6 Ways to Save Money When Eating Healthy

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

We’ve been speaking for weeks about the importance of eating healthy, organic food. What concerns many people is the cost of organic food. How can you and your family get the most bang for your buck? That is the question families are pondering as they try to save money while still enjoying healthy, organic meals. Here are some tips to help you and your family save money while eating healthy!

1) Shop at Trader Joe’s! – What can you say about a store where their employees dress in Hawaiian shirts and they encourage you to bring your own bags? Well, they are among the cream of the crop when it comes to healthy grocery stores. For over fifty years, Trader Joe’s has been putting out reasonably priced, “innovative, hard-to-find” products. You can always count on them to a feature a wide variety of organic products that will make your stomach growl with hunger and anticipation.

Image courtesy of kraifreedom

2) Clip coupons! – Gone are the days of using weekly circulars as your only source of coupons. In our tech savvy era there are numerous websites and apps for your smart phone to help you save! One of the best out there is Smartsource.com. Here, you can find hundreds of coupons with location and store specific searches for your convenience.

3) Local farmers markets – There is no better way to support local businesses and eat healthy then shopping at your local farmers market. Here, you will find locally grown fruits, vegetables, and other delicacies to meet your heart’s desire.  Around this time of the year, farmers markets are overflowing with apples, pumpkins, and squash, perfect for cooking on cool fall days. Search the Internet for a local market near you or check out the national database at http://farmersmarket.com/.

4) Grow organic food at home – If you have the space in your backyard, grow your own fruits and vegetables. There is nothing better than picking your own freshly grown tomatoes for your salad. As you are in the planning stages, it is imperative to pick out an organic fertilizer that will suit your needs.  You can use leftover produce to start an organic compost pile and have fertilizer for next season.

5) Trade with friends and neighbors – Once you have your garden in place, why not network and share your fresh, organic crops throughout the neighborhood? Not only will you get to try new things, but you can make some new friends along the way. You can set up an exchange with your neighbors and organize potluck lunches or dinners. Remember, sharing is caring!

Image courtesy of suat eman

6) Learn to store products better – As you combine your groceries from Trader Joe’s and your fresh, organically grown crops from your garden, there is a proper method of storing and keeping food fresh and healthy for your family to enjoy. You should can, jar, or freeze your produce that’s left over from your garden at the end of the season.  Check out some more handy tips from lifehacker.com.

Some More Fun Fall Ideas for the Whole Family

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

This autumn, you don’t have to fall into the old ways of buying products that will only serve purpose for one day and then be thrown into a landfill.  There are tons of eco-friendly fall festivities that you and your entire family can enjoy together.

1- Autumn and pumpkin picking basically go hand-in-hand.  Pack up some warm apple cider in a thermos and head out to the local pumpkin patch with your family.  Be sure to wear those old sneakers and clothes that have been collecting dust in your closet for years because you will probably get dirty.  With your new pumpkin collection, you can turn them into elaborate jack-o-lanterns and a decadent pumpkin pie. Oh, and save the pumpkin seeds – they’re perfect for roasting.

Image courtesy of Chokphoto

2- Getting lost in a corn maze is always a great time so long as monsters aren’t lurking around.  There are different types of corn mazes – organic, haunted – any of them will permeate the air with the sweet smell of corn.  Some of them even have roasted corn and other organic treats waiting for your indulgence, if you survive.

3- Looking for a way to keep the birds out of your garden?  Scarecrows have been around for centuries and were intended to literally scare animals from coming into the fields and eating the crops.  You can make an eco-friendly scarecrow by using organic cotton and bamboo clothing, an extra pumpkin you collected from the patch, and some organic hay.  Your family can even enter the scary scarecrow into a contest.

4- Autumn is the time when leaves fall off the trees and scatter all over your lawn.  Make leaf raking fun by gathering them into colorful piles that you and your family can jump into.  Who said only kids can enjoy messing things up?  And then after, you can rake them into an organic compost pile.

5- Arts and crafts can even have an outdoorsy autumn twist.  First, start off with a scavenger hunt for different types of leaves, pine cones, and acorns.  Then gather all of your family’s findings together and create acorn necklaces, and press the leaves into a scrapbook.  Use eco-friendly paint to decorate the pine cones for Thanksgiving or save them to hang on your Christmas tree.

Image courtesy of Suat Eman

6- The season would not be complete without the shenanigans of Halloween.  Use household items and old clothes to create costumes (the ghost made out of a white bed sheet never fails).  Or if you don’t have anything scare-worthy, buy organic costumes to keep with the eco-friendly vibe.

There really is no limit to the green and eco-friendly festivities you and your family can participate in this autumn.  Especially now, almost everything- from food to clothes to activities- can be turned organic and environmentally friendly.  So get those jack-o-lanterns and scarecrows ready, dress your kids (and yourself!) in organic costumes, grab those pillowcases and get trick-or-treating!

Book Review: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Posted by Silvia Terzian

 

Reason for Reading: Like everyone else I was enchanted with the short film when it came out and linked it on my blog and FB right away. When I saw the book was out I just had to read it!

An absolutely wonderful, whimsical story for book lovers of all ages. A delightful story that just lets one become enraptured with the celebration of books and the story they tell. And even though this “book” is available in true book form here, as a movie, on an eReader and originally as an iPod app, it truly honours the traditional book form in all its ancient glory. The story is joyous and yet slightly bittersweet, leaving one with the feeling that no matter what happens in the future, true books will always be with us in our heart of hearts. We just won’t let them go!

Click here for a chance to win a free copy!

Top 5 Ways to Jump Into a Healthy Fall

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

The kids are back in school. The days are starting to get shorter and the nights are growing a little bit cooler. With fall right around the corner, it’s time to start getting prepared. Here are some tips for a healthy and safe autumn.

  1. Check out local farmers markets – This time of year is wonderful for going to visit farmers markets. A local farmers market can yield a dozen kinds of apples and pumpkins as big as most toddlers. If you like fresh squash, this is definitely your season too. With the amazing bounty of fresh veggies and produce available at a well-stocked farmers market, you can try your hand at making your own organic apple cider or pumpkin pies.

    Image courtesy of Paul

  2. Make your own candles and soap from organic goods from farmers markets – Don’t forget that your farmers market is good for more than just produce. You can get organic wax and berries to craft your own organic candles and soap. Make your own sweet scents with a variety of organic berries. Even if you have to go further than a farmers market to get some of the components for the candles and wax, you will be surprised about how easy it is to cast your own candles.
  3. Start your own compost pile – What do you do with all of those veggies from your organic garden that you didn’t get to eat or preserve? Here’s something that can help you next year too. Take all of those veggies from the garden and dead, raked up leaves to make an organic compost pile. This way, next season you will have your own organic fertilizer. Just be careful and don’t throw in fruit, since fruit decomposition is faster and will rot.
  4. Unplug those air conditioners! – The summer heat is mostly gone, though you will have a few above average warm days until October or so, depending on where you live. So unplug those AC units unless you really need them. Keeping them plugged in actually uses up energy, even if they aren’t on. Take out your wall air conditioning unit so no excess cool or warm air escapes. So save electricity. Use fans instead and open the windows for some fresh fall air.

    Image courtesy of winnond

  5. Redo your insulation around doors and windows – This may take some work and a little bit of cash but the money you save could be considerable. Check all of the insulation around your doors and windows. If you feel a breeze coming in from outside and the window is closed, that means not only is cool or warm air escaping, but so is your money. Go to Home Depot or Lowe’s and pick up some insulation. If your entire window is letting in the outside air, you may even want to consider replacing it with a new one that has better insulation.

 

Book Review: Cecil the Pet Glacier by Matthea Harvey

Posted by Silvia Terzian

Identity Crises and the pressure to conform can sometimes seem overwhelming.  The author creates an indescribably unique picture book about “a proud normal girl” wanting to be herself, wearing a uniform of “brown pinafores, plain black headbands and brown shoes with the shoelaces triple-knotted.” She takes a brave journey all the way to Norway, then comes to appreciate herself as being different.

Her parents alone- her mother, a tiara designer and father, fighting his own identity crises, are nothing short of, as one of the reviews stated- “a parable about growing up in contemporary Williamsburg with parents who wean you on Colette and the Ramones.”

We live in a society where every step of the way is pre-calculated, defining what we/it should be. No one has the answer to anything, let alone originality, spontaneity of character – Let it be!  It reminded me in many ways of the avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama’s story. It is wonderful to be different!

Recently I read the story to a young student of mine. When I asked her opinion about the book, Tamako exclaimed:” Normal is boring! Can we be different?” OF COURSE!

Allowing our children to be present with their own personalities, to be who they are, is a key to a happy child.

Click here for a chance to win a free copy!

Top 6 Ways to Get Your Community Involved in the Green Movement

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

For the past few weeks, we’ve been focused on how to send the kids back to school with a fresh, green start. Everything from organic lunches, to organic clothing, to eco-friendly school supplies, we have searched the web to bring you some of the best options. But one thing that we know as parents is that activities with kids are more fun and last longer when they are done in a group. So what kind of group activities could you do to encourage the green movement among your kids’ friends and neighbors?

  1. Organize a massive recycling effort – Many towns have recycling programs set up. You could encourage your kids and their friends to scour their homes, looking for things that can be recycled. They could have competitions to see who collected the most cans, bottles, or newspapers to bring to the local recycling center. Teams can be organized so that no one is left out and in the end, rewards could be given to the kid who collects the most. See if your local school district has a recycling program or if your child’s teacher will allow an in-class recycling program.
  2. Have a clothing swap – Instead of buying new clothes and constantly letting old ones clutter up the closet, you should organize a big clothing swap among your friends and neighbors. This is a great way to de-clutter your closets, especially if you have older kids and no younger ones to pass the clothing down to. At the end of the swap, you can donate extra clothing to a local goodwill store.

    Image courtesy of Worakit Sirijinda

  3. Plant trees/bushes– Nothing says you love the environment like planting a tree. Contact your local park and verify their guidelines in planting some trees or bushes; after all, you don’t want to plant a tree just anywhere. This is a great way to get both kids and parents involved in a big project that everyone can be a part of. If you would like to keep the planting close to home, raise seedlings inside using organic soil and plant them in your yard during the fall.
  4. Organize a walk/run – With fall right around the corner, the weather is turning cooler. It’s the perfect time to walk or run outdoors. Contact local businesses to sponsor the run. Most small businesses won’t say no and will want to pitch in for the event. Contact a charity or hospital nearby and make the whole event a charitable one. This way, you can get some exercise and do something positive for the community or a charity.
  5. Host an organic potluck – Nothing says organic more than food! Get some neighbors and organize a potluck dinner or lunch featuring just organic recipes. Choose your favorite organic food recipes or experiment with new ones that you have always wanted to try. Create a recipe swap amongst your friends and neighbors. It’ll help build interest among the kids, since they will see how many healthy and tasty options that there actually are.

    Image courtesy of Victor Habbick

  6. Organic NFL Snack Time – If you have little ones that love to watch the big game with dad, organize a local football game with parents and kids. Parents in the neighborhood can host each Sunday a game before the game to keep your kids active. Now that football has started, you will find some great organic, healthy snack foods to take the place of the usual greasy snack foods.
CATEGORIES       Health

Winding Down Your Summer with Labor Day Activities Part 2

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

Last week we listed a few different ways that you can prepare for a healthy, green Labor Day weekend. This week we are featuring different activities that you and your family can participate during the long Labor Day weekend that are fun, engaging for the whole family, and contribute to a healthy lifestyle and a greener planet.

One trend that appears to be gaining steam is encouraging people to take a step away from social media and the Internet in general. One such initiative known as the Reconnect Project, is targeting September 2, the Sunday during Labor Day weekend, as a day to disconnect from the Internet and connect with the world on a human level. They want to foster innate human creativity and see what happens when people don’t go online for a whole day. Here are our 5 tips for disconnecting from technology.

  1. Find a group bicycling or walking event – This weekend, as the last official weekend of the summer, means that there are going to be lots of outdoor events planned. Some small towns have charity events like run/walks or cycling marathons that are fun and challenging for everyone.

    Image courtesy of Sura Nualpradid


  2. Go to a local park – Go visit one of your local parks and explore the territory. Make sure that you have bug spray with you and be watchful of any notices that the parks department posts regarding ticks or other potential safety issues.
  3. Go camping – Pack up the family and go for a camping trip. Make s’mores with your kids over an open fire and get away from it all. Reconnect as a family. Teach your kids about preserving nature and how to live off the land for a little while. Go fishing and show your kids how much fun fishing can be. Tell scary stories around a campfire.

    Image courtesy of Simon Howden

  4. Build animal feeders – If your kids are artsy or into crafts, let them show off their creative sides and build animal feeders. It’s a great way for them to express themselves creatively and see their work in action. If you aren’t particularly crafty yourself and don’t want to build the birdhouse, you can always head to a local crafts store and buy a premade one that is ready to be painted and decorated. Get a book on birds and see how many birds you can identify that visit your feeder.
  5. Jarring and canning –One trend in food that is growing in popularity is jarring. Making your own preserves and canning food can help save money and can be shared at your next party. Tips from FoodNetwork.com to sterilize jars should be followed for the best jarring practices.

We hope these tips help you enjoy a safe and green Labor Day weekend!

CATEGORIES       Health

Winding Down Your Summer with Labor Day Weekend Preparations Part 1

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

For the past few weeks, we’ve been focused on how to send the kids back to school with a fresh, green start. So now that the kids are ready to go back to school, and all the shopping is done, it’s time to kick back and enjoy the last few weeks of summer.

With that in mind, we’re offering tips on how to have a green Labor Day. This week, we’ll be talking about getting prepared for Labor Day weekend.

  1. Organic foods –No Labor Day weekend would be complete without a barbecue. Instead of going to the nearest giant supermarket chain for meat with questionable fillers and odd by products, head to a healthy grocery store like Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods and get some organic meats. Organic meats must abide by strict criteria, including having been raised on certified organic pasture and be hormone and antibiotic free, in order to be certified. While you’re at the store getting free range chicken and fish, pick up healthy organic or natural snack foods as well.

    Image courtesy of graur razvan ionut

  2. Use wood chips and eco-friendly charcoal instead of gas – Use eco-friendly charcoal from Green Link charcoal and hickory chips to smoke your barbecue food is not only using an organic element but imparts a distinct flavor to your food, particularly chicken. Wood smoke also gives food a nice tang that can’t be achieved with a gas grill. Just make sure to check your food temperatures! Eco-friendly charcoal doesn’t contain fillers and burns cleaner than traditional charcoal.
  3. Use paper plates and cups – Instead of using plastic cups and plates at your barbecue, use paper plates and cups that are made from recycled goods. EcoProducts has a full line of plates, cups, napkins, and utensils that are made from recycled goods or made from renewable or compostable components. These items are made to support sustainability efforts.
  4. A Ride in the Park– The park is a great place to barbeque. Most county parks have barbeques stationed in pedestrian picnic areas. If you’re going to go to the park for your barbecue, ride your bike there instead of driving. This way, you’ll get your metabolism going before you eat, which will help you burn more calories, and you can burn some additional calories on the way home. If you have to drive to the park, carpool to save some gas.
  5. Decorations – You’re having a barbecue so you have to decorate the place. Use paper decorations that are made from recycled paper. A company like Green Party Goods is a great place to go to get your party decorations and supplies. They offer a wide range of decorations like biodegradable balloons, recycled paper lanterns, and other eco-friendly items.

    Image courtesy of m_bartosch

  6. Conserve power – While the party is going on outside, keep things powered down inside. Turn off any lights that you don’t need in rooms that are empty. Turn the TVs off. Turn the air conditioning off if you can. Open up the house and let in some fresh summer air.

Next week’s blog will discuss some of the activities and relaxing things to do during the last big weekend of the summer.

10 Activities for Health, Nature, or Environmentally Conscious Kids

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

So the kids are home from school now, with that seemingly boundless energy, and they’re starting to give you that “We’re bored” look. There’s daylight to burn and hours until dinner time. Try these fun activities to help the time pass!

  1. Trailblazing: Hike through a park or nature preserve. Hiking gets them outside, active, and into the fresh air. Visit a local ecology center or check out an arboretum. These are great places to get kids interested in nature or animal conservation.
  2. Plant a tree: It doesn’t have to be Arbor Dayor Earth Day to encourage your kids to plant a new tree. The kids can go back and visit the tree every year and check on its growth. Aside from the benefits of the tree itself, it will connect them to nature in a unique way. You can teach your kids about sustainability and why it’s so important to continue the green earth cycle.

    Image courtesy of akarakingdoms

  3. Get Your Hands Dirty: Gardening can be fun and kids can watch their seedling grow into a plant of their choice. The kids can start small seedlings and nurture them through the winter to plant in the spring. Vegetables like carrots and broccoli grow well during fall weather. For that extra added bit of environmentally friendly awareness, use organic fertilizers instead of chemical based products.
  4. Play Ball:  Organize games of tag, soccer or kickball with the local kids in the neighborhood. Organized team play will get them to spend less time in front of a television and more time outside and teach them great social skills.
  5. Bike riding: Local parks are a great place for bike riding and is one of those ideal activities to get your kids outside and into the fresh air.You can even grab a bike yourself and make it a family outing but make sure that your kids have proper helmets and reflectors on their bikes before trekking out on the road.

    Image courtesy of Vlado

  6. Arts and Crafts: Not all fun has to be outdoors. Encourage creativity with crafts using eco-friendly art supplies. Recyclable construction paper and eco-friendly crayons are only two of the many kinds of supplies which are available for after school craft time. You can even encourage outdoor creativity with biodegradable street paint for drawing on the sidewalks or driveway.
  7. Walk the dog: Not only do the kids get some moderate exercise by walking or playing with Fido, it’s also a good way to instill a sense of responsibility. Make sure to chaperone your child when walking Fido and bring plenty of baggies for your little pup’s mess.

    Image courtesy of Tina Phillips

  8. Join a local Boy or Girl Scout troop: Your local Boy Scout or Girl Scout Divisions are constantly performing work with environmental or health based initiatives. The Scouts are an excellent community organization that teaches kids valuable social skills and the importance of team work. The Scouts have many activities where they can earn badges as rewards for community outreach.
  9. Recycle: Volunteer to run a local recycling drive.. You and your kids can host a recycling drive from a local VFW and get the whole community to pitch in. The money earned for the items recycled can go towards a local charity or event.
  10. Go camping in the backyard: There’s no reason why you can’t go camping in the backyard overnight. You can teach your kid about how to live off of the grid for a night, with no computer or TV. Make it a family affair and go camping for a weekend either out in the backyard or a your local camping site if you can’t make it into the wilderness. You can go fishing, learn to safely build a fire, and gaze at star constellations. Be sure to clean up after your camping expedition, removing all garbage and extinguishing your camp fire properly. The importance of caring for nature is made clearer when you are surrounded by it.
CATEGORIES       Health

Start the Year off Right and Go Back to School with Green School Supplies

Posted by Jenny and Andrew Argington

In keeping with this month’s theme of healthy, green ways to go back to school, this week’s blog will focus on going green in the classroom. With so many available options for recycled school supplies, there is no reason why you can’t send your kids to school with some cool recycled gear this upcoming year and help the environment at the same time.

After all, sustainability is all about preserving the planet for future generations. If you start the cycle when they’re young, chances are that they’ll continue it on their own as they get older. We are going to highlight a few of our favorite items that are out there. We hope that you check out some of our favorites and maybe find a few new favorites of your own!

  1. Notebooks made from recycled paper have been around for at least 15 years. Ampad, a subdivision of Pendaflex, has made some outstanding recycled products, such as pads, for many years, before it was a trendy, fashionable thing to do. The variety and quantity of items has vastly increased in the last decade and a half.
  2. Creatology offers 100% recycled construction paper that comes in a variety of bright colors for your little artist. Packs of 50 sheets of 9”x12” paper can be purchased from Michael’s or online.

    Image courtesy of njaj

  3. A company called TreeSmart takes recycling newspapers to a new level by transforming newspapers into pencils. These pencils are made by rolling newspapers and creating the pencil around a core of graphite. If you are not simply satisfied with plain pencils, TreeSmart pencils are also available in color and can even be custom printed.
  4. Many of us have seen pens whose barrels are made from recycled paper, but how many of you have seen Bottle2Pen from Pilot? They are 86% minimally made from recycled water bottles. They offer two different types of recycled pens, a ball point that is 86% recycled and a gel pen that is 89% recycled. The color and barrel shape resemble a bottle of water! As seen on Pilot’s website, less than 1 in 3 of the 2.5 million water bottles used by Americans every hour is recycled.

    Image courtesy of domdeen

  5. These crayons have lots of yummy ingredients – but don’t eat them! Made from organic ingredients including fruit and veggie extracts, plus assorted natural waxes, non-toxic crayons from eco-kids will make coloring not only safe but fun!
  6. If your little artist wants to get even more creative, there are eco-friendly paints available. Earth Paint makes their water color paints from natural, organic ingredients such as clay. Earth Paints boasts hand-crafted products and even includes biodegradable packaging.
  7. Do you have all of the kids’ school supplies but no way for the kids to carry them? Send the kids back to school in environmental style using these adorable backpacks from Ecogear. The zoo-themed Ecozoo series are animal themed and made from a combination of recycled and natural components.