Worst baby-making months May 23, 2007

Joni Mitchell said it best, “…Hey, farmer, farmer, put away that DDT now. Give me spots on my apples, just leave me the birds and the bees, please!…” Now we can add to the birds and the bees line, babies and brains too!

News this week? Babies conceived in the summer months don’t do as well in school as those conceived at other times of the year. Neonatologist Paul Winchester analyzed the scores on standardized tests and found that children who were conceived in June, July, and August were significantly less proficient in language and math. He attributes the effect to high levels of environmental pesticides during the most crucial months of nervous system development. “The pesticides we use to control pests in fields and in our homes and the nitrate we use to fertilize crops and even our lawns are at their highest level in summer,” Winchester says. He suspects that pesticides are causing higher rates of hypothyroidism in pregnant women, a condition known to affect brain development in growing babies. Not only that, pesticides and fertilizers are also blamed for premature and preterm birth.

So, no more makin’ whoopie in the summer time! Well, scratch that. But if you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant this summer, I’d say it’s high time to start buying organic produce, and limiting the chemicals you use in and around your home. Switch to natural cleaning products (or a natural maid service, like… need I say? Broom Huggers!), see if you can manage your lawn and indoor pest control without pesticides and fertilizers. And most definitely, buy yourself some organic 2% milk (miscarriage rates rise a bit in women who drink skim), and limit your beef intake.

Oprah’s Green show April 23, 2007

Oprah had a great show on Friday about making environmentally-friendly choices. The goal of the show was to show viewers small things they can be doing in their every day lives to help the environment. A few highlights -

• Paper or plastic? Neither! Bring your own reusable bags when you shop. The plastic bags take eons to biodegrade, and paper bags use a staggering amount of trees every year. So, BYOB! Bring your own Bag!
• Water – one liter of bottled water takes 5 liters of water to produce. Use tap water – filter it if you feel the need, and buy a reusable aluminum bottle.
• “Fake” Clean: Clean doesn’t smell like pine or lemon. Clean doesn’t smell! The chemicals in regular cleaners aren’t healthy for people, animals, or the earth. Use natural cleaners and a natural cleaning company (need we say, like Broom Huggers!)
• Did you know that appliances and electronics still use 40% of their power when they’re not in use? Your toaster, lamps, tv – they all use 40% of their power as long as they’re plugged in, on “standby.” The solution? Use a Smart Power Strip. Turn of the power strip and it’ll keep those appliances from sucking energy. Also, it groups your electronics in ‘clusters,’ so that when you turn off your TV, it also turns off your DVD player and surround sound too. Clever!

There are some awesome resources at Oprah’s website, along with some video feed. Check it out!

Tune in tomorrow! April 19, 2007

Oprah is having a special ‘green’ show tomorrow. Gotta see that! Tune in to Oprah tomorrow to see the real deal, or check back here tomorrow evening. You can bet I’ll give a  recap!

Dirt exposure ‘boosts happiness’, UK scientists say April 2, 2007

A BBC report this morning tells us what us parents of toddlers have always known – some time in the sandbox put smiles on faces. Well, actually the study is a little more in depth and scientific than that… Lung cancer patients experienced improvements in their quality of life and mice produced more of the ‘happy’ brain chemical serotonin after exposure to soil.

Lack of serotonin is linked to depression in people, and it seems that we can boost our serotonin levels through exposure to dirt. So maybe we should all have adult-sized sandboxes in the backyard… That could be the new spa experience! Well, maybe taking up gardening would be a more sensible solution…

Doctors have long known that homes that are vacuumed too frequently tend to bring on greater problems with allergies, which seems to indicate that we need some exposure to dirt. Also, doctors recommend only using anti-bacterial soaps when you’re fighting illness, or to significantly limit the use of anti-bacterial soaps, as they also kill good bacteria that keeps you healthy. But, try finding non-anti-bacterial soaps at your grocery store.

So it seems there is such a thing as ‘too clean.’ The moral of the story, go ahead – dig your fingers into the mud. Let it squish through your fingers. And then eat some mudpies. Okay, maybe not.

In the news: corporations catering to “eco-geeks” March 29, 2007

CNET published a great article today noting the trend of major corporations like Wal-Mart and Hewlett-Packard to re-design some of their practices and goods to please the eco-friendly consumer.

We’re a finicky bunch, but if major companies like these are willing to take even baby steps in the right direction, I’ll accept that! Sure, it may only be a drop in the bucket, but even a few drops here and there are better than a bone-dry bucket! Besides, if Wal-Mart is going to take steps in the right direction, let’s hope that prompts other retail kings and even ‘the little guy’ to take similar steps, and hopefully start the equivalent of one-up-manship in green corporate practices.

Parents Magazine: Go Green! March 16, 2007

Yesterday we noted that Parenting Magazine had a (very) brief article on greening the air in your home.  Well, Parents Magazine has outdone them! Thanks, Parents Magazine, for the following features:

Test your GQ (Green Quotient)

8 Reasons to buy a Hybrid Car

28 Ways Your Family can Protect the Earth

Watch out for the myriad ads, but these articles are a big step in the right direction.

Parenting magazine: Clean the air! March 15, 2007

This month Parenting magazine offers some tips to help keep the air free and clear in the baby’s nursery.

Thanks Parenting!

Indoor air quality March 1, 2007

This month’s issue of Real Simple magazine has a pretty good article on air quality – both indoors and outdoors. There’s a supplement to the article on their website, here. They have a section dedicated to links for more information as well as links to earth-friendly cleaning products.  It doesn’t really qualify as hard-hitting journalism, but it’s a decent overview with some good tips on essential oils and natural cleaning remedies.

New Zealand – setting the standard February 20, 2007

In news last week, New Zealand’s Prime Minister Helen Clark (should I point out that she is one of the 13 current female heads of state in the world?) pledged to make New Zealand the greenest country in the world. You can read more about the changes she plans to implement in an article published in The Independent.

Also recently, California’s governor, Arnold Schwarznegger,  has also been making a splash with green issues. He was profiled this month in Fast Company for his “profit-driven solutions for what ails the planet.”

Are we to see a shift in eco-friendliness? Up until now the vast majority of change has been fueled by grass-roots efforts. But if the news from this month is anything to go by, local and national governments may finally be towing the line themselves. This may cause plenty of up-turned noses, with different sides looking down on the other in a proverbial spitting contest. But I’m led to think that  the more voices take up the call, the greater the potential for transformational change. Well, done, Mrs. Prime Minister.

Applause for Domino magazine February 16, 2007

Just out today, Domino magazine’s new issue is a “green issue,” focused on sustainability of all sorts. Domino magazine’s tagline is “The Guide to Living with Style,” and is run by the same conglomerate that publishes stylish, high-impact magazines like Conde Nast Traveller, Wired, The New Yorker, Vogue and Vanity Fair (which published a “green issue” last year – May 2006).