Generally, people think of burning wood as the villain of the renewable energy family. Although it is a renewable resource, it causes environmentalists to shake their heads. Mostly they worry that burning wood means cutting down precious trees for fuel and smoke pollution. Not to mention that wood stoves are not as technologically sexy as glittering solar panels and whirling wind turbines.

As much as some hate the burning of wood as an energy source, wood is a conditionally renewable fuel, period. And as all environmentalists and alternative energy aficionados know, there aren’t too many renewable options available–especially ones that aide in large amounts for the cold weather months. For some, relying on wood burning fuel as a source for heat is a must for survival.

There are many of us that would rather use wood burning heaters rather than electrical or gas heaters. For those select few, do your part for sustainability by purchasing wood that comes from a sustainable source. Firewood should be cut, split and stacked in an open area in early spring to be ready to burn in the fall. Very hard woods like oak may take longer to dry–especially in damp maritime climates. When it comes to burning other elements besides wood–steer clear. Burning waste paper and trash produces elevated emissions of toxic gasses.  Burn clean, dry, uncoated, untreated wood and just enough newspaper to light the fires.

Another tip for burning wood users:  the not so beautiful wood piles that include wood from less desirable species tend to be more sustainable than perfect piles of maple or oak with regular pieces in the classic wedge shape. This is because straight lengths of these high value, slow growing species should be used for furniture, not wood heating. Ugly wood piles are created from a milieu of woods.

The bottom line on the argument of whether or not to burn wood is the cold hard facts. Wood is considered to be a renewable fuel and almost carbon dioxide neutral with the help of trees absorbing CO2. When trees mature and fall in the forest and decompose there, the same amount of CO2 is emitted as would be released if they were burned. When we heat our houses by burning wood, we are flowing along with the natural carbon cycle in which CO2 flows from the atmosphere to the forest and back.

It may just look like a pretty light, but buy welcoming your home to a new salt lamp, you are doing so much more for your body, your health and your environment. There is a multitude of benefits to including one of these beautiful naturally occurring pieces in your home.

Crystalline salt helps to increase negative ions. Negative ions purify the air we breathe and balance out the number of positive ions that are around us. Don’t be fooled at the word ‘positive’. Positive ions represent pollutants and harmful agents. Turning on your salt lamp will increase the number of these negative ions in your living space to balance the amount of positive.

Another benefit of salt lamps is their absorptive nature of water. If you live in a damp area and suffer from a moldy home or just a humid-overdose, having a salt lamp will absorb the water in your living space again keeping it pure and clean.

We have all experienced the benefit of negative ions. The feeling generated by negative ions is one that you find at the ocean, or what you might feel in a big storm or waterfall. Places that are more open and without pollution have a higher negative ion count, while places like New York and LA have a very low negative ion count. Crystalline salt is a natural air ionizer that boosts these ions in the air. Lit lamps have been shown in tests to attract these positive ions, or pollution and to neutralize them, then releasing them back into the environment.

Natural salt lamps are made from salt mined from deep within the Earth and it naturally occurs in white to coral colors. Many salt lamps are from crystals mined in the Himalayas.

There is nothing more exciting than grabbing your beach towel and heading to your nearest beach or pool to go grab some sunshine. Lay out and soak in the wonder. Soak in the sun, pull out your favorite book and pack a snack—you’re headed for bliss.

When we get into this ‘summer mode’ it is sometimes easy to overlook the safety of our activities and of our belongings that we use day to day. Things like beach towels, skin care and children’s toys are all things to put on your list to improve for a truly blissful summer.

DreamSacks BambooDreams Beach Towels

Made of organic cotton and Bamboo, these soft luxurious beach accessories are sure to keep you from worrying about your carbon footprint or about the amount of chemicals you’re absorbing with normal beach towels.

Shady Day Skin Care

Once you’re at the beach you need to protect that skin! To keep it green, check out Shady Day—a paraben free antioxidant rich formula that you will love. Luxuriously moisturizing and full of rich oils and healing agents such as grapefruit seed extract and Vitamin E these products are above the rest.

Green Toys Dump truck

Bring the kiddos and plop ‘em on the sand and what do they do? Dig. Burrow. Build. To give them and yourself a worry free playtime at the beach this summer, set them up with healthy and non-toxic toys from Green Toys—the earth friendly, non-toxic, recyclable and USA made product.

A great way to stay green while still using the worlds amazing technology is by using solar chargers. If you have priced one out before you may know that they are pricey items and may not be at the top of your shopping list every month because of this. If this is something that interests you but you have money issues, check out a homemade solar charger recipe.

Instructables has step-by-step instructions on how to make your very own solar charger. There is also ways of extending your battery life that you can combine with solar charging to get the most of this experience.  There are other ways to stay green and still charge your phone. Wind-powered, kinetic fuel cell and other chargers are great alternatives if you are looking outside the solar field.

If you are one of those people that are ready to move into the solar field, check out the number of options from these amazing companies.

SolarGorilla From PowerTraveller

Power: 10 Watts

Where: EarthTech Products

How Much: $250

Solio Charger From Solio

Power: 0.6 Watts

Where: Solio

How Much: $50

SolarRoll 4.5 From Brunton

Power: 4.5 to 14 Watts depending on the size of the roll

Where: Brunton

How Much: 4.5 Watt roll (all you’ll need for hand-held devices) is $295

Solaris 26 From Brunton

Power: 26 Watts

Where: Brunton

How Much: $620

Voltaic Backpack From Voltaic Systems

Power: 4 Watts

Where: Voltaic Systems

How much: $250

Looking at what the conventional home is today, it is nearly impossible to make a non-toxic environment for yourself, let alone for your children. Many things are out of our control as consumers and as tenants of homes. But there are a handful of key elements that we can control in our children’s lives. Helping them live a non-toxic, organic and safe childhood in what is supposed to be the safest place for them—is our job as parents.

On of the first key elements into a non-toxic home for our children is to swap your cleaning products for eco-friendly versions. You can go out and research what the best sustainable cleaners are out there on the market, or you can make your own home cleaners. Mixtures that include vinegar, baking soda, grapefruit seed extract and eco-friendly soap are all great money saving and green ways of mastering the cleaning product dilemma. This is a huge element to overcome, and an even greater contribution to your child’s health. Also, try to line dry clothes and to use eco-baby-safe detergent.

Moving to the kitchen, you should look into your cupboards and drawers. Look at what you eat on, cook on, cut on and eat with. All of the items that you use in the kitchen should be examined and considered. Check into cast iron, glass, stainless steel, enamel coated cast iron, and lead-free ceramic.  Avoid non-stick surfaces and anything plastic. If you’re using plastic, even something that claims to be BPA-free or microwave-safe, do not ever put it in a microwave. Plastic seems to be a regular eating surface, this is very bad. Check out ceramic or stainless steel.

Another easy and simple change is to start (or continue to) drink tap water. Put on the filter that attaches to the spout if you need to. Get a water pitcher that filters out water. But plastic water bottles are so last year. But, seriously, drink the water from home.

It is incredibly important to just look at what you are bringing into the house. Things like wearing your shoes in the house can track pollutants onto the carpet that your babies are crawling around on and later sticking those fingers that picked them up into their mouths. It’s invisible, but very real. Check the dry cleaning you are bringing in—is it safe? And most importantly, when you come home, before you pick baby junior up make sure to wash your hands.

The most impactful yet complex is the food element. Bottom line—feed your children organic, sustainable, local food.  Check out your local CSA or farmers market and save some cash from the big green shopping stores if that is an issue. Remember what you teach your children: you are what you eat!

When your kids get sick, the first thing you turn to is over the counter, right? Wrong! The first thing you should look at is a natural cure/remedy. Teething, fevers, and stuffy noses will no doubt have you worried and tired yourself. But don’t give up and meander to your local supermarket unless you are buying ginger, garlic and grapefruit seed extract.  Great examples of home cures include steam for congestion.  Honey works well on the throat. Frozen celery can be used for teething purposes in lieu of plastic frozen toys. Dried fruit or stewed prunes are good for constipation. DIY fruit juice popsicles combat dehydration. Ginger and peppermint tea work for tummy aches.

Chuck the cosmetics! Can’t say it anymore plainly. The things that companies put into the lotion, powder, etc. that is recommended to put on your baby is just plain not safe. They’re loaded with synthetic hormone disruptors and potential carcinogens that pound for pound present more of a health concern for small people than for adults. If it is dry, or if there is an issue, put some organic olive oil on it. If you prefer a cosmetic, only use ones that are made with very few organically or biodynamically grown ingredients. You should be able to read the ingredient list and generally understand what it means. If you can’t, don’t put it on your baby. Look for trustworthy third party certification labels.

When using pest pollutants use organic and/or natural pest control like integrated pest management for lawns and inside for things like ants and roaches.

Any way you look at it—there are a million changes that we as parents can make to improve our children’s lives. The difference here is our babies don’t have a choice. So make it for them.

If you are one of those people who is a fan of the beautiful ocean and the beaches that host them, you know that as humans, we put the oceans and their vibrant life in perilous danger with the way we live our lives. There are things that we as individuals can do to help the state of our beaches and oceans.

1. Don’t litter. It eventually finds its new home in the ocean.
2. Maintain your septic system
3. Use organic pesticides, fertilizers, fruit washes, soap and cleaners
4. Leave wildlife alone
5. Don’t leave anything at the beach. Pick up everything that you took (trash included)
6. Use trails, paths, beach walls and walkovers as much as possible. Your footsteps can erode sensitive dunes.
7. Don’t use the beach as a toilet. This goes for you and for your pooch.
8. Take part in a beach clean-up
9. Cut up the plastic rings from your six pack
10. Don’t throw garbage down storm drains
11. Wash your car in your front lawn. Soap runoff from the car eventually gets into the ocean.
12. Quit smoking. The butts not only find their way into the ocean but leak their deeply toxic elements into the ocean.

These are simple yet incredibly important ways that you as an individual can help reduce toxic poisoning and systematic killing of the beautiful ecosystem of the ocean.

You would think that with the epidermis (skin) being our largest organ in the human body, that we would take more care when it comes to what we slap on it for protection and beauty. A majority of cosmetics and skincare has not been evaluated by the FDA or any other publicly recognized safety institution. It is then, up to you to educate yourself and get on board with green, organic and safe skincare.  If you can even eliminate a couple of your home products that have these ingredients and switch to a healthy, organic non-toxic brand, you will be surprised to see the physical difference and possibly be saving yourself from a serious condition in the future. Your body will thank you!

Things to look out for when buying skin products

Aluminum chlorohydrate: An astringent used as a topical antiperspirant or topical body deodorant. Aluminum is a neurotoxin that alters the function of the blood-brain barrier, linking it to Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

Mercury: Used as a preservative and antibacterial agent in cosmetics such as mascara, where it can be listed under the name “thimersoal,” mercury can damage brain function even at low levels. Mercury can be found in eye drops and certain imported skin-lightening creams, as well.

Nanoparticles: Largely untested, these extremely minuscule particles are usually undeclared on product labels, even though they can be absorbed directly into the bloodstream. You can find them in bronzers, eye shadows, sunscreens, and lotions.

Parabens (methylparaben, ethylparaben, butylparaben, isoparapben, etc.): The most common preservatives used in cosmetics to prevent bacterial and fungal growth. Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which some studies show plays a role in the development breast cancer and urogenital abnormalities.

Triclosan: An antibacterial compound found in cleansers, deodorants and other cosmetic products that is classified by the EPA as a probable human carcinogen. Overuse could also result in strains of drug-resistant superbacteria.

Many people just getting on board in the green movement are looking at heating green and thinking that it is just too expensive. For instance, some houses use solar to heat their water. In order to have this you must have an entire system installed that can be expensive. Also, there is Geothermal heating systems which heats your house from an underground trench where the earth is naturally heating the water used. Both of these methods are proven to be amazing heating alternatives to gas or electric, however expensive. For those of you who still want to help the environment, but are in a situation where they are not able to change much, can still help both on your bills, and with C02 emissions.

When looking around your house, look at your windows. These can be a friend to heating your house and also a foe. Whichever windows face the sun for a majority of the daytime leave the drapes open for heat. Letting the sunlight flood in can greatly increase your homes heat by the time you get home. For those windows that do not face the sun keep drawn, as most of the heat that is lost from your home occurs through and around your windows.  Also, install storm windows. This can cut heat loss anywhere from 25-50%. It creates a dead air space inside the window that will keep the heat and cut the cold. Also, check your doors and windows for leaks. Caulking or insulating your windows can greatly help your heating problems. Other helpful energy and money savers include a ceiling fan and an Energy Star thermostat.

Although this system may not seem as effective as geothermal or solar, keeping your home at a nice comfortable temperature will help your pocket book and will concurrently help the environment.

Eating healthy is so important, so finding local, organic and sustainable food is so vital when considering ones overall health. In a shaky economy, we must not only look out for our bankbooks but also for our health. Eating fresh and local organic food is a great way of supporting your local farmers, but more importantly supporting your body’s overall health and function. Local and organic food proves to provide a healthier and more responsible life for your body and soul.

The quickest and easiest way to dial into these delicious resources is by checking out LocalHarvest.org. This website provides a milieu of choices as to what kind of food/shops/farms/markets you are looking for in your community. It also lets you search by state, city or zip code to best get the results you are looking for.

On Local Harvest, there are a number of types of food stores that you can search for. To name a few,

CSA: Community Supported Agriculture, this type of business has individuals buy into shares on the farm to invest in the growth of local and seasonal, usually organic vegetables that you pick up to enjoy bi weekly.

Farms: Local farmers that sell directly to consumers and that do not go through stores, or a third party. The less hands that touch your food the fresher and the safer.

Local Restaurants: You may ask, what is the difference between a local and non local restaurant? Well its simple. Do they ship in food or do they buy from local farmers and support local agriculture? Are they a chain that is available all over the country or are they a local shop specific to your community? Local restaurants again bring your dollars back to the community and can many times buy from local and organic growers.

Grocery/Food Co-op: This is a fun and important part of every sustainable food community. Becoming a part of a co-op means that you are now a part of the solution for sustainable eating and living, not to mention are filling your fridge with local organic food. As a member, you are part owner of the store and have a say as to how things are handled.

Don’t ever forget: food is important! Where it comes from, how you get it, how it is grown are all things you should be concerned about. Using localharvest.org will not only connect you with your new community, but will also lead you down a road of long term health and sustainability.

In 1971 Frances Moore Lappe released her now-classic book, “Diet For A Small Planet”. This groundbreaking book helped millions of readers understand the root causes for hunger and her core message was that food remains the central issue through which to understand world politics. As a continuation of her message of how the food system is broken and what needs to happen to fix it, her daughter Anna Lappe recently wrote a powerful book focusing on a different cause but the same solution.

Anna Lappe’s thought provoking book, Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It is clearly one of the most important books of the year. Her message is simple: “If we are serious about addressing climate change, we have to talk about food.”

Lappe confronts the major role industrial agriculture plays in the climate crisis. Her responsibly researched investigation into a broken food system proves that the global use of hazardous chemicals, biotech crops, concentrated animal feeding operations and processed foods is destroying the eco-system.

In this book, Lappe lays out 7 principles of a climate friendly diet in an attempt to make her pursuit for environmental reform OUR pursuit for environmental reform. Informative and inspiring, Lappe is convinced that eating a plant based diet will influence the marketplace in ways we cannot imagine in addition to helping in the quests to end world hunger and combat climate change.

Read about the causes of the food-climate connection and learn how you can be a part of the solution!