Green Daily

A recent analysis from the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) shows that more than a dozen air fresheners contain chemicals called phthalates that may affect hormones and reproductive development. The federal government currently does not test air fresheners for safety.

Getting healthier food into schools will help to combat childhood obesity -- that much is clear. Good news then, that a government survey, which is conducted every six years, shows that more schools are offering salads and vegetables while fewer permit bake sales. More states and school districts insist that elementary schools schedule recess and that physical education teachers have at least undergraduate training. And schools are doing more to prohibit smoking on school grounds.

Principal of Sepulveda Middle School in Los Angeles County, Patricia Pelletier explains, "If kids are healthy and have healthy lifestyles, they're going to be better students."

They are also going to be greener students: they will be outdoors more -- perhaps walking and biking rather than driving when they get old enough to obtain a license -- they will eat more fruit and vegetables and eschew fast food, and they are less likely to smoke cigarettes (which are huge environmental hazards).

Which causes more deaths: Car accidents or Air pollution?

Thanks to a new certification program, consumers now have greater access to fresh cut flowers and potted plants that are guaranteed organic, according to www.thedailygreen.com.

When you see the "VeriFlora™ Certified Sustainably Grown" label on a bouquet, that means its contents been produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

There may be a tendency to buy organic only when we plan to ingest the product. But chemicals commonly used in flower production have been linked to health problems for workers who handle them.

VeriFlora standards also demand that flower growers conserve water, protect local ecosystems, recycle and comply with labor standards. And on a practical level, it establishes guidelines for retailers, shippers and growers to ensure the quality of the flowers - and a longer lifespan in the vase.

Could mean good business for retailers, too; the demand for blossoms is soaring, growing by 50% between 2004 and 2005.

[via www.thedailygreen.com]

Although convenient for on-the-go feeding, baby bottles can be hazardous to the environment and potentially to your child. Green mothers should be warned that components of the rigid, clear plastic bottles has been tested for their potential negative affects on reproductive organs. Rubber nipples may contain low levels of contaminants that may cause cancer. And environmentally speaking, the plastic baby bottles are made from non-renewable petroleum resources which could be contributing to global warming! The proposed solutions are glass baby bottles and silicone nipples to minimize risk to your little one and help the environment at the same time. Sounds worth it to me! Except if that glass baby bottle is dropped -- that would be quite the mess.

Shocking article on CNN regarding the levels of chemicals accumulating in children's bodies, as measured by "body burden" testing.

In 2004, the Hollands were the first entire family in the U.S. to undergo body burden testing. The Holland family underwent this test for flame retardants knowns as polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDEs) and found that their 18-month-old son had levels two to three times higher than the level that is known to cause thyroid dysfunction in rats. Michelle Holland has since become an activist on the issue, testifying twice in the California legislature in support of a statewide body burden testing program. The bill passed last year.

Many countries have already banned PDBEs included Sweden, followed by most of the European Union. In the U.S., the sole manufacturer voluntarily stopped producing two types of PBDEs but a third type is still used in many products including mattresses.

Scary, scary stuff.

If you've been tuned in to the news at all lately, you've probably been inundated with tons of extremely scary coverage about deadly Staph infections.

On the prevention front, The Center for Disease Control recommends keeping cuts and scrapes covered until healed, not sharing personal items like towels or razors and keeping your hands clean by washing with soap and water.

P.W. McRandle of The Green Guide tackles which soaps are best to use. McRandle cites a study from the University of Michigan that showed that antibacterial soaps containing triclosan have no benefit above plain soap. The researchers found that many different bacteria can survive triclosan, increasing the chance of creating antibiotic-resistant strains. Triclosan can also form the probable carcinogen chloroform, and can also accumulate in fish once it hits the waterways.

So keep washing, but stick with your regular soap and make it bar soap if possible.

Here's the thing: many places we go (and can walk or bike to) parking is NOT FREE. So, on top of the cost of gas, wear and tear on your automobile, you're paying just to keep the car on a precious piece of pavement. And depending where you live, you might be paying a fair amount of money. You might also be spending a fair amount of time finding a parking space.

Before we go paving paradise and putting up more parking lots -- thank you Joni Mitchell -- here's an idea: if you can swing it, why not walk or bike?

I'm going to go a little further and have you ponder the benefits of not getting into your car. Let's just say parking costs a few dollars. You can spend that money on something more satisfying! Indulge or do something for someone else -- give the money to your local talented street musician, make the Batista's day, toss the money into the till for a local environmental group or homeless shelter. For that matter toss it into a jar and save up for something you really want, like I don't know, a new pair of walking shoes or biking gloves!

Plus, there's that truism: what's good for the body really is good for the soul.

Anyone who kept up with Bill Clinton's Global Initiative forum recently was struck by how simple many solutions actually are, how cost effective, and how easy it can be to help.

One problem: Over one billion people in developing countries need reading glasses but cannot afford them. In many African countries the price for eyeglasses exceeds three months' wages.

One solution: Give the people glasses by taking discarded ones from wealthier nations (in North America, over four million pairs of glasses are discarded each year). As Clinton said, it's such a simple idea, but one that really solves a big problem. The organization is Unite for Sight.

So,what's a shopper to do? Check out the Green Guide's shopping guide, and The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics for more information. Also, run your current products through Skin Deep, a personal products safety database and see how they rate.

You can find yourself being offered a green idea just about anywhere, anyplace, at any time. Witness the fortune my husband brought home from the Chinese restaurant:

"You need to recharge. Spend time alone in nature."

The poets know this, educators increasingly recognize this, and medical research shows that gardening is good for your health. Before you dive into a poetry tome -- a great idea, incidentally -- lace on your walking shoes or ditch your shoes to feel the grass between your toes. In other words, just do it. It's pretty easy; walk outside. Head to a park, your backyard, a patch of woods nearby, a university campus. The air -- cool, hot, moist, dry-- will feel like air, not air-conditioning, and not forced heat. You will remember, even if you're in a city, that you can find a little nature, at a park, in your backyard, or at the nearby nature preserve.

Don't wait for a full day of hiking or the perfect view from a mountaintop. Nab a little piece of nature, a little moment of peace. It's good for your soul. And recharge.

While natural deodorant sounds like a great idea, most people don't want to smell too natural. Marisa Belger takes natural deodorants on a test drive and lets us know how she fared.

Among other things, Belger learned that "Nobody over the age of 7 should attempt to get through a humid August day armed with nothing more than two swipes of apricot deodorant" and "The Crystal makes an excellent paperweight."

Brands Belger liked included Weleda's Citrus Deodorant Spray and Burt's Bees Herbal Deodorant, which converted even her athletic husband.

One friend of mine has taken up walking to grab the Sunday newspaper rather than drive. The drive is about two miles altogether. It's not that she's saving so much gas by making this change, but consistently now, she's saving a little bit.

What's more, she feels good to take that time each week outside.

Another friend walks to work a couple of times a week ... with a friend; they get a little catch-up time, some exercise, and the chance to use less gas. Pretty delightful.

So often, it's realizing that a little bit is better than nothing at all. And by making these small changes, those around us notice and perhaps start to make changes, too.

Many of us can't avoid using our cars, but we can find all sorts of ways to use them less.

Mrs. Meyer's Gingerbread products are back, just in time for the holidays.

They are offering the Gingerbread Holiday Clean-Up Kit, which contains smaller sizes of their most popular cleaners (room freshener, liquid dish soap, countertop spray and all purpose cleaner) all with a gingerbread scent.

Another cute idea is the Gingerbread Holiday Hand Care Set, which contains Gingerbread Hand Soap and Gingerbread Hand Lotion.

Both are reasonably-priced, at $14.99 and $9.99 respectively. Throw in a Gingerbread soy candle and you'll have a cozy little gift basket.