Forget the notion that going green is merely hip.  Administrators have an arsenal of reasons to advocate for environmentally friendly building design and operation.  A green school is healthier.  It can improve student performance and provide hands-on learning opportunities.  And, also of importance:  Going green provides a living classroom for students and saves money.

Just one example, Atascocita Springs Elementary School opened this week in Humble, a suburb of Houston, Texas.  The LEED-certified elementary school will act as a prototype for future districts to follow.  LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.  The high-performance design will feature a more hands-on experience for teachers, students and even parents.  This will include interactive touch screens with easy accessible historical and up-to-the-minute information.  The school will include rainwater collection technology as well as solar panels to help conserve resources.

The campus is also being designed for CHPS verification (Collaborative for High Performance Schools).  District officials know of know other school in Texas that has achieved both high standards.  What a step forward for Texas!

Here in California, CALGREEN, the nation’s first mandatory green building code, goes into effect in January 2011. Newly constructed buildings will be required to install green plumbing, use low-pollutant paints, carpets and flooring, and divert fifty percent of construction waste from landfills to recycling.  Energy systems, such as HVAC and other mechanical equipment will be subject to stricter inspections. 

Definitely these measures undertaken by different educational institution will continue the process of instilling eco-friendly ways to our children, from home to school.  What can parents do to keep the momentum up?  Encourage recycling old school supplies.  Rulers, bags, pencil cases are not disposable and can be used again.  Recycled notebooks, pens, markers are available in different green supply stores.  Healthy lunch and snacks can also be packed in reusable containers instead of unfriendly plastic bags and tin foils.  The 3 R’s of Environment should always be kept in mind:  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  This will not only save you lots of money, it will also instill a green attitude and behavior to your children which they will treasure until the next generation.

This weekend, as I attempted to restock sunscreen for these final days of summer I got overwhelmed in the aisle at the store.  So many ingredients, so many brands, so many SPF’s!  I’m fair-skinned and I love being in the sun, a combination that has resulted in some painful burns over the years.  These days I’m trying to be more responsible, but contemplating which sunscreens are safest is exhausting.  Instead of choosing from the 50 or so sunblocks for sale, I decided to see what the experts recommend.

Thankfully, earlier this summer the Environmental Working Group put out its 2010 sunscreen guide http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/best-beach-sport-sunscreens.  The non-profit’s researchers analyzed 500 beach and sport sunscreens, and recommend only 39 of them that provide broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB-sunburn) protection with fewer hazardous chemicals that penetrate the skin. 

All of EWG’s top-rated sunscreens contain either the minerals zinc or titanium.  “They are the right choice for people who are looking for the best UVA protection without any sunscreen chemical considered to be a potential hormone disruptor.  None of the products contain oxybenzone or vitamin A and none are sprayed or powdered,” the group says.

Top rated brands include:

All Terrain, Badger, Beyond Coastal, California Baby, Caribbean Solutions, Desert Essence, Episencial, Estion, Jason Natural Cosmetics, Kabana Skin Care, L’uvalla Certified Organic, La Roche-Posay, Little Forest, Loving Naturals, Miessence, Purple Prairie Botanicals, Soleo Organics, think baby and think sport, Trukid, UV Natural and Vanicream.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

For those who want to avoid nano-scale minerals like zinc and titanium oxide, EWG also offers some non-mineral choices.  None of these earned the top rating, according to EWG, as all the non-mineral products contain at least one chemical considered to be a potential hormone disruptor or offer only moderate to weak UVA protection.

EWG also lists products they found deficient in a number of categories.  These products were generally guilty of leaving the wearer with little protection from UVA rays,  included potential hormone disruptors or were in powder form.  This last is particularly dangerous in that the powder is able to enter airways and then bloodstream.

I found my new sunscreen with time enough to enjoy the outdoors this weekend.  Take some time to find your own health and eco-friendly brand before Fall!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Tea and coffee protect against heart disease

Drinking several cups of tea or coffee a day appears to protect against heart disease, a 13-year-long study from the Netherlands has found.

It adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting health benefits from the most popular hot drinks.

Those who drank more than six cups of tea a day cut their risk of heart disease by a third, the study of 40,000 people found.

Consuming between two to four coffees a day was also linked to a reduced risk.

While the protective effect ceased with more than four cups of coffee a day, even those who drank this much were no more likely to die of any cause, including stroke and cancer, than those who abstained.

The Dutch tend to drink coffee with a small amount of milk and black tea without.  There have been conflicting reports as to whether milk substantially affects the polyphenols - believed to be the most beneficial substance in tea.

Coffee has properties which could in theory simultaneously increase and reduce risk - potentially raising cholesterol while battling the inflammatory damage associated with heart disease.

But the study in the Journal of the American Heart Association finds those who drank between two and four cups a day lowered the risk of the disease by 20%. 

“It’s basically a good news story for those who like tea and coffee.  These drinks appear to offer benefits for the heart without raising the risk of dying from anything else,” said Professor Yvonne van der Schouw, te lead researcher.

Health Benefits of Touching Proven for Infants, the Elderly and Those in Between

Touch comes more naturally to some people than others.  You can make a conscious effort to bring more touch into your daily life–and more happiness to yourself and those around you.  Give your kids hugs when they leave for school in the morning and when they come home.  Hold your partner’s hand when you take a walk, exchange back bubs and don’t forget good-night kisses.  Schedule sessions with a professional massage therapist.

Scientists recognized the power of touch–and not jut touch therapies such as reflexology, but simple acts such as giving a back rub, holding hands, sharing a hug or putting your arm around someone.  With research demonstrating the healing power of touch, more mommies are taking infant massage courses and  more hospitals are incorporating massage programs into care protocols for cancer and cardiovascular patients.

In recent years some researchers have begun to focus on physical contact.  Momentary touches, they say- whether an exuberant high five, a warm hand on the shoulder, or a touch to the arm.  Students who receive a supportive touch on the back or arm from a teacher were nearly twice as likely to volunteer in class as those who did not.   A massage from a loved one can not only ease pain but also soothe depression and strengthen a relationship. 

If a high five can in fact enhance performance, on the field or in the office, that may be because it reduces stress.  A warm touch seems to set off the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps create a sensation of trust, and to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

Studies published from the Touch Research Institute, published in peer-reviewed journals, demonstrate that touch contributer to:

**Decreased pain.  Children with mild to moderate juvenile rheumatoid arthritis who were given massages by their parents 15 minutes per day for one month experienced less anxiety and lower cortisol levels.  Over a 30-day period, parents, kids and their physicians reported less pain overall in the children

**Enhanced immune function.  In studies, women with breast cancer and HIV patients showed a measurable increase in natural killer cells–parts of a line of defense in the immune system against virus-infected cells and cancer cells–after massage.  They also experienced less anxiety and depression.

**Less Labor Pain.  Women in labor who received a back rub the first 15 minutes of every hour of labor reported less pain and made fewer request for pain medications.  Their labor was also shorter, on average.

**Enhanced alertness and performance.  Following massage, adults completed math problems in significantly less time and with fewer errors. 

Little touches do mean so much.  I have been massaging my daughter since she was a baby.  She is 7 years old and I continue to massage her.  I see first-hand  how it relaxes her.  I always hug her.   I give her a high five after her soccer game or on the tennis court.    Let’s all make an effort to reach out and touch. 

California moves to ban plastic bags at grocery stores

California is set to be the first state in the nation to outlaw plastic shopping bags - and charge shoppers at least 5 cents for paper ones.  The bill, which passed the state Assembly 41-27 and is expected to pass the state Senate by the end of its session, goes further than even San Francisco’s ban.  It would prohibit stores from offering plastic bags beginning in January 2012 and extend the prohibition to convenience stores, drugstores and smaller businesses by July.

According to bill author Assemblywoman Julia Brownley, Santa Monica, California taxpayers spend about $25 million every year picking up and disposing of stray plastic bags. 

Paper bags, though not as environmentally destructive, are costly and are also rarely recycled.  It’s proper for this bill to account for their overall cost, too.

The best bag is the one that you bring from home.  And though it may require all of us to make small personal adjustments, the benefit of a cleaner environment is a big one that we’ll all share.

Whole Foods in Venice, California and in El Segundo, California carry my line of eco-jute totes.  The jute totes are as strong and durable as they are stylish.  These must-have reusable totes are made of 100% jute, a natural, biodegradable fiber that continues to look better with age, and use only environmentally friendly , water-based ink dyes.  I carry at least 4 of the eco-jutes in my car at all times.  Whenever I do any kind of shopping, I take Green Girl’s stylish reusable shopping totes with me.  You care about the Earth–so say it with style- SHOP DIFFERENTLY!

To purchase the Green Girl eco-jutes that feature catchy, Earth-friendly messages http://www.greengirlworld.com/eco-jutes.html   There are four different designs: 

**BAG THE PLASTIC BAG
**BYOB                                                                                                                                                                                                                                **TRIM YOUR WASTE                                                                                                                                                                                                   **DON’T BE PLASTIC

Consider the following facts:

**Plastic bags are made of polyethylene which is a petroleum product                                                                                                **Production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption                                                                                                     **Four to five trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year                                                                                                                **Only 1% of plastic bags are recycled                                                                                                                                                                  **60,000 plastic bags are used in the US every five seconds                                                                                                                    **It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down and this leaches toxic substances that enter the food chain **Approximately 1 billion seabirds and mammals die per year by ingesting plastic bags                                                             **Plastic bags are often mistaken as food by marine mammals and 100,000 marine mammals die a painful death as the plastic wraps around their intestines or they choke to death                                                                                                                **Plastic bags choke landfills                                                                                                                                                                                      **Plastic bags are carried by the wind into forests, ponds, rivers, and lakes

There is a huge craze these days in creating Terrariums.  Women are interested in plants from a design standpoint, not a horticultural standpoint.  Many are drawn in by the creative aspect, designing little worlds. 

Long a fixture of elementary school classrooms, terrariums have recently begun gaining favor with young design enthusiasts and creative types.  But today’s look nothing like the fish-tank structures and kitschy miniature greenhouses that were popular in the 70’s. 

The new modern sleek creations are something you want to display in your home.    Women have become fascinated with having beautiful arrangements in their home that they can look at and not have to do much to.  This is one of the main draws of terrariums.  They are good for people who love plants but do not actually love gardening. 

Assembling a terrarium requires little more than a glass container, gravel, soil and plants. 

**Spread gravel, preferably a natural kind like pea gravel, an inch or two thick in a glass container.

**Put a layer of sphagnum moss or burlap over the gravel is optional, but it will keep the dirt that goes on top from seeping into the gravel.  Next, spread about a quarter-inch layer of charcoal over the gravel to absorb odors.  Then add at least two inches of potting soil, or more depending on the types and sizes of your plants. 

**Finally, place your plants inside the terrarium.  Smaller containers will hold two or three, and some might only hold one.   Use hardy plants that do well in medium-moisture environments, like pathos, ferns, moss, ivy and bromeliads. 

Water or mist the terrarium sparingly, but keep it moist.  If your using a container with a cover, monitor the terrarium for a month or two to make sure it does not get too moist (condensation will form on the glass, and mold and fungus might appear on the plants and in the soil).  Adjust the lid, or remove it, to temper the amount of moisture; eventually it should stabilize, and the terrarium won’t need much care.  Terrariums without lids require more water and care, as moisture is lost to evaporation.   

Either way it’s an ongoing experiment.  You’re trying to create a micro-climate- that’s what separates a terrarium from a flowerpot.

                           Green Girl Travel Pouches Encourage Women to Save the Earth, Shop with Style

Chic and Sophisticated, Each Compact Travel Pouch Holds Four Designer Eco-Totes

Compact, convenient and incredibly chic, Green Girl Travel Pouches are encouraging women nationwide to          SHOP DIFFERENTLY by saying “no thank you” to plastic and paper bags–without sacrificing style.

Each Green Girl Travel Pouch holds four reversible eco-totes, all snugly secured with Green Girl’s signature silver rings.  Made of machine washable, 100% cotton, each of these incredibly lightweight eco-totes weigh a mere 8 ounces,  yet holds an almost unbelievable amount of goods.

I keep my Green Girl Travel Pouch in my car with me at all times to have available when doing any kind of shopping.  For a fun-filled shopping spree, take along the entire Travel Pouch and fill up each of the four eco-totes to your heart’s conent.  For smaller jaunts to the video store or pharmacy or farmer’s market, simply select one or two from the pouch to pace inside your purse.   When done, roll each tote up, secure it with Green Girl’s signature silver ring, and store it compactly in the designer pouch.

When I travel I pack my Green Girl Travel Pouch in my suitcase.  It’s convenient to pack and takes up little room in a suitcase.  I select a different tote depending on what I am doing.  I take one to yoga/pilates or the fitness center,  another to the pool or beach, to a golf game or tennis game, on a bike ride or boat ride and on day sightseeing trips.  When it’s time to go home I use a few to store dirty laundry and say “no thank you” to the plastic bags that the rooms offer for their guests.  Little acts make a big difference!

Green Girl Travel Pouches are now available in a Black & White Limited Edition Collection.  The Pouche boasts incredibly convenient snap or zipper enclosure features.  Plus, it is made right here in the USA.

There are good reasons why Green Girl encourages women to “shop differently.”  From video stores to book shops, clothing boutiques to grocery stores or farmer’s markets, the average family uses 1000 plastic bags a year, according to industry experts.  Most of these end up in landfills, to the tune of 100 BILLION plastic bags a year.  It can take up to 1,000 years for a plastic bag to decompose, leaving behind microscopic toxins that contaminate the soil.  And by saying “no thank you” to paper bags in addition to plastic bags, shoppers save trees and reduce harmful emissions associated with paper bag proudction and manufacturing.

The Green Girl Travel Pouches represent a welcome alternative to less attractive reusable bag options frequently offered through supermarket chains and major corporations.  For the first time, Green Girl unites environmental practicality with high-end fashion sense.  As the world moves toward a more sustainable future, Green Girl           eco-totes are becoming everyday shopping essentials as well as coveted fashion accessories. 

Green Girl Travel Pouches, along with the entire Green Girl Collection are available through high-end specialty retailers around the world, and are available online at www.greengirlworld.com.  As part of the company’s commitment to creating a cleaner, more vibrant world, Green Girl donates a portion of its net online sales to charitites that help protect and preserve the environment.

It’s our job to take care of our planet.  Earth Day should be everyday.  Everyday we wake up and have the choice to make the world we live in a better place.   It’s never too late to start to make a positive impact.

**Be A Smart Shopper.    Buy what you need not what you want.  Consider renting or borrowing things that are seldom needed.  Buy used items from garage sales and second-hand stores.

**Don’t Discard.  Donate, reuse and recycle items before throwing them into the trash.  Harmful materials like chemicals, batteries, electronics, etc. should be taken to local hazardous waste depots or recyclers.

**Careful cleaning.  Choose natural, non-toxic cleaning products.  Make simple, natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and water.

**BYOB.  Bring Your Own Bag when shopping.  Say “no thank you” to plastic bags and paper bags by bringing your own bags when you do any kind of shopping, not just grocery shopping.  When you go shopping always have  a reversible lightweight Green Girl fashionable tote in your purse and keep extra totes in the back of your trunk.  Remember to take them into the store with you.

**Take short showers instead of baths.  Close water taps when brushing your teeth.

**Wash full loads of clothes with cold water and use laundry detergent that is good for our Earth.

**Make good choices when shopping.  Education is the key to change so educate yourself about products before purchasing.  Read the labels.    Buy Organic.

**Lead by example.  Our children are aware of everything we do and say.  Our actions speak louder than words so be the leader in your home by reducing, recycling and reusing. 

Make a commitment today that you will do more as an individual to help our planet.

  Education is power.  Take the time to learn how you can make a difference.

I participated in an event that supported the CEC in Santa Barbara last week.  “Culinary Masterpieces of Santa Barbara” where I met so many wonderful women that are making a difference.  The event featured local vendors selling products at the estate of Gay Browne (founder of the Greenopia guides).    The event was a benefit for the CEC, a 40-year non-profit in Santa Barbara working to transition the region off of fossil fuels in one generation. 

C’est Cheese, Green Star Coffee, Eat-Drink-Garden with Valerie, Jessica Foster Confections, Kim Schiffer, San Marcos Farms Honey, Santa Barbara Wine Company, Simply Pies and Tecolote were all at the event to support the CEC.  

The CEC has been an environmental leader for 40 years.   Since 1970, CEC has led the Santa Barbara region- and at times California and the nation - in creative solutions to some of the toughest environmental problems.  They are often referred to as a “think-and-do-tank” - deeply analyzing a problem and then applying creative, real-world solutions to it. 

For the first 35 years, they not only talked about the value of recycling, they ran recycling centers and curbside pickup programs.  They did the same for hazardous waste collection - not only educating people about household toxins,  but running the collection center and seeing first-hand the pesticides and household cleaners that were most problematic. 

About 5 years ago, the CEC launched a bold new mission–eliminating fossil fuels in the region in one generation–and transitioned all other programs and centers to new homes.  Today, they are singularly focused on this one mission, and are applying to it all we have learned over the last four decades. 

I will be supporting CEC in the future and hope you will too!    www.cecsb.org

To make your donation contact:

 Kathi King, Donar Relations Program Manager.  805.963.0583  x 108  kking@cecmail.org