Green Tips from Cindy Crawford

Like me, many moms today are concerned about the environment. We all want to live a little greener and do our part for the planet and for the health of our families. The good news is that even small changes can make a huge impact on the environment. And that’s great news for my family because changes that fit easily into our hectic routine are the ones that are going to stick.

That’s why I would like to share some easy, green tips for other moms out there. They’ve worked in my house. I have learned that getting the whole family involved shows the kids that being eco-friendly can be fun!

Drink filtered tap water with a reusable water bottle: Over 38 billion plastic water bottles end up in landfills every year. By switching to water filtered by PŪR Water Filtration and a reusable bottle, each person can prevent up to 3,200 plastic water bottles from ending up in a landfill every year. PŪR is a healthy choice because it is certified to reduce more contaminants from tap water than any other brand on the market. In addition, drinking filtered tap water is about one-tenth the cost of supplying your family with bottled water for an entire year, which could save one person up to $600 annually.

Recycle and create a compost pile:
Recycling and composting food diverted 82 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2006. Turn your kids into recycling and composting experts by putting them in charge of your household’s efforts. It will teach them responsibility as well as sustainability.

Wash clothes with cold water and use concentrated detergent:
Thirty-six percent of hot water use in households comes from laundering. By using cold water, you’ll cut back on your energy bill and consumption. Take it one step further by washing your clothes with concentrated detergent and you’ll cut back on plastic container waste as well.

Ditch the plastic bags :
Over 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away every year. Next time you head to the grocery store or out on your errands, take canvas bags with you. There are a lot of stylish options out there now so you’ll be very “eco-chic!”

Buy local:
Purchase food from local areas and help to cut back on gas emissions created by long transportation routes out-of-area fruits and vegetables must take to get to your local grocery. Your food will be fresher, taste better and the air will be cleaner.

Use an online phone directory:
Call up your local phone company and ask to be taken off of their delivery route. Believe it or not, phone books make up almost 10% of waste at dump sites!

Throw an eco-chic party:
Don’t throw out those old pants – throw a wardrobe-swapping party instead! At the beginning of every new season, invite your friends over and trade old clothes along with your stories. It’s fun, eco-chic at its best!

Go low-flow:
Americans flush 4.8 billion gallons of water down the toilet every day. Take the easy step of filling a container with water and submerging it in your toilet tank. You’ll cut back on your water bill and prevent hundreds of dollars being flushed away along with that extra water!

Unplug your life :
Forty percent of all electricity used in homes is for appliances that are turned off but still plugged in. Pull some cords on your way out the door next time and you’ll see a huge savings on that electric bill! Using surge protectors with numerous outlets is a great way to turn them all off at once.

Help Cindy bring safe drinking water to children in third world countries and you could win a PUR water filtration system. Enter contest

Help Cindy Crawford and be a winner!!!! Keep it PUR contest!

As a Green and Clean mom, you would think I drink a ton of water. Seeing that I have a new water bottle I should be consuming tons of it. What do you actually know about water? Did you know that 70% of your body is made of water? How about that your hair, skin, nails and entire body needs this clear liquid for nourishment? Okay, I’m a mom and I’m lecturing and I’m the pot calling the kettle black. Maybe you’re like me and you doubt the cleanliness of the water. How old are those pipes in your city and what about the scary stuff in the news that talks about water being dirty and contaminated (you know you’ve heard it)! The doctor told me I could give my children tap water because it was safe but then why don’t we actually drink the tap water? We have three water filters in our home, one at the tap, one at the fridge and one in the fridge! Maybe this is where the word CLEAN comes into the blog title! I could scare you with all of these statistics I have about dirty water and people getting sick and dying but that’s kind of boring to read and it would freak you out and in all honesty, in comparison to what third world countries...we are better off. Regardless of this moms still want the healthiest, safest choice and that’s why they have water filters. So let me cut to the chase and just tell you I’m going to be giving away 5 PUR water filtration systems ™ to help my other Green and Clean moms out there keep it “PUR”!

This is part of a big campaign with Cindy Crawford (tried to score an interview but no luck…maybe she’ll post here) and PUR filtrations systems™ to help provide safe drinking water for children in impoverished countries. The campaign is titled, Thirst for Change and Cindy designed a Sigg water bottle with all of the proceeds going to support the campaign. Go to, Thirst for Change, buy a water bottle and help children in third world countries have safe drinking water. It couldn’t be any easier! The idea is very simple, buying bottled water is out and not good for you with all the bad plastic and stuff and the fact that it hurts the environment. Except then you wonder about your tap water. This is where you can insert the idea of a PUR water filtration system ™. You get to have tap water and a reusable water bottle that you purchased to help someone else! Love it and please note, no payment, to use such an affectionate word!Want to try to be a lucky winner? I know you do!

Here’s how it’s going to work and I’m going to keep it simple and PUR!

Bloggers:

~Post one comment that tells me that you have linked Thirsty For Change and this contest to your blog and you are entered (must link back to this blog, which equal more people buying bottles).
~Leave me your email address but please spam proof it for your sake (i.e. sommer at greenandcleanmom dot org or yourname at hotmail dot com).


Non-Bloggers:

~Stumble me, digg me, subscribe by email or feedburner and leave what you have done as a post along with your spam proofed email. If you subscribe you're sure to hear about all my great contests right away! Yeah, just subscribe and the stumble and digg will just score you good green karma!

Anyone that scores me an interview with Cindy Crawford will win one for sure! It could happen so I have to put it out there and try...right?

Contest Begins May 01, 2008 and a winner will be drawn on Mother's Day!!!

Open to U.S. Residents and one entry per household.

Hangin' it on the line

There probably isn’t anything more “green”, sexy or sassy then standing outside hanging your clothes out to dry…especially if you’re going o’natural! Hills, an Australian brand that has been line drying for over 50 years, is launching their campaign to spark more Americans to stop using the dryer and start putting their clothes on the line! Yeehaw! Something my gramma did for years but never with as much style as the Hills provides! Line drying with the Hills is like driving a hybrid…they come in all shapes, styles and forms, so there is no excuse. For all Green and Clean Moms regardless of where you live or how big your yard is you have an option to make hanging those pink polka dotted organic undies on the line! From the hefty Rotary do it all maximum drying capacity to the Supa Fold,” I only have a yard or balcony”, mom. Oh, and then there is my favorite Quatro for tiny yards, itsy bitsy spaces or indoor options.

So mamas do it like your gramma, shake those clothes, grab some clothespins and show the neighbor how to bleach your whites with the sunlight! Even the celebs are hanging their clothes and names on the line! Celebrities like Rachel Bilson and Matt Rhys, to name a few are supporting this good cause and helping to reduce carbon emissions, the good old fashion way. Get started today and sign up to put your name on the line and if you want to be a really cool Green and Clean Mom, like me…ask for the hybrid of all clothes dryers this Mother’s Day.

www.linedryit.com

Healthy Child Healthy World Book Review

I have finished reading the book, Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home by Christopher Gavigan and it was an honor to be asked to review this book. If you don’t know about this non-profit organization that has been around for nearly TWO decades, founded by parents, Jim and Nancy Chuda, after losing their daughter, Colette, from a rare non-hereditary cancer, do yourself a favor and visit the website and continue to visit the site. Okay so on to the book review, most book reviews are boring and they tell you how the book is written and that the format is easy to read, blah, blah, blah. I just want to tell you that this book has me shouting these words to you as I type them: GO BUY THIS BOOK! Seriously! I don’t have an official Green and Clean Mom book award but if I did this book would win it. This book is just what every Green and Clean Mom needs because it doesn’t make you feel like you have to be perfect or do everything but it lays it all out there. The facts scared the "you know what" out of me but when you read about there being boogy men lurking in the corner you get chills…shouldn’t it scare me that there are chemicals that can hurt my children in their food, shampoo, and toys (same thing really)?

Besides the fact that I have every other page folded down at the corner and there's a rainbow of highlighter marks throughout the book, what makes this book just what all Green and Clean Moms need? Christopher Gavigan is a new parent and he gets what we feel (so that makes him a Green and Clean Dad). He knows how overwhelming and scary it feels to be responsible for this little life but have all this bad stuff surrounding you, confusing data, information, labeling, advise, and the list goes on. Every chapter is important and chalked full of useful information and facts but it’s easy to decipher and when you’re a busy mom you need someone to tell it to you just like it is and cut to the chase.

Here are a few of my favorite parts of the books or quotes that made me realize this is the perfect Green and Clean Mom book and a must have for you to go buy and for me to recommend...

*The book states at the very beginning that it is offering easy and doable steps to take towards making a child’s world a healthier place. Doable and easy are good words for a busy mom trying to figure it all out! AMEN! Organic shopping pointers, cleaning tips, what is a must to avoid and the basics all spelled out so simply. Even with pages to cut out and stick in your purse or hang up for reminders. Love it!

*Walking me through the words: Cancer, Asthma, Allergies, Autism and ADHD and Mental Development and retardation without me having to read 5,000 pages of technical terms (remember I’ve done this for my masters degree in early childhood education) but cutting to the chase and keeping it simple, factual and relevant was terrific!

*The idea that “Green Cleaning” mean more help around the house because it’s safe for the kids to help had me jumping for joy! Can’t all of us moms use some more help with the cleaning???

Throughout the book there are celebrity contributions and here are the best quotes ever…

*Amy Brenneman the actress wrote, “But we’re not perfect. I tried my two-year old on gDiapers and he looked at me like no, way!” I loved this because I didn’t feel so bad about not using such a great diaper.

*Courtney Cox the actress wrote: “Among my friends I’m the ‘green’ novice.” And “I’m just learning this stuff…” Phew, it’s okay to just now be learning stuff but the fact that she’s doing something, I’m doing something and you’re doing something is all a good thing!

*Jenna Elfman the actress wrote: “Before I had a child, I’d hear people talking about green this or that, but most of it didn’t seem to apply to me.” Raise your hand if you can relate to that! And then she writes, “I start with the things I can face easily.” What good advice.

Let me leave you with this last quote (there are so many good ones throughout the book) from Robyn O’Brien, founder of Allergy Kids…

“Sometimes it just takes a passionate mom. We all have her in us.”

Yes we do!! I do and that is why I blog and try to reach other moms like myself. I know you have her in you too! Start by reading this book and educating yourself with practical ideas for just how you can use your own two hands to make a difference.

Get the low down for Earth Day 2008

Earth Day is April 22nd and the clock is ticking away. Do you know what is going on in your city or state? Are you making an effort to do something if there isn’t something going on near you? Let me take a minute and give you some ideas and resources to help get you involved or give you something to do to celebrate this day.

If you live near Universal Studios Hollywood ,then the happening event would be the "Eco-Fair", Saturday, April 26th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can even get free parking if you drive your hybrid and the City and County of Los Angeles will be sponsoring a hazardous waste disposal. Don't have a hybrid? You can still get free parking if you donate something to the hazardous waste disposal, which shouldn't be hard to do! While your getting rid of your toxins, celebrities such as, Melora Hardin, from "The Office" will be autographing eco-bags. There will be over 30 going green displays and interactive exhibits. A must do event if you want to be groovy green and you live in the L.A. area! I only wish I was near by but if you go, send me pictures!

Don't forget the Green Scene event in Chicago if you're near the windy city! If you're like me and the bigger city is hours away and not possible, don't fret. You can still do "something" green but you might not get free parking and a celebrity probably won't sign a eco-bag for you. No need to pout, here are some Earth Day events and links to cheer you up...

http://ww2.earthday.net/
http://earthday.envirolink.org/
http://www.epa.gov/earthday/events.htm
http://www.earthdayny.org/
http://www.worldwildlife.org/earthday2008/

How about getting the kids involved and making this day as special as any other holiday? Have those kids be groovy green kids! EcoKids has some great activities, facts and quizzes. It’s more for older kids though. Kaboose, has some great crafts and activities for all age groups. The tin can herb pots are adorable and my four year old would love this! Kaboose, also has some great ways that a family can go green together and a fun quiz. The greatest resource comes from kids themselves on how to learn about Earth day. I personally loved the pledge to Mother Earth!
Lots of good ideas and resources, which gives you know excuse for not celebrating Earth Day! Post here and let me know what your plans are and if you are hosting an event or know of one!

Ricki Lake

Remember Ricki Lake? I loved her talk show way back when. Now she's made a documentary called "The Business of Being Born" with Abby Epstein. I heard about this on E! Well, now I'm doing a fundraiser in conjunction with a Red Carpet Premiere of this event that benefits Bloom. They're a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering families, with an emphasis on natural mothering. Perfect for my business and what I'm all about!

I'm beside myself with excitement because Ricki Lake has personally invited stars such as Helen Hunt, Keri Russell, Cindy Crawford, Matthew Perry and so many more. Who knows if they'll come! Not that I'll personally meet any of them but I'm donating stuff for the silent auction and for the gift bags so maybe they'll bid on the auction item? Maybe they'll call me the next day (one can hope) and help me spread my mission of families cleaning non-toxic?

The best part...the fundraiser isn't just for celebrities. YOU can help too by clicking here. For those thinking that networking marketing is small time and that people don't make money this is also proof that yes we do and it can be as big as you dream it to be!