling on our bed!

On a side note (as Recycling/Environmental Program Chairman at our daughter’s school) I sent out an invitation to participate in Earth Hour to all 418 students.  They participate, sign the pledge to say that they turned out the lights and can win prizes for doing so.  I’m so excited to see how many of them joined us!

Overall, I think it was a wonderful night and an amazing symbol that we are all unified in our concerns for this wonderful planet we share.

After the lights were turned back on, I think our son summed it up best by saying “That was the best “Errf Hour” in my whole life, ever!” Yes, sweetie, it certainly was.

Today is Saturday, March 28, 2009 – will you join the world in Earth Hour 2009?

From 8:30-9:30 PM turn off your lights in support of the earth and in a “vote” against global warming.

Will you support Mother Earth and vote with me?

… that have been on my mind…and just won’t go away, so here goes:

To the marketing department at the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) – we subscribe each of our kids to one of your children’s magazines, because they are both fun and educational, but why, oh why (when both of their subscriptions expire in JULY) have you been sending us renewal reminder notices in the mail every month since DECEMBER!?!  We also subscribe because we consider it a contribution to a great cause but you are wasting a TON of paper on these mailings as well as eating up the money, in your expenses, that we are trying to contribute!  We get it; we’ll renew, but really… cut it out!  (Yes, I emailed them.)

To AXA Equitable that manages my 401K rollover – that Annual Report that you sent is like a New York City Metropolitan phone book.  I neither read it, nor understand it.  What a waste.  Let your clients opt-IN to receive them.  I want to opt-OUT of that unbelievable waste!… and I did!

To the knuckhead who tossed the trash out of their car window and into the middle of my street – are you serious?  Honestly?  You couldn’t find a better way to get rid of your trash? How about… oh, I don’t know?…. a TRASH CAN!  (Aughhh!)  You must know the guy with the newspaper!

(And to the sweet elderly gentleman who backed up, got out of your car, and picked up the trash before I could get out of my slipper and into my shoes – THANK YOU!  At least someone is thinking… and considerate!)

Did some senseless, thoughtless waste “get to you” this week?  Feel free to vent… you’ll feel better!  I sure do!  (….now breathe!)

(NOTE:  This giveaway is now closed for entries.)

Since the day our kids were born we’ve always read to them, even before they were old enough to hold a book (sometimes I read “Parents” magazine aloud while I nursed them!) and as a result, nightly stories have become a regular part of our lives.

Now we’ve progressed to where our daughter is able to read to us (and boy, is that amazing… and sometimes alarming when our kids’ show switches off, the “On Demand” screen is promoting “grown-up shows” and our daughter screams “Mom!  What’s ‘Sex & The City’?”… oh yikes!).

Despite a new reader in our house, we still snuggle up and read to them and as they grow and become more aware of what the stories actually mean, I’ve really tried to buy books with a message.  One outstanding publisher I recently discovered is Barefoot Books – their vision is to “celebrate the world’s diversity, encourage children’s independent spirits and build enthusiasm for reading, creativity and discovery!”… just what we’re looking for!

The latest, greatest selection to hit our bookshelf is The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales.  It’s a compilation of some of the sweetest earth stories from different cultures around the world and how they live in harmony with nature.  They even include kid-friendly eco-tips and activities following each story.

Any day is a great day for fantastic stories like these, but in celebration of our upcoming Earth Day I have a copy I would love to give away to a reader! Just leave a comment and let me know if you have a favorite Barefoot Book; but if you’re a newbie, that’s okay too… let me help you get started!  You can also send a Twitter message that includes a reply to @momgoesgreen and a link to this blog or write about this giveaway and link back. It’s a perfect book for your kids or a gift for the little eco-minded one in your life! (My kids really LOVE it!) The winner will be randomly selected one week from today’s post (and again, US entries only, please… sorry!).

In addition, the fine folks at Barefoot Books are offering a 10% discount now until April 30, 2009.  Just use code: SCETALES at checkout.  Plus, for every Earth Tales book you purchase, Eco-Libris will plant a tree in your honor in celebration of Earth Day.

So kick off your shoes, enter to win, buy a copy and take a Barefoot walk through Earth Tales!

I used to have a dry cleaning bill the size of Mount Everest.  Fortunately, with my departure from a professional job (although I am now a “professional mom” and should earn about $132K a year, but a paycheck never arrives!) the dry cleaning bill is much, much smaller.

I never gave much thought to the chemicals and solvents used in dry cleaning -  namely Tetrachloroethylene, also known as Perchloroethylene or “Perc”.  It’s considered a carcinogen and is a danger for the workers cleaning the clothes and for us, once we bring our clothes home and they “off-gas.”  Just like that ‘new car smell’, you know the smell of dry cleaned clothes, right?  Well, it’s perc and known side effects include confusion, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea and difficulty speaking and walking.  Well, all that for crisp, clean(?) clothes… I don’t think so!

Since my husband still has some occasional dry cleaning, it’s time to look for a green dry cleaner!  Start with Green Earth to help you locate one in your area.  They skip the harsh chemicals and use an environmentally safe process that replaces petroleum-based (harmful) solvents with liquid silicone.  Another process that is catching on is carbon dioxide cleaning.  When put under high pressure, it can carry biodegradable soap, just like water in our washing machine, and then is reused without harmful effects.  Just make sure your dry cleaner is actually using one of these processes.  There are plenty of “green impostors” out there!

And if you do dry clean, here are a few more tips:

1. Don’t throw the hangers away.  Remove the paper and recycle it, and whether they are plastic or metal, return them to the dry cleaner (since 85% of them wind up in landfills!).  You can also ask your cleaner about using paper hangers or EcoHangers too.
2. Not all “dry clean only” garments truly require dry cleaning… it’s just a way for clothing manufacturers to protect themselves in case you do a shoddy wash job!  Give it some thought before you send it off for dry cleaning.
3. Go less frequently – wait until you have a bunch of clothes to clean.  This will save some of those horrible plastic bags they place over our garments, because whether you have one item or six, they all get hung together with one bag.

Just remember, you CAN have crispy, clean, fashionable clothes without walking into walls and slurring your words, and worrying about what was left in the wake.

… the big winner is (drum roll, please!) … Jeannette C!  CONGRATULATIONS!!!! You just won over $100 worth of Kiss My Face products!

The winner was selected by assigning random numbers to all comment entries, as well as tweets on Twitter, and again, my kids picked the number… also randomly, of course!

Thanks to everyone who entered!  I wish I had more to give away, because yes, they are that great, but that was the last of the fab Kiss My Face products!  BUT check back soon for more giveaways!

So “pucker-up, Jeannette C”!  Your kissable face is getting even more kissable!

Spring has sprung!  And along with the first peek at daffodils and tulips comes the time honored (read: dreaded!) tradition of Spring Cleaning.  There are a lot of aspects to this task… this really (REALLY!) dreaded task!  (Can you tell I simply prefer the daffodils and tulips?)

First comes the actual cleaning – the elbow-grease, sweaty-job of getting rid of winter’s grim, gick and dirt.  For just about anything, I recommend vinegar, baking soda and water.  It can take care of it all.  You can find every use and combination I know by checking out Vinegartips.com.  Remember to forgo the paper towels and use those old t-shirts and towels that are too tattered for donating and would otherwise meet the trash can.  They can always be washed and reused for an even longer life.

Next comes the purge – getting rid of those “things” that no longer have a place or a purpose in your life.  Whether it’s clothing, household items, toys, furniture, books… find them a new home (granted they still have some life in them).  Donate them to a charity, list them on Freecycle or Craig’s List, or sell them, but don’t let them “find the curb” in a plastic garbage bag!

Then comes the discard of magazines, catalogs and unneeded “paper” (of every sort) – and make sure they get recycled.  Even cardboard boxes have a new life if you list them with Boxcycle or Usedcardboardboxes or again, Craig’s List. In fact, with every bit of cleaning-out you do, consider if it’s recyclable.  Example:  food cupboards.  Those boxes and cans are recyclable. You’ll be amazed!

I’ve always considered Spring the true “new beginning” of the year, so your new beginning doesn’t need to stop with only the cleaning part.  Consider making changes too, like switching to CFLs, buying those reusable shopping bags you’ve been avoiding, checking for leaks in your plumbing and even giving your car a good tune-up!

A fellow green mom has put together a kit to help us with all of these little “extras” too – check out Kathy’s Climate Kit.  She has condensed it down into one fine package and is offering all of my friends here a 10% discount to boot (just enter code: FESTIVAL at check out!).  Plus, a tree will be planted with American Forests Global Releaf Program for each kit sold.

So “start your cleaning engines” and let the Green Clean Games begin!

I recently learned about Earth Hour 2009 and I want to tell you now, so you mark your calendars.

Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, with 2.2 million homes and businesses turning off their lights for one hour as a “vote” FOR the earth, and a “vote” AGAINST global warming.  By 2008, this movement had grown to 50 million people, and even darkened the Sydney Opera House, Rome’s Colosseum, San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge and the Coca-Cola sign in NYCs Times Square.

This year the goal is ONE BILLION people switching off their lights in a unified vote, because, regardless of where you live, we all depend on the same planet!  This is the perfect time to turn off the lights, discuss global warming with your children, talk about what you can do to fight global warming and just “cozy-up” to consider taking actions to assure that we aren’t polluting our earth and overusing resources in our everyday lives – and realize how vital our actions are.  You might even consider contacting local officials and get your city, town or municipality to “switch off” too!… I did!

Mark your calendar:  Saturday, March 28, 2009, from 8:30 – 9:30 PM

Stand up, sign up and take responsibility.

Will you “vote” with me?

(NOTE:  This giveaway is now closed for entries.)

They’re too good to hold onto. Kiss My Face products are making my face so kissable, I need to give away the rest of the booty (you know that word means “treasure” too, right?  Sheesh.  What are you thinking?!?)

So just like my last giveaway, I’m giving away a booty (“treasure”, dammit!) of Kiss My Face products. They’re packed full of healthy, natural, organic ingredients that even consider the environment in their manufacture.  And those pure botanicals and minerals are so important when considering that our skin absorbs 60% of what we slather on ourselves!  They don’t contain unnecessary chemicals or artificial colors and are never tested on animals….they’re just packed with “goodness”!

This package of Kiss My Face products is from their “Pure & Potent” line and includes a variety of cleansers, moisturizers and toners, valued at over $100!

To win, leave a comment here saying you’d like to win, or send a Twitter message that includes a reply to @momgoesgreen and a link to this blog. (For example, “@momgoesgreen is giving away a free skin care package at http://www.momgoesgreen.com and you can win!”)

The winner will be selected one week from today’s post. (US entries only… sorry!)

So pucker up, people… and Kiss My Face… again!