8 Helpful Hints for a Healthy, Chemical-Free Lawn

by Healthy Child Healthy World

Photo Credit: Andrew Ciscel

It's hard to imagine that the well-groomed, picture-perfect lawn took root in the U.S. only in the last 50 years. The ingredients of lawn success - pesticides and fertilizers - were originally developed after World War II to improve farmers' economic prospects by reducing damage to food crops caused by insects, rodents and disease. These same herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers became popular among home gardeners. They did the job quickly and made it easier to create green, pest-free lawns and bountiful gardens.

However, within a few decades, it became clear that pesticides have costs alongside their benefits. Pesticides are poisons, intended to kill living insects, rodents or plants. By their very nature, most pesticides create some risk to all living creatures, including humans.

Some lawn and garden chemicals have been linked with behavioral problems in children, damage to the nervous system and brain, developmental and reproductive defects, and cancers. There is much we don't know about many pesticides - a number have not been fully tested, and it often takes decades to discover how dangerous some pesticides truly are. Scientists are learning, too, that even small doses, at critical times during a child's development, or even during that of an embryo, could have a tremendous impact on that child's life and long-term health.

Other issues related to lawn and garden pesticide use:

• Pesticides provide quick relief, but do not eliminate the source of the problem. While certain pesticides are efficient tools for killing insects and weeds, almost all do nothing to deter problems from coming back. To prevent a pest's return, it is necessary to change the conditions that have allowed the pest to thrive.


• Extensive use of pesticides has led to resistance in many insects and weed species. It takes from two to five pesticide applications today to do the job that just one application accomplished in the 1970s. As a result, many resort to stronger chemicals, which may have greater consequences for human and environmental health.


• Pesticides drift. Chemicals used on lawns and gardens don't stay put. They enter groundwater, streams and rivers. Pesticide particles attach to dust and soil, which we bring indoors on our shoes. Pesticides can evaporate into the air, then are carried on currents and deposited many miles away. By using pesticides, we contribute to environmental damage far beyond our yards.

Use this checklist for a naturally beautiful lawn:

• Avoid Pesticides and Herbicides. Weed manually, before seed heads appear. Use boiling water, diluted soap or white vinegar to kill weeds. Apply corn gluten to discourage weeds. Use least toxic products and practices like Integrated Pest Management. http://spcpweb.org/


• Develop Healthy Soil. Leave mulched grass clippings to recycle nitrogen. Reduce soil compaction - aerate soil to allow air to circulate around grass roots. Grade to promote good drainage.


• Reduce Thatch, the layer of decomposing roots, leaves & stems at the surface of the soil. Rake to remove thatch - it prevents water and nutrients from penetrating soil.


• Choose Native Grass Types Suited To Your Climate And Soil. Plant disease-resistant varieties. Call your agricultural cooperative extension service or local nursery for information. Consider alternative ground covers.


• Water Deeply But Not Too Often. Deep but infrequent watering is best and reduces fungal growth. Water between midnight and 8AM to reduce evaporation.


• Mow High, Not Low. Taller grass chokes out weeds, longer grass takes in more sun and moisture. Keep mower blades sharp to avoid tearing grass, keeping it healthy.


• Use Fertilizers Wisely. Choose natural organic fertilizers, use sparingly in early spring or late fall. Avoid application prior to expected heavy rainfall to prevent runoff into waterways.


• Encourage Neighbors to avoid pesticides and over fertilizing - which contaminates your neighborhood, yard, family, & world.

Additional Resources:

• Beyond Pesticides
• Safe Lawns

Related Topics:

• Your Health and the Environment: Protecting Your Piece of the Planet
• Health eHome: Your Yard
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

The Chemical Legacy of the "Perfect" Lawn

Our guest blogger is Dr. Warren Porter, Professor of Zoology and Environmental Toxicology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.


On the tenth of February, 1997, in Madison Wisconsin, where I live, the Wisconsin State Journal was running a series of articles on our schools. We have many schools of national excellence in Madison, and we are very proud of them. But this particular issue was entitled, "Cost of Accommodating: As special education grows, so does the cost of staffing." There was a chart with statistics that are very chilling. From 1990 to 1995, in the Madison school district, by disability we had an increase of 87 percent in the emotionally disturbed category over a five year period. The learning disabilities category jumped 70 percent and birth defects increased 83 percent in a five year period.

This was astonishing, so I began to dig further. We were having big increases in the state of Wisconsin. California was having big increases. Pennsylvania was having big increases. Iran, where my wife is from, was having big increases. Australia, which I had visited a couple of years earlier, was having big increases. Something was happening to our children.

We have known for decades that many pesticides are neurotoxins, they are that way by design. Studies have also shown links between pesticide use and childhood cancers. We have also shown that mixtures of common herbicides and fertilizers found in groundwater can change aggression levels, learning abilities, hormone levels and immune function in rats and mice. Pesticides are a molecular bull in a china shop when they penetrate the human cell. Depending on where they end up in the cell, they can kill it or mutate the genetic coding - and children don't have the enzymes to defend themselves.

Recently my research team bought one of the most commonly used lawn chemical mixtures right off the shelves of a local store instead of buying ultra-pure active ingredients, which is what EPA registers. We found that the mixture, at minuscule amounts well below what is considered safe by the EPA, could induce abortions and resorptions of fetuses in mice. And of particular importance, we saw things that are not typically seen in toxicology, namely that there was an inverse dose response. That is, the greatest effect was at the lowest dose. This is because natural hormones in the body work at the low parts per billion to parts per trillion dose levels. Our research was only at the high end of the physiological dose range and as we go down in dose we were approaching the most sensitive middle range.

This is a disturbing finding, to say the least. As consumers we are repeatedly told that chemical exposures are too small to cause any harm, and many people are comforted by that thought. Now we have found some chemicals are more toxic at infinitesimal levels than they are in higher quantities. This fundamentally shifts our understanding of toxicology. We can longer hide behind the argument that "the dose makes the poison." Now, we must face the reality that some poisons are simply poisons and that we have to abandon these chemicals altogether.

As a nation, we spend more than $2 billion dispensing more than 80 million pounds of pesticides on our lawns and gardens, but the tide is shifting. Nevada now offers a $1,000 incentive for homeowners to remove their grass and 80 cities in North America have banned the use of lawn pesticides. Both Ontario and Quebec have banned the cosmetic use of pesticides. Home Depot in Canada is voluntarily pulling pesticides from the shelves and replacing them with safer alternatives. In my hometown of Madison, Healthy Lawn Teams continue to promote pesticide-free neighborhoods and students at the University are pressing for safer lawn care practices on campus.

Each one of us has a role to play in breaking the habit. If you haven't switched to organic lawn and garden care, now is the time. If you have, now is the time to start working with your neighbors or your local school or hospital.

Get started by visiting the National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns.

Resources:
Facing Scientific Realities, Debunking the "Dose Makes the Poison" Myth by Warren Porter, PhD


Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: National Children’s Study - What Makes Kids Sick?
• Do Pesticides Make Birth Defects Crop Up?
• Pesticides, Intelligence, and Behavior
• Health eHome: Your Yard
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

Chemicals Increasingly Linked to Obesity

... And How You Can Fight Fat

by Janelle Sorensen

Obesity has become a national epidemic and it is increasingly creeping into the youngest of our population. In fact, an alarming new study reports that 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese, up 300% since the 1980s, and many more are considered seriously overweight. This epidemic has compelled many to predict that our children will be the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents. What's going on?

Popular opinion says that poor nutrition and lack of exercise is the root of this problem. But, while lifestyle choices clearly play a major role in personal health, studies are increasingly showing something far more insidious - everyday exposures to common chemicals may be increasing our waistlines.

One of the most recent studies found that overweight young girls had significantly higher levels of phthalates in their bodies compared to the general population of children. Phthalates, a type of hormone disruptor, are used in plastics (most often PVC) and in personal care products.

According to Dr. Philip J. Landrigan, a professor of pediatrics at Mount Sinai, and one of the lead researchers on the study, the results are preliminary and do not prove that phthalates cause obesity, simply that they seem to be linked. "Right now it's a correlation; we don't know if it's cause and effect or an accidental finding," Dr. Landrigan said. "The $64,000 question is, what is causal pathway? Does it go through the thyroid gland? Does it change fat metabolism?"

Even if we don't know exactly how phthalates and obesity are linked, we do know phthalates are not the only potential offender. A small, but growing body of evidence in both animals and humans are finding a variety of hormone disruptors linked to obesity, including tributyltin, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), organotins, BPA , and PFOA.

Reduce your exposure by following these simple tips:

Over 90% of all phthalates are used in PVC plastics, so avoid purchasing PVC products and packaging. (Check out PVC: The Poison Plastic for more info). Phthalates are also used in personal care products, so read labels and use CosmeticsDatabase.com to find the safest products.

HCB has been banned, but still contaminates soil and water, which results in the contamination of our food. The US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) recommends eating low fat meat and dairy to reduce your exposure to HCB.

Tributyltin and organotin are in the same family of chemicals. The US ATSDR recommends these tips for reducing exposure to these compounds:

• Reduce the amount of canned products you eat or drink and store unused portions in separate containers.


• Reduce your consumption of seafood from waters that may be contaminated with organic tin compounds and your contact with household products that contain organotin compounds (for example, silicon-coated baking parchment paper).

To avoid BPA, eat foods that are fresh, frozen, dried or in glass jars or tetra packs instead of canned (same for beverages). Also, avoid polycarbonate plastic (PC or #7).

Reduce your exposure to PFOA by replacing those easy-to-clean Teflon pans with cast iron, avoiding clothing and carpeting marketed as "stain-resistant," and avoiding greasy, pre-packaged foods (and microwavable popcorn). You should also know that most take-out packaging is coated with Teflon, so try eating in or asking about alternative packaging. Learn more at Environmental Working Group.

Related Topics:

• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

5 Ways to Clean up Your Car for a Healthier Ride

by Janelle Sorensen

You're careful about keeping toxics out of your home, but have you considered your car? Between running errands, commuting to work, and driving kids to appointments and extracurricular activities, we're spending more time in our cars than ever before. Take these simple steps to keep your car clean and reduce your exposure to automotive contaminants.

1. Air it out. You know that new car smell that makes most of us euphoric? That distinct perfume is a mixture of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) from the materials used to make the car, including styrene, formaldehyde, xylene and diazinon. If you have a new car, leave the windows down whenever you can - while you're driving, while it's parked in your driveway, when you stop at a park. Also, try not to park in direct sunlight unless you can leave the windows down. Heat increases the rate at which chemicals are released from the materials.


2. Dust it out. Whether your car is old or new, wipe the interior down with a damp cloth regularly. The dust in your car can be loaded with contaminants like flame retardants from the seat cushions (especially if your car is older and the cushions are beginning to degrade).


3. Vacuum it out. Before you wipe it down, vacuum your car's upholstery and flooring with a machine that has a HEPA filter (the high-powered machines at DIY car washes should suffice, as well). You'll suck up chemically laden dust, allergens, and the dirt that's tracked in on your feet (that could have lead, pesticides, or gasoline mixed in).


4. Keep it out. If you're trailing a big diesel truck, back up a bit or take an alternate route to keep polluting emissions from entering your car. Same goes for traffic congestion, if you can, take an alternate route to avoid sitting in a cloud of idling vehicle fumes.


5. Wash it without....chemicals or kids. A good microfiber cloth and plain old water can do wonders for washing the interior and exterior of your car, so save your money and skip all those magical car cleaners on the market today. Also, as much you would appreciate the help, keep the kids away from this chore. As mentioned above, the interior dirt and dust can be heavily contaminated. The exterior dirt and dust is no different. Think about it. Dust from the friction on your tires and brake pads can cling around your wheel wells. Gasoline residue may linger around the fuel opening. Cars are a dirty mess that kids should not be involved in cleaning up.

Helpful Resources:

Use the Healthy Car database. While there are numerous substances in vehicles that can lead to health and environmental problems, HealthyCar.org focuses on bromine, chlorine, lead, as well as some other heavy metals, allergens and carcinogens. All of these substances were chosen because of their toxicity, persistence, and/or tendency to build up in people and the environment. All of them have also been subject to regulatory restrictions and/or voluntary limits set by industry associations or third party certification organizations. HealthyCar.org includes test results from approxomiately 450 of the most popular vehicles in the U.S. market between model years 2006-2009.

Use the Healthy Car Seat Guide that has tested over 130 popular 2007-2008 child car seats. The components sampled include: seat cushion, foam backing, seat base, seat belt clip and sun shade (when available). The XRF device identified the elemental composition of each of these components. Based on these findings, each car seat was given an overall car seat rating, as well as chemical ratings for bromine, chlorine, lead and a group of substances referred to as "other chemicals".

Learn More:

• Traffic Congestion: The Chemicals in Your Car
• Don't Breathe and Drive
• Flame Retardants Inhaled in Cars
• Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) levels in dust from previously owned automobiles at United States dealerships

Related Topics:

• EPA: Greenhouse Gasses Are Health Threat
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

Fishing for Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Our guest blogger is Tara DelloIacono Thies, RD, LUNA Nutrition Strategist at Clif Bar & Company.

Photo Credit: FrenchDuck

Mothers-to-be are in a quandary when trying to make safe and sustainable choices when eating fish. Fish is a fantastic source of omega-3 fatty acids, important to well-being and the developmental health of our babies. Yet, many fish are a source of mercury and other unfortunate contaminates. Fishing also takes a toll on the environment with fishing and farm methods that leave a fishy aftertaste in our mouths.

Complicated with contaminated and poor sourced fish choices many women are skipping out on fish all together. Our seafood deficient diets are leading to deficiencies in DHA, an important form of omega-3 fatty acids, which our bodies can not make and must be obtained through our food.

DHA is also important to your baby's developing brain and your psychiatric health. Research coming out of the most recent American Dietetic Association Annual Conference reported on studies that revealed a "no sea food diet" during pregnancy resulted in children with low verbal IQ, low social development, and poor peer interactions. Women who were DHA deficient were found to be more anxious and distressed.

Fish is one of the best sources of DHA. This leaves us with a complicated task of figuring which fish are good for our bodies and the planet. Thankfully someone has done the thinking for us and created a simple pocket tool that you can use while shopping to at the grocery store: the Seafood Watch Pocket Guide.

This is a great tool to guide you to the best choices for fish that are not contaminated and fished using sustainable methods. After referring to this guide you will see that there are a lot of good options, and you can even have some canned tuna often thought to be totally off limits.

How much omega-3 fatty acids do you need each day? The Dietary Recommended Intake for non-pregnant women is 1.1 grams per day, which can come from all three types of omega-3s' - EPA, ALA, & DHA. Pregnant and breast feeding women need an additional DHA boost of .2-.3 grams per day. You can meet your needs by eating about 6-12 ounces of fish per week.

Look for the three magic letters (DHA) on the front of the package too. Many foods such organic milk and organic yogurts are now fortifying with additional DHA omega-3 fatty acids.

In addition to all these great food sources there are some supplements both over the counter and prescription that you may want to consider:

Over the counter:

• Nordic Naturals
• Spectrum Fish Oil

Ask your doctor about:

• Natelle Plus
• Citranatal 90 DHA
• Duet DHA
• Prenate DHA

Fish is a great whole food source of DHA. I hope you can now head to the fish market more informed and also enjoy a tuna sandwich once again.

Related Topics:

• What to Know About Omega-3s and Fish
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter

10 Easy Ways to Eat "Green" Earth Day and Everyday

How to Shop for the Earth, Cook for Your Health and Bring Pleasure Back to Your Kitchen!

by Healthy Child Healthy World

Everyone's heard the cliché "you are what you eat." And, it's true - your health is intimately connected to the foods and drinks you put in your mouth. But, have you ever stopped to consider what other impacts your food choices may have? Industrial farming practices can cause soil and water pollution. Over-packaged, single-size foods result in litter and plastic waste that will linger in landfills for hundreds of years. The average American meal travels 1,500 miles from farm to fork increasing air pollution and greenhouse gases. Human health is affected by what we eat, but planetary health is affected by how we eat.

Luckily, we don't have to sacrifice either health or the environment. And, you might even find that when you start considering both and making smarter choices, your foods are more flavorful and cooking is more enjoyable. But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Start simple by trying the easy (and affordable) tips below.

Photo: Donika Sadiku

1. Eat a healthier snack like a USDA Certified organic apple. Organic certification guarantees that the product has been grown, handled and processed without synthetic pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients, preservatives and without using genetic modification or irradiation. Organic certification also means the farmer is promoting biological diversity by rotating crops, conserving and renewing the soil, and protecting water sources.

Organic foods are the best investment you can make for your health, but they can cost quite a bit more. According to the Environmental Working Group, you can lower your pesticide exposure by 90 per cent simply by avoiding the most contaminated conventionally grown produce: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, imported grapes, carrots, and pears. If you're really craving one of these foods, opt for organic. Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables that have the lowest levels of pesticide residue include: onion, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato, and sweet potato. You can download the EWG pocket guide that lists these and the dirty dozen from Foodnews.org.

Photo Credit: Keven Law

2. Ease up on animal fats. Meat and dairy products are major sources of saturated fat in the U.S. diet, and contribute to higher risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Animal products can also contain hormones, antibiotics and organochlorine chemicals, such as dioxin, DDT and other pesticides, which concentrate in animal fat. Modern meat production also consumes water, energy and land. Animal waste produces air and water pollution. And red meat production creates about 3.5 times more greenhouse gases than that of grains.

When you do buy meat, poultry or dairy, look for low fat options (get the unsaturated fats your body needs from plant sources like walnuts, flax seeds, and avocados). You can also do a favor for your body and the planet by reducing how much meat you eat. Making even one vegetarian meal a week can make a big difference.

3. Ban the can. Canned foods and beverages are lined with a resin that contains bisphenol-A, a hormone-disrupting chemical that's building up in our environment and our bodies. Most manufacturers are beginning to explore safer alternatives, but in the meantime you should choose foods that are fresh, dried or frozen or packaged in glass jars or tetra packs.

4. Select safer seafood. Eating seafood is the primary way we are exposed to methylmercury, a potent neurotoxin. Fish can also be contaminated with PCBs, which the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the Environmental Protection Agency have declared a probable carcinogen. In addition, many commercial fishing practices damage the aquatic ecosystems or depleting fish stocks to dangerous levels. Worldwide about 90% of large predatory fish stocks are already gone. Use the Environmental Defense Fund's Safe Seafood Selector to find species that are lowest in chemical and heavy metal contamination and that are fished in ways that are not harmful to our oceans.

5. Bulk up. It's common knowledge that buying in bulk saves money, but it also reduces waste because there's so much less packaging. In addition, bulk foods are often less processed so you reduce your exposure to questionable food additives. Bulk cook staples like beans and other legumes and store them in your freezer in serving sizes that are appropriate for your family size.

6. Turn on your tap. Plastic bottled water is over-priced, over packaged, and not necessarily cleaner than tap. In fact, municipal tap water is more regulated than bottled water and some bottled water is just tap water with a clever name. It's a waste of your money that creates enormous amounts of waste. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council,

"In 2006, the equivalent of 2 billion half-liter bottles of water were shipped to U.S. ports, creating thousands of tons of global warming pollution and other air pollution. And while the bottles come from far away, most of them end up close to home - in a landfill. Most bottled water comes in recyclable PET plastic bottles, but only about 13 percent of the bottles we use get recycled. In 2005, 2 million tons of plastic water bottles ended up clogging landfills instead of getting recycled."

Make an investment in a water filter and reusable stainless steel water bottles. They quickly pay for themselves. While you're at it, skip the soda and other bottled drinks. Water's much better for you.

7. Purge plastic. Okay, it's almost impossible to eliminate plastic - and sometimes there's no better choice. Still, plastics are clogging our landfills, polluting our Oceans (check out the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, 100 million tons of debris that's essentially made a trash island in the ocean), and being petroleum-based products, they create a lot of pollution when they're manufactured. In regards to human health, studies are piling up showing how chemicals leach from many plastics and end up in our food and drinks. For your food, glass is the safest bet and extremely affordable. Most second-hand stores have loads of glassware and old spaghetti or canning jars are super for storing leftovers. If you do use plastic, opt for safer ones like those with the number 2, 4, or 5 in the chasing arrows symbol (usually found on the bottom). Never heat food in plastic as it increases chemical leaching.

8. Read a food label - for real. Ever stop to read the ingredients label on packaged, processed foods? It's usually a mouthful of words most of us have a hard time pronouncing, so what exactly are you eating? You can learn which food additives are safe and which are not by visiting The Center for Science in the Public Interest's food safety guide, but it's even easier to simply choose whole foods. Whole foods are not processed, so they have all their natural nutritional gifts - and less processing means less pollution. Look for foods made from whole grains (think whole wheat bread, oatmeal and brown rice) - and it should say "whole" on the label. Make more foods from scratch (it's easier than you think). You'll end up saving money, eating healthier and reducing all the waste created from packaging and processing foods.

Photo Credit: e.t

9. Look for local. The average mouthful of food travels 1,400 miles from the farm to our plates. Food from local farms is fresher and closer to ripeness, has used less energy for transport and is less likely to have been treated with post-harvest pesticides. Buying local products also supports regional farmers and preserves farmland. Ask for local produce, meat and dairy at your local market and see what they show you. Better yet, visit your local farmer's market. You'll be supporting your community, saving money, protecting the planet, and eating healthier. Visit EatWellGuide.org to discover your local food system.

10. Savor your flavors! When was the last time you really experienced your food? Really taken some time to appreciate what you're eating? From the crisp juiciness of a fresh apple to the creamy, cool sweetness of a spoonful of ice cream, are you really tasting what you put in your mouth or are you thoughtlessly inhaling? We've become so accustomed to fast food (whether at home or at the drive-thru), we've nearly lost the ability to appreciate our culinary bounty. When we eat without thinking, we're more apt to choose foods that are less healthy (for us and the Earth) and to overeat whatever we've slopped onto our plate (if it even made it on to a dish). Take a moment to savor the flavor, to think about where your food came from, and to feel a little gratitude.

Related Topics:

• Safer Food For a Healthier You
• Green Dieting with Gwyneth Paltrow
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• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter

Recipe for a Green Kitchen

by Christopher Gavigan

You may be buying healthy foods like whole grains, organic veggies and milk, and even local honey, but now it's time to consider the "health" of your kitchen. Your cabinets and refrigerator can be just as safe, green, and nontoxic as the food and products you put in them. And in addition to being better for your family's well-being, a healthy kitchen saves money and helps the planet, too. So, whether you're ready for a floor-to-ceiling renovation or just looking for a little facelift, here are some tips for making it healthier, greener, and easier on your bank account.

SAFER STORAGE AND SMARTER SURFACES

Cabinets
Household cabinets are often made from particleboard, tiny wood shavings pressed together using a resin that off-gasses formaldehyde, sometimes giving off that "new cabinet" smell. Formaldehyde (even at low levels) causes eye, nose, throat, and skin irritation and the Department of Health and Human Services suspects it to be a carcinogen. Instead, spend a bit more for a solid wood material (wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FCS), which regulates against mass deforestation, or bamboo is best) not fortified with chemicals. Paint or stain in no- or low-VOC options - it's safer and healthier.

Counter Tops
Inexpensive counter tops are usually made from plastic laminates and resins, which are very hard and not at all toxic. But they frequently have particle-board backing, which (you guessed it) emits fumes. High-quality stones like marble, slate, limestone, and sandstone may seem expensive, but are a sounder long-term investment. If you choose a granite counter top, make sure to have it tested for radon - the uranium base is sometimes radioactive and can release radon gas as it decays. Another perhaps less expensive option is to leave your existing counter tops in place and tile over them.

WHAT LIES BENEATH (OUR TOES)

Hardwood
Hardwood floors are easy to love: aesthetically pleasing, a cinch to clean, and kind to those with allergies or chemical sensitivities. The most earth-friendly wood is FCS-certified. Reclaimed flooring is a beautiful option too—salvaged from another site and installed in your home. Your "reuse" story will be just as beautiful as the historical patina.

Bamboo
The king of sustainable materials, bamboo is durable, inexpensive, normally pesticide-free, and a rapidly renewing natural resource. It takes only four years from planting to harvest bamboo!

Cork
Made from the Mediterranean cork oak, this hypoallergenic material can be cut repeatedly from very old trees. Its natural texture has small pockets of air, making it almost bouncy to the foot and easy on adventurous kids.

Tile
Made from ceramic, stone, or recycled glass, tile is virtually free of potent chemicals like volatile organic compounds and is highly durable and easy to clean. Be mindful of the adhesives, especially grout sealer, when installing. Such substances are made of solvents, such as petroleum and toluene, that can affect your nervous system and cause irritation. Use mortar and grout as a nontoxic alternative.

PURIFY THE AIR MOTHER NATURE'S WAY

Install Skylights
For a bigger renovation, skylights offer benefits like natural light, passive-solar-heat gain, and natural indoor ventilation. They reduce energy costs, freshen your home naturally, and are very eco-chic. And being able to stargaze while washing dishes is a very cool bonus.

Grow Houseplants
In the kitchen, leafy greens usually end up in a salad. Incorporating a few plants into your decor will purify the air and bring a bit of nature inside. Houseplants consume carbon and emit oxygen, refreshing the room's air constantly. Pick up a copy of my book, Healthy Child Healthy World, for a complete list of purifying plants you can find easily at your local nursery.

SAVE ENERGY AND REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

Choose Energy-Efficient Appliances
Energy Star Products have earned a star rating for energy efficiency - the more stars, the better. Updating your refrigerator, dishwasher, or cooking appliances means you'll decrease your water and utility bills, and reduce your home's energy drain. You can recycle your old appliances with the expertise of Earth 911.

Unplug, Unplug, Unplug
Not using that blender as much as you thought Unplug it! Appliances continue to draw energy even when on standby or not in use, so unplugging them can really be a savings, especially that mobile-phone charger.

Make the Switch to CFLs
Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs, or CFLs, are the ultra-efficient, swirly version of their standard incandescent counterparts. They use 75 percent less energy than regular bulbs, thus saving an average household electrical budget between $12 and $20 a month. Recycle them at designated centers, but exercise caution - they contain small amounts of mercury.

As seen in Cookie Magazine.

Related Topics:

• 8 Ways to Go 'Green' in Your Kitchen
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

The White House Garden: Planting Seeds of Health and Hope

by Janelle Sorensen

Spring is here which means it’s time to garden for millions of Americans. And no one's garden is getting more attention than the recently planted White House garden. Why? Because at the crossroads of an obesity and diabetes epidemic, an economic crisis, and increasing environmental degradation lies the simple, family garden. And this makes the White House garden more than just a bunch of dirt and seeds. This particular garden is raising awareness about taking control of these four very important issues.

First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Chef Sam Kass
show students from the Bancroft Elementary how to plant a garden.

Gardening for Health
Michelle Obama described the White House garden project in a recent interview with Oprah. "We want to use it as a point of education, to talk about health and how delicious it is to eat fresh food, and how you can take that food and make it part of a healthy diet. You know, the tomato that's from your garden tastes very different from one that isn't. And peas - what is it like to eat peas in season? So we want the White House to be a place of education and awareness. And hopefully kids will be interested because there are kids living here."

In addition to getting Malia and Sasha to dig in the dirt, Mrs. Obama has invited students from Bancroft Elementary School in Washington, DC to participate in the garden project (perhaps to help guide the way as they've been actively planting and tending their own school garden for two years now). Gardening is a great way to teach children how to grow food and the importance of eating healthy, but the practice is being embraced by adults as well. According to the National Gardening Association's most recent survey, 43 million households plan on growing their own food this year, up 19 percent from 2008. Roughly half of the survey's respondents said they were planning on growing their own in order to have food that is better tasting, higher quality, and safe (because they know where it comes from).

Gardening for the Economy
Beyond the important issues regarding health, there are economic rewards for following Michelle Obama's example. Growing our own food reminds us that we can be resourceful no matter what the state of the economy. Indeed, this isn't the first time the White House has had a garden and promoted gardening for fiscal reasons. As far back as 1800, John Adams started the first White House garden because at that time, the President (not the taxpayers) had to buy the food he ate. Growing his own was simply the most frugal thing to do.

Perhaps the most famous White House garden (until now) was the Victory Garden planted by Eleanor Roosevelt during World War II. The Roosevelt garden inspired an entire movement during wartime to address a food system stressed by an economy fraught with labor and transportation shortages. At the peak of the Victory Garden movement American families grew 40% of the nation's produce. Our nation once again desperately needs this type of patriotism rooted in frugality and the Obamas are making that clear.

Gardening for the Environment
Unfortunately, despite how many Presidents carefully cultivated and expanded the White House garden, the fruit trees and annual vegetables were left to shrivel after the end of World War II. In fact, the end of World War II marked a revolutionary change in our entire national food system. Much of the research, development and manufacturing supporting the war was transferred to agriculture. Chemicals used for warfare were marketed instead as fertilizers and pesticides. Weapons and machine technologies were applied to farm equipment allowing farmers to significantly increase how many acres they cultivated. Industrialized farming was subsidized and encouraged as the global food system opened and local farms exported foods to the war ravaged lands of Europe.

With grand dreams of economic prosperity and the eradication of hunger, agricultural science progressed almost unfettered, nearly losing sight of its roots - or, more specifically, the soil and water from which all things grow. Today, industrial agriculture practices pollute surface and groundwater with animal waste and chemicals, cause negative health impacts from pesticide use, and increase ozone pollution and climate change from heavy use of fossil fuels. It's an unsustainable system fueled by the soaring profits and power of a handful of multinational corporations.

The new White House garden will be grown organically, without using toxic, synthetic chemicals - good thing for the kids who will be working in it. Actually, with growing awareness of the health and environmental tolls of conventional agriculture, national interest in organically grown food has been increasing over the past decade - roughly 15 to 20 percent annually. It's a development the chemical manufacturers are none too pleased about and they've petitioned the First Lady, urging her to use conventional methods. Kudos to Mrs. Obama, she's remained steadfast in her commitment to grow a garden that promotes human and environmental health.

Gardening for You
While the Obamas have made a point of making the White House and its new garden open and welcoming to the public, you can plant your own personal seeds of health and hope by starting a garden in your yard, on your roof, in a local vacant lot, or on your kitchen windowsill. There's no excuse not to, especially when you can get seeds for free from onemilliongardens.com - each packet contains 4-6 varieties of heirloom seeds that have the potential of providing hundreds of pounds of food.

You can find more great ideas for starting your garden from Kitchen Gardeners International, a non-profit network of 10,000 gardeners from 100 countries whose mission is to inspire and inform people to grow their own food. So, what are you waiting for? Grow your own!

Related Topics:

• Price of Organic Got You Down? Grow Your Own!
• Health eHome
• Video History of White House Gardens
• National Gardening Association
  
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

Earth Month Exhibitionism

Show Off Your Healthy, Green Stuff for Self-Promo and Prizes

Healthy Child Healthy World

What's all the hoopla about Earth Hour, Earth Day, Earth Month and going green all about? It's really about more than just a day or month of the year. It's about you, and me, and each one of us - taking simple steps, making smarter decisions – every single day. By making the healthiest choices, you CAN protect the Earth and everyone living on it. It's really so much easier than you think.

And every little bit helps.

For example - according to Seventh Generation, if every household in the US replaced just one box of 100 sheet virgin fiber facial tissues with 100% recycled ones, we could save 332,000 trees, 859,000 cubic feet of landfill space(1,200 garbage trucks), 120 million gallons of water (a year's supply for 900 families of four), and avoid 20,000 pounds of chlorinated pollution.

From one box of tissue. Small actions really do add up.

So, what are you doing? There's so much you CAN do!

And, if you make a video of yourself doing what you do, you can win fabulous prizes generously donated by Seventh Generation (The GRAND PRIZE winner will receive an Apple 8G iPod Touch pre-loaded with Seventh Generations Label Reading Guide application in addition to a years supply of Seventh Generation home care and cleaning products, and a copy of the Healthy Child Healthy World book and DVD. FIRST PRIZE will receive a Flip Ultra digital video camera, a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit and a copy of the Healthy Child Healthy World book and DVD. The eight runners-up will receive a Seventh Generation Living Home Cleaning Kit.)

In addition, these videos will be used to educate and inspire thousands of other people! That could mean great promo for your own blog (if you have one) or simple good green Karma (you'll be an educator - put it on your resume!).

There is only one rule (well, actually, there's a list of rules and you can find them at our website); but there is only one Golden Rule and that is you must have fun! If you're having fun doing it, people are going to have fun watching you, and hopefully then they'll try it too. And that's the whole point. We want you to inspire others to do whatever they can to protect their home, their health, and the planet.

Show us your stuff by making a video less than two minutes long of you or your kids or your pet Chihuahua or your hamster or your crazy Uncle Eddy taking some sort of simple step to make your home greener and healthier - protecting your little piece of the planet. Then enter it into our "Healthy Begins Here" video contest, because it all begins with you.

So, here's how you can get started:

Step #1 – Read the Official Rules and use our Tips, Tricks, and Tools to make your video in a snap.
Step #2 - If you're still stumped, check out our other submissions in our playlist.
Step #3 - Have fun making a video!
Step #4 – Submit your video by 12 a.m. PST on April 19 as a video response to ours.
Step #5 - Wait patiently until Earth Day when we announce the winners.

Good Luck! We can't wait to see your videos!

Related Topics:

• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter

Price of Organic Got You Down? Grow Your Own!

Yard Not Required

by Janelle Sorensen

Photo Credit: Cheryl Davis

One of the top recommendations that we give people at Healthy Child is to eat organic foods. Still, I can't count how many times I've heard people say, "I'd love to buy organic food, but I just can't afford it." I get it. I get it. We can't afford an all organic diet at my house either. But, eating organic doesn't have to mean buying organic. You can grow your own. And it's cheaper than anything you'll find at the store (a $2 tomato seedling can give 10 pounds of tomatoes over a season).

Even if you've never done it before. Even if you think you don't have the time. Even if you don't have a yard. Even if you have a brown thumb. Really. There's no excuse and the results are so gratifying: cheap, healthy food; eating the fruits of your own labor; the look of awe in your friends' eyes when you bring homegrown culinary delights to the next potluck.

So, for all of you greenhorn gardeners, here are four tips for getting started.

1. Pick a pot and a place. You don't need green acres or a plow to have a healthy harvest. You don't even need to have a yard. You can grow a wide variety of herbs, vegetables, and even fruits in containers (on your roof, fire escape, patio, or windowsill). R.J. Ruppenthal, author of Fresh Food from Small Spaces: The Square-Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting, even has tips for using closets and empty bathtubs. Your only limitation is your imagination.


2. Start simple. Ensure immediate success by beginning with surefire winners like herbs, sprouts and lettuce. Take it up a tiny notch by growing a pizza garden (basil, oregano, cherry tomatoes) or a salsa garden (cilantro, onion, tomatoes, peppers). There are specific varieties of vegetables and fruits that fare best in containers. You can find a list of them and the specific size of container they need at Garden Guides.


3. Enjoy the experiment. Gardening is all about experimentation and even the most adept grower sometimes has a failed crop. It doesn't mean you have a brown thumb. Keep a journal of your successes and failures (including details like type of container, type of soil, lighting conditions, watering schedule, etc), so you won't make the same mistake twice.


4. Get some help. Pick up some books from your library, like Organic Crops in Pots by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell. Join the growing community of home gardeners by visiting websites like www.gardenaut.com. Call your local extension services with questions (for some immediate troubleshooting tips visit Texas University Extension Services).

I remember when I was a child and we had a small garden. The tomatoes were amazing. They were so delicious we would sprinkle a bit of sugar on them and eat them for dessert. Children eating tomatoes for dessert. Today parents share all sorts of tips for trying to get kids to eat their vegetables and even adults rarely eat the recommended amount of vegetables every day. Maybe it wouldn't take so much effort if the vegetables actually tasted like they're supposed to, flavorful and delicious. Once you taste your own homegrown organic produce, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. So, do it. Grow your own.

Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Tips to Prevent Gardening Injuries
• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly

Calendar of Easy Tips for Earth Month

Healthy Child Healthy World

It began as Earth Day, but it was soon clear that 24 hours is simply not enough time to celebrate the planet that sustains all life. So now we celebrate our dedication to preserving the planet over the entire month of April.

Healthy Child Healthy World couldn't be happier about having a whole month to bring our greening into sharper focus. The way we go about creating healthy lifestyles is step by step, little by little, without self-imposing any guilt or anxiety. This is supposed to be fun and celebratory, isn't it??

So in this spirit, we put together a calendar of daily Earth Month action tips that not only make your home more environmentally-friendly, but also more clean and healthy. These tips may seem like little things, but put together over a whole month they make a big impact. Print out or download a copy of our calendar, place it somewhere you'll be reminded (like on the fridge or by your computer), and join the month-long movement by greening your home one small step at a time.

Related Topics:

• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get great tips from the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter

Green Dieting with Gwyneth Paltrow

Healthy Child Healthy World

No. It's not some new Hollywood weight loss plan. Green dieting means eating foods that are good for you and the Earth. It's not about sacrificing foods you love, or eating all raw veggies you grew in your own yard. It's about eating a healthy, diversified diet and getting to know your food. Everyone gets to choose their own menu and everyone gets there through their own culinary adventure. In our book, Healthy Child Healthy World, Gwyneth Paltrow talks about her journey to the green diet:

My mom has always been conscious of the environment and health issues. When I was growing up, we would go to farmers' markets and even had wheatgrass in the kitchen. She started a curbside recycling program in Santa Monica in the 1970's, and each week I drove with her to the recycling center. She says I used to roll down the window to yell, "You're polluting!" at truck drivers in their semis. I was three years old.

It wasn't until later that I understood the harm that can come from pesticides and other chemicals in foods. As soon as I did, I tried to eat organic, locally, and foods that weren't processed or full of preservatives. That was reinforced when I became a parent. When I would read about what pesticides do to insects and small animals, I thought, Why would I expose my child to that? It didn't make sense.

From the beginning, my kids have eaten organic. I make a lot of their foods myself. Some people say it sounds difficult - or crazy - but I never found it so. When I'd go to the health food store and see organic baby food in a jar that had been sitting on a shelf for six or nine months, I thought, How good can that be? So I didn't find it tough to make my own. It's much tougher for me to open a jar that's been sitting on a shelf for God knows how long and then feed it to my child.

Food was the beginning of my awareness of toxic substances we ingest. But I try not to get hysterical about it. I'm not doing this to turn my kids into freaks - I just want them to be as healthy as they possibly can. Of course there will be toxic chemicals and heavy metals that come into your and your kids' lives and nostrils and mouths. But I believe that eating well is the best start for living well.

Green Diet on a Dime

Eating with health and the planet in mind doesn't have to cost a fortune. Actually, many choices can save you money! Here are the top five tips for eating green on a dime.

1. Eat lower on the food chain. A diet based more on plant-based foods than meats and dairy can lead to extra years of healthy living. Not only is it healthier in terms of nutrients, but you'll also be consuming less of the potent toxins that build up in animal fats. For example, animal and fatty foods contain the highest levels of DDT and PCBs (both carcinogens banned over 30 years ago) because they are stored in fat and increase in concentration as they move up the food chain. This very same diet reduces environmental damage and pollution and reduces your grocery bill since meat and dairy are big-ticket items in your grocery cart. This doesn't mean you have to become vegetarian or vegan, just cut back a little.


2. Eat clean foods. Everyone knows you should always wash fresh produce, but I'm talking about a different kind of clean. Choose foods that have fewer chemical or heavy metal residues. The easiest way to do this is by buying organic foods, but they often cost more. Budget-friendly options are foods that naturally have less - either by virtue of how they're grown or because of their physical attributes (like bananas, which have a thick peel that protects the fruit from the pesticides sprayed on them).
   
   According to research by the Environmental Working Group, the following fruits and vegetables have the lowest levels of pesticide residue: onion, avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, mango, asparagus, sweet peas, kiwi, cabbage, eggplant, papaya, watermelon, broccoli, tomato, and sweet potato. You can download their pocket guide that lists these and the dirty dozen from Foodnews.com.
   
   When choosing meat and dairy, look for low or non-fat options so you reduce your exposure to chemicals that accumulate in animal fats. For fish, use a guide like the Environmental Defense Fund's Seafood Selector to find species that are lowest in chemical and heavy metal contamination and that are fished in ways that are not harmful to our Oceans.


3. Eat local. As recent as our grandparents' generation, food was mostly grown, sold and eaten all in the same geographic region. Today, we can find foods from all over the globe in our local markets. In fact, the average food item travels over 1,500 miles to get to our plates - that's a lot of pollution and waste created to make a meal. Support your local economy and your health by getting to know your local farmers. You don't need to be BFF, but you should get an idea of where your food comes from. Ask for local produce, meat and dairy at your local market and see what they show you. Better yet, visit your local farmer's market. You'll be supporting your community, saving money, protecting the planet, and eating healthier. Visit EatWellGuide.org to discover your local food system.


4. Eat whole foods. Ever stop to read the ingredients label on packaged, processed foods? It's usually a mouthful of words most of us have a hard time pronouncing, so what exactly are you eating? You can learn which food additives are safe and which are not by visiting The Center for Science in the Public Interest's food safety guide, but it's even easier to simply choose whole foods. Whole foods are not processed, so they have all their natural nutritional gifts - and less processing means less pollution.
   
   Look for foods made from whole grains (think whole wheat bread, oatmeal and brown rice) - and it should say "whole" on the label. Make more foods from scratch (really, things like mac-n-cheese are just as easy to make from whole ingredients as they are to make from the box). You'll end up saving money, eating healthier and reducing all the waste created from packaging and processing foods.


5. Buy in bulk. It's been common knowledge for many years that buying in bulk saves money, but did you ever think about how much waste you reduce by not using so much packaging? Also, similar to tips above, bulk foods are often less processed so you reduce your exposure to questionable food additives. Bulk cook staples like beans and other legumes and store them in your freezer in serving sizes that are appropriate for your family size. You'll be saving money and you'll reduce your exposure to Bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor found in the lining of some cans.

Extra Credit Tip: Stop Wasting Food. According to the US Health Department, approximately 25% of food in the US is thrown away - 96.4 billion pounds of food a year. That's about one pound of food, per citizen, per day that ends up lining the trash bins. And that's a study from 1995; many believe the number has perhaps doubled by now. Take only what you'll eat and use your leftovers (try LeftOverChef.com for recipe ideas).

*****

Gwyneth Paltrow's quote taken from Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home. Reprinted by arrangement with Plume, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright (c) 2009 by Healthy Child Healthy World.

Related Topics:

• How to Eat Organic Foods on a Budget
• Tackling the Toxic Table
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A Healthy Planet Begins With You

Show How for Chance to Win Great Prizes!

by Healthy Child Healthy World

Healthy Child Healthy World translates the complicated issues of chemicals in our environment into understandable information with easy solutions, but oftentimes the best tips come from people like you. In honor of Earth Month, we're asking for you to share your best advice by submitting a very short video to our Healthy Begins Here contest.

How do YOU create a cleaner, greener, safer home?

Get started by visiting the new WebMD Health eHome, an interactive tool to help you find easy ways to protect the planet and your health. Maybe you learn something new or maybe you're way ahead of us and have something better to offer. Whether it's your great grandma demonstrating her old school chemical-free cleaning tricks or your dog taking out the recycling - send us a video under 2 minutes that shows us how you protect your little piece of the planet. Do whatever you do, but do it refreshingly different. Make it fun.

Actually, having fun is the Golden Rule of our contest (read the other rules on our website). Going green and living healthier doesn't need to be complicated, or a hassle, or a sacrifice. Talking about it shouldn't be doom and gloom or wrapped in contrived morality. It should be fun. And it CAN be fun (especially if you get your kids, or pets, or eccentric relatives involved). If you're having fun doing it, people are going to have fun watching you, and hopefully then they'll try it too. And that's the point. We want you to inspire others to do whatever they can to protect their home, their health, and the planet.

And, if you make a video of yourself doing what you do, you can win fabulous prizes, generously donated by Seventh Generation (The GRAND PRIZE winner will receive an Apple 8G iPod Touch pre-loaded with Seventh Generations Label Reading Guide application in addition to a years supply of Seventh Generation home care and cleaning products and a copy of the Healthy Child Healthy World book and DVD. FIRST PRIZE will receive a Flip Ultra digital video camera, a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit and a copy of the Healthy Child Healthy World book and DVD. The eight runners-up will receive a Seventh Generation Living Home Cleaning Kit.) In addition, these videos will be used to educate and inspire thousands of other people! Going green never felt better.

What are you waiting for? A healthy planet begins with you (and we're only accepting submissions until 12am/PST April 19, 2009. We can't wait to see what you can do!

Related Topics:

• Health eHome
• Going Green: Eco-Friendly Tips & Advice
• Get the Parenting & Children's Health newsletter in your inbox weekly