Conservation

Is Walking Becoming Obsolete?
While I walked 20 miles each day for the Michigan Breast Cancer 3 day this weekend, I had a lot of time to look around and just think. One of my big realizations over the weekend was that we were the only ones walking around in the downtown, neighborhood and nature areas along our path. (…)

When Fresh Water Becomes the New Oil
I was shocked last week to learn about the Great Lakes Compact legislation that was sent to Congress two weeks ago. (…)
A Certifiable Backyard
I never know what to do with my backyard. I don't have a huge yard…it's just under an acre…but it's big enough for a small garden, a dozen or so trees, and a handful of flower beds. I want my yard to be as natural as possible, so we never use any chemical fertilizers or pesticides and we try to minimize mowing and watering. (…)

It's Getting Cool: 5 Easy Ways To Warm Up
With the temperatures dropping and fuel prices soaring, you may be wondering how to stay warm this winter without going broke. (…)

Walking the Talk
When I realized I was ready to take the next step in my journey going green, I signed up for the Chicago Conservation Corps (C3) Leadership Program. Their mission is to recruit, train and support a network of volunteers who improve their surrounding communities and schools through environmental service projects protecting our water, cleaning the air, restoring the land and saving energy. (…)

Paradise Lost, Garbage: Found
Need physical proof we are daily polluting our most valuable and natural resources? Look no further than the Hawaiian islands. (…)

How To Green Your Home Office
It seems like every home has a "home office" these days. For some, it's their sole place of employment, for others it's simply a place to pay the bills, surf the computer, and help the kids with homework. But whether yours is a dedicated room, a corner of the kitchen table, or just a state of mind, there are lots of things you can do to make it a greener and cleaner place to take care of business. Here's how to green your home office:
Install CFLs: Replace traditional light bulbs with long-lasting and money-saving compact fluorescents that are better for the planet and better for your wallet. (…)

5 Minute Green Miracles
Making miracles happen may seem a bit daunting for a Tuesday morning, but with 5 minutes to spare, you can take it upon yourself to make something wonderful happen for our earth. (…)

Greening The Magazines
Before children, I used to love to curl up with a couple of favorite magazines and a Coke and laze away an afternoon. Important part of that sentence - "before children." Now, mmm, I don't have the time. Yeah, right, I would get an opportunity to "laze away an afternoon." That would be nice. Now, I'm lucky if I can get through 3 pages of advertisements, let alone any substance, before some small body hurls itself at me, demanding attention, and ripping any wayward page that just happens to get in the way. Or dripping Otter Pop stickiness all over the only page I wanted to read. Not to mention the dirty laundry that calls me or a number of other chores needing to be done. (…)

5 Ideas For A Green Birthday Party
Birthday parties are all too often lavish and excessive, even when they are for small children. Sometimes it seems like it is a competition for parents. (…)

A Fresh Look At Cloth Diapers
Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I am a LAZY green mama. That’s not to say that I don’t do my part to protect the planet. (…)

Surprising Ways To Save Money At The Pump
With prices skyrocketing at the pump, you've probably already taken some serious steps to improve your gas mileage and reduce the amount of money you spend on gas. Carpooling, avoiding aggressive driving, and giving your car regular tune-ups are great ways to save money on gas, but don't forget these equally effective yet surprising ways to save money at the pump…. (…)

Pick that Up!
One of the aspects I’ve enjoyed about homeschooling is that I can include a new activity, or course of study, at anytime throughout the school year. (…)

10 Easy Ways To Reduce Paper Consumption
Paper and paper products are among the most recycled items that we dispose of according to waste disposal statistics. (…)

Note To Self…Simple Ways To Green Your Daily Routine
When my family and I began this journey going green, we started with simple recycling. I am telling you- it is really addictive. (…)

A Happy Earth: Teaching Older Kids to Care
There are times when I wish I had the knowledge I have now, back when I was starting my family. (…)

A/C Free in Chicago
What started as a joke with our neighbor has grown into a tiny obsession in our home. (…)

Keeping Your Cool When it's HOT, the Green Way
Summer is upon us and as the temperatures rise, so does our need to stay cool. Is it possible to beat the heat without (gasp) air conditioning? (…)

Save the Green: 5 Steps to Save Gas
With gas prices at record highs and only expected to go up, we all need some reminders on how to save money on gas. (…)

Water Wise
What could be more summery than a quick dip in the pool and a giant glass of iced tea? A brisk scrub-a-dub-tub to get the popsicle goo off your legs? (…)