Going DEET free!

I am a bug magnet, if it bites or stings, it finds me.  Not only am I a magnet, but I'm highly sensitive to bug bites, I get Huge welts.  This pretty much means I have to wear bug spray when I'm outdoors.  I've never been a big fan of DEET

Reusing junk

My dad is a collector of junk.  He likes to save everything, so our yard is full of stuff.  You can look out the window and see old barbecue grills, lawn mowers, metal scraps, plywood, decorative stone, etc.  I had three fire place grates just sitting outside my door.  I decided since he's never going to actually use any of the stuff he's saving "just in case we need it", that I would start reusing it.



fire grates before



my new flower garden

I just finished turning two those fireplace grates into beautiful planters.  I cleared out an area just to the left of my walkway.  Since they are obviously grates, I needed to come up with something to line them so the dirt didn't fall through.  Next stop the store, where I picked up a peva/coco liner ($5.96) and some flowers to plant.  The liners wasn't as wide as my grates, so I slid some flat rocks behind it to fill in the gap.  I already had potting soil left over from our Ostara celebrations.  The kids helped me pick out some flowers to plant.  We decide to go with annuals, since we weren't sure if perennials would make it through the winter in a raised bed.  I'll be looking into that for next year, since it would be nice to have our flowers come back every year.  The entire project cost me about $15.  And the best part is I don't have to look at those ugly fire grates any more.  Next year the kids want to paint the grates before we replant.  They think it will look prettier.



my birthday frogs



Since I now have the time to garden, the kids decided I needed garden decorations for my birthday!  I LOVE frogs.  Don't know what it is, but they are just so adorable.  My new garden decorations are some very lovely frogs.  A few years ago we had to dig up our yard, so we happen to have some slabs of concrete laying around.  I had my dad help me move one of them next to my new planter so my frogs could have a home.  This is still a work in progress.  I want to transplant some moss onto the concrete.  Thankfully my parents have a neighbor (at their summer campground) who has done this with her garden.  As soon as I get a chance to drive out there, I'm going to ask for her help.



beginnings of an altar



My final project, at least until I come up with some more ideas, is an outdoor altar.  I've always wanted an outdoor altar, but I didn't have any idea where or how I was going to make one.  Today all that just fell into place, while I was looking for something else to plant in.  I found my dad's pile of concrete bricks and a slab of decorative stone.  Put slab of stone on top of two bricks and you end up with a nice looking flat surface.  Yeah now we have our own outdoor altar.  It's definitely still a work in progress, but I'm hoping to put it to use next week during the Solstice.  The stone just gives me a good earthy feeling.

~Your Earthy Mom

Thought for today

Had to go out and do some last minute wedding shopping.  I realized this morning that I don't have any hairspray (and my mother in-law needed mousse), because I rarely do more than pull my hair up in a ponytail.  I never shop for beauty products at the store, since I shop online with a company that makes
toxin-free products.
I must confess that I am a label reader.
So here we are in the hair product aisle and I'm reading the labels of all the hairspray and mousse bottles.  Here is what's in the hairspray (Rave 4) I was asked to purchase)  I'm shocked and appalled.  Seriously, I'm going to be putting this stuff in my hair, spraying it in my house.  Who in their right mind would think of such a thing?!?
Sadly, because the wedding is tomorrow and I have No other choice, I will have to spray my head with the store bought hairspray.  I hope I won't have to use too much or be too disgusted by the thought of what I'm doing.

~Your Earthy Mom

Gardening an Family affair





Dumping the dirt

Our family decided at Ostara to grow a garden in our backyard this year.  I haven't had a garden since I was a young teen.  This has been a great experience for us as a family.  We started with finding the right spot and arranging boards into a rectangle shape.  Even Poppy came out to help with the project.  They boys love digging up the dirt inside the garden area, to get it ready for our plants!  We have an over abundance of tomato plants started.  Also ready for planting the cucumbers and zucchinis.  In a few week the peppers my sister asked me to plant and the green beans should be ready to move outside too.  I'm hoping the kids will stay interested in gardeing and continue to help out and have fun. 

They certainly have lots of plans.

• Monkey wants to build a fence to keep the deer out.  (Not happening this time, maybe next year)
• Potato has informed me that "We have to pull the weeds from our garden mommy."
• Ladybug and Duckling are looking forward to helping pick the veggies.



Ready to go!



  

Hope you enjoy the pictures of our labor.  And we hope to enjoy the fruits (rather veggies) or our labor later.

~Your Earthy Mom

Tiny tomatos

H2O Think before you Drink

Drinking water is "in", everyone is doing it.  But is anyone really thinking about the possible dangers and amount of waste created from drinking bottled water?

I've just recently jumped on water "bandwagon" because honestly I'd rather drink a coke.  I've been trying to drink more water and less soda to help with losing some weight.    At home I always drink from a glass, but when I'm running around town or hiking through the woods, I bring my bottle of water.  Naturally I started looking into the facts about bottled water.

Store-bought bottled water is a rip off. Tap water is often subject to more stringent regulation and testing than bottled water. It costs a fraction of the cost from the tap. It is cleaner, cheaper, and thus healthier. (Natural Resources Defense Council)

So the above statement seems almost obvious.  It's water. Why in the world would anyone actually want to pay for water, when you can get it out of your faucet at home for free.  The kids hate when I say that because they like everyone else are captivated by the water commercials.  So here's what we're not told about drinking bottled water.

• 90% of the cost of bottled water is due to the bottle itself.
• 80% of plastic bottles are not recycled.
• Plastic bottles are among the most prevalent source of pollution found on our beaches.
• 38 million plastic bottles go to the dump per year in America from bottled water (not including soda)
• U.S. landfills are overflowing with 2 million tons of discarded water bottles alone. Source: idswater.org
• Bottles used to package water take over 1,000 years to bio-degrade and if incinerated, they produce toxic fumes. It is estimated that over 80% of all single-use water bottles used in the U.S. simply become "litter." Source: ValleyWater.org
• 24 million gallons of oil are needed to produce a billion plastic bottles.
• Plastic bottles pose a health risk. Studies have shown that chemicals called phthalates, which are known to disrupt testosterone and hormones, can leach into bottled water over time.
• Studies have indicated that food and drinks stored in such containers—including those ubiquitous clear Nalgene water bottles hanging from just about every hiker’s backpack—can contain trace amount of Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical that interferes with the body’s natural hormonal messaging system.
• The same studies found that repeated re-use of such bottles—which get dinged up through normal wear and tear and while being washed—increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of the tiny cracks and crevices that develop over time.

We can save the earth simply by recycling water bottles.  You can even take it one step father by purchasing a re-usable water bottle.  Stainless steel or glass would be the best options.  Check out Nubius Organics to find echo-friendly water bottles and other products.  I just purchased a stainless steel water bottle several weeks ago and I love it!

Check out these sites for more info: The Water Project  Gaiam Life

~Your Earthy Mom

Late to Spring!

Spring time is actually here!  My family just celebrated Ostara last weekend.  We have been so busy with planning our wedding that the actual date came and went.  So being flexible with these kinds of things, we planned our celebration any way.



Tomato Seeds



Cucumber and Zucchini seeds



This year we did a split two day celebration.  Saturday morning was spent eating candies and starting plants for our garden.  We are planning to make our first garden this year.  So far we have cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes.  The kids loved getting in the dirt and planting the seeds!



Beginnings of a garden





Cutting Blackberries for dye



Sunday we made natural egg dyes for the first time.  This project was very time consuming, kind of messy, at times frustrating, and most of all Lots of FUN!  Grownups started with doing the cutting.  Our oldest wanted to help, so we figured why not.  We showed her how to use the knife safely and let her go for it. 



Pouring the Dye





After we cooked up each dye all of the kids helped with straining and pouring into bowls and cups.



Smelling the Dye



Onion Dye

Commence the egg dyeing extravaganza!



Beet Dye



Blackberry dye





Blueberry Dye



Spinach Dye







Onion Dye

Since this was our first time making the dyes, it was kind of an experiment.  Here's what we did.

• Fresh Blackberries - light purple - finely chop and boil in 1-2 cups of water then strain.
• Fresh Blueberries - dark/light blue - finely chop and boil in 1-2 cups of water then strain.  (one of our favorites)
• Fresh Spinach - very light green -  finely chop and boil in 1 cup of water then strain.  (we didn't like how this color came out)
• Onion - golden yellow/orange - Take the skins off two onions.  finely chop them and boil in 1 cup of water then strain.  (one of our favorites)
• Beets - light pink - We used canned beets and finely chopped.  We boiled the beets and the juice from the can.  (Next year we plan to use fresh beets if we can find them)

All in all we had a great weekend and are looking forward to watching our plants grow.  In a few weeks we should be able to move the plants outside to the garden.  Keep your eyes out for posts on how our garden is doing.

~Your Earthy Mom



My Morning Joe

I am one of those people who can't function with out my morning cup of coffee.  My children can even tell the difference between "mom before coffee" and "mom with coffee".  My oldest daughter even buys me a new mug for Yule every year.  As a WAHM I usually brew my own coffee at home.  Some days after the kids are off to school, I'll head out to my local D&D (my favorite) and treat my self to a cup o' joe.


Recently I had a friend point out something very interesting, my coffee comes in a styrofoam cup!  We are both very green gals, but here I am drinking my coffee from styrofoam,while she's using a paper cup.  Very embarrassing moment for me.  Well of course now I bring my own travel mug for a re-fill.  It's better for the environment and less expensive.  But I started to think about not only the environment, but how safe is it to be drinking out of a styrofoam cup?  Time to do some research, and I'm shock at the information I found.


Interesting fact that I don't think many of us know:  Styrofoam cups don't exist.  Styrofoam is a trade mark name for the foam material made by the Dow Chemical company.  They don't make any kind of food packaging.  So what are we drinking out of?  Polystyrene cups, commercially manufactured from petroleum.  Styrene (the basic chemical component) can leak into you food or drink and then into you. 

Studies suggest that styrene mimics estrogen in the body and can therefore disrupt normal hormone functions, possibly contributing to thyroid problems, menstrual irregularities, and other hormone-related problems, as well as breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Foods that are higher in fat and hot drinks can cause Styrene to leak faster.  This means coffee and tea can have more Styrene in them.  Also to-go foods like soups and chowders will have a higher amount of Styrene in them.  Branching out from our morning drinks and lunches on the go, you purchase items at the grocery store in Styrene containers.  Meats and cheese will have higher amounts of Styrene leaked into them.

Here are some safer options to consider.

• Use ceramic cups and mugs.  Or go with paper cups.
• If you work outside the home, share washing duties with your co-workers.  This will save on hot water usage.
• Paper cups do create waste, but they are biodegradable, unlike Styrene cups.
• Consider transferring food items bought at the grocery store into non-plastic containers, until ready to be cooked.
• When getting take-out or "doggie bags" ask to have your food wrapped in foil.

Every where we go we are faced with Styrene containers.  Limiting your exposure and making safer choices is the best way to go.  Next time you head out to your favorite coffee shop, be safer and bring your own mug.

Note to Self: Buy a ceramic to-go coffee mug.

Enjoy you next cup 'o joe!
          

~Trish

Just wanted to share

I stumbled upon this while doing some research.  I had to re-post and share with all of you.


The purpose of this email is to educate, my friends and family, about the toxins in your home. I don’t think that most people are aware of toxins or how much they can affect your health.


Facts:
* The air in your home can be up to 70 times more polluted than the outside air. Most people spend about 90% of their life inside.
* Between 1950 and 1990 lung cancer has increased 364% despite that smoking has declined every year since 1950.
* Turn of the century (1900) cancer rates were 1 in 50. Today about 1 in 3. Within the next several years it is expected to be 1 in 2.
* 2,983 chemicals in personal care products were analyzed. 884 caused cancer, 314 caused biological mutations, 218 caused reproductive complications, 778 caused acute toxicity, 148 caused tumors, 376 caused skin and eye irritations.
* EPA doesn’t require manufactures to put harmful chemicals or their harmful effects on the container. FDA can’t regulate a personal care product or require safety testing until after it is in the marketplace. They also can not recall harmful products from the marketplace.
* Some of the long term effects of using toxic products include allergies, asthma, birth defects, cancer, central nervous system damage ( MS and Alzheimer’s Disease), infertility, learning disorders ( A.D.D. and A.D.H.D.), and miscarriage. All of these are on the rise.
* The three ways chemicals enter our bodies are ingestion, absorption, and inhalation. Even if a product has a lid on it or has never been open we are still inhaling the toxins.

Here are some harmful chemicals found in store brands. Chlorine, Dioxin(Commonly known as Agent Orange. Exposure is a key factor in cancer and fertility issues), Phenols(linked to breast cancer, allergies, asthma, and A.D.H.D.), Lye, Bleach, Ammonia, Formaldehyde, and Phosphates.

Toxins can be found in air fresheners, window cleaner, all purpose cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, dishwashing detergent, carpet shampoo, laundry detergent, fabric softener, shampoo, hair spray, bubble bath, mouthwash, toothpaste, cosmetics, perfume/cologne, and baby wipes just to name a few. All of the ingredients do not have to be listed on the container. The ones that are listed may be disguised by what is called a "trade name".

-Dove Beauty Bar has Quaternium 15 ( this is formaldehyde).
-Johnson’s Baby Shampoo also has Quaternium 15 and FD&C Red 40 (causes cancer).
-Crest Tarter Control Toothpaste has Saccharin which can cause cancer.
-Clorox has sodium hypochlorite (corrosive) and sensitizer this can be fatal if swallowed and is also an respitory irritant ( People with a heart condition or asthma be very careful).
-Cascade is corrosive (Test: Place a quarter size amount of liquid cascade on some tin foil and place over a bowl or sink let it sit for awhile and come back to see what happened.).
-409 & Fantastic ingredients damages central nervous system, kidney, liver, and damages blood and body’s ability to make blood. Listed as a pesticide.
-Lysol has dioxin, also know as agent orange, in it which causes cancer.
-Cheer & Tide are corrosive, cause cancer and can be a respiratory tract irritant. Powder Tide has fiberglass in it.

I have heard too many tragic stories of children and adults dying from toxic products. A three year old suffered and died after ingesting 3 ounces of hair conditioner. A seven month old crawled through a puddle of laundry bleach. It gave the baby 3rd degree burns on half of his body. The fumes burned his lungs. The baby suffered four days before dying.

For more information on toxins visit:
http://www.concernedmoms.com/
www.epa.gov/chemfact/
http://www.scorecard.org/
www.cleaningpro.com/page.cfm
www.pbs.org/tradesecrets/
http://www.checnet.org/

I hope you are all a little more aware of the toxins that are in the products you use everyday. When you use these products you not only effect yourself and family, but wildlife and the environment. Where do you think those toxins go after they go down the drain? What about the toxins we use on our lawns? There are safe natural alternatives available. They cost less and are more effective than what you have now. I set up customer accounts for one of these companies so if you want safe alternatives for you and your family please contact me. I want to help you get rid of the toxins. I encourage all of you to help others become educated on toxins. Please forward this to everyone you know and print it out for those without email.


Resource: http://searchwarp.com/swa1508.htm

Toxic Beauty

Women (and men) everywhere are trying to make themselves look and feel younger and more beautiful.  But the products in use are more harmful than helpful.  Have you ever really looked at the ingredients in your personal care products.

...the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did something amazing. It issued an unprecedented warning to the cosmetics industry that it was time to inform consumers that most personal care products have not been safety tested.

This statement was issued back in 2005.  So why does the FDA still not require pre-market safety testing, review, or approval for cosmetics and personal care products.  The toxic chemicals that go into our shampoos, lotions, and cosmetics are often main ingredients.  What makes this so scary?  Everyone uses some type of personal care product.  In fact many of us use 15 or more personal care products in a single day.  Think about how you start your day off.  You take a shower, using soap (or body wash), shampoo, and probably conditioner.  You shave using shaving cream, put on lotion, and brush your teeth with toothpaste.  Ladies are putting on their make up; foundation, blush, eye shadow, lipstick, etc.  And many of us use some type of hairspray or gel to keep our hair in place for the day.  These are just a few things we do to be ready for the day.  That's Eleven different personal care products!  And many of these products don't just sit on our skin!  They are absorbed into our skin.


What can we do to protect ourselves from these toxins? 

• Shop for products that have the fewest ingredients. 
• Find out what ingredients are in the products you use currently.
• Switch to safer products that don't contain toxins.

Here are some everyday products and the toxins they contain:

DOVE BEAUTY BAR - Quaternium 15; Formaldehyde-Carcinogen. Causes cancer, dermatitis, neurotoxin, and sensitizer - poisonous, irritant to the skin, eyes and mucous membranes. Butylated Hydroxytoluene, (BHT) Carcinogen.JOHNSON'S BABY SHAMPOO - Quaternium 15; FD&C RED 40: Carcinogen and causes dermatitis.

CREST TARTAR CONTROL TOOTHPASTE - Saccharin: Carcinogen, contains Phenol. If you accidentally swallow more than a pea-sized amount of this, you must contact the Poison Control Center immediately. This warning does not appear on the tube.

OLAY REGENERIST - Ethylparaben, methylparabe and propylparabe; hormone disrupters. polyacrylamide, triethanolamine; carcinogens.

CLAIROL HERBAL ESSENCES SHAMPOO DRY/DAMAGED HAIR - CI 17200, CI 15510, CI 42053, CI 60730; cancer-causing dyes. cocamide MEA can be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane; a hormone disrupter associated with breast cancer.

LISTERINE TEETH AND GUM DEFENCE - 21.6 percent alcohol; alcohol dries and changes the pH of the mouth and throat and in long-term use increases the risk of mouth and throat cancers. Fluoride; in quantity is poisonous if swallowed.
Some of the long term effects of using toxic products include allergies, asthma, birth defects, cancer, central nervous system damage ( MS and Alzheimer’s Disease), infertility, learning disorders ( A.D.D. and A.D.H.D.), and miscarriage. All of these are on the rise.

I hope you are all a little more aware of the toxins that are in the products you use everyday. When you use these products you not only effect yourself and family, but wildlife and the environment. Where do you think those toxins go after they go down the drain?  There are safe alternatives out there.  Many of them cost less and are just as (or more) effective than what you are using now.  Please educate your self and your loved ones about the effects of toxins in our health and beauty products.
I set up customer accounts for a company that makes safer products, so if you want safe alternatives for you and your family please contact me. I want to help you get rid of the toxins.

Resources:
http://www.preventcancer.com/consumers/cosmetics/cosmetics_personal_care.htm
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/research/whythismatters.php
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/how-toxic-is-your-bathroom-512285.html

Less Waste Lunches

With the school year starting just around the corner, I needed to find some new healthy snack and lunch ideas for my kids. What it didn't expect to find was how much waste lunches create. 

"the New York State Department of Conservation has estimated that a child taking a disposable lunch to school generates an average of 67 pounds of trash per school year."

That's almost twice as much as my youngest weighs!  Its so easy for us not to think about how all those snack wrappers, sandwich bags, juice boxes, napkins, not to mention uneaten food adds up day after day.  Home-made lunches are definitely healthier and more cost effective, now it's just a matter of packing smart.  I thought I'd share some of the things we do to make healthier, cost effective, echo-friendly lunches.

1. Buy some reusable plastic drink containers.  I use juice box size/shaped ones.  We have been using them for the past couple years.  I fill them half way with juice, lemonade, or water and then freeze it over night.  In the morning I fill them up the rest of the way.  This helps keep their drinks cold until lunch time rolls around.
2. Stop buying individually prepackaged snacks.  Sure it's easier to grab the little bag of chips, yogurt, fruit cup, etc. but the 'convience' costs you a lot more.  Get regular sized packages of snacks and put a serving size portion in to a reusable container.
3. Use reusable plastic containers for everything from sandwiches to snacks.  They keep foods from being 'squished', are better for the environment, and more cost effective.
4. Make home-made snacks.  There are lots of internet sites out there; so use them to find your kids favorite snacks that you can make at home.  Buying the ingredients cost less, cause lets face it you're really paying for the name brand packaging.  You can also make it a fun activity to do with the kids.  One of our family's favorites is Rice crispy treats.
5. To save time in the mornings, pack lunches the night before and store them in the fridge.  Also get the kids involved.  My six year old helps put everything in the lunch box, where as the twelve years olds make their own lunch.  This is great in two ways; having the younger ones help teaches them responsibility and the importance of a nutritious lunch and the older ones doing for themselves saves you some time.
6. Make the most out of your left-overs.  We often turn a dinner from the night before into a healthy lunch for the next day.  The kids like having something different than the same old sandwich day after day.

"the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey’s estimate that 16 percent of children and adolescents ages 6-19 years are overweight."

Now that we're packing smart and getting our kids involved, what foods should we be putting in their lunches?

• Fresh fruits and vegetables.  Kids should be eating 3-4 servings of dark green, red, and orange vegetables and 2-3 servings of fruit daily.  Try finding recipes that you can add fruits or vegetables into.
• Whole-grain breads, crackers, rice, pasta, and cereal instead of white varieties.  Kids should be eating 6-8 servings from this group daily.  Whole grains provide lots of vitamins and minerals, fiber, and protein.
• Beans, nuts, poultry, fish, and lean meats.  Kids should be eating 2-3 servings of protein foods daily.  Avoid meat products from animals that have been treated with hormones and antibiotics.
• Yogurt and cheese.  Kids should be eating 2-3 servings of dairy products daily.  When packing keep these items closest to the icepack to avoid spoiling. 

"Children who eat well and exercise regularly experience less fatigue, more energy, and better concentration. They are more fit for sports and other physical activities, and they have lower obesity rates."

With just a little thought and planning we can pack lunches that create less waste and are healthier for our children.  It's also important to get our children involved.  Talk to them about the changes in their lunches, whether it's the food or the packaging.  Teach them about reducing waste to help the earth and how eating nutritious meals helps their minds and bodies.

A home-made lunch may take a bit more planning and an extra ten minutes a day, but given the obvious benefits, it’s well worth the time and effort.

~Earthy Mom

Save More and Waste Less

Here's some tips to stretch your money, save time, and help the environment.

1. Power Down - Plug electronics into a power strip, and turn off everything before bed with a single switch.  Saves money,  time, and the environment.
2. Recycle Greeting Cards - Remove the message portion and use the front panel as a postcard or for a child to make in to a collage.  Saves money and the environment.
3. Home Grown - Make your own garden.  Garden fresh veggies taste better and cost less than store-bought.  You can freeze extras to enjoy in the winter.  Saves money and the environment.
4. Save Your Scraps - Toss fruit and veggie remnants into a compost pail.  Bonus use to fertilize your garden.  Saves time, money, and the environment.
5. Before Grocery Shopping - Search online for printable coupons.  Check out the store's website or circular, and plan meals around sale items.  Saves money.
6. Reusable Shopping Bags - You can gets these at almost any store for just a few dollars.  Plus some stores offer money off your total for using these when you shop.  Saves money and the environment.
7. Tired of Waiting for the Handyman? - Invest in a home repair book and learn to fix simple things yourself.  Find a neighbor or friend who has handyman skills and trade their time for something you can do for them. (ex: childcare, dinner, job or personal skill)
8. Cyber-Swapping - Trade for school supplies, car repairs, clothes, and other gently used items with other families.  Saves money and time.
9. Use Smart Products -  Shop for safer household, bath & body, and personal products that don't contain the toxic chemicals found in name-brand products.  There are many online stores that sell safer for your home products.  Save the environment, money, and time.
10. Washer-dryer - Set your washing machine's water temperature to cold.  When weather permits line dry your clothes.  Saves money and the environment.
11. Weekly Veggie Meal -  Once a week serve a meat free meal with lentils or tofu for protein.  Saves money.

Search ANY Product

Did you know you can search ANY product at the following link and it will tell you the level of toxicity and toxins rated 1-10.


http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/