The Green Blog

Kilowatt Ours

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:25:44 GMT

Have you seen the film "Kilowatt Ours" on Public Television recently? It is an excellent film with some wonderful information about saving energy, saving money and what's new on the energy front. Check out their website, too at www.kilowattours.org!

I See Me! creates beautiful personalized books for your special kids!

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 20:57:02 GMT

Green Holiday Tips for your sustainable Celebrations!

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:39:50 GMT

Green Holiday Tips to help you plan a low impact celebration!

Green Holidays for Family Fun and Savings!

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 23:38:43 GMT

This is the year for Green Holidays! See our ideas for unique family gifts!

You Can Make a Difference With Holiday Cards from UNICEF!

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:30:29 GMT

New White House Chief of Staff Supports the Pickens Plan for Clean Energy!

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:16:18 GMT

Yesterday, November 06, 2008, 1:06:09 PM | Rich Big news on the Pickens Plan front! Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) has just been announced as the new White House chief of staff when President-elect Barack Obama is inauguarted next January 20. Rep. Emanuel is a BIG supporter of moving to natural gas generally and the Pickens Plan in particular. He introduced Boone at a town hall event in Chicago in October. In an interview posted on the Pickens Plan website on Sept. 30, 2008, Rep. Emanuel said, I agree with the Pickens Plan to fuel more cars with natural gas. To reduce our oil consumption, we need to give American drivers a choice of how they fuel their cars; natural gas vehicles can help provide that choice. And I believe that an energy policy aimed at curbing our addition to oil will allow us to create new jobs, curb global warming, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. This is the man who will have enormous influence not just over the White House staff, but over the direction that many of the Cabinet Departments take as well. You can read the entire interview with Congressman Emanuel by visiting the PicketsPlan website.

Is Your Childs School a Healthy Place to Learn?

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 06:17:58 GMT

Your childs school - How safe is the environment ?

Go Green with Recycling Tips!

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:23:59 GMT

Go green with these important recycling tips.

Environmentally Safe Gardening Solutions

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 06:52:15 GMT

Environmentally safe gardening solutions for a beautiful yard and garden!

Environmental Resources Online for Parents

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 06:01:27 GMT

Parents can find additional environmental resources online!

Trash Talk!

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 04:46:31 GMT

Let's talk trash! And recycling and garbage and....

A Healthy Clean at Home

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:08:49 GMT

Do you think your home is a safe place for your kids?

Please don't disrupt my endocrines!

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:36:12 GMT

This article from the Enviroblog lays out the problems with plastics and chemicals which may be hormone disruptors causing health risks - particularly serious for young people! By Lisa Frack October 21, 2008 Unless you've been living under a rock these past few years, or purposefully avoiding the newspaper, you've likely heard the term 'endocrine disruptor.' And it has a serious ring to it, doesn't it? Like when you hear the phrase you get an immediate sense that endocrines should definitely not be disrupted, and a sinking feel that maybe yours aren't safe. And you'd be right on both counts. What's an endocrine, anyway? First off, it's the endocrine system, not just one lone endocrine (as I once thought). And this is one important system. Why? It produces and manages hormones, that's why. It accomplishes this through a complex system of glands and receptors throughout the body (familiar sounding glands like pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, ovaries, and testicles). Hormones (such as insulin, estrogen, and testosterone) are produced in these glands, travel through the bloodstream, and bind with matching receptors. These hormones control a bunch of important functions in the body, like growth, reproduction, blood pressure, and food utilization, to name but a few. Read more at this link...

National Geographic Store on Healthy-kids-go-green.com

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:57:54 GMT

We are always looking for great resources for our readers and we love this one! The National Geographic store and website are very fun and have lots of great ideas for exploration and going green. Check it out!

Join the Healthy-Kids Go-Green Club!

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:31:15 GMT

Healthy-Kids Can Join With Others and Go Green for Fun and Friendship!

Go Green Websites for Kids!

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 20:16:23 GMT

Go green websites for kids who want to have fun while helping the earth!

Products derived from natural, nontoxic ingredients -- once seen as fringe -- are now mainstream.

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 03:53:46 GMT

The Los Angeles Times front page article on green products becoming mainstream is a well written exploration of shifting attitudes. This article features the Shaklee Corporation as a leader in the green products industry. Very interesting!

The Award-Winning Shaklee Corporation is Opening in China!

Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:18:47 GMT

The Shaklee Corporation - the MLM leader in nutritional research and development and a recognized worldwide environmental leader - is set to open business in China! You can be part of this monumental opportunity! Read on!

Plastics in the News

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:17:46 GMT

Plastics and the environmental risks are front page news!

Music and Families Go Together!

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:14:37 GMT

Music available for singing, reading, playing at the click of a finger!

Welcome to the Go-Green Video Arcade!

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:10:05 GMT

You'll love these videos we've chosen just for you!

Parents Share Ideas and Inspiration About Going Green

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 21:08:43 GMT

Send us your thoughts and include a picture!

Safe and Healthy Kids!

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:40:41 GMT

Check out this important information about the Children's Nutrition Challenge and solutions for a healthy child.

October is Children's Health Month!

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:40:41 GMT

Healthy Child, Healthy World offers great ideas and information on Children's Health Month. Let's all celebrate October by putting our kid's health first!

Encourage Disney to Go Green!

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:11:27 GMT

Did You Know?

Did you know that Disney World uses green cleaning products in Animal Kingdom but not in Magic Kingdom? Two years ago the Center for Health Environment and Justice (CHEJ) launched its Disney Go Green! campaign. Disney is a leader in innovation but has yet to take the important steps of eliminating toxic cleaning products from its Disney World parks, hotels and restaurants, like it has in Animal Kingdom to protect its animals. Would you like to have your voice be heard? Send Disney an email by clicking on the above URL.

2009 Shaklee Product Guide for Your Best Health!

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 05:03:24 GMT

You can now view the 2009 Shaklee Product Guide online! You can save paper and have the convenience of all the Product Guide detailed information about environmentally safe and effective Get Clean Products, the highest quality nutrition products such as Vitalizer - based on the UC Berkeley Landmark Study, and the newly released Vivix - the breakthrough scientific product for Cellular Anti-Aging. There are no other products like Shaklee products for quality, efficacy, effectiveness and scientific backing! Click on the link to view the Product Guide!

Formula Makers Pressed to Remove Toxic Chemical From Containers

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 04:51:51 GMT

WASHINGTON Environmental Working Group (EWG) renewed its call for all infant formula makers to remove the toxic chemical BPA from their containers in light of recent actions by the governments of the United States and Canada, as well as action by major retailers to pull products made with BPA from store shelves. Last week the National Institutes of Health increased its level of concern that BPA may be linked to a number of serious reproductive and developmental problems including breast cancer, early puberty, prostate effects, and behavioral problems. Concurrently, Canada determined that BPA meets criteria for listing as a dangerous substance, and announced actions to ban the chemicals use in baby products, including infant formula cans. In the wake of both announcements, major retailers and manufacturers announced they would remove BPA bottles and other plastics products. However no one has addressed contamination of formula, which is a key source of exposure for babies. Click on the link and read more! discussion.

Keeping Babies Safe from BPA

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 04:46:31 GMT

The Environmental Working Group shares important strategies for keeping babies BPA ( bisphenol A - a toxic chemical found in plastics ) free! Take a look at this excellent pdf. from The Environmental Working Group on strategies for using bottles and baby formula as safely as possible.

Site Build It ! For Your Home Business!

Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:34:12 GMT

Take a look at this valuable resource. I Did!

Verification

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 20:57:38 GMT

An Important Report About New Pesticide in Kids Cosmetics

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:13:54 GMT

Pesticide in Soap, Toothpaste and Breast Milk - Is It Kid-Safe?

Summary & Recommendations By Rebecca Sutton, PhD, and Olga Naidenko, PhD EWG Scientists, July 2008 With no assessment of health risks to infants, federal regulators have approved a hormone-disrupting pesticide, triclosan, for use in 140 different types of consumer products including liquid hand soap, toothpaste, undergarments and children's toys. This exposure has been allowed despite the fact that the chemical ends up in mothers' breast milk and poses potential toxicity to fetal and childhood development. In addition to these risks, Environmental Working Group (EWG) finds no evidence that triclosan's widespread use in liquid hand soap and other products gives consumers the germ-killing benefits they are promised. The American Medical Association, a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee, and dozens of academic researchers have determined that antimicrobial soap does not work any better than plain soap and water at preventing the spread of infections or reducing bacteria on the skin. As required by law, the Environmental Protection Agency is now reviewing health and safety data for triclosan. This is a critical process that could lead to the stringent health and environmental protections needed to reduce exposure to this toxic antimicrobial agent. However, EPA's draft risk assessment of triclosan gives cause for concern: Plagued with data gaps and inconsistencies, the assessment was crafted to support the status quo. EPA has approved triclosan for use in 20 pesticide formulations applied to consumer products from credit cards and countertops to baby bibs and blankets. In a callous and unjustified abuse of federal pesticide law, EPA failed to consider the safety of babies' and children's exposure to triclosan in breast milk, mattresses, sleepers, blankets, bibs, toys, house dust, diaper cream, and other potential sources when approving these uses. Triclosan persists in the environment, breaks down into substances highly toxic to wildlife, pollutes the human body, and poses health risks that are barely studied and poorly understood. Because triclosan has been proven ineffective, and EPA has failed to assess its safety for children, we recommend: A ban on triclosan in personal care products and any other products used at home, in line with the conclusion of the American Medical Association that common antimicrobials for which resistance has been demonstrated should "be discontinued in consumer products unless data emerge that conclusively show that such resistance has no effect on public health and that such products are effective at preventing infection." For remaining non-consumer uses, EPA must fully assess the safety of triclosan and its breakdown products for the fetus, infant, child, and other vulnerable populations. Consumers should avoid the use of triclosan-laden products whenever possible. Manufacturers should curtail their use of this toxic, persistent chemical in consumer products, voluntarily in advance of mandatory restrictions.

Fishing with my Dad

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 04:55:22 GMT

Hi my name is Cody. I'm six years old and I love to go fishing with my dad. This picture is on a fishing trip on the Puget Sound. We catch trout,

Catching Crabs

Sun, 13 Jul 2008 01:30:10 GMT

Hi! My name is Madison and this is my friend Erin. We love going to the beach in our town in Washington to study the sea life. In this picture we were

New Study Says That 80 of Sunscreens Are Ineffective.

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:13:35 GMT

This report was written by Dr. Kim Mulvihill, M.D. at CBS 5 KPIX July 10th, 2008 Sunscreenit's a billion dollar a year business. "I use sunscreen on a regular basis," says one sun worshipper. Slather it on to protect your skin. But is it safe and effective? A new study from the Environmental Working Group says that for 4 out of 5 sunscreens, the answer is "no." One reason? The difference between UVA and UVB rays. Traditionally, sunscreens have done a good job protecting against UVB rays that cause sunburns, but not against UVA rays, the ones that penetrate more deeply into your skin and lead to premature agingand wrinkles. Both types of UV light can damage your skin, damage your DNA, and lead to skin cancer. "We know now clearly it's the UVA rays that are actually the most dangerous," said Dr. Mark Steven Nestor, a dermatologist. The best protection against UVA rays is a sunscreen that contains zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, or avobenzone. But avobenzone, a popular ingredient, weakens when exposed to sunlight. A new technology used in processing, called "Helioplex," may help. Helioplex stops avobenzone from breaking down. "It allows for this UVA agent to be much more stable and act much longer. Up to about 5 hours," said Dr. Nestor. The other concern is that sunscreen gives wearers a false sense of security, and they'll stay in the sun longer.

Is Your Sunscreen Safe and Effective?

Sat, 12 Jul 2008 19:08:40 GMT

Is Your Sunsceen Providing Adequate Protection? Posted: 11 Jul 2008 08:00 AM CDT Fox KTVU July 11th, 2008 OAKLAND, Calif. -- You may think you're doing the right thing by slathering sunscreen on yourself and your children before heading outdoors, but a new study shows many of the most popular brands of sunscreen may not live up to their protection promises. Unusually hot weather around the bay area has drawn big crowds to local beaches and public swimming pools this summer. Most people you talk to are serious about sunscreen. "I have a seven-year-old and a five-year-old, and every time I come to the beach I put sunscreen on them," said Michael Fields as he lounged at his local beach in Alameda. But what do you really know about your sunscreen? A public interest group reviewed about a thousand different sunscreens and says many -- especially the most popular brands -- fall well short of recommended levels of protection. "We found four out of five of them either provide inadequate UV protection or contained ingredients that we're concerned about, explained Environmental Working Group spokeswoman Rebecca Sutton. Current FDA rules don't require testing for UVA protection. UVA is a part of sunshine that research indicates may cause skin cancer (along with UVB). This might possibly explain why skin cancer rates have not decreased despite a billion dollars a year in sunscreen sales. Activists are also concerned about sunscreen ingredients such as oxybenzone. "Each dose you are going to apply to your skin is going to penetrate into your body and possibly cause hormone disruptions or other health concerns," said Sutton. Ingredients zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which do not penetrate the skin, and a new one called mexoryl were found in the sunscreens that earned the best ratings. But consumers need to look at product labels carefully to stay informed when making purchases. Manufacturers say they comply with FDA rules and the FDA has promised since 2007 to tighten labeling regulations on sunscreens. So far, no target date has been set for more stringent sunscreen rules, leaving it up to consumers to take the proper precautions.