Cranberries: Benefits and Recipes

  By Donna DeForbes | October 27, 2015 - 5:00 am |
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My family recently enjoyed Massachusetts’ annual Cranberry Harvest Celebration, during which we toured the cranberry bogs and watched the fruit being harvested. It was a gorgeous fall day to enjoy such festivities, and we learned a lot about the cranberry. History of the Cranberry Cranberries are one of three native fruits to North America (the others being blueberries and Concord grapes). Besides cooking with them, Native Americans used cranberries for treating urinary infections, fever, childbirth injuries and arrow wounds. They also used the fruit as a fabric dye and the plant leaf as a tobacco substitute. Early settlers ate them to fight off scurvy, which did help since cranberries are rich in vitamin C. The fruit was originally dubbed a craneberry because the Pilgrims thought the plant resembled a crane’s red head and bill. It wasn’t until 1816 that cranberries were first harvested successfully. Because the fruit requires such specific … Continue reading →

The Greening of Pro Football

  By Donna DeForbes | October 20, 2015 - 5:00 am |
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When you think of professional sports, you don’t usually get a fuzzy, green image. But I recently read that my hometown team, the Philadelphia Eagles, is one of the greenest sports teams in the National Football League. Going Eagle Green Inspired to make a difference by Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth, in 2003 Eagles owner Jeff Lurie and his then wife Christina launched the team’s Go Green program. They sought advice from the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) on ways to make their operations more sustainable. Over the past decade, the Eagles’ efforts have included: Eliminating fossil fuels and powering their stadium, Lincoln Lincoln Financial Field, completely on renewable energy. So far this includes 11,000 solar panels and 14 wind turbines. Stepping up their recycling (in 2013, they were at 99% diversion from the landfill). Using green cleaning products. Converting cooking oil into biodeisel fuel. Using recycled paper products and … Continue reading →

Guilt-Free Green Tip #441: Participate in a Halloween Costume Swap

  By Donna DeForbes | October 9, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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Welcome to a regular blog feature called Guilt-Free Green Tips. These will be easy action steps you can take to be a little greener, and each mini post will feature one tip. Choose the ones that appeal to you, and learn what eco benefits a single, simple step can make. Halloween costumes extend at least as far back as medieval times when people dressed up during Samhain as the fairies, ghosts and witches they feared as a way to ward off evil spirits. They went “mumming,” performing antics in exchange for food and drink. Our modern-day costumes have become much more diverse in their range of characters, often portraying whoever is popular in current media, and because of that, Halloween costumes have become a cheap, single-use industry. It’s becoming rare to see homemade outfits sewn by hand or pieced together from items around the house. This year, look for a … Continue reading →

DIY Upcycling Projects: 1 of 12

  By Donna DeForbes | October 6, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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One of the cool things about the green movement is that it has inspired people’s creativity for repurposing items. The term “upcycling,” which was first used in 1994, is now a widely understood concept that refers to the process of transforming waste or unwanted products into something new, usually of a higher quality. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’ve done a 12-month series on Eco-Friendly Crafts and Unique, Gently Green Holidays. This post begins a series highlighting DIY Upcycling projects gathered from the Internet to amaze and inspire. Suitcase Lounge Chair from Crafty Magazine   Old Leather Coat into Leather Handbag by Luz Patterns   Spool Bookcase by Pink Stitches   Do you have any DIY Upcycling projects to share?  

Tips for Greening Your Child’s Bedroom or Nursery

  By Donna DeForbes | September 29, 2015 - 5:00 am |
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It’s easy to get caught up in buying brand new, chain store stuff right from the start, especially when the Baby Industry woos you with their surplus of oversized cribs, cozy rocking chairs and cute monkey-adorned blankets. However, this is not a very sustainable choice and, often, not very healthy for your child either. A child’s developing body is more sensitive to environmental hazards than an adult’s, so it makes sense to pay more attention to what goes into your child’s bedroom – where they can spend up to one-half of their day. The materials and adhesives that go into furniture, flooring, bedding and décor often contain and emit VOCs (volatile organic compounds), a mixture of chemicals that can have adverse health effects. One common VOC, formaldehyde, is a known carcinogen. PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers) are endocrine-disrupting chemicals commonly used as flame retardants, and they tend to migrate from household products … Continue reading →

A Wink and a Book: Promoting Early Childhood Literacy

  By Donna DeForbes | September 22, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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Benefits of Early Childhood Literacy | Eco-Mothering.com

I started reading to Sofie in the first few months of her life. It didn’t matter to me that she probably couldn’t understand a word of it, nor that the pictures were likely blurry to her still developing vision. I love books and I wanted her to love them too. Besides, reading gave me another way to entertain a newborn. (There’s only so much peek-a-boo a mom can take!) My character voices piqued her interest. Brightly colored illustrations drew her in. We started a children’s library early and read to Sofie every day. Now, at eight years old, she reads to herself every day. Books are always on her wish list for birthdays and holidays. She’s begun her own library. She loves a good story. And she has a love of language that I feel came from her early exposure to books. A Wink of Encouragement Research shows that the … Continue reading →

Exploring Nature with Kids

  By Donna DeForbes | September 15, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
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Exploring Nature with Kids | Eco-Mothering.com

Next week is the fall equinox, and I have nothing planned. My family used to do a better job of celebrating the earth-based holidays, usually with a hike, ritual or anything else based in nature. Lately, we’ve been more focused on social events with other families, whether that be a polo match, a movie night or King Richard’s Fair. Digging through some old blog posts, never published on this site, I was reminded of our nature journeys with a two-year-old Sofie and the things we learned from those experiences… From October 2008: America’s Stonehenge We donned our hiking boots again this past weekend, this time trekking to New Hampshire for some leap peeping and a visit to America’s Stonehenge. Didn’t know we even had a Stonehenge on this side of the pond, did you? A maze of chambers, walls and ceremonial meeting places built by ancient people, America’s Stonehenge is most likely … Continue reading →

Nature Photos from my Alaskan Adventure

  By Donna DeForbes | September 4, 2015 - 1:10 am | ,
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Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska | Eco-Mothering.com

My family just returned from an Alaskan cruise, and I wanted to post some of the beautiful nature and wildlife photos we took while there. Although a cruise is certainly not an eco-friendly travel option, the trip was wonderful, made even more so by the friends we vacationed with. One of our favorite excursions was whale watching, where we saw about eight humpback whales in Auke Bay, Juneau. We were close enough to hear them breathing. I managed to capture several of their tail fins after diving under as well as a calf who showed more of himself while playing with a sea lion.             We had anticipated seeing lots of glacial action, however, due to a medical crisis with one of the ship’s guests, the Tracy Arm Fjord part of our trip was cancelled. Still, we managed to see Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau. Did you know … Continue reading →