Category Archives: Top 5 Fridays

Year in Review: Top 10 Posts in 2014

  By Donna DeForbes | December 30, 2014 - 5:00 am | ,
1 Comment
Top 10 Wellness Posts from 2014 | Eco-Mothering.com

As the year come to a close, I offer you Eco-Mothering’s most popular posts in 2014. The majority of them happen to focus on health and wellness, which seems to be a priority for my readers. Top 5 Power Snacks for Breastfeeding Moms Top 5 Indoor Plants for Improving Air Quality Why You Should Avoid Sugar When You’re Sick Top 5 Benefits of Co-Sleeping The ABCs of a Greener Lifestyle How to Safely Dispose of an Old Car Seat Top 5 Toxins to Avoid in Baby Products Natural Remedies for Children’s Allergies 5 Ways Cardboard Can Keep You Warm This Winter How to Host a Blessingway Birth Ritual  

Top 5 Oscar-Nominated Green Celebrities

  By Donna DeForbes | February 22, 2013 - 6:00 am | ,
Leave a comment
Colin Firth

Even though posh Hollywood is hardly the standard of going green, I am a sucker for watching the Academy Awards every year. Out of curiosity, I have done some research on which celebrities have a green streak in them. So in honor of the upcoming Oscars, I made my Top 5 list of Oscar-nominated eco-friendly celebrities. Leonardo DiCaprio (three Oscar nominations, most recently in 2013 for Leading Actor in The Wolf of Wall Street) Founder of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, which works to secure a sustainable future, DiCaprio has fostered environmental awareness throughout his life including support for universal clean water and reducing greenhouse gases. His documentary, The 11th Hour, offers solutions to global warming. The hybrid car-driving actor (who often flies commercial rather than via private jet) has been an active supporter of World Wildlife Fund, National Resources Defense Council and Global Green USA. Natalie Portman (two Oscar nominations … Continue reading →

Top 5 Health Benefits of Figs

  By Donna DeForbes | February 15, 2013 - 7:00 am | ,
1 Comment

I love figs! Fresh ones are good, but I mostly eat the dried variety as they have a longer shelf life. I recently discovered fig butter (yum!), which makes a delicious spread on my morning toast. Since I can consume figs by the handful, I rather hoped they harbored some healthy components. Thankfully, figs are a highly nutritious snack, providing vitamins A and B6 and excellent levels of phosphorus, calcium, iron and manganese (about 15% more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for calcium and iron). Whether you prefer Brown Turkey or Black Mission, here are a few details on the powerful fig. Strengthens bones According to the California Fig Advisory Board, figs have the highest amount of calcium of any fruit (121 mg per ½ cup serving). A serving of figs meets 12% of your recommended daily value for calcium. This is good news for all those lactose-intolerant, leafy greens-resistant … Continue reading →

Top 5 Green Valentine’s Day Gifts

  By Donna DeForbes | February 8, 2013 - 7:00 am | , ,
1 Comment

Earth-Saving E-Cards For as little as $10, send someone a personalized e-card while supporting the environment. Choose from a variety of causes including bobcat protection (for the kitten lover), environmental education (for the book lover) and energy-efficient stadiums (for the sports lover). Natural Resources Defense Council works to save wildlife and wild places, promote clean energy, and educate others on living green. (Green celeb note: Robert Redford and Pierce Brosnan are active supporters.) Eco Picnic Basket This chic picnic set for four includes a willow basket, bamboo plates, utensils and cutting board, recycled wine glasses and cotton napkins. Add your own bottle of organic wine and fair trade chocolate for a memorable, romantic meal. Personal Gardens Rather than send pesticide-infected roses that will die within a few days, give a sustainable plant with an extended shelf life. Sourcing eco-friendly materials, Potting Shed Creations offers gardens in a bag, terrariums, bonsai boxes and even packages for kids. … Continue reading →

Top 5 Ways Super Bowl XLVII is Going Green

  By Donna DeForbes | February 1, 2013 - 7:00 am | ,
1 Comment

I’ve watched the Super Bowl—for the game and the commercials—every year as long as I can remember. I am a sports fan, and Super Bowl Sunday is a great reason to cozy up with friends, 3-bean chili and a hot toddy. (Thanks for the recipe, Vanessa!) The event is not usually something you think of as being eco-friendly. However, this year’s Super Bowl is being touted as the “greenest Super Bowl ever.” So green they even set up a New Orleans Super Bowl Host Committee Environmental Program. Here are the top 5 ways organizations are pitching in to make the big game sustainable. Planting a record number of trees. In the months leading up to the Super Bowl, the NFL and New Orleans Super Bowl Environmental Committee partnered with Hike for KaTREEna to plant 7,000 trees in and around New Orleans (over 100,000 were lost during Hurricane Katrina). This breaks the previous record by a Super … Continue reading →

Top 5 Simple Green Ways to Stay Warm in Winter

  By Donna DeForbes | January 25, 2013 - 7:00 am | ,
7 Comments

Get the chores done. Moving around increases heart rate and body temperature—the most natural way to stay warm. I work from home, and when I start to feel chilly, it’s usually a sign that I’ve been sitting at the computer too long. That’s when I get up and run a load of laundry, change the sheets or prepare something for dinner. The activity alone warms me up without having to turn up the thermostat. As a bonus, chores are done. Imbibe in a warm beverage. From a hot chocolate to a hot toddy, a toasty drink goes a long way in warming your hands and your insides. Choose tea and reap cancer-reducing, heart-healthy side benefits. I start my day with a mug of green tea and often have an herbal cup in the evenings. Choose your materials wisely. Cover bare floors with area rugs. Use flannel sheets on the beds. Switch to … Continue reading →

Top 5 Places to Recycle Your Electronics

  By Donna DeForbes | January 18, 2013 - 7:00 am | ,
3 Comments

I’ve been in a de-cluttering process since the fall. Often my cleaning up efforts involve moving piles from one area to another; very little stuff seems to leave the house. This time, I’m actually going through every box of junk in the basement to determine what things we can let go of. I’m ready to face the fact that we’ve been lugging around containers of cassette tapes, VHS movies and old computer disks for years. Why? I can more easily watch That Thing You Do via streaming Netflix than fire up the old VCR, and those mix tapes from early in our relationship, while touching, can only be heard if we’re riding in my husband’s old Honda. Which we almost never are. Yet I didn’t want to toss all that material into the trash. It begs the question: how can I safely dispose of old electronics? GreenDisk This one-stop service not … Continue reading →

Top 5 Things I Enjoyed During My New Year Body Cleanse

  By Donna DeForbes | January 11, 2013 - 7:00 am | , ,
Leave a comment

Three years ago I did a cleanse that kick-started a healthy eating and exercise regimen where I lost 20 pounds. This past weekend I did another cleanse, mainly to eliminate the post-holiday toxins in my system. For 3 ½ days I fasted until noon (water, herbal tea and homemade smoothies excepted), and ate only veggies, fruits, raw nuts and wheat-free whole grains (namely, brown rice). For me, it was a kind of spiritual experience. I feel “cleaned out” not just physically, but emotionally as well. As if I’ve confronted the illusions of reality, reconnected with my essence and am now ready to take on anything. Or you could just do it for health benefits. Here’s what else I enjoyed: A dietary “high.” Okay, Day 1 sucked. I was hungry and crabby around people who could eat anything they wanted. Salads aren’t so wonderful when it’s the only thing on your menu. … Continue reading →