Looking for a great Winter/Holiday activity to do with the kids ?
Why not save a tree and create a Christmas tree for the birds ?
The tradition of decorating a tree for the birds dates back to the 1500’s.
We have tons of evergreens already in our yard but you can use any kind of tree, if you don’t why not consider planting one ?
Decorate with all kinds of treats for your feathered friends.
Birds enjoy things like stale bread, strings of popcorn and cranberries, doughnuts (without glaze), chunks of fruit and nuts.
One of our favorites is taking pine cones and rolling them in peanut butter and then rolling them in bird seed before hanging them on the trees. Peanut butter is a special favorite of Woodpeckers, Chickadees, Wrens and Nuthatches. You can fill half a coconut shell with a mixture of peanut butter and seeds or cornmeal and hang it on your tree.
You could also try rolling pine cones in honey and then in cracked corn or millet (a special favorite of Sparrows, Mourning Doves, Juncos and Bob Whites).
Apples cut in half and hung up as well as citrus fruits are also favorites…or save the peel from your grapefruit half. Hang and fill with small chunks of citrus fruit, apples and berries. An especial favorite of Orioles, Thrushes, Thrashers and Warblers.
After your tree(s) has become the attraction for birds in your area you can try giving them some other kinds of food. They seem to enjoy crumbled dog biscuits (or you can try your hand at making some from scratch), dried fruit, leftover eggs, lettuce, potato, coconut (unsweetened) corn and oatmeal are some common favorites.

Birds need grit to digest their food and in the Winter they sometimes cannot find it on their own. They appreciate a supply of coarse salt, eggs shells or sand to help.
Insect eating birds love beef suet, a hard animal fat you can find in the meat department at the grocery store. A suet feeder can be made using a mesh bag like the kind onions or lemons come in.
Don’t forget that if you start feeding your feather friends you should continue throughout the Winter to refill their food supply. They stayed in your area because you began to feed them. Late Winter is a very dangerous time for birds as there may not be enough wild food in the area for them to survive. So always check your bird feeders regularly and especially after a snow or ice storm so that your feathered guests do not go hungry or even starve.

Terrifying Evidence and Apathy on the part of the canned food industry.

Unsafe Levels of Chemicals Found in Popular Canned Foods
Find out how to avoid bisphenol A exposure and how the industry responded to the report.

Read the entire article: The Daily Green

Add 3 1/2 – 4 TBS dried thyme to one pint of boiling water.
Let cool, then add one cup of honey or Agave.
Take 1 tsp every hour as needed.
Store in Fridge for up to 3 months.
Original Recipe found on : The Daily Green

I’ve been reading about some old time home remedies and other uses for Olive Oil and here is a list of the best that I’ve found.

1) Skincare: Olive Oil contains several natural antioxidants that fight/reduce aging and skin cancer…did you know that ? It is a great moisturizer for dry skin, chapped lips, cuticle repair and can even be used as aftershave.

2) Lice: No one loves these parasites but at this time of year, with school in session, its a reality. Forget the expensive harmful chemical products and smother those bugs with Olive Oil. Cover the scalp and massage to the ends. Cover with a shower cap and sleep overnight. Comb/pick out the nits/eggs the next day and wash hair as usual. Can repeat as long as necessary without chemical damage to the skin, hair or body. This worked for our family when nothing else would. We were working in ministry when one of our kids caught it and it went through the family like a fire. Took a weekend and we were lice free. It REALLY works!

3) Hair Care: Rather than spend a fortune on expensive supermarket (chemical laden) hot oil treatments why not use Olive Oil instead ?
Depending on your hair length and thickness, 1-3 TBS massaged from your scalp through to the ends should do the trick. Cover with a shower cap, wait 10 minutes and shampoo as usual. Restore manageability, shine and life back to dry, brittle or color treated hair.

4) Squeaks: Out of WD40 ? (my husband is convinced a house cannot be a real house without WD40) however olive oil is a great lubricant, and without the smell or worrying about pets or children ingesting toxic/unsafe chemicals. Use on squeaky doors, hinges and the like.

5) Stuck zipper ? Apply a dab of olive oil on it with a Q-Tip.

6) Leather care: great for baseball gloves, leather saddles, bridles and stirrups. Rub a bit of olive oil into the leather to restore and revitalize it.

7) Wood furniture polish. Throw away the toxic dusting products and never have to purchasing them again…they’re expensive anyway and a huge source of air pollution in your home. Use 2 parts Olive Oil to 1 part Lemon Juice and you’ve just made a natural, safe and effective furniture polish. Aren’t you clever ?

Snoring: Old wives tale suggests that a sip before bed will lubricate the throat and cut down on your (or your partners) snoring.

9) Earaches: Another old home remedy. Gently and carefully swab a little Olive Oil with a Q-tip to the outside ear cavity for mild earaches and to help control earwax build up.

I was surprised…no shocked…To discover that  most sunscreens don’t even protect my family from harmful sun rays and sun burn. And that my favorite Sunscreen products, that I’ve been using for the last 4 years, rated between 3-5 on the “Caution” list. Just goes to show there is a difference in effectiveness and safety even amongst the organic/natural brands.
I wasn’t surprised to have it confirmed that many sunscreens contain harmful chemicals that I definitely don’t want absorbed in my children’s growing bodies.

To see how your favorite brand of sunscreen measures up check out:The 2009 Sunscreen Guide from the Environmental Working Group

By: Sally Deneen

When you see a product touted as “green,” turn on your B.S. meter to gauge whether it’s true. Here’s why: There is no standard definition for the term”green.” That’s where certification programs come in. Even then, standards among them vary. Ideally, you’ll buy products – or a home – whose green standards match yours. Here’s the skinny on some green labels:

LUMBER Look for wood labeled “FSC certified,” meaning it’s certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Unlike other certification systems, it prevents the conversion of natural forest to plantations, prohibits genetically modified trees and takes caution in wooded areas with high conservation value, according to one analysis (see: www.fscus.org/news/index.php?article=506). A campaign by several environmental groups – Sierra Club, Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network, among others — discourages consumers from buying wood bearing a competing Sustainable Forestry Initiative label (“SFI”); see their reasons at www.dontbuysfi.com.

APPLIANCES Look for appliances with the worthwhile Energy Star label (overseen by the US Department of Energy and US Environmental Protection Agency), and remember this: Be sure to go a step further and check how much energy your desired fridge, stove or other appliance will use compared to other Energy Star-rated options – there can be a wide range of energy use, even though they all meet Energy Star standards. See anticipated energy costs listed on the yellow label stuck on the appliance. A home fully equipped with Energy Star products will operate on about 30 percent less energy than a house equipped with standard products. Read more at http://www.thedailygreen.com/2007/04/18/energy-star/892/. Find products and rebates at EnergyStar.gov.

SINKS, TOILETS, SHOWERHEADS There’s a new label in town – WaterSense — and it addresses the need to be water-smart as well as dollar smart. Example: A WaterSense-labeled toilet uses at least 20 percent less water than standard toilets. According to the EPA, the average American home uses more water for flushing the toilet than running the shower. A family of four could save 16,000 gallons of water yearly by replacing a traditional toilet. Get info at www.epa.gov/watersense/index.htm.

NEW HOMES Whatever you do, don’t accept a builder’s claim that a building is “green” without asking questions. What exactly does the green claim mean? What environmentally sound features and building techniques were used? Some homes are far more sustainably built than others; at times, builders simply follow community codes yet market their homes as green. To help you judge the validity of claims, some builders seek to meet the standards of national or local rating systems. A quick look at the three national programs: * LEED. What’s evolving into the 800-pound gorilla among rating systems is a high-end program known as LEED (officially, it’s the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program). It sets standards for buildings that achieve a set number of benchmarks, from using locally derived building materials to the insulating ability of the windows. Chances are a new skyscraper near you is LEED-certified. The program is now expanding to offer standards for homes. Among them, homes will be rated not only based on the materials used, but also their location and orientation. If they reap passive solar benefits from their position relative to the sun, or are situated on a village block close to stores, schools and work, they will be rated more highly than those built to otherwise high standards in suburbia. See standards here: www.usgbc.org/leed/homes/. * The National Association of Home Builders plans to roll out its own green building standards in early 2008. See guidelines here: www.nahbrc.org/greenguidelines/. *The federal government’s Energy Star program has already rated 200,000 homes. These standards rate homes strictly on energy efficiency – a key part, but only one part of the LEED standards. For many people, the energy efficiency – as measured in electricity demand, pollution output and perhaps most importantly, dollars – is the most important facet of the environmental performance of their homes. For those who want to aim for a darker shade of green, watch for the specifics on the LEED and National Association of Home Builders standards. See Energy Star info here: www.energystar.gov/ Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/definitions/green-home-labels#ixzz0OTfoIrKz

I was driving home listening to NPR on the radio when they reported that Americans have a Vitamin D deficiency.

I kind of chuckled in disbelief and didn’t think much about it until I saw more news reports on the internet this morning.

I really can hardly believe that it is that big of a problem…especially right now I mean it IS Summer!!!!

Have we really become a nation of inside couch potatoes that no longer drink milk, eat seafood and only eat egg whites ?

If you are one of those that struggle with a Vitamin D deficiency, my heart goes out to you.  While you are taking supplements to get back on track…drink your milk (or in my case my Silk Soy Milk with added vit. D), eat your seafood (salmon, sardines and tuna are great sources), eat the occasional egg yolk and GO OUTSIDE!  Enjoy the Sunshine! (It’s Free)

Go swimming, boating, gardening, walking, picnicing…if none of those appeal to you…come over to my house…I’ve got a fence that needs painting!

Want to save some money ?  Who doesn’t ?

You are turning up the thermostat in the Summer and turning it down in the Winter to cut costs but what about your water heater ? Turning your water heater down even a few degrees will surprise you with up to 10% reduction in water heating costs. Miss those long hot showers after a tough day ?  Replace your shower head with a low flow shower areator and enjoy…of course skipping the long shower and opting for your usual shower time will produce significant savings in water usage and heating.

Unplug your devices, electronics and appliances when not in use. Or plug them into a power strip and flip the switch when everything is finished charging.  Save a small fortune (up to 8%) in energy costs by unplugging.

Use drought tolerant plants for landscaping. Save a small fortune every year by not having to water your lawn in desert/tropical climates.

Replace your appliances, washer/dryer, etc. with Energy Star ones.  If you’re looking to replace them anyway, why not get one that saves you money ?

Going Organic is becoming more and more popular and with peak garden season upon us this is the season above all others where “greening” up your party and celebrations is easier and the most affordable.

One of the ways to stay cooler and reduce your electric and gas costs is to grill out. We grill out year round. Using charcoal sustainable briskets makes your BBQ even greener and avoid using lighter fluid…its unbelievably toxic.

As for food check out your local farmer’s markets and buy local organic whenever possible. Summer is the perfect season for changing your buying habits from toxin covered to natural healthy produce…Summer harvests are plentiful and the prices are fantastic and the taste is unbelievable. You’ll be amazed at the dramatic difference in taste from super market tomatoes to fresh homegrown ones…You’ll never want to settle for less than the “real” thing. And that goes for all home grown garden produce and fruits. You just can’t beat the taste of fresh from the garden corn, asparagus, squashes, cucumbers, zuchini’s, lettuces, peppers and carrots (and more).

Grill organic grassfed beef patties, BBQ grass fed free range chicken or go meatless with grilled veggies. Don’t forget to serve (or make your own) organic condiments. See my post here for a recipe for homemade organic ketchup…make it even better with tomatoes harvested from your own garden.  Dessert: We have several fruit farms in our area…a strawberry, blueberry and blackberry farms where we can pick our own fruit and purchase by the gallon. Instead of picking up a pricey unhealthy desert at the supermarket, support your local growers and farmers by buying locally raised fruit and serve alongside a simple homemade sponge or cupcake.

Celebrate: Because my son’s birthday is in June and  my youngest daughter and I share a birthday in July we have a tradition of serving 1/2 a watermelon in place of the traditional birthday cake. Just chill, cut in half , place your candles and enjoy. Saves from purchasing a high priced unhealthy cake at the market, or heating up your kitchen to make your own and you, your friends and family get to enjoy a special, refreshing and healthy treat in the midst of high Summer temps. For non toxic eco friendly candles purchase soy or beeswax birthday candles.

Decorating: When planning birthday celebrations opt for cloth table covers rather than plastic. You can wash and reuse reducing your waste. Using candles, lanterns and solar lights in the place of electricity provides a wonderful ambience and reduces your fuel and energy costs at the same time.

We’ve recently added a recycling center in our backyard. I purchased 3 large trashcans made of post recyclable materials (of course) and we use one for Paper, one for Plastic and one for cardboard. Being a large family we produce a lot of waste. I know that it isn’t alwasy feasible to host a birthday party for children and serve washable plates and flatware so opt for paper rather than styrofoam. Or go one step further by serving compostable tableware. You can purchase biodegradable and compostable plates, cups and bowls from Branch Home.com. I’ve even heard of special events like for a school or church fundraiser taking $1.00 off the meal fee if the family would provide their own serving dish and utensils. What a fantastic eco friendly and waste reducing idea!

No one expects you to go all out and become the greenest “greeneck” on the block. But if you are concerned about the amount of waste you are producing baby steps do make a difference. I hope there have been a few tips here that will give you an idea of how economical, healthy and easy it is to become a “greenneck”.

Happy Summer!

Reasons to get serious about pesticides in and on your food, Dioxins, Bisphenol A, Phthalates,  PFOAand PFOS…

Whatever fad diet books tell you, the single most important factor affecting weight gain is the ratio of calories consumed to calories burned. Eat more than you work off, and you’ll gain weight.

But in recent years we’ve witnessed a flurry of research showing that there’s more at work than this simple formula. We all know (and loathe) them: Those people who seem to eat and eat and eat, but never gain weight. Why do some people pack on pounds, while others subject themselves to rigorous diets and workout regimens only to struggle with stubborn belly fat?

The answer has a lot to do with that mystery of mysteries, the metabolism, which like everything is influenced both by one’s genetics and one’s environment. The environment, in this case, includes more than just nutrition and exercise; it includes sleep habits, stress and chemical exposures. Here’s a look at some of the factors scientists believe may be affecting whether or not we put on weight. (Oh, and while this may sound like an article ripped from a women’s health magazine, don’t be fooled: You won’t find miracle pills or quick-fix workouts as solutions to these causes of weight-gain. As with eating well and getting enough exercise, there is neither a great mystery, nor an easy solution to finding good health.)

1. Stress

While research hasn’t yet determined all the factors in the stress-weight gain feedback loop, there appears to be evidence that stress leads to weight gain — just as putting on a few pounds can lead to stress.

One recent study found that more than 56% of stressed-out adolescents were obese, versus 47% of the less-stressed. Previous research has identified a biological switch in mice that makes the body accumulate fat. Significantly, mice that were eating a healthy diet did not put on weight, even when stressed; those eating high-fat, high-sugar diets, however, were much more likely to gain weight when stressed. Another study showed that there’s a biochemical trigger in the brain that prompts mice (and possibly humans, too) to seek out comfort foods when under the kind of long-term chronic stress we all experience; not only that, but the same hormone primes the body to pack on belly fat.

What you can do:
Eat well, of course — and chill out. We can’t control every form of stress — remember the 40-hour work week? Turns out, that was good for us — we can reduce our stress levels.

Read a book. Take the afternoon to cook a (healthy, low-fat) family meal. Work in the garden. Take a walk. Watch the birds. Exercise. Get outside and play with the kids. … Do whatever you do to get perspective. It may help you slim down, too.

2. Lack of Sleep

Cutting-edge sleep researchers are learning that our round-the-clock schedules may impact our health in surprising ways. While scientists don’t yet know why, studies continue to show that those who don’t get enough deep restful sleep tend to gain weight.

Whether or not losing sleep makes you feel hungrier and eat more food (some do, some don’t) something about losing sleep changes the metabolism. Faced with a sleep deficit, we metabolize more lean muscle and less fat. Even if we burn calories during exercise, we struggle to lose weight.

The result? According to one study, people put on three pounds in less than two weeks just by having their sleep interrupted. The results of sleep deprivation show up in as few as a couple nights without deep restful sleep. And BMI, the official measure of weight, increases steadily as the sleep deficit increases.

What you can do:
We all know what makes us lose sleep — too much to do, too much coffee (or alcohol), too much late-night television or video gaming, a little too much “quality” time with our Blackberries. We can’t control everything that wakes us up or takes away our sleep — the crying baby can’t be ignored — but we can control many of them.

How much sleep do you need? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 7-9 hours for adults, while some experts have said 6.5-7.5 may be closer to the ideal.

3. Baby Formula

What could be wrong with baby formula? The point here has more to do with the benefits of breast-feeding during the first months of life than the demerits of any particular brand of baby formula.

A number of studies have shown that children who breast-feed are less likely to be overweight or obese in their early years, which is good — because an overweight child is more likely to grow into an overweight adult. According to one study, the risk of a child becoming overweight declines the longer a child is breast-fed. By age 14, those who were breast-fed at least seven months were 20% less likely to be overweight than those breast-fed for three months.

Why? That’s a mystery, though it may well have something to do with how the different nutrients and hormones alter a baby’s metabolism.

What you can do:
If you are able, give your child a good start by breastfeeding, in consultation (of course!) with your doctor. A German study found the prevalence of obesity in children aged 5-6 decreased significantly based on the length of time their mothers breast-fed them:

Obesity rate – Duration of Breast-feeding
4.5% – Never
3.8% – 2 months
2.3% – 3-5 mos
1.7% – 6-12 mos
0.8% – 12+ mos

4. Obesogens

Never heard of “obesogens”? That’s because it’s a scientific term for chemicals that mess with the hormones that regulate our metabolism, and cause us to gain weight. In recent years, scientists have studied all sorts of substances– they call them “endocrine-disrupting chemicals” — that our bodies mistake for hormones. The endocrine system regulates the body’s reproduction, development and metabolism, and most research to date has focused on the reproductive and developmental effects of these chemicals. Just like hormones, they may change our bodies in ways both subtle and profound, even at minute concentrations. The timing of exposure is key, and most chemicals seem to cause the most changes when pregnant women or very young children are exposed. Several studies point to links between manmade chemicals and weight gain. Here are a few:

Bisphenol A
This common chemical, which is used in a variety of plastics and in the lining of food and drink cans, can leach into foods (or directly into the bodies of babies chewing on teethers or toys) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found it in about 9 of 10 Americans tested. The Food and Drug Administration and the chemical industry stand by its safety, but a growing body of evidence by independent scientists has persuaded several governments (Minnesota, Chicago, Suffolk County, N.Y., and Canada) that it should not be used in children’s products. Some of that research suggests that Bisphenol A — a synthetic estrogen — makes lab rats pack on extra weight, regardless of their diet. In humans, it has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and other symptoms of metabolic syndrome in humans, possibly by interfering with a beneficial hormone. To avoid Bisphenol A, avoid No. 7 plastics, use a stainless steel reusable water bottle, limit your consumption of canned foods and drinks, don’t microwave foods in plastic and look for products explicitly marked “BPA free”.

PFOA and PFOS
Perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate are the chemicals that makes non-stick pans, grease-resistant paper and stain-resistant clothing, carpets and furniture withstand oils. We’re exposed our entire lives, and the exposure in the womb may be the most important, according to one study. Several studies have shown that the chemicals lead to lowered birth weight, but one showed that the initial drop in birth weight is followed by a rapid gaining of weight that is associated with obesity throughout life. To avoid these chemicals, think twice before buying stain-resistant and non-stick products (cast iron is one good alternative in the kitchen) and limit your intake of fast foods, microwave popcorn and other foods that may be wrapped in grease-proof paper.

Phthalates
Another common chemical, phthalates are found in soft plastics, fragrances and many other consumer products. The U.S. recently banned the use of several phthalates in children’s products, because of evidence that early exposure affects the normal development of boys by reducing testosterone levels. One study showed that adult men with the most evidence of exposure to phthalates had fatter bellies. To avoid phthalates, avoid No. 3 plastics, and scrutinize the ingredients of products for “fragrances” or the acronyms DBP, DEP, DMP, DEHP, BxBP or DMP — all of which signal the presence of phthalates.

Dioxins
Formed as a byproduct of burning, dioxins are common and known to be harmful at minute levels. (Whereas the Environmental Protection Agency measures most pollutants in pounds, it measures dioxins in grams.) Dioxin rains down after being emitted by smokestacks, tailpipes and fires, and it contaminates farms, leaving us to be exposed when we eat meat, dairy and fish products. One study showed that those who had been exposed to the highest levels of dioxins were five times more likely to have metabolic syndrome, a collection of metabolic conditions that includes obesity, glucose intolerance and hypertension. To avoid exposure to dioxins, moderate your intake of beef, pork and dairy products, and choose lean cuts of meat to avoid dioxin stored in fats.

Pesticides
Several pesticides are known or suspected to be endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Among the suspects is tributyltin, which was used in anti-fungal boat paints and to kill pests on some food crops, and which may trigger obesity. On golf courses, workers who handled the pesticide tricholorfon had an 85%-250% greater risk of developing diabetes, depending on how frequently they handled the chemical. Children born to mothers with higher levels of the pesticide hexachlorobenzene in cord blood were “significantly more likely to be overweight and obese” by the age of 6. In a recent study, rats fed water laced with atrazine, a weed killer commonly used on U.S. corn crops (but banned in much of the world) gained 5-10% more weight than rats that weren’t exposed to the chemical. Those fed weed killer and a high-fat diet gained the most weight, but even rats that ate a healthy diet ended up about 5% fatter if they drank the tainted water. To avoid these and other pesticides, avoid using insect and weed killers around the home, and avoid foods with the most pesticide residue.

Find this article at: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/why-am-i-fat-47062204