If you know me, you surely know I have suffered from migraines for awhile now. I had great success in reducing them through immunotherapy and learned a lot about foods and chemicals that are known to trigger headaches. One that usually gets me is MSG. In the latest Organic Consumers Association enewsletter, there was article about avoiding MSG that caught my eye. I thought it was "bad" but not really toxic.

In fact, I appear to be wrong. Here's what they say:

"Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is one of the most common and hazardous food additives on the market. MSG is reportedly more toxic than alcohol, tobacco and many drugs. MSG is an excitotoxin, so it tricks your brain into wanting to eat more and more foods containing the ingredient, even if you are already full. Side effects of MSG include: obesity, eye damage, headaches, depression, fatigue and disorientation. Food manufacturers know that health-conscious consumers try to avoid MSG, so it is oftentimes not listed in a product's ingredients."

Bastards! If I have one pet peeve about food it's that labeling is too loosely regulated. Consumers should have all the tools at hand to determine what's in the food they are putting into their bodies and their children's. Isn't this simple, people? Geez.

Anyway, they went on to list all ingredients that *always* contain MSG:

Autolyzed Yeast -- Calcium Caseinate -- Gelatin Glutamate -- Glutamic Acid -- Hydrolyzed Protein -- Monopotassium Glutamate -- Monosodium Glutamate -- Sodium Caseinate -- Textured Protein -- Yeast Extract -- Yeast Food -- Yeast Nutrient

Now you know. Make yourself a tiny little printout of this and put it in your wallet so when you're at the grocery store, you can use it as a reference. Yes, we are getting older. These are the things we have to do when our memories start going. :)

I caught this great article in EcoSalon, which is VivaTerra's blog, and thought I'd summarize for those of you who don't feel like reading it. For the rest of you, I'm linking to the article. Most of these are obvious, but some are worth reading more about, getting the caveats and finding out whether or not organic is worth it. (Free Trade is always worth it!)

 

Read up, eat up and brain up, my friends:

1. Avocado

2. Blueberries

3. Wild Alaskan Salmon

4. Nuts

5. Seeds

6. Coffee

7. Oatmeal

8. Beans

9. Pomegranate

10. Brown Rice

11. Tea

12. Chocolate

13. Oysters

14. Olive Oil

15. Tuna

16. Garlic

17. Eggs

18. Green leafy vegetables

19. Tomatoes

20. Cacao nibs

I'm sure by now you've heard that nonstick pans can emit a harmful chemical when heated at a high temperature. I know it's been implicated in killing pet birds and I got rid of all but one of my nonstick pans years ago (need one for eggs; just can't make them in stainless!).

Dupont, which manufactures Teflon, has stopped using the offending perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), however, they are still in use, only being phased out by 2015. A study was conducted in Denmark recently -- funded by 3M, interestingly -- that concluded that commonly found levels of PFCs can result in higher rates of infertility in women. Scary, but really, not that surprising. These chemicals are known to be hormone disruptors, after all. 

The lesson to take away from this is simple: Just stay away from things that repel water, grease, wrinkles, etc. This is the PFC family's claim to fame. That means avoid wrinkle-resistant clothing, fast food (they coat the packaging with PFCs so it doesn't get greasy looking), Scotchgard, stain-resistant fabrics, carpets, etc. and obviously, nonstick pans. The solution to the latter is a nice sturdy Lodge pan that only gets better over time.

 

 

I feel so fortunate to have found Dr. Miloslav Gardyasz (in Darowish & Associates). He is an MD, trained like anyone else, but he's holistic-minded and a practicing "greenie." He refuses to meet with pharma reps, insisting that he prefers to be educated by other physicians and researchers and not by paid laypeople. With no disrespect to my pharma rep friends, I respect him for this position.

When I brought an organic infant formula to him, he read the ingredients and thanked me for bringing it to his attention. It was not a mainstream brand, but I believed, and he concurred, that it was better than Similac's organic offering (another topic for another day).

Today at Timmy's well visit, he took time to answer all my questions, and knowing that I'm a "green mom," offered some learnings from a conference he attended recently in Miami. I am not going to do it justice, but I'm trying my best:

He spoke about new findings on Autism that suggest that it can be detected between 6-12 months accurately by three signs: (1) Not discerning different faces or reacting to different people's faces differently, (2) I can't recall the other two, sorry! If I can find them, I'll come back and fill this in. I can tell you a primary marker was NOT speech delay. That was a secondary symptom. The current thinking is that autistic kids/people do not get the same positive feeling from their dopamine receptors that "normal" people do from social interactions. So they don't seek them out. Since talking is a function of being social, it is related.

He says scientists are learning that a child can be predisposed to autism (or childhood cancers) genetically, and that the genes can be "turned on" by environmental factors. As an example, if a kid is genetically predisposed to autism, being around clinically depressed parents can trigger the child to manifest autistic traits. Scary, and also hopeful. Hopeful because most environmental triggers can be controlled. Parents can be treated for depression. Also, many researchers believe that environmental toxins are triggers. According to Dr. G (and also, famously, Jenny McCarthy), farmers in the U.S. spray wheat with a neurotoxin to help it grow. Of course, the neurotoxin stays on the wheat and we eat it. It can be passed to the developing child, as are many toxins, unfortunately (I posted a video on my Facebook page about this). As you know, if you read my blog, I am adamantly opposed to toxins in our food production, in lawn care, in personal products, etc., for OBVIOUS reasons.

He also encouraged me to continue with the recommended immunization schedule, ensuring me that he has spent countless hours reading abstracts and papers that strongly refute any connection between autism and immunizations. He says that immunologists are finding more and more reasons to keep the current 2-year schedule, because the imprint (I might be using this word wrong) of an immunization is greatest during these formative years. The immune system is informed by these and that's why they worked.

He quoted a statistic that in 2008, there were 128 cases of Measles in the U.S. -- 10x the number in all of the past 10 years -- and all were in unvaccinated children. Thanks to immunizations, these childhood diseases were nearly wiped out, so we as parents don't often realize how horrible they are, deadly in many cases. We do not realize that failing to immunize our children could invite an epidemic again. It would transfer much quicker now that our society is so mobile and transient. In Dr. G's words, if your kid comes down with a pneumococcal infection, you're going to have a lot more to worry about than the risks of any potential side effects.

First of all, I love DailyCandy. They are great editors and the essence of glam, just not always organic. They do make an effort, especially with kids' products, maybe because more "green" products are geared toward kids right now. Anyway, they plugged a new "green" ratings site: GoodGuide. It's in beta, but looks to be promising. Check it out!

Green America's newsletter caught my eye today with the following stats: "When you choose paper made from recycled material, you're choosing a product that helps save the planet. One-hundred-percent recycled paper uses 44 percent less energy to produce than virgin paper, produces 38 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, 41 percent fewer particulate emissions, 50 percent less waste water, 49 percent less solid waste and, of course, 100 percent less wood."  

This quote was in the context of an article about Mr. Ellie Pooh's paper, which is made from 75% elephant dung and 25% post-consumer paper. Really. I'm not sure I have a need for more stationery at the moment, but I've tucked that away for future reference.

Here's something to think about though: What would be the impact of giving up your fluffy, ultra-white toilet paper? I found that someone in Australia already did the math for me.

We use Seventh Generation toilet paper and it's quite satisfactory. It's not bleached, made from recycled content, soft enough and not too expensive. No, it's not perfumed, it's not white and it's not softer than a baby bear's bottom. But it does the job without being uncomfortable. While you're at it, try their recycled unbleached paper towels and Marcal's paper napkins made from 100% PCW. Both can be composted, too!

So it turns out the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin D is woefully low. New research confirms that Vitamin D is effective in helping to prevent various forms of cancer, diabetes and a host of other dreaded conditions. Just 15 minutes of sunlight a day will juice you up with more than enough Vitamin D to reap the health rewards (exactly how much depends on the intensity of the UVB in the sun and many other factors).

However, we've all been warned many, many times about the effects of too much fun in the sun. The way I see it, it's easy to resolve: It takes about 30 minutes for sunscreen to be fully in effect. So instead of slathering up 30 minutes prior to sunning yourself (does anyone remember to do this anyway?), put it on right before you go out, and you will probably get just the right amount of exposure to replenish your body's Vitamin D stores. Another good approach is to take your 15 minutes early in the morning or later afternoon, when the sun's rays are less harmful.

Looking for a good sunscreen? I like to avoid nano-particles and unnecessary chemicals, while ensuring good UV protection. Here are some of the best:

For kids:

• SOLEO ORGANICS SUNSCREEN Organic Chemical-Free Sunscreen, SPF 30+
• KINESYS Kids Spray Sunscreen, Fragrance-free, SPF 30

For sporty types:

• ALBA BOTANICA SUN-SPORT SUNSCREEN SPF 32
• SOLAR SENSE CLEAR ZINC ADVANCED SUN PROTECTION, SPF 45

Best of the mainstream brands:

• JASON NATURAL COSMETICS SUNBRELLAS: Mineral-based Physical Sunblock, SPF 30+
• ALMAY Sun Protector for Body Spray, SPF 30
• NEUTROGENA Fresh Cooling Sunblock Gel, SPF 30 or SPF 45
• NEUTROGENA Sunblock, Body Gel, SPF 30 or SPF 45
• BULLFROG Surfer Formula Gel, SPF 36

Whether or not you agree with the bank bailouts, we're stuck with them. I found this email below from Green America very interesting, though, in terms of which banks are responsible and which are not...so you can put your money with bankers who have a good track record, or who are at least not out spending their bailout money on new jets.

EXCERPT OF EMAIL TEXT >>>

"We all need to take responsibility," said President Obama. "This includes executives at major financial firms who turned to the American people, hat in hand ... even as they paid themselves customary lavish bonuses. It's shameful. And that's exactly the kind of disregard of the costs and consequences of their actions that brought about this crisis: a culture of narrow self-interest and short-term gain at the expense of everything else."

Is your mega-bank letting you down? You can compare the mega-banks' social and environmental records at our Responsible Shopper Web site.

And then look for greener, community-committed banks. There are a significant number of financial institutions that, unlike the mega-banks, are built on a culture of community and shared long-term prosperity. 

Below, we give you links to our resources for shifting your banking (checking, savings, credit cards, mutual funds) toward institutions that truly share your values. 

If your bank or credit card is with one of the mega-banks – break up with your bank!  Then shift to a community development bank or credit union.  And when you leave that mega-bank – tell them why. Nothing motivates corporate change faster than losing customers, especially in this economy.

Here's to green solutions all across the economy,
Alisa Gravitz
Executive Director
Green America <<<

 

Checking and Savings Accounts. When you open a checking or savings account with a traditional bank, your money can end up funding all sorts of unwise pursuits – not only lavish parties and executive bonuses, but also projects you would never support: fossil-fuel energy projects or construction of big-box stores, for example.

Community development banks and credit unions, on the other hand, channel funds into projects that build healthy communities. They help low- and moderate-income people buy homes, start small businesses, continue their education or create much-needed services like child care.

The basic principles of community investing keep community investing institutions strong: Lenders and borrowers know each other. Lenders invest in the success of their borrowers—with training and technical assistance along with loans. And the people who provide capital to the lenders expect reasonable, not speculative, rates of return. If all banks followed these principles, the economy wouldn't be in the mess it's in today.

Opening a checking or savings account with one of these banks will make your money work for social change. Community development banks and credit unions have all of the same services of the mega-banks – from checking to CDs to money market accounts. Your checking and savings accounts are federally insured up to $250,000, and many of them offer online banking, so even if there isn’t one near you, you can still use your banking to create healthy communities.  You can find a searchable database of banking options at our Community Investment Web site, where you can also click on "Stories" to learn more about the work of a specific bank.

Credit Cards. Take a look in your wallet.  If you use credit cards, chances are that you've got a card sponsored by one of the mega-banks. Our Real Green newsletter article introduces you to several credit cards issued by socially responsible banks and credit unions that exemplify responsible lending practices—as well as community investing institutions that take the social mission one step further by also investing in low-income populations. 

Organic produce is not always a must. I trust this guide from Environmental Working Group to decide what to buy organic and when I can get by with conventional. (I'd draw the line at #20 in an ideal world.)

EWG's Full List: 43 Fruits & Veggies and their pesticide load:

RANK	FRUIT OR VEGGIE	SCORE
1 (worst)	Peaches	100 (highest pesticide load)
2	Apples	96
3	Sweet Bell Peppers	86
4	Celery	85
5	Nectarines	84
6	Strawberries	83
7	Cherries	75
8	Lettuce	69
9	Grapes - Imported	68
10	Pears	65
11	Spinach	60
12	Potatoes	58
13	Carrots	57
14	Green Beans	55
15	Hot Peppers	53
16	Cucumbers	52
17	Raspberries	47
18	Plums	46
19	Oranges	46
20	Grapes-Domestic	46
21	Cauliflower	39
22	Tangerine	38
23	Mushrooms	37
24	Cantaloupe	34
25	Lemon	31
26	Honeydew Melon	31
27	Grapefruit	31
28	Winter Squash	31
29	Tomatoes	30
30	Sweet Potatoes	30
31	Watermelon	25
32	Blueberries	24
33	Papaya	21
34	Eggplant	19
35	Broccoli	18
36	Cabbage	17
37	Bananas	16
38	Kiwi	14
39	Asparagus	11
40	Sweet Peas-Frozen	11
41	Mango	9
42	Pineapples	7
43	Sweet Corn-Frozen	2
44	Avocado	1
45 (best)	Onions	1 (lowest pesticide load)

For some unknown reason, when I wanted to replace our 15-year-old dead Dustbuster, I decided to go to Wal-Mart. Honestly, I despise Wal-Mart; I just was so sick of Target that I had to shop somewhere different. So I was browsing around to see what organic offerings they had in their grocery area. I saw carrots, cranberries and milk. But not a whole lot else. However, I picked up a carton of strawberries that said they were a product of the E.U. (etats-unis, the French for U.S.), Florida I think it said. They smelled good and looked great, so I thought I would just wash them really well and try not to think about pesticides.

When I got home, I cleaned a few for Gregory and popped one in my mouth. OH MY, OH MY. These were sweet and delicious, better than any I've had in a LONG time. Alex concurred.

A little later in the day, my head started hurting. Not a full-blown migraine, but it was in the same place, same type of pain just not as intense. Most of you know I have suffered from migraines in the past and have gone to great lengths to learn my triggers (and avoid them). So I could not figure out what I'd eaten or inhaled that set it off.

Ironically, the next day (my head still pounding), I decided to do some research to see if my assumption that greenhouse or hydroponic crops came with less of a toxin burden than conventional produce. I figured they would not have to spray them as much. Wouldn't you think there would be fewer pests to combat? Anyway, I came across this article and could not believe my eyes.

U.S. News & World Report's "Fresh Greens" Blogger Maura Judkis listed 10 "risky foods" other than high-fructose corn syrup. And what do you suppose was on this list? Number 3 was "Non-Organic Strawberries" with the explanation: "Some growers of strawberries irrigate their plants with Nutri-Sweet-laced [sic] water. The sugar substitute is a probable carcinogen." It's a definite migraine trigger for me, has been for over a decade. Which is why I don't consume it. Except when it's fed to plants and not labeled on the food product.

Maybe you don't have anything against NutraSweet. Even so, you have to agree that it's criminal that growers can put a chemical ingredient into a food product and be able to pawn it off on unsuspecting consumers without labeling it. UGH!

By the way, in case you are wondering, I found no evidence to support my theory about greenhouse and hydroponic produce being healthier. In fact, I found some articles that suggested the hydroponic growers use a chemical cocktail to FEED the crops. Ick. I'm going back to buying as much organic as we can find/afford, including expanding our garden this spring!

I just got back from the grocery store and *ouch* -- it can really hurt the wallet to buy all organic produce and milk, not to mention meats, too. There are obvious ways you can reduce your bill, like cutting back on meat, forgoing soda and other truly unnecessary sweets, and choosing raw foods over prepared. Lou Bendrick has a whole list of ideas on Grist for even more ways to approach shopping for healthy eaters. It will take some work and planning, but the payoff may be worth it.

Green Guide posted a compiled list of good, bad and ugly fish choices based on data from several reputable sources. It's quite comprehensive, so I'm just going to hit the highlights. You can find the whole list here. At stake are potential toxicity for us and seriously adverse affects of fishing on our oceans. Some fish are so contaminated with mercury or PCBs that we should not eat them at all. Some are fished with destructive methods that mess with the ecosystem. And some are just completely overfished, endangering the survival of the species (not to mention our food supply).

The hardest part of this is knowing the origins of the fish you're eating, especially in restaurants. Don't be afraid to ask because this is what drives chefs, stores and fishmongers to be more thoughtful about their selections. Otherwise, read labels. I found wild-caught Gulf shrimp at Giant in the frozen section for about the same price as imported.

Note that all farmed fish are not created equal. Some are safe to eat. Most imported farmed fish is not. You have to put a little time into making the best decisions, but we can all thank the researchers out there who have helped with lists like this one.

Here's the down-low on the most popular fish choices:

CRAB
Best -- Dungeness trap-caught in U.S.; Imitation wild-caught in AK (think about this...I did not make it up, was on list!); Snow crab from Canada; Stone crabs from FL
Okay -- Blue from Gulf Coast); King from AK; Kona from HI, Australia; Snow crab from AK
Worst -- Imported King

SHRIMP
Best -- Pink, wild-caught in OR; Spot Prawn wild-caught in BC
Okay -- Shrimp either farmed or trawl-caught in U.S. Atlantic, U.S. Gulf of Mexico; Spot Prawn  wild-caught in U.S.
Worst -- Imported

SALMON
Best and Only -- Wild-caught in AK
Worst -- All other salmon

SCALLOPS
Best -- Bay farmed in U.S.
Worst -- Sea from Mid Atlantic

TUNA
Best -- NONE acceptable for regular consumption
Okay -- Canned light; Troll-caught Pacific albacore
Worst -- Canned white, albacore, bigeye, bluefin, yellowfin

These are more GOOD choices:

• Arctic char (farmed)
• Barramundi (U.S. farmed)
• Clams, soft-shell and steamers (farmed)
• Crawfish (U.S. farmed)
• Lobster, spiny/rock (U.S., Australia, Baja west coast)
• Mussels (U.S. farmed)
• Oysters (Pacific farmed)
• Pollock (AK, wild-caught)
• Sardines
• Squid, longfin (U.S. Atlantic)
• Striped bass (farmed)
• Tilapia (U.S. farmed)
• Trout, rainbow (U.S. farmed)

Fish Too Contaminated by Mercury to Eat -- Ever:

• Arctic char (freshwater)
• Bass/sea bass (wild)
• Catfish (wild)
• Chilean sea bass
• Croaker (Pacific) aka White Croaker
• Groupers
• Halibut (Atlantic)
• Mackerel, king and Spanish (Gulf of Mexico)
• Marlin
• Opah
• Orange roughy
• Pike
• Shark
• Swordfish
• Tilefish
• Yellow perch
• Walleye

Note to the FDA: Pull those annoying and misleading commercials about HFCS being "natural" and "healthy" so that people are not mislead any further by the agribusiness lobby. I, for one consumer, have had enough. It's nasty, it's unhealthy and it's overused.

A few months ago, I read that Phillippe Starck, the designer extraordinaire, was shunning his materialistic ways and dedicating his talents to saving the earth, starting with a sharp-looking personal wind turbine for about $600. Alex and I made a mental note to look into it. It's taken awhile, but now I'm back on it after seeing a house on "Greenest Homes on the Planet" that had neat little wind turbines that might be allowed in the Borough. In researching, I found a great article on Ecogeek that lists the other options, with pros and cons. If anyone's going down this road, do keep me posted on the journey.

First of all, people are reading my blog. Hooray! I know this because my friend Quyen wrote to ask what I recommended for her neighbor who's having a baby and is trying to be green. Having just struggled through this decision myself, I thought it would be a good post for others.

Your first thought is probably that cloth is the greenest option. Not so fast. Cloth diapers have to be made, usually from cotton, which is one of the most pesticided crops on the planet. Then they have to be washed and dried with every use, requiring energy and water. If you use a diaper service, add in the effects of driving a delivery truck around.

Could disposable diapers really be comparable in environmental terms? Well, it depends whom you ask. Mass brands seem not to be good for several reasons. One, they bleach the pulp with chlorine. Not good for baby or environment. Two, the gel used to contain the wetness has been questioned by environmental health groups. Three, they use chemicals to scent the diapers. Again, not good all around. (I bought a pack of Pampers Swaddlers out of desperation this week because they don't carry Seventh Generation at my grocery store and could not believe how strong the fragrance was. Even Alex noticed and raised concern.)

The more eco-friendly diapers -- Tushies, Nature Boy & Girl, Mother Nature, Seventh Generation and TenderCare, to name the most available brands -- are slightly better than conventional in that they don't use chlorine bleach or synthetic fragrance (or any fragrance in most cases). The brownish color of Seventh Generation may be offputting to some, but I've had great success with them, and so far, no diaper rash at all (two months in). Only Tushies do not use the gel, though.

The third and newest option is a hybrid, which generally means a cloth outer diaper with snaps or velcro to close it, along with a flushable/compostable liner. Bum Genius and gDiapers are the leaders in this category. We have tried gDiapers but found it to be difficult to pull off with a baby on a changing table and the toilet several rooms away. I'd encourage you to consider this option, though, as it does make better environmental sense.

Grist has a number of great articles related to this subject. One on disposables. Umbra's advice on the cloth versus disposable debate. Tips for...wait for it...diaperless parenting! And an interview with the founders of gDiapers, one of the better hybrid options.

Also, depending on where you live (like me), you may not have access to bulk sizes of natural disposable diapers. To try to minimize my impact, I order diapers and wipes in bulk sizes, as many as make sense at one time, from drugstore.com through ebates. This way, I get a rebate of 6% from ebates and a credit of 5% for future purchases on drugstore.com, plus free ground shipping. And I only order about once a month. You can also find these at Diapers.com (used to be 1800Diapers). If you want to use Diapers.com, let me know and I can send you a referral for $10 off your first purchase.

Last Fall, my mom took my dear little poodle to the vet because he was acting very lethargic and coughing/gagging constantly. He had some allergies, so I thought it was related to that. In fact, the vet could barely find a pulse, said his lungs were filled with fluid and diagnosed congestive heart failure. He put him on a diuretic and a heart pill. These worked for a week or two, then he was fading again. We added another heart med. Fortunately, these were affordable treatments; unfortunately, they were not working. I called the vet, who told me to take the dog to a specialist. Yikes. I called and was quoted $800 plus and that was just for tests and the initial consultation. Ouch. I turned to the Internet. Lo and behold, I found Five Leaf Pet Pharmacy, which sells natural remedies for pets. I read testimonial after testimonial of people whose dogs' health situation sounded like Frazier's. So I paid the $80 to have an herbal heart tonic, human-grade L-Carnitine & Taurine powders sent. Within days, he was improved. Now, about three months later, he almost never coughs and is as spry as ever. Honestly, it's a miracle to me. We are now going to wean him off the pharmaceutical drugs and see if the natural remedies cut it on their own. I expect they will. Stay tuned for any updates.

It's hard to think green all the time. Like when you're standing in Best Buy looking at all the electronics equipment, trying to decide which TV to buy. You want to choose something that is environmentally sensitive, but the salesperson gives you a blank stare when you ask. There is no signage (other than Energy Star) to tell you that a company is a stellar enviro-citizen or that they are dumping their waste in third-world countries.

Thankfully, researchers are out there working to help you make informed decisions. I try to remember what authors Ellis Jones, Ross Haenfler and Brett Johnson wrote in "The Better World Handbook." It's a great little book that teaches you ways to make a difference without being an all-out activist. It's about influencing with your purchasing dollars.

With the Philadelphia Eagles just about to take the field for the Divisional Championship, I am proud to be a fan. But it's not just because of their success on the field. I'm very impressed with the green initiatives and commitment to educating fans about pro-environmental causes.

 

Here are a few of owner Christina Lurie's accomplishments that set the Eagles apart from other pro teams:

• Replaced 30+ tons of plastic by using bio-based cups, plates, utensils ,etc.
• Implemented energy-saving measures that cut Lincoln Financial Field's use by 33%
• Recycling of 19% of all waste generated
• Using renewable energy resources--100% run on wind energy, plus they have installed solar panels at NovaCare Complex to generate more power
• Encouraging fans to "buy a tree" in Eagles Forest
• Teaching people about achieving carbon neutrality

 

If an NFL team can do it and do it profitably, I must believe that more companies and organizations can follow suit. GO EAGLES!

Ed Begley, Jr. is a funny guy with a gorgeous wife and a serious commitment to minimizing his impact on the planet. He knows lots of interesting people, including neighbor--and green rival--Bill Nye the Science Guy, and he knows a lot about leading an eco-friendly lifestyle. It was from this show that I found SolaTube, the natural light tunnel we installed in our downstairs bath.

Living with Ed is an entertaining way to learn about "greening" your house and your life, and you might even be inspired to hook up your exercise bike to power your TV. Think that's crazy? In Ed's world, that is totally mainstream compared to most of his antics.

I always found it sort of stupid that gasoline is priced $x.xx9 instead of just rounding up to the next cent. Most people probably never think about it, but this is the kind of thing that gets stuck in my head. If you put 15 gallons of gas in your car, we're talking about another 1.5 cents each time you fill your tank. Minutaie, right?

According to the FHWA's Traffic Volume Trend System, Americans drove 2.425 trillion miles in 2008. WikiAnswers states that the average American vehicle on the road gets 17 MPG. Okay, ladies and gents, let's do some math. Divide 2.425 trillion by 17 and you get 142,647,060,000 gallons of gasoline consumed in a single year.

Now multiply .001 by 142,647,060,000 and you get $142,647,060. Oh, how that 1.5 cents adds up! I propose we make the industry round up that extra .001 cent and put that resulting $142.65 billion toward any of the following:

• Prizes for technology innovation that drastically improves vehicle MPG;
  
• Public transportation improvements;
  
• Environmental restoration or conservation projects;
  
• Scholarships for promising science students;
  
• Funding research on carbon sequestering.
  

I'm sure there are even better ideas for that chunk of change. Leave comments with your ideas.

And this doesn't even count the savings realized by dropping that extra plastic number off all the gas station signs. Well, there are about 115,000 fueling stations in the U.S. and those numbers each cost ... okay, let's not get carried away.

My Costco used to sell delicious organic ground beef in three convenient, freezable one-pound vac-pacs. When I couldn't find it on my last trip, I inquired. Apparently it sold so well as a pilot item that they planned full distribution. Only problem--sufficient supply was not available for the whole chain, so only "top stores" were now getting it. Go figure: When beef is raised to organic standards, it's not sustainable on a huge scale. Maybe Costco should have looked for local suppliers for each part of the country instead of trying to stretch one rancher nationwide. As someone who's cut back but not cut beef out, it's just another reminder that eating beef, even organic beef, is not helping the environment.

Alex and I long ago stopped microwaving anything plastic and recently have stopped washing any plastic in the dishwasher. While there is dispute about plastics and exposure to heat -- do they leach or not? -- we aren't taking any chances. Most of the plastic we use is related to the boys, from sippy cups to plates to small storage containers. Chances are, many of the cheap plastic DO break down and release toxins when heated. Besides, they discolor and warp and sometimes they even smell funny.

If you are curious about good and bad plastics, here's a decent guide.

We are gradually switching to all glass containers for food storage. This is not an inexpensive proposition, but I have to say it feels a bit luxurious to use pretty glass containers for our leftovers. I prefer the type you can use in the freezer, dishwasher, microwave, anywhere. Most have plastic lids, so we still have to hand-wash those, but I've found some with glass lids. I figure while I'm finding ones that work and aren't crazy expensive, I'll share the findings here. Please feel free to comment on your favorites.

Crate & Barrel "refrigerator dish" (this has a glass cover)
Crate & Barrel round set by Frigoverre (I have these and like them; other sizes available)
Greenfeet.com also has a nice selection (and if you join, you get 10% all year long)
Pyrex is another good option, available through Amazon and others

After enjoying an interview with my favorite Bond -- Daniel Craig, I started folding laundry and zoning off. John Giddings from HGTV's "Designed to Sell" was up next, talking about ways to save money around the house. First, a programmable thermostat and then power strips. Check, check. Then he said you can lose efficiency through outlets on exterior walls. Have to admit, this was news to me. A cheap little piece of insulation is sold at hardware stores -- just put it between your switchplate and the wall to seal it up. Neato.

It is definitely that panicked big heating bill time of year. Next, I opened my laptop to check email and found an article called "Locate Air Leaks" in my TerraPass enewsletter. This got me thinking about how much energy my old house is likely wasting. The big, architectural windows in the front, as well as those in the attic, have not been updated (it's a 1915 house). These fixes are on our list, but it will be costly to achieve the same look in new windows. We know we don't have a lot of insulation, but we do have double-layer brick and plaster construction. Well, did I mention our dual-flush toilets and low-flow faucets? At least we're saving water.

Anyway, the TerraPass article talked about one guy who got a free energy audit from his utility company. I went to PPL and UGI to see if we could get one. Maybe, but I couldn't find any such thing on the websites. I tried to log in on PPL to do the online evaluation, but I couldn't remember my password. I also apparently answered my security question wrong, so I was locked out (on the first try). I hope their power plants have security as serious as this!

Another comment grabbed my attention. "Richard" noted that his bathroom fans were letting warm air escape because they don't have a positive closure. I, too, have noticed this and wish someone at Nutone would get wise to it. I can't live without a fan in the bathroom in the warmer months, but I've actually thought of sealing it off during the winter. I don't know of any other fix.

My solution is assigning "make house more energy efficient" to the husband. I'm instead going to focus on saving the world with my green ideas.

I'm almost done with Thomas Friedman's "Hot, Flat and Crowded" book and it's eye-opening to say the least. Anyone who's interested in understanding the impact of population growth, policy-making and our Western lifestyle on the environment -- past, present and future -- will get a lot out of this easy read. I say "easy read" because he writes for everyman, with a tad too much repetition. But this is what makes it easy to pick up, put down and pick up again without feeling lost. He is well-read and researched and seems to reference all the right people when making his case. The first half of the book is downright scary, but the second half tells us how to fix things. Yes, there is still hope, though time is ticking. If you can figure out a way to create cheap, abundant, clean, transportable electrons (energy), you could be fabulously wealthy (and save the world as we know it, if that matters any to you). I'm not exactly a scientist, but my mind is working on the problem, so who knows. Better than buying a lottery ticket and with exponentially more upside.

Wondering if the toys your kids play with are safe? Want to support companies who are trying to be good stewards of the Earth, paying fair wages and using energy resourcefully? GoodGuide is providing a tool to see how popular brands score in these areas, with tub toys being the first (presumably) segment evaluated. I checked out Gregory's bath whistle by ALEX and was happy to see it had a decent score! I'm looking forward to more good stuff from this site.

If you use bleach to get things clean...if you spray Lysol liberally in your house...if you use Cascade in your dishwasher...you are poisoning your indoor air and leaving toxic residues on surfaces you touch and your dishes. The runoff is also harmful to our environment, notably in frogs, which have experienced significant reproductive organ mutations. Scary, huh?

Not surprisingly, many household cleaners, bug spray, pets' flea treatments and "air fresheners" are known to irritate your lungs, and are especially bad for kids with respiratory issues. Fortunately, it's easy to find less toxic alternatives. We use diluted white vinegar, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide (for stains) in place of bleach and harsh chemicals. Vinegar doesn't smell the best, but the scent quickly evaporates.

If you really need that clean smell to feel like you cleaned, investigate readily available brands like Method, Seventh Generation, Ecover and Simple Green. Shaklee has a great line, if you know someone who sells that; Melaleuca sells green cleaners, too, but I'm not quite sure they are as good toxicity-speaking. I'm not a fan of the new green cleaners from companies like Clorox and S.C. Johnson, because they continue to make so many horribly toxic products. I don't think they can be trusted to make responsible ones. We like Method's flushable/compostable bathroom wipes; their stainless steel wipes also work very well.

The important things to note for kids are that chemical fragrance usually contains pthlatates, which are hormone disruptors, especially dangerous for little boys. The blogpost referenced here does a great job of outlining the offenders and explaining the dangers. When in doubt, buy unscented products and brands that use essential oils to perfume products, rather than listing "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients.

Most family households seem to be on the "no shoes in the house" bandwagon. It saves a lot of cleaning and quarantines germs in the mudroom. Now, my kids are not into sports yet, but this product seemed like a very cool concept along the keeping-dirt-in-its-place lines. Cleatskins are slip-on cleat covers so when your kid is done playing (soccer, rugby, football, golf, whatever) they just slide these over their cleats and jump in the car. No grass, dirt and who knows what else in your car. The "unique rubber compound" appears to be similar to Crocs, but probably more malleable. They claim to also save your cleats from unnecessary wear and tear so they last longer. You can even throw them in the washing machine to sanitize them. They come in two styles and many colors so you can "express yourself." Oh so important for the tweens, I know! And, yes, in case you're wondering...they do come in adult sizes!

When I was first faced with registering for my baby, I was blown away with the amount of stuff needed for such a little person. Besides the impact of buying new stuff, the costs were mounting. So I emailed my friends who were ahead of me in the baby-making business and asked for hand-me-downs. I lucked out with two cribs, a changing table, two pack-n-plays, an infant car seat, toys and books. Did I worry about the safety of these items? Yes and no. The people who donated them to me had not had them too long and had kept manuals for them. They were in good working order and had no recalls.

Today, I came across a great article in Healthy Child Healthy World's newsletter called Secondhand Safety, which takes to task several categories of hand-me-downs, exposing the concerns to consider when reusing baby items.

And, for navigating your registry, I strongly recommend buying a copy of Baby Bargains (pre-order the new edition, due in April 2009). This handbook gives you a rundown of what you'll want to get, how many you'll need, what not to waste your (or anyone else's) money on and more, plus it provides consumer reviews of most brands out there from actual parents.

Along the lines of the bean bag, I discovered some truly beautiful and affordable eco-friendly items at Crate & Barrel. For instance this "pouf" ottoman, which comes in LOTS of colors, not just these more grown-up stripe fabrics. I imagine buying a bunch of these for the playroom, so Gregory and Timmy (eventually) could use them to construct forts, throw at each other and lounge around on. Then, when we need extra seating or a place to sit a tray of finger food, voila! Thing is, they are $249 each, so sadly not in budget at the moment to buy in bulk.

It's hard to find quality kids toys that don't cost a fortune. That's why I had to post this awesome truck set made with Eco-Friendly Sprigwood (described as real pine infused into recycled plastic). They're paint-free and provide realistic mechanical action. Made in Prague.

If you're careful as I am about what you feed the ankle-biters, you probably want to take a hard look at popcorn. Conventionally grown corn is genetically modified (and has been shown to have adverse health effects on mice), plus it's awash with chemicals. Lou Bendrick does a great job breaking it down for Grist.

Ever thought about the filling in your bean bag or the PVC in the vinyl cover? If you're concerned what's in your kids' environment, you'll be thrilled with the buckwheat-hull-filled, organic-cotton-covered version I found. Not sure if this is as nontoxic, but I've also found the recycled EcoSak line.

BEST: Tushies with Aloe Vera
RUNNERS-UP: Seventh Generation Baby & Mother Nature Flushable
WORST: Canus 'Lil Goat's Milk & Mustela Extra Thick

Source: EWG, Skin Deep Cosmetics Database