Autism & vaccines June 22, 2007

This week an Arizona mom’s case went before the court as she claimed that her daughter’s severe autism is the result of her childhood MMR vaccine (that’s Measles, mumps, and rubella). The MMR vaccine contains thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative. Many parents, and some doctors suspect a causal relationship between thimerosal and autism, but the Institute of Medicine published a study in 2004 that denies any causal relationship.

Several manufacturers are now producing thimerosal-free or trace-thimerosal vaccines. Doctors are required to have vaccine information available for patients, so if you’re worried about thimerosal in your child’s vaccines (or your own), bring it up with your doctor. He or she should be able to give you the trade name of the vaccine and tell you if it has thimerosal in it. You can consult the FDA chart here for a list of vaccines that are thimerosal-free or trace thimerosal.

The CDC states that the benefit of even the suspected vaccines is more important than the risk factors related to them. It never hurts to be informed though, so be sure to talk to your doctor if you’re concerned, and you can even ask to see the packaging from the vaccine. Some eyes may roll, but you are your own advocate.

The Green Book featured on the Today Show June 19, 2007

The Today show featured a new book on the market that you may be interested in. The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen gives consumers simple ways to conserve energy, conserve water, and generally green your life. Tip come from the authors’ lives, general news, and celebrities too!

Tips include unplugging appliances when you’re not using them (because they still use energy when not in use), bringing your own toiletries when you travel to avoid the cheapo disposable hotel toiletries, and installing a water-conserving toilet (or flushing once less a day).

Check it out! And if when you do, let me know what you think!

Green searching! June 17, 2007

Interested in finding out what the world wide web can offer you in terms of Green services and products? Now it’s easier to find out! Green Maven is a great search tool, and even has its own plug-in for Firefox browser! (If you haven’t used Firefox, you should try it.)

So, go try Green Maven. Go ahead, I dare you.

Thursday’s tip: Bring in some greenery June 14, 2007

No one would every mistake me for Mrs. Green Thumb. In fact, most of the plants I keep inside my house are silk (gasp!). That’s because I can’t keep the growing kind alive – outside or in. But… I just read another reason to keep (live) plants in your house – deodorize!

That’s right. We all know leafy green plants help give your house that fresh air feeling, but NASA has found that certain plants actually filter common air pollutants, giving enclosed spaces healthier air to breathe. The top plants to clean your air:

1.  Chinese evergreen
2. Peace lily (note the pollen may be an allergen for some)
3. Arrowhead vine
4. English ivy

Energy saving tips for the summer May 22, 2007

If you live in the sweltering south, one of your primary struggles each summer is to keep your living space reasonably cool. And at this time of year you watch your energy bill shoot through the roof as you’re running your A/C pretty much without stop. Not to mention, everyone’s home from school, using more lights and electricity.

The folks over at Energy Star – yes, the very same people who helped you choose your energy efficient washer and dryer, and fridge and dishwasher too – have a new feature on their website – Energy Star @ Home. It takes you on a room by room tour of your house and tells you how to lower your energy bill. Really, it’s quite helpful. Check it out! Shave a few bucks here and there off your electric bill, and you’ll have some extra funds to put towards your summer vacation!

Thursday’s tip: Plan it! (part 2) May 17, 2007

Last Thursday we talked about using your home for a purpose. Plan the purpose of each room and storage space. Make your home fit the purpose you need it to – and restore your home to proper function.

But you can do the same thing for your life! Think long and hard about what your values are. What do you consider to be of utmost importance. Think about family, faith, ideals, education, hobbies, etc., and think about what you get out of those things too. Now look at how you spend your money. Do they match up? Are you spending your hard earned cash on the things that are important to you? Are you spending them to attain what’s most important? And the harder question – how do you spend your time? Does the way you spend your time line up with your values?

Think about that. What can you do – what adjustments can you make – to put the way you spend your time and money in line with your values and priorities in life? Be intentional about it!