Got Vegetables?

FARM TO SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM

It’s a question that haunts any parent out there: How do you get a child to eat her broccoli?

Answer: Put that child in a classroom.

Yes, there can be an alternative way to double-chocolate-brownie birthday parties and candy-crazed holiday celebrations. And the way is lined with fragrant herbal gardens and lush tomatoes…

Seven Generations Ahead, a nonprofit based in Oak Park, Illinois, has been quietly leading the healthy-eating revolution, one child at a time, with its Fresh from the Farm program at area Chicago schools.

To read more, Click here

Out, Spot, Out!

There's one thing an eco-greenie like myself dislikes more than a spot that won't come out of my son's shirts or husbands shorts with out the use of heavy chemicals!

Well, help is on the way! Ecover Stain Remover really does the trick! I love the built-in scrubby brush on the top of the bottle and the convenient size, too.

To find out more about this little "Mother's Helper" log on to: www.ecover.com. Put the power of nature back into your ho-hum laundry days!

Beth

I'm Not Lazy

I'm not lazy, I just want to enjoy an easy, stylish and green life at my own pace. Well, Josh Dorfman has pulled it all together for me (and you) to do so! His book,
The Lazy Environmentalist~Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living.

Book Description:
We can’t all camp out in old-growth forests, lying down in front of the bulldozers. And it’s not only that we’re too busy: Some of us just don’t want our fabulous threads to get caked with mud.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t care passionately about the environment. Luckily, the days when becoming environmentally aware entailed eating bread that tasted like dirt, wearing clothes that looked like frayed burlap sacks, and spending summer vacations assailing whaling ships with Greenpeace are passing away. It is now perfectly possible (and increasingly easy) to be well fed, well coiffed, well dressed, and well traveled while remaining deeply committed to an ecologically sustainable lifestyle.

In The Lazy Environmentalist, Josh Dorfman—host of the Sirius Satellite Radio program of the same name—provides comprehensive guidance to fashion-forward consumers who are as concerned about the long-term health of our planet as they are about the design of their bathroom fixtures. Covering topics that range from clothing to electronic gadgetry, home decor to recreation, and gardening to financial investment, Dorfman lets us know which trends to watch and which eco-conscious products—cars, toothbrushes, cell phones, pet accessories—to buy. Green, it turns out, can be an extremely stylish color.

Check it out, go to www.Lazyenvironmentalist.com

Is He?

Have you ever tried an Izze? Recently I tried Izze's Sparkling Pomegranat drink and whew-we, is it ever good! It can so replace my craving for sweets (and sometimes soda). This caffeine-free, naturally sweetened treat uses real fruit juice to add that skip in your step, rather than refined sugar that does things you really don't want happening to your body.

Izze partners with Global Education Fund for Project Reach, a program that provides education-based development for farm workers and their families in the communities where they buy their fruit, check out http://www.izze.com/projectreach. I also like their clear glass bottles (better for the environment) and simple label design. Way to go Izze! You're my new favorite soda.

My New Addiction

Wow, you have to try my new addiction! I stumbled upon MANGO, an amazing new product and yummy treat from a company called, The Raw Choice. The dried Mangos are made with ONLY organic mangoes (no funny sweeteners).

This all-natural alternative to candy is so tasty, I keep a package in my purse, car and next to my computer and chew away when hunger hits. With 2g of dietary fiber per serving, this 2g-of-protein snack rates high on my list. Research has shown that dietary fiber has a protective effect against degenerative diseases, especially heart conditions and certain types of cancer, as well as lowering blood cholesterol levels. Mangos are also a great way to replenish lost potassium during exercise.

Mangos, known to many as the "king of fruit", really do make you feel great. Beyond being delicious, this comfort food is rich in vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, as well as an enzyme with stomach soothing properties. These comforting enzymes act as a digestive aid and add to that feeling of contentment we experience while indulging in this this sweet tropical treasure.

Go ahead, feed your cravings for something sweet in Mango; tell them Beth sent you!

Living Klean

I've been reading so much information about how plastic water bottles are linked to breast and other forms of cancer that I've decided to invest in stainless steel water bottles for my family, just in case!

The water tastes so much cleaner and it's easy to just fill up the bottles from our kitchen sink (with an under-the-counter filter installed). It saves money in the long run and you feel much better when you see your children drinking from a safer bottle alternative!

Check out Klean Kanteen at www.Kleankanteen.com for more information about this bottle pictured here! They even offer a sippy top for the little ones!

Living Clean with your own Canteen!

Best,
Beth

Beach Glass

It's amazing how fast summer rolls by; it's already almost the 4th of July!

During the summer we live in Indiana at our summer home, just steps from the beach. It's surely one way to unwind and let the busy cares of the city drift away. One way I've found to cherish my days is to walk along the beach with my father (who happens to live near my summer home).

We decided that the long winter added a few inches to our frame and wanted to shed them quickly without "pain or strain". So, I suggested that we begin walking in the sand and the added bonus was that we would find an occasional piece of colored beach glass along the way.

Ironically, we began collecting over 20, 30 or even 40 pieces each time we went out early each morning. Today along we gathered 73 colored morsels (even a navy blue one).

The fun comes with the challenge of finding the "needles in the haystack" hidden colored, buffed and tumbled glass AND the fact that we know we are slimming down, toning up and building endurance with every step!

The bonus for "Mother Earth" is that we bring a zip lock bag and grab discarded trash, too. It is frustrating to see the random items strewn across the beach, but with a simple swipe, it's gone and disposed of!

Next time you take a walk along the beach or in the park, bring your zip lock bag and lend a hand, you might just find a treasure or two along the way!

(This image is a sliver of the 1 million plastic bottles that Americans discard every year!)