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Every now and again a real jewel winds up in my inbox. A few weeks ago, the publishers for Melanie Walsh’s 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World contacted me to ask whether I’d like to review Ms. Walsh’s book on Green Mamma. Being the lover that I am of children’s literature, I asked them to forward me the book so that I (and Annabelle) could give it a read.

Written and illustrated by Melanie Walsh, 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World is made from 100% recycled materials and includes 10 practical tips for kids and their parents to live an environmentally friendly lifestyle. According to the press release, 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World is intended for children between the ages of 3 and 6, or from pre-school to grade 1. When I read 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World to Annabelle (age 20 months), she enjoyed turning the pages (several function as cut-out flaps that hide “tips”) and listening to the simple, short sentences that flow from page to page. I noticed that if I tried to share some of the longer bits of information about energy conservation, recycling, etc., my toddler grew bored of me (and the book), but as I said, she is a bit young for all parts of the book.

Some of my favorite tips from 10 Things I Can Do to Help My World include: unplugging appliances that are not in use, feeding birds in winter, and upcycling packaging to create new toys. I couldn’t help but think that any child (or family) who receives this book as a gift will likely teach the adults in their lives a thing or two about caring for our earth.

With the holidays just around the corner, this book would make a wonderful gift and addition to any young environmentalist’s library. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

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Okay, so let’s see here.  Should the Department of Transportation have the authority to determine whether or not our native wildlife (like wolves, polar bears, and panthers) are threatened by highway projects?  Does the Dept. of Transportation have such authority, currently?  Well, if it is left up to the Bush Administration, our scientists and wildlife biologists will no longer have the jurisdiction over whether a project endangers our animals.  Um, maybe it’s me . . . but is there any logic to this idea?  Oh yes, um, compromising animal life and the environment for sake of, well, money.

Ahhh!!!!

Once upon a time I thought that, and correct me if I’m wrong, based on our current model of education, individuals interested in a particular discipline will set out to study said discipline with the goal of becoming an expert in their field.  Sure, not everyone’s first choice of study in school works out for them their entire lives, but for those who do go into the field they prepared for, don’t they deserve the chance to work and make decisions based on their knowledge in a subject area?

Don’t our scientists deserve the opportunity and power that accompanies the long and rigorous training that brought them to the point in their careers where they work as scientists?

But alas, it is not to be.  Instead, the plan is to dismiss what science and those lofty scientists are recommending so that we can listen to a bunch of politicians, er, “experts” from the Department of Transportation?  I wanted to find out for myself whether the Dept. of Transportation employs any environmental field experts.   Well, as it turns out, the opportunity areas at D O T don’t include environmental scientists or biologists, but there are plenty of positions for engineers and highway safety specialists.  To see for yourself, go here.

It is my opinion that the only decisions that the Dept. of Transporation ought to make, theoretically, regarding polar bears and wolves, is whether or not the current transportation routes for our wildlife are in good working condition.  Yes, if the D O T wants to become involved with wildlife, why not have them focus on what they’re good at?  Oh yeah, that’s right.  Wildlife don’t need cement, lights, and lots of pollution.  So, based on my logic, the D O T needs to butt out of it, and while they’re at it, take  . . . arghh.  I have nothing nice to say.

To take action against the Bush Administration’s plans to gut the Endangered Species Act, send a message to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to let him know you will not stand for the weakening of endangered species protections. For a sample letter at the National Wildlife Federation, please visit Speak Up for Wildlife.

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Okay, so I have a strange neurosis regarding floor cleanliness and not wearing shoes indoors. Sometimes I even wish I were Asian so I could simply tell people that they have to remove their shoes because it’s a cultural thing. My husband looks a bit like Keanu Reeves, so I guess we could lie . . .

Anyway, to read more about my obsession with clean, green, and healthy floors, go on over to 5 Minutes for Going Green and read “Shoes Off!”

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In her book 10 Principles for Spiritual Parenting, Mimi Doe recommends that parents help their children to eliminate envy by being happy for the good news and success of their friends. She explains envy in a positive way noting that feeling envy is a sign of what is possible in our own lives.

Today after playing at the park for a bit, Annabelle and I wandered over to our neighborhood’s community gardens where for a small fee, folks aching to garden and who don’t own much land can grow to their heart’s content. I wanted to see what other gardeners were up to and think about what we might plant next spring and this coming fall. For starters, we want to build another raised bed in our backyard to grow more vegetables. My husband forgot just how much space cucumber patches require (his parents made him and his brother tend a vegetable garden when they were growing up in rural Connecticut), so next year we’ll plant them wider apart and allow for more room. Maybe we’ll even have a cucumber patch bed? Two nights ago I had to dig up our dried cucumber plants and add them to the compost pile. It felt sad to do it but in its place, I planted a butterfly bush, which we’ll move in the coming weeks to a new flower bed.

Our grape tomato plants are also drying up (although we’ve harvested tomatoes several times this summer). Lesson learned. Next season we’ll add in a sprinkler system for our garden.

Since we live in a townhouse and own just a small plot of land, we’re planning to build 2 flower beds and I will likely plant native wildflowers and winter lettuces that can endure cold weather. As a matter of fact, I would love suggestions on how to go about doing fall planting. Color and ease of care matter most to me since much of my time is devoted to chasing an almost 2 year old around.

Meanwhile, for landscaping, we’re researching how to build a stone pathway around the garden beds. We’ll likely let that project wait until next spring, though.

So, as mentioned in the blog title, I walked through the aisles of the community garden and envy swelled up inside of me when I saw other gardeners’ large plump tomatoes and tall gorgeous sunflowers. However, like Doe explains, our envy for what others do and make is a way of telling ourselves that we are capable of making such realities possible for ourselves, with a little bit of creativity and work. This fall and next spring I plan to read more and think about how we’ll expand and design our own little plot of land.

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“When I was a kid my favorite relative was Uncle Caveman. After school we’d all go play in his cave, and every once in a while he would eat one of us. It wasn’t until later that I found out that Uncle Caveman was a bear.” ~ Jack Handy

To see more photos from Luray Caverns and Shenandoah National Park, visit Green Mamma’s photostream.

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Last week I received a note from a fellow animal and wildlife activist regarding the Bush Administration’s plan to overhaul the Endangered Species Act.  John Kostyack, Executive Director of Wildlife Conservation and Global Warming at the National Wildlife Federation is warning that the administrations planned changes will not only be damaging to wildlife but also disregards science.   In an article from August 11, Kostyack said,

“The cumulative impact of these changes equals a full blown attack on America’s premier conservation law. We owe it to future generations to stop this attack and continue our legacy of protecting wildlife on the brink of extinction.”

Planned amendments to the Endangered Species Act remove biologists and environmental consultants from the federal process of building roads, logging, mining, and filling wetlands.  Basically, whoever oversees federal projects (not a scientist or environmental consultant) will decide whether or not endangered species and habitats will be threatened by such projects.  To read the full list of proposed regulations, click here.

The Bush Administration wants to extract professional wildlife consultants and replace them with their own political agenda.

It is not the first time the Bush Administration has taken actions against the Endangered Species Act.  To read about previous violations, go here, here, and here.

To take action against the Bush Administration’s plans to gut the Endangered Species Act, send a message to Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to let him know you will not stand for the weakening of endangered species protections.  For a sample letter at the National Wildlife Federation, please visit Speak Up for Wildlife.

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Inspired by my new Nikon camera, this week’s gratitude post is about light. Most of us are familiar with phrases like “shed some light”, “let there be light,” and “keep in the sunlight.” One of my favorite quotes about light was written by Edith Wharton: “There are two ways of spreading light; to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” Light is thought to be a symbol of creation, truth, understanding, generosity, altruism, life, purpose, and hope, and that is only naming a few. In photography, light is technically important for letting the camera achieve an image that mimics what the eye sees.

What I love about taking photos is that it helps me to notice beauty wherever I go. Throughout my day I find my eyes searching for color, shape, form, texture, and more, and then, I think about whether or not such a photo would be taken in good light.

Of course, there are times when my eyes and mind notice something beautiful and I forgot or have no access to my camera. When this happens, my husband is quick to remind me that our experiences are what matter most. “Make a memory,” he says. So here are a few memories, or rather, moments from our everyday where I notice beauty and make an imprint upon my mind:

At daybreak, I see

a slumbering baby nestled next to her dad

fog hovering over purple echinacea

runners and bikers with the roads to themselves

and deer grazing on wild grass

At midday, I see

red, blue, green, silver, and bronze cars crowding local plazas

Annabelle excitedly waving her arms, dancing to hip hop in the backseat of my car

ducks basking in the sun and waiting for generous visitors

and shadows cast on purple echinacea

At 5 o’clock when the sun softens, I see

neighbors returning home from work

my husband and daughter weeding our vegetable garden

mosquitoes leaving their mark

and smoke rising from summer barbeques

At dusk when lights go out, I see

the outline of Toby’s tail as he walks across our bed

tall trees swaying outside of our windows

laugh lines on my husband’s face as he watches Jon Stewart

and a busy toddler fast asleep, my baby once again.

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For the second time in a week, I’m sending you over to my friend Melody’s web-site. Melody is a passionate advocate for homebirth and natural parenting, is a maternity and birth photographer, and is the director of Birth Matters in Northern Virginia. Everything I know about homebirth and the history of birth in the United States I owe to Melody, who often refers to herself as an information junkie (yes, she is one smart mamma too).

Recently, the AMA (American Medical Assocation) and ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) made resolutions against homebirth. I remember visiting Melody one afternoon and listening to her frustrations over the misinformation about homebirth that is prevalent in our media and national medical associations. Since having seen Ricki Lake’s The Business of Being Born, I had some understanding and insight as to why Melody was so angry that a woman’s right to choose how to birth was in jeopardy of being violated. On some level, I personally relate since 2 ob-gyns I visited while I was pregnant practically laughed at my birth plan and 1 ob was more than happy to direct me (an outrageous patient?) to the care of the midwives at his practice. Thank goodness he did!

Well, after a long wait, the American College of Nurse Midwives responded. To see what they said, go here. And for more in-depth and better informed commentary on the ins and outs of homebirth, go visit Melody. She’s definitely the homebirth expert in my neck of the woods.

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Our family’s efforts to go green coincided with my discovery of the famous Fly Lady, an on-line personal assistant who works day and night to guide folks living in CHAOS (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) to a life of order, organization, routine, and an environment that is clutter free. As I’ve mentioned time and time again to you, readers, greening my life and decluttering our home emerged while I was pregnant and nesting. Luckily, I became well acquainted with eco-friendly ways to dispose of our clutter, selling and giving away our belongings on Craig’s List and Freecycle. I decluttered with such enthusiasm that my husband once dreamed that I had freecycled pictures of our newborn! (No, I never freecyled pictures of my own daughter, but apparently I was getting rid of so much stuff that my husband worried that I might freecyle him and our daughter).

What I have noticed since decluttering our home and implementing a routine (even loosely followed) is that I manage to accomplish more–much more than I ever imagined possible. Creativity flows for me when my sink isn’t full of dishes, toys aren’t scattered all over the floor, and the laundry is tended to daily. I am (prepare yourselves for a confession) one of those people that thrives on external order, and it is my feeling that when my home and world are (or seem to be) in order, I am better prepared to manage the inner workings of my life.

Greater still, than being able to manage one’s personal life, I think, is having the energy to do something about chaos in the greater world. Over the years, being the do-gooder that I aspired to be, I have learned that there are many, many causes out there that need attention. Many people want to contribute, on some level, to making a difference, and one way or another, folks usually find a purpose or cause that they live for. Focusing on a single cause or two, though, makes it more likely that one’s efforts can be channeled towards real change that means something for the world.

My present causes include working (and writing) to protect and care for the earth’s environment, and to be a domestic do-gooder who raises a family that is mindful of the planet’s health, as well as the well-being of people all over the world. Regarding my first cause, the environment, my hope is that my children’s generation will be able to walk outside and not have to pick up garbage off the side of the road. Littering, pollution, and all things contributing to global warming will be in decline; our children will revere the earth and each other. Yes, I have a dream.

Getting the earth’s climate in order is no small dream. It is tempting to be pessimistic and list all of the ways our environment is going to h*** in a handbag. But I belong more to the school of “the glass is half full,” and so instead, here are a few thoughts on order and harmony as I see it manifest in our environment:

I notice order and harmony when I see. . .

a cloth diapered baby

yard composts

high heeled ladies and oxford soled men cycling to work

stay-cationers

vegetable gardens

groceries in cloth bags

used book stores

the Goodwill

clean roads

farmers’ markets

stream and water monitoring

recycling centers

green blogs, growing, growing, growing with crunchy, practical green thoughts

A small victory for me, as an environmentalist, was noticing that our local YMCA implemented a recycling program by simply taping “RECYCLE” signs to several former trashcans. Over the past few months, each time I visited the Y, I left a comment about there not being a recycling effort in place and how I would love to participate in setting it up. While no one ever contacted me to help with set-up, I can’t tell you how happy I was to walk past the new recycling program that is underway at the Y.

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