Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Important News

Good Evenings Green Mamas!

I have two important bits of news tonight that I hope that all of you will join me in supporting. The first is that the Senate is scheduled to vote in June on some crucial global warming legislation. I hope that all of you will join me in emailing or calling your Senator to ask him or her to vote for this important bill. For more information, go to this link on the Environmental Defense website to learn more about the bill, the key swing voting Senators and how to take action. It will take only a few minutes, and one day you can tell your kids that you were responsible for saving the planet! Cool.



The second hot topic is that Moms Living Green will be joining forces with a new and very media savvy non-profit called the Ecomom Alliance to use the buying power of moms (and dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and teens, kids and friends everywhere) to sway large corporations to go green! (And, I mean really go green, not just fill our lives with fake green marketing or more "green" stuff that we don't want or need!) I will be becoming an Ecomom Leader once we've finally settled in Houston, and until then I'm calling on all of you to join the Ecomom Organization so that we can quickly build enough members to push some large companies in the right direction. When you click to join you can also make a donation to support our work, but that is optional. Check it out!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

The Dirty Dozen


As I write, I'm listening to a thunderstorm outside. It sounds like it might be a pretty big one, but after several months of drought here in North Carolina, I'm grateful for the rain. And thanks to the Spring rains, we're now finding a bounty of beautiful, and delicious, veggies at our local farmer's market. I would strongly encourage all of you to spend some time finding and going to a farmer's market near you. You can find farmer's markets in your area by checking out the Local Harvest website.

We have also been CSA members for the past 2 seasons. (You can find out more information about CSA's in your area on the Local Harvest website as well.) When you join a CSA, you essentially join a local farm. You pay for a season's worth of veggies (approximately April/ May through October/ November.) Then, each week, you pick up a box of delicious, organic, local produce that will feed your family, and you can freeze and save any extras for the winter. Yum! We have used Tantre Farm in Ann Arbor, MI and Timberwood Organics in Chapel Hill, NC both are great!

Pound for pound, kids eat a lot more than adults. So, to keep our kids healthy and to minimize their exposure to pesticides (which can cause cancer, are neurotoxins, and may have other health effects that we don't yet know about), it's best to feed them tons of ORGANIC fruits and veggies. Plus, by feeding our kids organics, we also help to protect the health of farm workers, and the soil and water environments of the farm and the local community. But, sometimes, organic fruits and veggies are more expensive. To keep your family budget in check, get your organic produce at local farmer's markets, and when you have to choose which fruits and veggies to buy organic, prioritize "The Dirty Dozen." These 12 fruits and veggies have the highest pesticide load when grown conventionally. So, if you have to pick and choose what to buy organic, chose these... Peaches, Apples, Sweet Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Lettuce, Grapes, Pears, Spinach, and Potatoes.

Conversely, the fruits and veggies that are the "Cleanest" (lowest in pesticide load) are Onions, Avocadoes, Frozen Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Mangoes, Frozen Sweet Peas, Asparagus, Kiwis, Bananas, Cabbage, Broccoli, and Eggplant. So, those are OK to eat even if conventionally grown. (Source: foodnews.org)

Mark your calendars to poke around your local farmer's market this week, and make a list of "The Dirty Dozen" to take with you on your local shopping trip. And, hey, green mamas... don't forget your re-useable grocery bag!

Have a great week green mamas!
Jessica