1October/November 2011

2

3greenchildmagazine.com

ArticlesGo Green Halloween 26

Eco Beauty 60

Dining Out Vegan 65

EcoFab 10Great Stores 12Design 14 Look, Listen, Read 16 Whats in Season 66 Nutritional Nuggets 68Recipes 72

FeaturesBreastfeeding Supply Guide 20

Reducing Your Body Burden 40

Practically Green 56

photo submitted by Robert Radifera

Fall is upon us and the term, Leaves of Change comes to mind. Changing of the seasons means so much to so many people. This is the time of year when many families change into holiday mode or change out their summer wardrobes for their winter ones. Change is truly in the air. As I look around I see many of the leaves are beginning to change their colors, the air is cooler, and the animals are readying themselves for winter. My children are changing everyday as well. They are growing and learning and I am so delighted to be experiencing that with them. We only get to be parents to our children once and I want to make sure to not to miss even the slightest change.

I am also happy to see a change in the way people think. It seems that with every year, we as a society, change a little about how we view the Earth and our role on it. I can remember growing up, that many people thought nothing about what we were doing to the Earth. Sure, some people recycled, but the waste was unbelievable in comparison to how we live today. Maybe we have a lot to make up for since our youth, but I really do believe we can do it! Also, I know we can teach our children to do better than we have. They seem to have so many more resources at their disposal than I did growing up. So pat yourselves a little on the back, you are doing a good job.

Our magazine has gone through some changes as well since our last issue. The August/September issue was my debut issue as Editor with Green Child Magazine and this is my debut issue as Publisher. Also, we are happy to welcome Jenny, our blog manager, to the Green Child Magazine family. We are so happy to have her and we hope you have enjoyed the blog content as well as the giveaways. Be sure to enter...they are so much fun!

So I guess my message for this issue is change. Maybe it is more of a mission. I think we can all make a difference, no matter how small, with just a few little changes.

Warmly,Amber editor@greenchildmagazine.com

from our publisher & editor

ON THE COVER:

Photo by Rebecca Deaton PhotographyHair/make-up, Apryl Rossi Clothing by Lillipops

Thank you Nashoba Valley Winery for the use of their beautiful orchard.

BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE CORRECTIONS:

- beatrix ny Backpack available at beatrixny.com

- recipes courtesy of www.AnAppleADayNutrition.com

- Green Gifts Guide can be found at www.GreenGiftsGuide.com

BACK TO SCHOOL ISSUE CORRECTIONS:

- beatrix ny Backpack available at beatrixny.com

- recipes courtesy of www.AnAppleADayNutrition.com

- Green Gifts Guide can be found at www.GreenGiftsGuide.com

6Craft

Halloween Smash BoxBy Heather Valentine | thesewingloft.com

Materials: Box Box Cutter Ruler Paint & Basic supplies Marker or Pencil

Instructions:1. To create the angle on your box measure 3 across the opening at one edge. Then up 1 from the bottom. Take your ruler and connect the lines. Repeat to other side. Connect lines across the side. (This is your cutting line.)2. On the bottom of the box, sketch out your face. Have fun here. I created mine to look like a Jack O Lantern.3. It is best to cut the face first. Then the sides. Please take care when cutting. *Note: since no bag would fit through the nose, I painted it on later. 4. Paint box in your desired color. 5. Set aside to work on bags.

Heather Valentine is the inspiration behind The Sewing Loft. The mission of all products is focused around the 3 Rs: Reduce, Reclaim, Recycle. To tell her your thoughts or share photos of the project, go to facebook.com/thesewingloftfb or visit thesewingloft.com.

7Next, make your bags. To make 3 smash bags, cut out 3 of each shape at right.

Materials: Heavy weight fabric Scraps of fabric in contrast colors Heat & Bond Ultra 1 2lb bag of Black Eyed Peas Trims Thread, Sewing Machine, Iron**Note that I used old jeans & cargo shorts for the base of each bag and old tee shirts for the pattern on the front. (No fabric was purchased) Instructions:1. To create the base for the 6 bags cut 12 squares 5 1/2 large. (For contrast, I used the denim for the bottom of bags and the cargo shorts for the top) 2. Transfer the pattern pieces provided to a cardstock. (I used a cereal box.) These are your templates for the top of bags. 3. Apply Heat and bond to wrong side of each fabric for your design. Example: Black for bat & hat; Yellow for moon.) Draw & cut out shapes. *Remember to use the mirror image. 4. Following the directions on the Heat & Bond package, peel the backer away and apply design to the front side of your bag. *Be careful, not to iron on the wrong side of fabric. Once in place, the bond is strong and it will not come off. If you would like to add machine stitching or apply any trims, now is the time!5. To join the bags together, line up front and back wrong sides together. Stitch along 3 sides of bag. (I used a standard Zig Zag stitch in contrast color.) Be sure to back stitch at the start and stop of seam. 6. Fill bag with approx 3/4 cup of Black Eyed Peas and stitch the last side closed. * Do not over fill. You will not be able to stitch the last seam closed. 7. Clip all loose threads for a finished look.

8Craft

By Jenelle Montilone | www.trashn2tees.com

Materials: T-shirts Scissors Popsicle Stick Composition notebook or sketchbook with board book cover Aleenes Super Thick Tacky Glue

Instructions:Make it:1. Lay the book open on the T-shirt (arrange it over the featured logo or design). Cut through just one layer of the shirt, about 2 outside the edge of the notebook.2. Lay the T-shirt panel face down on your work surface. Apply glue liberally across the front cover of the book. Spread a thin and even layer over the book cover using a popsicle stick. Be sure the glue reaches the edges, but avoid getting any glue on the pages. 3. Fold the T-shirt fabric over the front cover and press it evenly into the glue.4. Flip the notebook and spread glue across the spine and back cover. Then pull the remaining T-shirt fabric over the back cover, smoothing any wrinkles. Let it dry. Optional: Press the notebook between heavy textbooks to keep it flat!5. Trim the fabric around the edges of the book cover. Use glue to touch up any edges that are pulling away from the fabric.

Upcycled T-shirt Notebook

By Jenelle Montilone | www.trashn2tees.com

Upcycled T-shirt Notebook

Sign up today, visit: www.terracycle.com

Hey Parents and Teachers!Want a free way to help the environment, while earning money for charity and teaching your kids about recycling?

Participating Products:

community groups

scho

olsnon-profits

TerraCycle is looking for schools, individuals and community groups

across the United States to help us collect drink pouches, cookie

wrappers and other non-recyclable packaging and products!

We'll award two points to the school, community group, or non-profit of your choice for

every piece of packaging you collect.

For every piece of packaging you collect. We make affordable, eco-friendly products from your waste!

Capri Sun and the Capri Sun pouch are a trademark of the Deutsche Si-Si-Werke GmbH & Co. Betriebs KGTrademarks of Frito-Lay North America, Inc used under license. (c) 2011.

TerraCycle, the TerraCycle Logo and Brigade are all property of TerraCycle, Inc. used under license. 2011. www.terracycle.com

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EcoFab

USB Flash Drive We love this USB flash drive with renewable bamboo casing. This device is earth friendly, small enough to store away, but not small enough to lose, and features that eco-tech factor. www.greenapplesupply.com

EIO Kids Cup Using canning jars, this BPA free toddler cup is spill-resistant and valve free promoting correct sipping. Cap and sleeve fit most 8oz canning jars. www.eiokidscup.com

Letter Learning CardsGreeting cards designed to help young kids improve their reading, writing, spelling, and handwriting skills in a fun and stress-free way. Printed on recycled paper, in the US, with non-toxic ink. www.letterlearning.com

Green APPenings

Leafsnap - This free mobile app uses visual recognition software to help identify tree species from photographs of their leaves. Available for iPhone and iPad.

www.leafsnap.com

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Rock Love Peace TeetherHandmade in the USA from sus-tainably harvested wood and sold in a set of three. Set comes in a biodegradable jute bag. www.vannybean.com

Kleynimals Fun, heirloom quality, food-grade stainless steel teething keys are designed for babies 6 months+. Lead, phthalate, BPA, and cadmium free, they can also be engraved. www.kleynimals.com

Guitar Wooden Baby Rattle Teether Eco-friendly and made from sustainably sourced maple, this guitar is perfect for your little eco rockstar. www.smilingtreetoys.etsy.com

Boon Wrap Kids can use regular dishes with this protective body armor. Suction cup base secures most average-sized bowls. BpA-free, Phthalate-free and PVC-free. www.booninc.com

Great Stores

www.sweetpearesale.com

We are so excited to feature a great consignment shop! What better place to

find one in the green city of Portland, Oregon?

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Family owned, Sweetpeas is a consignment/trade shop located in the Sellwood-Moreland neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. Specializing is lightly used childrens, womens and maternity clothes and accessories, as well as a wide selection of new locally made creations. The Thayer family is proud of their 100% consignment policy. They do not buy items for resale; they simply sell them for their owners.

The Thayers acquired this shop almost two years ago after being frequent customers themselves. Sweatpeas is a family business that has a real connection to its customers and the neighborhood. Since acquiring the shop, the Thayers have made a few updates inside the shop and have added a website, but all the price tags are still written by hand.

The neighborhood is very supportive of the shop and we have no question as to why. The items are priced to sell and it is a locatedin a very supportive child-friendly green neighborhood. It is also close to public transportation. With 800+ consigners, everyone is sure to find a great item for their child at Sweatpeas. Many of the consigners buy merchandise in the store with their credits.

If you live in the Portland area, be sure to head on over to see the Thayers (they work in the shop) in Sellwood. Cant make it to Portland? Check out their website for some great local finds, www.sweetpearesale.com.

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Design

BlikBlik, the innovative maker of self-adhesive surface graphics, and Threadless, the international community-

driven design company, have collaborated once again to launch new self-adhesive Pattern Wall Tiles.

www.whatisblik.com

These green wall tiles are eco-friendly, non-toxic and free of both PVC and phthalates. The environmentalist in you will love them. They are fullyremovable and will leave no residue. This brand new fabric material is environmentally safe and biodegradable over time.

There are currently five self-adhesive sets available that will bring bursts of pattern into standard home and office spaces in a whole new way. Featuring designs from the Threadless community of 1.5 millionartists from around the globe, the Pattern Wall Tiles are the first in a series of new Wall Tile designs produced by Blik.

Pattern Wall Tiles were developed for surfaces that are not ideal for full coverage of pattern or paint - create an accent over a bed, behind a chair, on an interior door or kitchen cabinet or frame a small section of a wall. The sets dont require messy glue and can be repositioned and moved easily. They are completely customizable and can be cut, crafted, and arranged in a number of ways. Rotate them, combine patterns and use on any smooth flat surface. Each individual Pattern Wall Tile is sold in a set of two or four tiles that cover 16 sq feet of space.

Pattern Wall Tiles are a fresh new concept that

pushes Blik in an innovative direction, said Blik co-founder Scott Flora. The tiles encourage peopleto unleash their creativity by cutting, moving and combining patterns. I love their versatility and see the tiles becoming popular with consumers who live and work in small spaces.

Its great to continue our relationship with Blik and our quest to cover the world in patterny goodness through these new wall tiles! says Threadless founder Jake Nickell. Magic! Pattern Wall Tiles are sticky without the icky. Get on board with these eco-friendly, self-adhesive pattern tiles from Blik and Threadless. Based in Venice, CA, Blik is the leading designer and maker of innovative self-adhesive, removable surface graphics. Co-founded in 2002 by architect Scott Flora and food editor Jerinne Neils, Blik was an exploration into the concept of the wall as canvas. Currently, the packagings for all Blik products are recyclable. Pattern Wall Tiles is just one of the many steps Blik is taking to become greener in the future.

The full Blik product line is available online and at retailers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.whatisblik.com

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Look, Listen and Read

Creating Healthy Children By Karen Ranzi, M.A., CCC-SLP

Creating Healthy Children is a book meant to improve your familys

physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing. In this book,

Karen Ranzi guides you on the path to creating happy and healthy

children, confident of their disease-free future. Rather than medicate

your childs diseases, infections, and learning difficulties, Karens

unique and proven approach simply eliminates the causes of health

and weight problems through the healthful raw food lifestyle. Using

past experiences, medical knowledge, and highlighting experiences from families, this book

is an inspiration to raising and healing your family. www.SuperHealthyChildren.com

The Complete Idiots Guide to Self-Sufficient LivingBy Jerome D. Belanger

Self-sufficient living can mean a healthier life, a way to protect

the earth, or a way to save money. This guide helps readers find

their perfect degree of self reliance in the areas of food, shelter,

energy, clothing, and more. For both the urban and rural

dweller, it covers gardening, cooking from scratch, preserving

food, raising animals, generating or supplementing energy, essential

tools and equipment, and foraging for wild foods. This book can help you become more

self-sufficient, eco-friendly, and save money. Great for individuals living in urban and rural

environments. www.idiotsguides.com

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Look, Listen and Read

The Story Tree and other nature tales With Storyteller and Singer Jenni Cargill-Strong

These delightful earth-loving tales and songs will

inspire care for the environment, retain a childs interest

for years, stimulate a childs imagination and shorten

road trips. Each story and song has an environmental

moral while maintaining a relatable imaginative tone.

Parents love it as much as children. Available on CD or MP3.

www.storytree.com.au

Where Do Recyclable Materials Go? By Sabbithry Persad

Have you or your child ever wonders what happens

to an item or items that has been recycled? This

cute, engaging, and informative book answers

many of those questions through the eyes of a

family while looking for their dog. Along the way you and your

child can learn amazing facts about what we recycle and how it becomes something

new. Great for the child who wants to learn more about they way things work.

www.garbologykids.com

18

Breastfeeding is Green!By Kate Gulbransen

Considerable attention has been given to the countless health reasons for breastfeeding, but

have you ever considered breastfeeding as an environmental issue? Besides protecting the health of mothers and babies, breastfeeding

is an important way of protecting the health of our planet as a whole. Here are just a few of

the important ways that breastfeeding helps Mother Earth.

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No Greenhouse Emissions Did you know that livestock is responsible for nearly 20% of greenhouse emissions? Cows produce considerable methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide, making infant formula one of the most emissions-intensive foods. Breastmilk, in contrast, is produced efficiently through a mothers fat stores, making it a carbon-neutral food source.

Energy and Land Conservation Every dairy cow producing milk for infant formula requires about one hectare of land in addition to the land needed to produce cattle feed. Dairy farmingcontributes to land and water pollution, deforestationas well as soil erosion. Some infant formula is made from soybeans, which require significant pesticides and chemicals for fertilization. Soy farming is also a huge contributor to deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

Zero Food MilesBreastfeeding requires zero transportation or factory processing, making it the ultimate in eating local. In contrast, infant formula requires the shipment of cows milk to multiple factories for processing, packaging and distribution thousands of miles away. The entire manufacturing and distribution process consumes significant fuel and energy. In contrast to breastmilk, which always comes out at exactly the right temperature, infant formula also requires energy and water for proper heating, preparation and sterilization of bottles.

Green PackagingWhile breastmilk comes in the most eco-friendly packaging imaginable, the packaging and productionof infant formula consumes significant resources and contributes to our growing landfills. If every baby in the US were fed infant formula from birth, the packaging alone would require over 100,000 tons of metal and nearly 1500 tons of paper! The manufacturing of plastic feeding bottles also consumes significant petroleum, and it takes hundreds of years for these bottles to break down in landfills.

Reduced Chemical and Toxin Exposure While there have been a few recent headlines about environmental contaminants detected in breastmilk, research shows that the risks of not breastfeeding outweigh the concerns. There is a far greater risk of contamination of infant formula, which has been subject to numerous recalls over the last decade. Formula packaging and bottles can also contain toxic chemicals like bisphenol-A (BPA) that can leach into milk and harm the environment.

With increasing societal awareness of the importanceof conservation, its surprising that breastfeeding doesnt get more attention as an environmental issue and one of our most valuable natural resources.As advocates of greener living, protecting and supporting breastfeeding is one of the best ways we can contribute to a healthier planet and society.

Breastfeeding S U P P L Y G U I D E

ecoMilk Nursing TopMade with 100% GOTS certified organic cotton and eco-friendly dyes,

these tops are stylish and luxurious. Openings allow

for easy and discreet nursing. We love the way

these feel on our tired mommy bodies.

www.milknursingwear.com

Blessed Nest Nesting Pillow and Nest EggFilled with buckwheat hulls, this nursing pillow allows you to get your baby in a proper position and stay there. Nest Egg gives extra support when needed or great for on-the-go. Gives moms stable support no matter the size, shape, or position. Pillow and cover are made with 100% GOTS organic cotton. www.blessednest.com

Bamboobies - Soft, thin, eco-friendly and these reusable nursing pads are discreet for

everyday wear. These leak-proof nursing pads boast a cute heart shape as well as ultra soft feel.

www.buybamboobies.com

Butterfly Wrap Hand sewn from

eco-soy and organiccotton fabric, the

super-soft Butterfly Wrap stretches and changes to fit and

flatter your changing body. Use as a

maternity shawl, nursingcover, or a skirt.

bamboobieswholesale.com

They also believe that green living doesnt require that we compromise quality or aesthetics. They practice fair trade and social responsibility, with the goal of enhancing lives in every community we touch.

On January 24, 2009, Suzanne Hamilton, Heather Hamiltons dear sister-in-law, mentor, fellow entrepreneur,and friend - passed away, leaving behind a beautiful legacy and her precious-3-month-old daughter, Zoe Anne.

Heather had been working on an organic product line for months, and she and Suzanne had discussed the need they saw as mommies for a truly natural, organic line that combined luxury, health and wellness, and social responsibility. Most product lines they had come across failed in at least one of these areas.

Heather originally had picked out another name for this product line, but was never content with it. One day after Suzannes death, during some quiet time, the name Zoe Organics dropped into her heart. She knew it was right. As she continued to reflect on that name, she was amazed at how it captured the entire essence of the company. Zoe means life, and even more specifically, life as God intended. Suzanne knew how to celebrate and live life better than anyone Heather had ever known. It was conta-gious. How fitting that her own daughter was given the name Zoe, a part of Suzanne that will keep on living. Suzanne spent the last months of her own life fully dedicated to her sweet baby girl. And in that same spirit, Zoe Organics seeks to celebrate and cultivate life, and in doing so honor

Breastfeeding S U P P L Y G U I D E

Simple Organics Bebe au Lait Nursing CoverMade of 100% organic linen, the nursing cover boasts as terrycloth pocket for quick cleanups and storage. Rigid neckline allows for eye contact while nursing, has adjustable neck strap, and can adapt for other uses. www.bebeaulait.com

Virtual Bra FittingShopping online seems to be all many mothers have time to do, since the world wide web doesnt close when the kids are in bed. Now you can confidently buy a nursing bra online too! By answering a few questions, The Booby Whisperer will evaluate your needs and recommend a bra that is right for you. mommynewsblog.com/virtual-bra-fittings

Mother TuckerTM This compression tank soothes and shapes your postpartum-middle while allowing you to nurse your baby with exceptional underwire-free support. Allows for easy nursing access. www.bellybandit.com

Zoe Organics Nipple Balm Safe and non-irritating for both mom and baby, this Nipple Balm is make with soothing and restorative oils, butters and herbs. No need to wash off before feedings. www.zoe-organics.com

Milk-Saver - This discreet milk-saver collects your leaking breast milk when you nurse, allowing you to store

extra breast milk effortlessly. Rigoriously tested to ensure zero chemical leaching and contains no BPA

or phthalates. www.mymilkies.com

HygeiaEnJoyeTM Professional-Grade Breastpump - Double pump that is designed for long-term and frequent pumping needs. Comes with Hygeias satisfaction guarantee, can be battery operated, shared with multiple mothers, and is recyclable. www.hygeiababy.com

Organic Milkmaid TeaOrganic and Kosher, this tea was cre-ated to help encourage milk produc-tion and continued lactation. Deli-ciously comforting for mothers whether served hot or iced. www.earthmamaangelbaby.com

My Brest Friend with Organic CoverWith its wrap around design and back rest, this pillow is popular with many nursing mothers. Boasts an adjustable fit that helps it to stay in place while nursing. The organic cover made of cotton and bamboo gives mothers peace of mind about the environment while nursing. www.mybrestfriend.com

Breastfeeding S U P P L Y G U I D E

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www.TheMilkTruck.org

The Milk Truck is a public artwork project that is part of the Pittsburgh Biennial at the Andy War-hol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. The project is the creation of Jill Miller, artist and faculty member in the School of Art at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

The goal of the truck is to use humor to attract attention and begin a conversation about a moth-ers right to breastfeed in public, which is protect-ed by laws in many states.

Using a combination of tactical theater, humor, and social services, The Milk Trucks primary mis-sion is to help hungry babies eat by providing a supportive environment for women to nurse. The Milk Truck is a mobile breastfeeding unit that al-lows mothers to feed their babies in places where they have been discouraged. The truck will be dis-patched when a woman who is breastfeeding any-where is hassled or asked to nurse in a bathroom. Calling, texting, tweeting or posting the problem and location will summon The Milk Truck and activate the mobile breastfeeding unit. The Milk

Truck will also make regular rounds on its Pump Route to offer a private, clean space for women to pump breast milk at work. It will also visit busi-nesses and events that are breastfeeding-friendly to celebrate their commitment to the health and welfare of babies in the Pittsburgh region.

This public artwork project is in process of becoming a reality through public support and donations.

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Maternally GreenMaternity Professionalshave an important responsibility to protect their clients from any potential harm in order to support a healthy pregnancy.

Since the industrial revolution we are being introduced to progressively more and more new chemicals. An accumulating volume of evidence continues to expand linking environmental contaminants to health issues relating to fertility, pregnancy, birth, and young children. These include stress, anxiety, infertility, birth defects, premature births, asthma, allergies, learning disabilities, obesity, and many more. Every year, 1,800 new chemicals are introduced in North America with little or no toxicity testing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, man-made chemicals collect in our bodies, leading pregnant women to worry about what may be reaching an affecting their unborn children.

A report from the Environmental Working Group highlighted the fact that 287 industrial chemicals have been found in the cord blood of unborn children - an average of 200 in each one. Among the toxins were found 28 industrial waste byproducts,47 consumer product ingredients, and perhaps most disturbingly, 212 industrial chemicals and pesticides that were banned 30 years ago.

By Mary Oscategui, CBP [IABPP], CGP [IMI]

Just as babyproof-ing is designed to prevent children from injuringthemselves or doing damage around the home, a certified greenproofer or greenbirth educatoris a maternity eco-consultant that meets with expectingor new families to provide education, support, and resources in order to protect their clients and their

children from unsafe exposure to toxic and potentially toxic substances in their home, on their body, in their food, and in their environment. They use an individualized approach to assess, motivate, educate and prepare clients for non-toxic living. They also provide the guidance to help pre-conceiving, expecting,and new parent clients achieve their personal green goals.

As a Greenbirth Educator or Greenproofer, a maternity professional can expand the services they already offer by incorporating new knowledge to protect their clients from potentially harmful substances in their products, food, and environment.They could also add an entire new line of business to their company, bringing a new group of clients who often choose to go green in connection with the birth of a child.

You can find maternity green professionals located near you at The International Maternity Institute, where referrals, green certifications and training programs are available. For more information, visit www.maternityinstitute.com.

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Green Your Hospital StayMoms as of recent have an unbelievable amounts of options for birthing their babies as did they even a generation ago. From hypno to water birthing to the scheduled c-section, 21st century moms enjoy a have it your way birth. Its no doubt that most of us envision a completely lux, non-toxic, green environment thats as beautiful as the bundle of joy that is soon to be in our arms. But for some, the best of the best is a bit out of reach. So, we have to DIY our green birth experience to ensure that our birth story is not only peaceful but green too.

The hospital is not always top of mind when it comes to having the green birth of your dreams. On the whole, hospitals are covered in chemicals. According to The Center for American Progress, Many potentially toxic chemicals are used in large amounts not just for patient care, but to clean the hospital itself. These traditional cleaning products, floor strippers, and disinfectants often contain bioaccumalative toxins or PBTs that can contribute to environmental pollution during manufacturing and lead to poor indoor air quality when theyre used.

In fact, the Environmental Working Groups study on umbilical cords found an average of 200 industrial chemicals pumping towards babies in utero. So, how do we help combat this after the birth? Its not as difficult as you think if you plan ahead. Sure, you have your nesting to do and your body isnt keeping up with your to do list, but making your birth environment as green as possible will be well worth it in the end.

For starters, whats done is done. Your room will have been cleaned for you but you can ask your nursing staff to ensure that during your stay, no additional cleaning of the room will be done. And, if you can, open a window upon arrival and let your room -off-gas. But lets back up a bit. What do we bring with us to ensure that its even greener? Your suitcase should be filled with the greenest of the green so we dont have to utilize any additional hospital chemical products.

That hospital bed is surely to be draped in sheets and pillow cases washed in industrial washers soaking in

harsh chemical based cleaners so its a better option to bring a couple of sheets with you as well as a few pillow cases. You can surely pick up some organic sheets for not too much more to make them even greener! And what about what goes on mama? No woman has ever looked her most fabulous in one of those hospital gowns, but thanks to a few companies, she now has her pick of a gorgeous organic hospital gown, sized and ready for breast feeding. And take a minute to think about your shower, personal hygiene and beauty supplies. Youre going to bring some with you anyway, why not make sure they are non-toxic and fragrance-free to guarantee that your breast milk is devoid of toxins.

By Shannon Harlow

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Ok, now your beautiful, sweet baby (or babies) has arrived and you need to make sure that this blessed angel is also covered...literally. One of the most important green choices you can make is to cloth diaper your baby. And, bring your diapers with you to the hospital. The hospital staff may balk, but youre the mama! What about those wet wipes for your first bit of meconium? You have a few options here. You can pick up a pack of chlorine free wipes or you can even make them yourself with paper towels, non-toxic baby shampoo, a little olive oil and a recipe found on the internet (trust me theyre fabulous). Speaking of non-toxic baby shampoo, bring that too! And make sure that you provide your nursing staff with your choice of baby wash and communicate your wishes. Dont forget about the babys attire either. Organic hats and onsies are available nearly everywhere these days but youre always sure to find some in cyberspace.

And, since I know how foggy pregnancy brain can be heres a handy list of what to pack to make sure you dont forget how to green your hospital stay. Good luck mom!

photos courtesy of Hot Mama Gowns

ORGANIC CLEAN SHEETS

ORGANIC CLEAN PILLOW CASES

ORGANIC HOSPITAL GOWN

NON-TOXIC LOTION FOR MOM

NON-TOXIC NIPPLE CREAM

NON-TOXIC SHAMPOO FOR MOM

NON-TOXIC SOAP FOR MOM

NON-TOXIC CONDITIONER FOR MOM

MAXI PADS/TAMPONS (re-usable or non toxic)

CLOTH DIAPERS

NON-TOXIC BABY WIPES

ORGANIC ONSIES

ORGANIC GOING HOME OUTFIT

NON-TOXIC BABY SHAMPOO

NON-TOXIC LOTION

ORGANIC HATS/CAPS

ORGANIC BABY SOCKS

NON-TOXIC HAND SANITIZER

ORGANIC SWADDLING BLANKETS

ORGANIC NURSING PILLOW (WITH COVER)

Green Your Hospital Stay

PACKING LIST: Natures Gifts

Baby Williams

Baby Hayward

Baby Williams Baby Venable Baby Ritchey

Baby HutchinsonBaby Hayward Hot Mama Gowns

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Kids are notoriously curious. As the mother of a 3 year old daughter and 1 year old son, I often find I am inundated with questions like Why are there so many birds over there? or Why are we putting vanilla in the cookie dough? Sometimes it seems like every answer I give just brings more questions from them. I welcome their inquisitiveness because they should feel comfortable exploring our world, and Im happy that they look to me to help them understand how things work.

In the spirit of encouraging their sense of wonder, I often make a point of over-explaining answers to their questions. Ive found that this practice not only fosters deeper conversations than might otherwise be possible with such young people, but it also offers them insight into topics they might not have considered before. Plus, explaining the reasons behind a rule or an expectation helps kids accept responsibility for their actions.

Around the time my daughter turned 2, she started asking a lot of questions about our planet and where we live. I took this as the first opportunity to teach her about being a thoughtful and kind steward of our planet. She already knew we were making a lot of eco-friendly choices like cloth diapering, using homemade cleaning products and walking instead of driving, but I dont think she understood our reasons for doing so. Ive learned that rather than just telling kids to turn off the lights or shut off the water, it is more effective to explain why:

Why Be Green?By Maureen Smithe Brusznicki

Homemade Mothering

Turn off the lights when youre not in the room so you dont waste energy.

Dont let the water run while brushing your teeth because we need to conserve the water on our planet.

Instead of driving to the grocery store we are going to ride our bikes because driving the car costs money and hurts the air we breathe.

We are bringing these plastic bottles to the

recycling bin so they dont end up in the landfill. Recycling lets us use these bottles again.

When I started doing this with my daughter, I noticed a dramatic improvement in her actions. She now corrects everyone in our family, and if she notices a light on in an unoccupied room, she is very quick to turn it off and let us know why. I am very proud of her level of awareness, and I know she is setting a good example for her younger brother. Such mighty little eco warriors!

Maureen Smithe Brusznicki is a wife, mother and friend to Mother Nature. When shes not playing with her kids, experimenting with homemade cleaning products or cooking in the kitchen she likes to blog about living a healthy and

simple life at Homemade Mothering. Follow her on twitter and join her on Facebook.

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In a super busy city like New York, going green with kids can be a challenge! Im a mom, wife, lawyer and the producer of Tristin & Tylers Tales from the City! - a short form series that highlights New Yorkers who are going green. Even with all of that on my plate, I make it a priority to teach the hosts of the series, my 7 year-old twins Tristin and Tyler, simple ways to live an eco-friendly life and we share what we discover through our fun series!

In New York City, there are not a ton of people doing their best to conserve resources or care for the earth. Sometimes its pretty disheartening because Tristin and Tyler see people littering, and they always notice when someone fails to recycle properly. But even city slickers and their kiddies can take steps to help the environment!

In the first episode of Tristin and Tylers series, the boys donate their jeans to a local organization for recycling. Donating is one of my favorite ways to teach kids to go green! Donating is great because 1) kids learn the value of repurposing items and keeping them out of landfills and 2) kids learn philanthropy; why not give things to people who need them more than you?

Why is Donating Green?For us, the point of donating was making sure that the boys jeans did not end up in a landfill somewhere for years to come. In addition, there may be a child somewhere in South America who needs a pair or maybe the jeans get a second life as insulation! Either way, the jeans arent in a landfill for years!

What Else Can You Donate?Are you a parent that can hand down clothing to other siblings? Well then there is no need to donate clothing yet, right? No problem! You can donate toys, old furniture - just about anything can be reused by someone else! My favorite thing to donate, especially with children, is time. In a future episode, Tristin and

Green Child in the City:Delightful Donating

www.tristinandtyler.com

Tyler donate their time to plant trees in New York City! So grab your child, think of what you can share with others, and just do it! Want to check out Tristin and Tylers Donate Denim episode? Visit tristinandtyler.com!

A native New Yorker, mom, wife and lover of all things kid-inspired, Tiffany Casanova is a busy mom working as an entertainment lawyer and producer of short-form kids videos and a kids web series called Tristin and Tylers Tales from the City! which features her 7 year-old twins as they interview New Yorkers finding unique ways to have fun and go green! The series is featured on green websites and blogs Tiny Green Bubble, Keen for Green and Funtastically Green. Check out her blog Tiffanys Take and her fun series at www.tristinandtyler.com. Contact her at tiffany@tristinandtyler.com.

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Why Yoga for Kids?Yoga simply defined is the coordination of specific postures with breathing, meditation, and concentra-tion to focus and calm the mind. There is an increasing interest in the use of yoga for children to quiet the mind and increase health and well-being. The increased awareness of the potential benefits of yoga for children has resulted in a variety of programs that address stress and anxiety by treating the body and mind. I have had the pleasure to teach children over the past ten years in both school and after school programs, yoga studios, as well as camps and hospitals.

Emphasis on individual abilities rather than competition makes yoga appropriate for all children including

By Michelle McIntyre | www.luv2doyogaplay.com

those with physical limitations and lack of involvement in organized sports. Yoga provides a non-threatening and gentle method to increase physical fitness and enhance health and well-being. Research results have reported yoga is great for calming children, reduc-ing obesity, reducing discipline problems, decreasing anger and panic attacks, and enhancing imagination, concentration, and academic performance. Health problems such as headaches, stomachaches, constipa-tion, and colds are reportedly improved with a yoga practice as well as a decreased need for medication for children with attention deficit disorder.

As a childrens yoga instructor, I adapt each class to

photo by Kristen Brundidge

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the childrens developmental and physical needs. The focus in class is less on the perfection of postures than the cultivation of compassion, non-judgment, connec-tion between breath and postures, and introducing the foundations of a life-long practice.

Common components necessary when teaching yoga to children include the environment and atmosphere, parts of the yoga session, and recommended length of class. The environment may be a room away from distractions with the lights low and soft music playing. The parts of the class I have created include breathing exercises, poses, age-appropriate games, and relax-ation. For example, a favorite breathing exercise for the five to eight year olds is becoming a deflated balloon and then visualizing someone coming to their mat and blowing air into their balloons. The children inhale the air through their nose and grow to become beautiful balloons, which then float off their mat around the classroom.

The frequency of practice is recommended at least one time per week. Ideally, four to six times per week is best to enjoy the cumulative benefits of yoga. Class length depends on the attention span and developmental age of the students.

photos by Kristen Brundidge

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Lillipops was born from the desire to dress my children in eco-friendly, fashionable clothes that didnt A) look like they came from the recycle bin and B) didnt require robbing a bank to buy them. Ive always been one of those people who loves to troll the thrift stores, and this germ of an idea started brewing.Once I saw past hideous cuts and focused on the raw materials, a whole world of design possibilities opened up for me. Ive since branched out intoorganic and authentic vintage textiles, but there is still a love and respect for turning something awful into something beautiful.

Lillipopswww.lillipopsdesigns.com

Inspiration is the easy part. Im inspired by virtually everything around me. Sometimes I feel like a sponge... just soaking up imagery, colors, and feelings. Right now, Im obsessed with travel. Ive been researching elements of traditional global clothing to incorporate into modern childrens wear. Sometimes the smallest detail or method of construction can inspire an entire collection!

Jayme LillieLillipops Designs

Fashion

photos courtesy Rebecca Deaton Photography

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photos courtesy Rebecca Deaton Photography

Blue Eyes and Bare Feet

Blue Eyes and Bare Feet

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Sophia

Sophia & Kiara Kofoedwww.howkidscanhelptheworld.com

Eco Kids

When Sophia was six years old she wrote a book called, Isabella Makes a Difference. It is an inspiring story about a girl who wants to help the world and how sometimes you just need to find the right way to make that happen. Now that she is nine, she is sharingher book, illustrated by her sister, Kiara, with the world as a way to make money for schools.

Isabella Makes a Difference is a story about never giving up. This book can be used as a way for organizations to earn money for schools and also as a way to provide ideas and resources for kids, like Sophia, who want to help the world. Many people think that elementary school age kids are too young to make a difference in the world but that is not true! We can and want to make a difference too!, said Sophia at age 6.

Sophia also made a website (with her moms help) as a place for kids to connect and talk about projects and organizations in where younger kids can be part of right away. Sophia also provides a place to see some of her favorite organizations that are friendly to little kids wanting to help. Sophia and Kiara are on a mission to make helping the world something feasible for little kids. Bravo to them for the amazing work they are doing to help the world. If you would like to learn more about Sophia and Kiara and ways your child, and family, can make a difference, be sure to visit howkidscanhelptheworld.com.

Sophia

KiaraSophia

Sophia & Kiara Kofoedwww.howkidscanhelptheworld.com

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It was much safer to simply wonder about this. I had to do it. Really. Id been writing about toxins in everyday products such as baby lotion, antibacterial soap, sunscreen, and in our food, water and air intensively for 3 years on my blog, Non-Toxic Kids. When a friend from the Vermont Public Interest Research Group asked me if she could forward my name to participate in a body burden study, I thought, I have to do this.

It was time to put my body where my mouth is, so to speak. The study was a long process involving a chunk of hair, a urine sample, and lots (lots!) of blood. In the end, I learned that lifestyle alone cant protect us from chemical exposures, but certain changes can help.

Heres how to reduce your familys chemical body burden:

POLYBROMINATED DIPHENYL ETHERS (PBDE): Vacuum regularly with a HEPA filter vacuum. We need to buy a new vacuum; ours does not have a HEPA filter. Consumer reports rated HEPA filter vacuums and the information can be found here at consumerreports.org (for subscribers). Be sure to vacuum in areas of potential PBDE dust, such as behind TVs, around couches and under the bed. When buying electronics, especially computers, opt for companies who do not use PBDEs. There are several TV and electronic manufacturers who now dont use them, such Apple, Dell, Sony, Sharp, Samsung, Panasonic, Lenovo, Phillips LG Electronics, Toshiba Personal Computing an Hewlett Packard. When buying a computer, buy one from a company that is the best for indoor environmental health, such as Apple, who phased out PBDEs years ago and uses no PVC or mercury in their electronics. And when buying furniture, ask if the foam contains

Reducing your Familys Body BurdenBy Katy Farber | www.non-toxickids.net

What chemicals are lurking deep in your body? Sure, you eat organic food, limit processed foods, and try to buy more natural body care products. But have you ever wondered what your toxic chemical load, or body burden is? Do you shudder to think

about all the food you ate and the products you used in the 80s and 90s? I sure do.

PBDE. IKEA phased out bromated flame-retardants from all their furniture and mattresses and should be a safer bet. The best choice is organic mattresses and furniture made from natural materials such as wool and organic cotton. Consider buying an air filter. The toxic dust that settles can be vacuumed up, but the airborne dust remains. Consider buying an air filter with an allergenic filter to catch the most possible toxins from the air.

ORGANIC PESTICIDES Buy as much organic produce as your budget allows, but especially those in the dirty dozen the fruits and vegetables with the highest amounts of pesticides. These are listed at the Environmental Working Group website, www.ewg.org. Wash and rinse your produce. This will hopefully eliminate any accumulated bacteria and lessen the amount of pesticides present. Consider organic prepared foods if you buy them, such as pasta sauces. Conventional foods contain pesticides from the conventional vegetables used to make it. Better yet, make your own sauces with local produce from your garden, or your neighbors.

BPA (BISPHENOL A) Get rid of all plastic Tupperware in your house (recycle it). Buy Pyrex, Anchor, or other glassware to hold leftovers (clear glass works best so you can see what left-overs are there without opening it.) Dont microwave any food or drink in plastic, this leeches BPA into food and drinks. Use stainless steel water bottles and travel mugs. Use less (or no) canned foods. The lining in canned food contains BPA in considerable amounts in some cases. Consumer reports just released a report on the BPA in canned foods, and it is present even in some organic brands claiming to be BPA free!

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PROTECT FAMILIES FROM UNNECESSARY CHEMICAL EXPOSURESThere is no way we can shop our way out of this problem. Even with a lifestyle where I follow most of the above recommendations, I have most of these toxins in my body, in some cases in large and troubling amounts.

There are thousands of untested chemicals in everydayproducts. Our current regulation system does not protect families from harmful chemicals and their serious health consequences. We need a shift of burden here in the U.S., from consumers, non-profits, and the government to the manufacturers who are making profits by using untested and unsafe chemicals in their products. The European Union has done this with their REACH legislation, passed in 2004, and we need to follow their example. Here are ways you can act to support changes in our legislation,regulation and management of chemicals in the U.S. Support the work of the Environmental Working Group, Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families and the Washington Toxics Coalition. These groups release regular reports showing the affects of toxic chemicals on developing babies, toddlers, children and pregnant mothers and advocate for legislation that protects families from harmful chemical exposures. Tell your representative and senators in Congress that you want them to reform TSCA by passing the Safe Chemicals Act of 2011. Better yet, make an appointment to talk in-person with their staff in the local office if theres one near you. Join Momrising, an organization dedicated to promoting issues of critical importance to families, often has action steps in the area of chemical legislation and safety. We have the power to make our world safer and healthier for everyone. Its time to use it, collectively, to pass the Safer Chemicals Act of 2011, which would require that manufacturers prove a chemicals safety before it is used in the marketplace. The result? Less pollution from toxic chemicals in our homes, schools, workplaces, and ultimately, in our bodies.

Katy Farber is a teacher, author, blogger and mother of two from Vermont. You can find her green parenting blog at Non-Toxic Kids. Katys first book, Why Great Teachers Quit and How We Might Stop the Exodus, was released in July by Corwin Press. Her second book, Change the World with Service Learning: How to Organize, Lead and Assess Service Learning Projects, was released in December, 2010. She is releasing new guide for busy parents called Eat Non-Toxic: A manual for Busy Parents in October. See the ad in this magazine for a discount.

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Your Green Child

Anaya Jasmin & Hariot

John Adelyn Claire

JimmyFrankie

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Javier Gracie

Aspen Jewel

Carmine AvaLynn

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Kaiya Mistic Renee

Rachel Zoe

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Your Green Child

Nila Kali Joshua

Lucas

RainNolan

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Children in Waiting

RonikaRonika is very outspoken, outgoing and energetic. She also takes pride in her appear-ance and is very trendy and fashionable. Ronika loves being exposd to new things, like stores and restaurants and loves shopping. She also loves to dance and is on a praise dance team at church. Ronika is very sociable and even though she struggles academi-cally and has an assigned tutor she states that she likes attending school. Ronika loves to eat but does not like chinese food, she likes to be treated with respect and does not like being talked down to. Ronika would like to have very close knit family with both a mother and father, she does want to be in the same home as her brother, Kordel. AdoptFlorida.org

KordelKordel is quiet, well spoken and very intelligent. He communicates well and is very easy going. Kordel likes to play video games and is into technology. At school, Kordel is very sociable and has many friends. He does well academical-ly and his favorite subjects are math and science. Kordel likes to go swimming. He loves to eat, especially desserts, and likes to watch television and play on the com-puter. Kordel would love to have a family with a mother, a father and children his age. Kordel has a sister, Ronika, he is very close to and he wants them to be adopted together. AdoptFlorida.org

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Children in Waiting

Jarrett Bet I Can Make You SmileUpon first meeting Jarrett, what you notice immediately is his great big smile and joy for life. Hes very sweet and funny, and can brighten almost any situation with his irresistible hap-piness. Jarrett loves listening to music, and will often start to sing and dance right along with it! His good nature and positive outlook help you to see the beauty in everyday life, and the joy he brings is tangible. Jarrett needs a patient two-parent home that has experience with his special needs; a family willing to be consistent and to nurture Jarretts potential in life. AdoptFlorida.org

Owen, 16 & Matt, 13Brothers who have a very strong and loving relationship, they were born in the Bahamas and are very proud of their island culture. They enjoy eating seafood and Caribbean foods, and do very well in school, making mostly As and Bs.

Owen enjoys sports more than his little brother and is in the track team at his high school. Owen additionally likes playing video games and loves buying and wearing different sneakers.

Matt enjoys listening to music such as Hip/Hop and Rap. Like his brother he also enjoys playing video games. Owen is very protective of his little brother and does not want to be separated from him. Matt looks up to his older brother and would be devastated if he were separated from him.

Owen and Matt are friendly and have a good sense of humor. Both boys are very shy and quiet when you first meet them, however they warm up after getting to know them. They would benefit from a family who will be supportive of their goals and help them continue to achieve good grades in school. They would like to be able to remain near the Gainesville, FL area. They are good hearted boys who deserve a forever family who will provide them with unconditional love and support.AdoptFlorida.org

48photo courtesy of Brie Ritchey

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Greener Costumes

Get Creative! - Traci Brosnaham fashioned her sons Mad Hatter costume using fabric scraps,

short pants and a used womens shirt tailored as the jacket. Too cute!

Its a Hoot! - Using cut out fabric scraps ad-hered to a vest and construction paper mask, your child will have everyone saying whoo

whoo. courtesy of www.recreate.org

Taking on the Jellies - Long pieces of fabric, an umbrella, and monochromatic sweatsuit, make for the cutest jellyfish we have seen on land or under the sea. courtesy of www.recreate.org

Wild Child - Your child can be the king of the wild things with a white fleece suit, fleece-

covered bottle cap buttons, and crown made from a box. courtesy of Jenelle Montilone

Let Their Imaginations Soar - Let your child use play scarves to become a pirate, princess, a

genie, a super hero, or whatever they may dream. courtesy of www.sarahssilks.com

Its A Stinger - Old yellow shirt, painted black stripes, black elastic on the bottom, crumpled

newspaper for poof, black pants, a set of antennae& wings, your child will be the buzz of the neighborhood. courtesy of Sarah Keeter

Get Thrifty - Head to a local garage or thrift sale and pick up a great costume at a great price!

courtesy of Tiffany Voss

The Growing Costume - Let your child use the same costume year after year, but in a new way! A robot one year can be a robot dragon the next, and a zombie robot dragon after that. Kids are so creative.

courtesy of Melissa Dimock

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Halloween is big on fun but, unfortunately, its also big on unhealthy traditions and waste. Many moms worry about the impact of this holiday on the health of their kids and the planet. And for good reason. Almost $6 billion a year is spent on costumes, can-dy, dcor and other accessories, most of which are made from unhealthy, unsustainable materials, by people who may not be paid living wages or treated fairly. Most of the stuff what isnt consumed - winds up in landfills. And scary news about high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, lead laden accessories just fuel parents concerns.

But our goal is to show families that its easy and affordable to keep the fun, while losing the unhealthy, un-Earth-friendly traditions. Its not about telling parents how they should celebrate - its about inspiring them to make choices that make sense to their families, their budgets and their schedules. And when many families make healthier and more sustainable choices for Halloween taking even the smallest of steps - big impacts can be made for the short and long term.

How easy it is to celebrate green Busy parents need greening to be simple. Whatever the choice may be (goodies, costumes, dcor, etc.), adding an eco-friendly twist shouldnt increase stress and chaos to an already hectic holiday season. But making healthy and green choices is, in fact, easier than it seems. The key is thinking (and acting) outside the conventional candy box.

Plan ahead. Halloween is a fairly last minute holiday, resulting in a lot of knee-jerk choices that arent good for kids or the planet. But if you make a habit of thinking ahead, you can find exactly what you want while saving time, energy and reducing stress. One idea is to create a reoccurring appointment in your calendar for each October 1st. Decide what you are going to give away this year and, if necessary, order it

Go Green this Halloweenwww.GreenHalloween.org

online or pick it up. If you have the bandwidth to coordinate with a few friends or co-workers, you can save money by buying online, splitting the quantities and dividing the shipping charges. If the recycled plastic tops or eco-themed temporary tattoos are a hit, make it easier on yourself by giving the same thing away next year. (Make your green goodies a tradition.) Take a different road. Who said goodies have to be bought at grocery stores? Most of us run out to the grocery store the night before Halloween to pick up that 10 pound bag of candy (or two), but what if we realized that great, green goodies can

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be found elsewhere, too? What about picking up some seeds while youre at the nursery? Or some cool glass beads when you drive by the art supply store? Playing cards with magic tricks, recipes and Halloween jokes can be found at bookstores and toy stores. Include the kids. Going green is a family affair, so make it easier on yourself and include the kids by asking for their ideas. When theyre involved from the get-go, theyre more like to stay involved and to have positive attitudes. Relax. Going green isnt an all or nothing deal and busy moms have a lot on their minds and plates. So start with simple green steps that will work for your family this year. You can always add more the next time around. Holidays should be about the fun, not about the stress. Even green choices, if stressful, wont be sustainable over the long haul.

Putting some green into your Halloween does not have to be difficult or costly. In the continuum of being green, all families can hop on board! You can start wherever you are. For example, if your family eats organic and shops mostly locally, Green Halloween offers additional ways you can make your holiday even healthier and more green with tips even seasoned health-conscious parents will find useful. If your family has yet to try healthy alternatives, this is a great year to start. The Green Halloween website (www.GreenHalloween.org) offers even green-newbies fun, easy and affordable ways to start new holiday traditions your whole family will enjoy. Being a part of Green Halloween means trying one new traditionor trying them all. By going green for just one part of your Halloween, youll be making a difference you and your family can be proud of.

Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson are mother and daughter founders of Green Halloween and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

Rice Cereal Treats

3 Tablespoons Non-dairy Margarine40 large Vegan Marshmallows (yes, vegan! www.SweetandSara.com)5 cups Rice Cereal Puffs

Melt margarine in pan over medium heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove from heat and gradually add rice cereal until coated. Scoop out onto greased 9 x 13 pan and spread evenly. When cool, let your kids use Halloween shaped cookie cutters to make the shapes they want.

HalloweenKnocking on a neighbors door dressed up in costume and yelling out Trick or Treat is one of those magical childhood experiences you want your child to havebut how do you maintain their vegan diet when your neighbors treats are not vegan?

Establish a rule before you head out that treats can only be eaten back at home. You can go through the haul to see what your kids can enjoy. If you arent sure, check out PETAs online list of vegan candies (www.petakids.com/candy.asp). Be prepared to offer your own goodies in case you dont come home with acceptable options. Vegan, dye free and preservative free sweets can also be found online at www.YummyEarth.com and www.NaturalCandyStore.com.

Or forget the commercial goods! It is easy and fun for the kids to make their own treats at home giving them their own personal twist. Give these a try!

Pumpkin Pie Popsicles

Creamy and cool. Tastes just like a pumpkin pie!

5 cups of cooked Pumpkin (canned or homemade) cup of Maple Syrup cup of Coconut Milk cream teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice*Popsicle molds

Blend all ingredients together and spoon into popsicle molds. Freeze until hard, about 6 hours, and enjoy!

*Make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice by mixing

together: cup Cinnamon plus 1 Tablespoon of each:

Ground Cloves, Ground Nutmeg, and Ground Ginger

Halloween

Caramel Apples

1 cup Non-Dairy Margarine2 cups Sugar2 cups unflavored Soymilk1 cup light Corn Syrup1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract6 ApplesChopped Nuts (Optional)

Candy ThermometerWooden Popsicle SticksGreased Cooking Sheet

Remove apple stems and push popsicle sticks into center. You can also use 4-6 inch twigs that can support the weight of the apple. Hook candy thermometer to inside of pot making sure the end does not touch the bottom. Combine first 5 ingredients in pot and bring to a boil. Stirring often, bring to a boil until temperature reaches 280 degrees. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Dip apples in caramel mixture until evenly coated and roll in chopped nuts, if desired. Place on cooking sheet and cool in refrigerator.

Treats!Courtesy of Louise, An Apple A Day Nutrition

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Practically Green is an online guide to help people become greener in their everyday lives, using a point system thats backed by science. Like a diet plan, this system helps people trim the waste while provid-ing a support system and tracking your progress.

What makes Practically Green unique? Assessment Tool. PGs full lifestyle diagnostic (a.k.a. the Quiz) focuses on the respondents daily life. Answers illuminate four areas of green living - Energy, Health, Stuff, and Water. Results segment people into one of ten green profiles, from Barely Green to Superbly Green. Actions. A proprietary recommendation engine provides people with a customized, manageable list of suggestions to do next: Actions. A registered user can check off completed Actions and select more for her Green Action Plans. Impact Points. Actions vary in terms of impact. Their proprietary points system translates complex science about impact into something real that people can understand: 150 points = big impact; 5 points = small impact. Robust Interactive Database. PGs Actions database pulls together expert and real-life data, all in one place, to help people make decisions to change. In addition to why its green and how to do it, what products and services are really green and which do people like? This helps protect people from greenwashing and other bad experiences, by directing them to solid companies with genuinely green products and services. Social Networks. Integration with Facebook & Twitter makes the process a whole lot more interesting and fun. And research shows that when friends make recommendations and share progress, people are more likely to take smart positive steps themselves.

Bottom Line: Practically Green is designed to make healthy green living easier and more enjoyable for the millions of people who want to be greener as well as for the companies who are trying to reach them.

Inspired by life...and LEEDSusan Hunt Stevens son was diagnosed with serious food and environmental allergies when he was one year old. She embarked on a serious green home-lifemakeover, beginning with food, organic mattresses, personal-care and cleaning products. On a quest to make important, healthy decisions for her family, Susan marveled at how inconsistent, confusing, elusive, dull -- and just plain erroneous -- the information often was.

Her project led to a major home renovation, a popular mommy blog, and to the graduate program in sustainable design at Boston Architectural College. There she learned about LEED, a rating system for green design and building. Susan began to wonder why there wasnt a similar system for real people and their families. The vision for Practically Green was born.

The FutureAfter a little over one year, Practically Green has grown from an operation in Susans dining room to an incubated, funded start-upor in Cambridge, MA. This online guide to be green is attractive not only individuals, but large companies too. With social sharing and a system based on science, Practically Green will likely be the way everyone learns to go green in the near future.

blog.practicallygreen.com www.facebook.com/practicallygreen twitter@practicallygrn

www.practicallygreen.com

Sometimes the prospect of going green can be overwhelming, and knowing where to start can be difficult. Wouldnt it be nice if there were someone, like a coach, to help guide us to be greener?

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This Mom is Going GreenFollow Kristy on Her Adventures for a Greener Family

Adventurously Green. Accordingto practicallygreen.com, that is where my family is on our quest for environmental responsibility. We scored a 7 on their quiz. Ill be honest, I was a bit surprised. More on that later. Im Kristy, Ive been married to my husband Joe for over 11 years and we have two little boys, Zane, 3 and Ethan, nearly 2. Ive always been interested in eating healthier and avoiding unnecessary chemicals. However, the biggest change came about five years ago when my husband was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We switched to almost all organic food and body care products. Good news, it seemed to work, he went from maybe having 10 years to his blood work coming back clean. It also seems to be a snowball effect. Once you start changing one part of your life, others seem to follow. Later with kids, the baby food jars started to pile up. It seemed wrong to throw them all away. After seeing a commercial on television about how many times around the earth you could wrap plastic bottles; I couldnt stand it anymore. I located a place nearby that collects paper, plastic, metal, glass, and cardboard. We now take a truckload every two to three weeks. Now we only have one garbage can of trash every week, for a family of four. I would love to be more green. Part of what holds us back is the expense. I realize that most projects save money in the long run, but that initial price tag can be off-putting. Another hurdle is convenience. It is easier to throw away plastic utensils then carry them back home with you. Ive found the positives are easier to focus on; you feel like you are accomplishing something.

We live on a 40 acre piece of property in northeast Ohio, so growing our own vegetables is not a problem. At least it is not a problem in the summer. The key is to plan ahead and grow enough to can or freeze the produce to last through winter. You then need to make sure

you have storage for the food. It is a labor of love for sure, but enjoying early spring asparagus you grew in the middle of December is worth the work. The question was posed not too long ago, Why? Why go through the hassle of collecting the recy-cling, and dropping it off somewhere? Why spend the extra money on organic foods? My answer was, Why not? Unless they start a terra-forming project, this is the only planet we have. Yes, that sounds clich, but why not take pride in the world we live? Our planet is amazingly beautiful, if doing a few small things helps keep it that way, why not? Of course, not pumping all sorts of chemicals and artificial additives into my babies just makes sense. Dont misunderstand, my children have had fast food, and candy; but if I can keep most of their food natural and chemical-free, I dont beat myself up over the occasional treat. Our children are our future, and like any mom, I believe my children will make a difference. They are going to be important, and I want there to be a healthy world for them to inherit.

So, this brings me back to the quiz. It never occurred to me that the few small steps I was tak-ing would make such a big impact, or such a high score according to anyone. It surprised me that other people dont make some of the same chang-es. Now, I want to up my game, lets find out how easy it would be to check off a few more projects.

Check back on Kristy in our next issue to see how she is doing on her green ventures.

PREPARATION, EDUCATION, SUCCESS

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Mommy & Me Fall Eco-Beauty Ideas

By Christy Funk

Halloween will be here before we know it and I know that families who are concerned about the toxins in face paints for their children will appreciatethe natural recipes you can do from home. But as mommy gets her kiddos ready for the big day, what can mommy do to make her beauty routine less toxic? Lets take a look at some healthy ways to go green for mommy and me!

WHAT TO AVOID AND WHY:Parabens:(methyl, ethyl, propyl, isobutyl and butyl) skin irritants, hormone disrupter and have been lined to breast cancerD&C and FD&C colors: coal derivative linked to cancerPEGS: Synthetic polymers of ethylene oxide (propylene glycol, isopropyl alcohol) and is so toxic the Environmental Working Group says workers need to wear protective clothing when handling. It is the same chemical as anti-freeze.Phthalates:(dibutyl and diethylhexyl) used as plasticizers, human reproductive disrupter. Banned in Europe.Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS): a skin and eye irritant, may cause of dry skin and eczema. Its what makes most bubble bath soaps bubbly. Used as car engine degreaser.Bismuth Oxychloride: skin irritant and used in the majority of natural mineral makeups. Lead: neuro-toxin and found in over 60% of lipsticks in the U.S.in 2007. The FDA does not have a safety limit of lead in lipstick, so research to see if and how much lead your lipstick has. It is not listed in ingredients.Mercury: labeled as thimerasol and found in mascaras. Can cause brain damage.

TIPS:Use fewer items. Do a product inventory test one day by counting up all of the products you use from the time you get in the shower to the time you leave your home. You may be surprised at how many items you are actually using on a day-to-day basis. Even when using eco-beauty products it is still a good idea to simplify your routine to let your skin breathe.

Ease into it. When choosing eco-friendly skincare start with your moisturizer and eye cream over your cleanser since a cleanser rinses off. With makeup, the key products to start off with are mascara, foundation and lip color since those are the products that tend to have some of the most toxic ingredients. Just imagine how many tubes of lipcolor we eat a year! Make it n on-toxic.

Try something from the kitchen. We have jars of coconut oil in our bedrooms and bathroom as a simple moisturizer for our body as well as a great makeup remover. Organic oats make a great exfoliating scrub by simply mixing a teaspoon of oats with water in your hand.

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FALL 2011:When transitioning from summer into fall, think deeper hues on the face. This

doesnt mean rich colors on eyes and lips, but maybe a richer focus on one area

of the face. A deep red lip or even wine berry stain on the lips can be off-set with

a champagne shimmer on the eye and a simple winged black eyeliner for a true

retro look. Another popular look is the smoky eye and a nude mouth. We tend

to think that a smoky eye is typically shades of gray, but play around. Try velvety

plums, forest greens or even suede browns. Just smudge the deepest shade close

to your lash line and then blend with one or two more complimentary shades until

they gradually get lighter up into the brow bone. Finish all of your looks with a

flushed cheek color that looks natural and healthy. Apricots or warm roses

applied to the apples of your cheeks will give your face a glow and pull your fall

makeup look together!

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GREEN HALLOWEENI never really understood Halloween until I had children, then it was instant nostalgia of the joys I had of dressing up and trick or treating. We always had homemade costumes and made my mom do our makeup for whatever creature we wanted to be. Now with my children I just want to make sure that if they are using makeup it is non-toxic. To take off any face-painting makeup, simply use a cleanser (EpisencialsBubble Bath works wonderful as a makeup remover) or even coconut oil which will melt off the most stubborn standard makeup.

Lyra Face Crayons are made in Germany, adhere to Europes strict guidelines for safety and work bril-liantly! They are creamy, glide on the skin without easily smearing off and come in great colors. These crayons are a Belly Sprout favorite and a staple in our house for our kids.

D.I.Y. Recipes can be made with simple spices in your kitchen. You can use natural food colorings in place of these ingredients, but just note that they are very sheer colors. You will get much more vibrant colors from the actual fruits and spices. For the base use a pure cocoa butter and add in the following:

Yellow; add about a pinch of Tumeric to the base

Light Green; add a of a mashed avocado to the base

Berry colors; use any juice from raspberries, blueberries or even beets; add to the base

Christy Funk is the owner of Belly Sprout, Orange Countys first natural parenting store and resource center. Her quest for natural living began 14 years ago and her passion is shared with her community at Belly Sprout, teaching, sharing and inspiring families to make healthier choices. As a professional makeup artist for over 12 years, Christy has been researching natural options for the last 8 years and is helping women not only make the switch but continues her artistry work with her clients. She shares a home with her husband and two boys, aged 5 and 7 in Orange County. www.bellysprout.com

Mommy & Me Fall Eco-Beauty Ideas, continued

Mommy & Me Fall Eco-Beauty Ideas, continued

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A Registered Dietitian with over a decade of experience working with children and families to find realistic solutions for their nutrition concerns. All from the comfort of your home with one-on-one consultations online or by phone.

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Specializing in:Pediatrics

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Let thy kitchen be thy sanctuary, thy sanctuary be thy kitchen. Thats the famous saying...right? Regardless, its true. You are in control of the food that goes into your kitchen, thats made in your kitchen and eaten in your home. How do you dine out vegan and still stay in control though? What happens when the menu seems to tell you otherwise? Here are a few vegan dining tips to keep you in the V-Zone outta the house:

1) Get specific, get proud, dont be afraid to ask. The customer is always right. Youre spendingmoney to enjoy your meal and time in an establishment - its their job to take care of you, and thats what they look forward to (itll keep you coming back!). Make sure youre ready to explain what vegan means, for those who dont know and for those who think they know: no meat (no fish), no dairy, no cheese, no eggs, no honey. Most of the time, orderinga meal just involves an easy substitution or an alternative addition. If theres a oops with your order, stick to your guns and values: politely point out what you dont eat and ask if the cook can prepare your meal without the offender(s). Smiles and thank yous are encouraged. Everyone will be happy and you wont go hungry. (Remember, Starbucks orders are more complicated.)

2) Call ahead of time. A simple call in the week or few days before to ask the cook if he/she could prepare some delicious vegan dishes for your dining experience is usually embraced as an opportunity for variety. An upscale steakhouse in NYC, excited by the request, prepared a four-course meal for us once, including an amazing garlic broccolirabe appetizer and zucchini linguini entree, both not on the menu.

3) Stick with 100% Veg! Vegan or not, there are SO many scrumptious vegan restaurants and eateries around the country, looking for our support and

Dining In The V-Zoneby Steven Todd Smith | Kiss Me, Im Vegan!

patronage. You cant go wrong if you know the creamy topping is from cashews or the Piccata is seitan and not from a moo-er, cluck-er, or oink-er. Check out www.happycow.net and the many other resources (print and online) for dining veg.

4) Challenge. The. Chef. There are very few places that are devoid of vegan options. But for times when the search turns up empty or when veggies are cooked in butter, conjure up your Iron Chef/ThrowDown challenge - along with complimentsfor the chef for stepping outside of his/her comfort zone to prepare a meal for you. Bits of advice along with support and encouragement should get you a meal that works for you and also boosts the chefs morale.

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Lindsay Wolf, founder of Kiss Me, Im Vegan! www.kissmeimvegan.com, is a vegan blogger extraordinaire actress, and animal activist, devoted to making this world

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green lives for those in search of their best self!

Specializing in:Pediatrics

Maternal Health

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Failure to Thrive, Poor growth and weight gain

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Celiac Disease

GI motility issues

Crohns Disease or Ulcerative Colitis

and more

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Whats in Season?by Louise Goldberg RD CSP LD CNSCAn Apple A Day Nutrition Consulting

www.AnAppleADayNutrition.com | 713.478.3823

Ahh Autumnas the temperature drops outside, nothing is more comforting than entering a home where the warm smells of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg greet you at the door. With so

many holidays around the corner, it is a great time to grab a stepstool and get the kids cooking beside you in the kitchen.

Forget about the mess. Everything can be cleaned up later but the happy memories will last a lifetime.

Here are a few of our favorite holiday dishes. Let us know what your family favorites are too!

Roasted Root Vegetables:Roasting brings out the natural

sweetness in the vegetables and a splash of maple syrup adds a rich

flavor. You can use any combination of root vegetables that are available.

I have substituted butternut squash and pumpkin in place of the sweet potatoes.

It all works! Check out your local farmers market for more options.

2 carrots2-4 parsnips

1 large sweet potato1 large yellow or white onion

2 medium (or 3-4 small) turnips4 shallots

cup maple syrup2 tablespoons olive oil

teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel the first 6 ingredients, chop coarsely and add to large mixing

bowl. Add maple syrup and olive oil, then mix together. Pour onto oiled jelly roll pan and spread flat. Evenly

distribute salt over top. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through. Vegetables should be tender and beautifully browned.

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Apple Crumble:This dessert transforms the crunch of a recently harvested apple into warm chewy goodness. There are many types of apples available this time of year so use the one your family likes best. We favor the Pink Lady, Fuji and Braeburnvarieties. The other ingredients in this recipe allow the natural flavor of the apple to shine through.

2-3 pounds of Apples (enough to fill a 9 x 13 pan)2 teaspoons lemon juice2 Tablespoons Sugar cup Almonds or Walnuts, chopped teaspoon Nutmeg1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Topping: cup Flour cup Oats2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar teaspoon Cinnamon2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil or Walnut Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel, core and cut apples into bite size pieces. Toss first 5 ingredients into bowl with apples. Then spread out in a 9 x 13 pan. Mix the toppingingredients together and sprinkle evenly over apple mixture. Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then top with non-dairy vanilla ice cream.

Cranberry Sage Quinoa with Pecans:The fresh cranberries in this dish add just the right amount of tartness without overpowering the subtle sage. If you cant find fresh berries or herbs, dried works just as well. This quinoa combination can work as either a main course or a side dish, perfect for those of you who have both vegans and non-vegans at your Thanksgiving table. The ingredients can also be doubled or tripled if you need larger amounts.

cup Quinoa1 cup Water or Vegetable Stock-----1 Tablespoon fresh Sage, chopped finely (or 1 tsp dried)3 Tablespoons fresh Cranberries, chopped (2 T. dried)2 Tablespoons Pecans, chopped1 Tablespoon oil teaspoon salt

Rinse quinoa in strainer to remove any grit. Bring water or stock to a boil, add quinoa and cover. Cook for 12-15 minutes until you see the quinoa has burst open. In separate pan, add oil and saut the sage, cranberriesand pecans for 4 minutes. Add cooked quinoa to pan and stir. If quinoa is too dry, add an additional drizzle of oil. Salt to taste and serve.

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I keep hearing about Chia Seeds. What are they and how do they compare to flaxseeds?Chia seeds were made familiar to us in the 80s and 90s as sprouts growing in novelty planters. They are now gaining popularity for their high quality nutritional content. One tablespoon of whole seeds is packed with 2900 milligrams of Omega 3 fatty acids, 3 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Unlike flaxseeds that must be ground up for your body to access their nutrients, chia seeds can remain whole, which extends their shelf life. You would need to consume double the amount of ground flaxseeds to reach the same nutrition; however that is still only 2 tablespoons. At this time, chia seeds are generally more expensive and may only be found in specialty stores. Both are packed with nutrition so whether you do 1 tablespoon of whole chia seeds or 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds, you cant make a bad choice here!

My kids used to be good fruit and vegetable eaterswhen they were younger and suddenly they are refusing those foods. I dont want to hide veggies in their food but I want mealtime to stop being a battle. Help!It can be a very frustrating time for parents when

their children start refusing healthy foods, especially if those are the p rimary foods available in the house. If your children previously consumed fruits and veggies without complaint and suddenly start saying no, this may just be their way of expressing independenceand a sign they are developing their own

taste preferences. I can certainly appreciate your feelings about not hiding

healthy food within other things

Nutritional Nuggets

they like. It is important for them to continue to see fruits and vegetables in their true form so they are able to recognize them later. That being said, it is also important meals do not become a battle. It is exhausting for you and leads to more resistance from the kids.

Here are a few suggestions:1) When introducing a new food, explain what it is and try to find a fun fact about the food that would make for interesting conversation. Did you know an avocado is also called an alligator pear? 2) If you offer a food they have rejected in the past, dont remind them! Their taste preferences and feelings about foods are constantly changing so you never know how they will respond. Let them decide on their own each time you offer.3) Encourage them to participate in meal planning. Bring them to the store or farmers market with you and have them make selections. Pull up a stool, grab