Children

As the green economy has moved to the center of the economic recovery in 2010 and environmental and social reponsibility awareness have increased, more and more students are looking for 'green' education.

Nowadays, about two-thirds of college applicants are interested in environmentally responsible schools and whether the campus is ‘green’. Prominence, location and vibrant social life are not the only criteria. Several higher education collges and universities in the US have a strong commitment to sustainability and have been working rigorously to reduce their environmental impact. Some of their initiatives are inspiring as the colleges go beyond recycling or using biodegradable tableware and utensils in the cafeterias, or retrofitting solar panels on roofs. Several have organic gardens, waste treatment centers, and programs to offset carbon emissions.

Based on the results of a survey by the Sierra Club (published last October), read more about the school's list Colleges go green-The top eco conscious schools in the US.

Image from flickr.com

The younger generation is inspired into environmental activism and entrepreneurship even earlier. At the fourth annual Tech Titans of Tomorrow: Teens Plugges In 2010 conference on April 23, 2010, several outstanding teenagers presented their initiatives. Intersecting technology and environmental activism, there were two teen entrepreneur environmenatl teams who have been changing one school at a time, through an eductional initiative of climate change curriculum and lifestyle behavior changes to 9th grade students, as well as, energy metering and management in school facilities, reducing costs and alleviating scarce school resources. Read about Menlo-Atherton High School (Menlo Park, CA) and Harker School (San Jose, CA) and their  green teams: Green teen entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

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Homemade baby food is a great way to go green, but you may have heard about the risks of nitrates with homemade baby food.

Beets, carrots, broccoli, spinach, and cabbage are all high in nitrates. 

"Blue Baby Syndrome" can be caused by nitrate poisoning.  However, it's extremely rare and usually caused by contaminated well water, NOT homemade baby food.   It's also treatable, but PLAY IT SAFE!  Here are some tips to avoid nitrate poisoning from homemade babyfood: ... read more

Before having my baby, I did a lot of research about cloth diapers but I never really thought much about reusable baby wipes.  But, it's very easy to make, WAY cheaper, better for the environment, and super easy to just toss in the laundry with your cloth diapers.  Some cloth diaper websites sell reusable baby wipes, but it's simple to make them.

If you're not sure what to do with all of those receiving blankets people gave you, they're perfect for baby wipes.  Same with baby washcloths.  You can also use old t-shirts or go to the fabric store and buy some fabric.  If you're sewing savvy, stitch the ends in a zigzag stitch so they don't unravel.  We also use the newborn inserts for our BumGenius diapers as wipes because our baby is too big for those now.  

You can just spray the wipes with water OR you can make a solution to spray on the cloths.  You can buy a premade solution but I think it's easier to make your own, especially because most of the recipes are filled with items you probably already have around the house!... read more

I'm a very new mom, and this tidbit of news absolutely horrified me.  Back in November, it was revealed that not only was there lead in baby clothes at Target, but it happened to be in the onesies labeled as GREEN.  Tests on the onesies revealed that the tags on these onesies contained FOUR TIMES THE LEGAL LEVEL of lead.  These onesies are the Target "Circo" brand, and they have the words "green baby" on them (see a picture here).... read more

A scary piece of information: Americans spend over 3 billions of dollars on Halloween (statistics from 2006 and 2007)! This includes parties, candy, decorations, and, of course, costumes.

As our environmental and health awareness increases, we may want to choose alternative and greener ways to celebrate a fabulous Holiday, and also demonstrate to our friends and family how to be considerate to nature on Halloween.

Here are 5 unusual tips to Green your Halloween:... read more