school lunch 2, originally uploaded by Fazoom.

With the outpouring of attention that any new diet trend seems to garner, it is amazing to me that so few people are paying attention to what their children are eating, especially at school. It’s time for a New June revolution to get soda, junk food, and greasy entrees out of school lunches!

This is so important because sugar and other additives have been linked to hyperactivity while healthier choices, such as fresh fruit, veggies, and lean protein have been shown to improve mental sharpness and concentration. While you’re at it, replace that high sugar cereal in the morning with fruit and scrabbled eggs, oatmeal and a banana, or peanut butter toast to really help your child feel satisfied until lunch. Why not give our kids a leg up in the classroom?

It is important to have conversations about the importance of making healthy food choices with your child. You can talk about what options are available and what choices they think they should make. Empowering the child is key.

If you are packing, watch out for prepackaged lunches and their high sodium content. Ask your child to make a list of their favorite foods. Then, using this list, buy some of the healthier choices at the beginning of the week along with some new things for you child to try. It really doesn’t take any more effort than so-called “convenience foods.” Cutting up some fruit, bagging some yogurt pretzels, or making a nutritious sandwich only takes a few minutes and can be done the night before or as you prepare breakfast before school.

Experts recommend getting foods from at least 3 of the 5 food groups in the lunch. Peanut butter on whole grain bread with your child’s favorite fruit is a great way to meet that quota. Other options include lean meats and cheeses, cut into fun shapes. (One favorite in our house is the baked whole grain energy bar called the Clif Kid Organic ZBar. It comes in a few flavors, but to my oldest daughter the chocolate brownie reigns supreme.) Other recommendations include eliminating hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, and watching portion sizes ( a top ten list can be found here)

Even better, you can work to improve the school lunch program at your child’s school. You can also check out a documentary about moms doing just that! Gosh we get excited when mom’s take a healthy stand!

More info click here.

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This book is inspiration times ten. It is chock full of information on anything from bird watching, to making paper or paper airplanes, important karate moves, and how to wrap a sari. The activities explained in this book are seemingly endless. My girls loved the instructions on friendship bracelets and daisy crowns, as will as the essays on ancient queens and women inventors. There is so much to learn and do. It is also empowering, with lessons on the periodic table and how to ask for a raise. Any girl (or anyone, for that matter) who undertakes even a fraction of the activities described in this book will be very well rounded.

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Living Room, originally uploaded by Ansel Olson.

Did you know the household cleaners you count on can also be sources of potentially harmful chemicals? The range of household products that contain potentially harmful substances can be quite surprising. Prolonged exposure to certain products and combinations of products can be quite dangerous. Many of these products also end up on our waterways and can have other detrimental effects. For your own health, as well as the health of the planet, here are some suggestions for natural household cleansers you can make on your own:

* Baking soda: An all-purpose cleaner; especially effective on glass coffee pots and glassware; removes red-wine stains from carpeting. A paste (made with water) can shine stainless steel and silver; the paste can also remove tea stains from cups and saucers. Make a paste with a castile- or vegetable-based liquid soap and a drop of essential oil (tea tree or lavender) to clean sinks, countertops, toilets and tubs. Pour 1 cup down the sink to clear a clogged drain, followed by 3 cups of boiling water.

* Boiling water: Use weekly to flush drains and avoid clogs.

* Coarse salt: Cleans copper pans and scours cookware. Sprinkle salt on fresh spills in the oven, then wipe off. Sprinkle salt on rust stains and squeeze a lime or lemon over them, let sit for several hours and wipe off.

* Essential oils: Mix lavender or tea tree essential oils with water and spray on kitchen or bathroom surfaces for an environmentally and people-friendly antibacterial spray.

* Grapefruit-seed extract: Add a few drops to water in a spray bottle for an odorless way to kill mold and mildew.

* Lemon juice: Use as a bleaching agent on clothing, and to remove grease from your stove and countertops. Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice to 10 drops of (real) lemon oil and a few drops of jojoba oil to clean and polish wood furniture.

* Olive oil: Use to lubricate and polish wood furniture (three parts olive oil to one part vinegar; or two parts olive oil with one part lemon juice).

* Potatoes: Halved potatoes can remove rust from baking pans or tinware - follow with a salt scrub or dip the potato in salt before scrubbing.

* Tea tree oil: Can be added to vinegar/water solutions for its antibacterial properties. Use it to kill mold and mildew, and on kitchen and bathroom surfaces instead of chemical products. Add 50 drops to a bucket of water to clean countertops and tile floors.

* Toothpaste (white, plain): Cleans silver; can remove water stains on wood furniture - dab on, allow it to dry and wipe off

* White vinegar: Cleans linoleum floors and glass (from windows to shower doors) when mixed with water and a little liquid soap (castile or vegetable). Cuts grease and removes stains; removes soap scum and cleans toilets (add a bit of baking soda if you like). Pour down drains once a week for antibacterial cleaning. Add to water in a spray bottle to kill mold and mildew.

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Lipstick, originally uploaded by troeth.

A U.S. consumer rights group found that over sixty percent contained lead calling out Cover Girl, L’Oreal and Christian Dior as containing higher levels than than others, the group said on Thursday.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 brand-name red lipsticks by the Bodycote Testing Group in Santa Fe Spring, California. The results? The group found that 61 percent had detectable lead levels of 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm). The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a coalition of public health, environmental and women’s groups, said the FDA has not set a limit for lead in lipstick. In comparison, this level exceeds the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 0.1 ppm limit for lead in candy and lipstick, like candy, is ingested.

Here are some natural lipstick suggestions:

Peacekeeper lip paint. Nine shades of lipstick and glosses. “No nasty anything” and all after-tax profits go to women’s health and human advocacy issues.

natural solutions lipstick. With products such as the Eco Lipstick which delivers vibrant and natural color. Soothing Safflower, Beeswax, Vitamin E and organic Castor Oil provide antioxidant and nourishing properties for soft and smooth lips.

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spotted calf, originally uploaded by jaki good.

We all know eating your veggies is good for your health, it turns out that eating your veggies is also good for the planet. The UN report released in 408 page report which states that “the livestock sector is a major stressor on many ecosystems and the planet as a whole . . it is one if the largest sources of greenhouse gases and . . loss of biodiversity” “in developed and emerging countries it is perhaps the leading source of water pollution.” Of course, there is so much more to the story.

The take-away point for many was that eating meat is worse than driving an SUV. Livestock’s contribution to the global warming effect is about 18 percent, more than the transportation sector (though it does reinforce that much of energy used by the transportation sector is used to produce grain and transport livestock, etc.)

The scope of the problem is vast, for example, the UN estimates that in the United States 55 percent of erosion, 37 percent of pesticides, 50 percent of antibiotics consumed, as well as over a third of the nitrogen and phosphorous load (this is all bad news for fish and other marine life) in water sources is attributed to livestock. When field expand ecosystems are lost, pasture expansion is a leading cause of loss of biodiversity.

This report delves deeply into the livestock sector worldwide, and is not all negative. It states that agriculture is a major provider for the poor and a “determinant of human diet and health.” The report also sets forth ways to reduce the negative impact of eating meet, such as reducing consumption in developed countries.

Among the suggestions for reform is adjusting market prices to reflect the scarcity of land, water, and feed resources used in growing livestock. It is also suggested that livestock holders be held accountable for the pollution they allow to run into waterways. Another example, from the EU, is the limitations placed on the density of animals in factory farms, an important step when we consider the amount of animals raised in these conditions.

Of course, this has stirred some debate. Peta took this report and used it to poke fun at Al Gore. Saying he is a “chicken” environmentalist. They claim they will outfit a Hummer with a driver in a chicken suit and a vinyl banner proclaiming meat as the top cause of global warming. I know I am altruistic, but I see this as ‘two wrongs don’t’ make a right’ situation.

Adding to the confusion is a conflicting report was released by Cornell University saying that in New York State, for example, it is actually better to consume a small amount of meat. Some may claim that this means the scientists can’t agree so why bother? However, this is not a one sided issue, and “efficiency” depends on many factors. Everyone has a different perspective. No matter what, one fact holds: food is something many of us think very little about, yet each choice has a very high impact on our environment. The best thing to do is to be educated as much as possible and try to make food choices from the most local source possible. Less packaging and processing is always better. Instead of name-calling we should demand real reforms in this sector, smaller, healthier farms, less antibiotics, and the peace of mind that in the end, this will create the best food choice of all.

What can we do? Be conscientious about our food chooses, eat more vegetable based meals, support anti-biotic free and free-range meat and eggs at your local grocer, purchase organic produce when you can. We can all do better. Being more mindful of our choices is a great place to start.

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How do countries and cities rank according to livability and and environmental quality? What makes a city eco-friendly and livable? Check out this article to find out.

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