Le This and Le That

A few tidbits before I get back to hitting the books.

Yes, I have been remiss in not announcing sooner the winner of my bloggy book(s) giveaway...so here goes:

Village Mama over at Mama's Village is the winner of Healthy Baby, Healthy Mom

Carrie from With All That I've Been Given is the winner of Time to Feed Baby

Congratulations ladies! Please contact me at giftofgreen [at] gmail [dot] com with your mailing address.

The two books I am reading this week for my class are The Outsiders and The Chocolate War (Readers Circle). Blast from the past, eh?

Whole Food Purges the Plastic

Am I always the last to know?

I just came across this tidbit on our NBC affiliate website about the Whole Food phase-out of plastic bags (on, when else, Earth Day 2008).

Considering Whole Foods has seemingly led the way on provide inexpensive reusable bags with seasonal graphics, this shouldn't be to hard for their customers to adjust.

Classes Resume

This week is the first week of my class.

We are reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

I'm reading this particularly adorable edition illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (of We're Going on a Bear Hunt fame).

Green Cleaning, Redux

A few months back I posted about my search for a green carpet cleaning company such as Zoots and I also inquired over at Shannon's house to see if any of her Works for Me Wednesday readers had any suggestions.

Green Nana reminded me that she and Green Gramps use a steam cleaner but without any of those toxic chemicals. Smiling Mama said to ditch the wall-to-wall altogether and highly recommended Flor carpet tiles. Someone Being Me suggested the old standby, vinegar and water, for spot cleaning.

Today, Green Husband alerted me to a recent segment on our local NBC affiliate that took a look at some green cleaning alternatives. Two recommended products, other than the vinegar solution, were Simple Green and Bon Ami products.

There was also a link to the Maid Brigade's "Green Clean Certified system" and a neat little "Tips for a Green Home" interactive quiz which was fun (I, shamefully, received a 70%). Of course the tip I cherished most was to line dry your linens on sunny days.

Speaking of sunny days, Susan over at Toddler Planet is looking forward to many more. Stop by and wish her well today.

Kids' Health 2008

Zoinks, there were a lot of comments about my comments post the other day. I tend to comment on "less popular" blogs, if that makes any sense {and no, that does not mean *your* blog is unpopular, my dear friends} - I mean I tend not to comment on blogs that receive dozens and dozens of comments. Dunno why. Also, sometimes I do not comment on blogs where the person responds regularly to my comment(s). Why? I feel like I'm "bothering" them, when sometimes their bloggy spirit has just moved me and I want to let them know. To make a long story short (too late!), I think the one reason I really appreciate comments is because it alerts me to more bloggy friends and the fabulous work they are doing, commented upon or not.

Due to the nature of my *real* job, I frequently access the website KidsHealth.org. I found interesting their list of the 10 Kids' Health Issues to Watch in 2008. Several of the issues to watch include those that we on the green parenting blogs have been chatting about for months if not years:


Keeping Child's Play Safe

A wave of toy recalls put new questions about toy safety — and the dangers of lead exposure — in the spotlight.

Food Allergies: Outlawing PB&J

As food allergies become more prevalent and more persistent among kids, the medical community is trying to find out why — and how to deal with the trend.


Battling the Superbug

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) made frequent headlines as the so-called "superbug" and put the spotlight on the growing threat posed by drug-resistant bacteria.

Rethinking a Pill for Every Ill

New questions about the safety and effectiveness of cough and cold medicines marketed to kids put the spotlight on the fact that many of the medications marketed for kids have not been tested in children.

And while I haven't spent any time on this particular issue, oh, my breaking heart:

Lost Childhoods

For most kids, childhood is a time of playing, learning, and making friends. But in more than 20 countries, thousands of kids serve as soldiers on the front lines of brutal conflicts.

My children are so very lucky.