Tag Archives: pollution

Eco-Friendly Birthday Parties: Alternative Party Supplies

  By Donna DeForbes | August 18, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
1 Comment
Tips for Eco-Friendly Birthday Parties | Eco-Mothering.com

I recently read that August is the most popular birthday month (and today happens to be mine!), which means there are thousands or even millions of birthday parties taking place this month. I love birthdays, and I love a good party. However, all the disposable waste that parties can create is a darn shame, especially when much of it can be avoided. When it comes to children’s birthdays, most people are in the habit of following the majority, which means paper plates, cups and décor in a popular licensed character theme and prettily wrapped presents of the latest plastic doll or truck. Nearly all of this stuff, including the cheap plastic party favors, gets tossed within a few hours. However, if you knew the effect all this paper and plastic waste had on trees, animals, our health and the planet, you might consider eco-friendly alternatives. (Which would likely save you … Continue reading →

Guilt-Free Green Tip #8: Pick Up Your Dog Poop

  By Donna DeForbes | May 26, 2015 - 5:00 am | ,
Leave a comment
Reasons for Picking Up Your Dog Poop | Eco-Mothering.com

After working eight years for my local environmental organization, Save The Bay, I learned quite a bit about marine pollution and its causes. And while some causes (like stormwater runoff) are out of our hands, there are others completely in our control. One of those is picking up dog poop. In 1991, the EPA labeled dog waste as a non-point source of pollution (alongside insecticides, oil, grease and acid drainage). Which means it’s a serious thing. Poop contaminates the ground around it and can also get washed into local storm drains and waterways when it rains. Benefits of Picking Up Dog Poop Healthier Pups and People Diseases such as E. Coli, roundworms, giardia and salmonella can be transmitted through dog feces to other dogs, cats or even people. (According to Stephan Budiansky in his book, “The Truth About Dogs,” there are 65 diseases that dogs can transmit to humans — … Continue reading →

Top 5 Ways You Can Prevent Marine Pollution

  By Donna DeForbes | September 20, 2013 - 5:30 am |
1 Comment
Ways to Prevent Marine Pollution | Eco-Mothering.com

While the huge oil spills make the headlines, there is much more to marine pollution. Trash litters coastlines around the world. Man-made pollutants (like pesticides and pharmaceuticals) are entering the global food chain. There are “garbage patches” comprised of millions of pounds of floating debris in the Pacific Ocean, harming marine life and disrupting food chains. Our precious water resources need protection. The good news is that everyone can help stop marine pollution, even landlocked residents, because—get this—80% of the problem originates on land! Some of the biggest causes of marine pollution include trash dumping, pesticide runoff and improper waste disposal. Making individual changes at home can lead to big solutions. Here’s a few things you can do: Use that trashcan Too many people use public areas as dumping grounds for their trash. And what happens to the litter tossed onto sidewalks, parks and streets? It gets washed into storm drains and our … Continue reading →

7 Green Boating Tips for the Whole Family

  By Donna DeForbes | July 30, 2013 - 5:30 am |
2 Comments
Eco-Friendly Tips for Boaters | Eco-Mothering.com

This is a guest post from Jeremy Simmons. Boating places you in the natural environment and often feels serene, so it’s hard to reconcile the fact that recreational boating can be harmful to the environment. The whole family can pitch in by learning more about safe boating and ways that default practices may add contaminants to local waterways. Take these steps to minimize your ecological footprint and help protect the waters you enjoy while boating. Each effort you take will help protect the environment. Recycle You may already be recycling the food and beverage containers you consume onboard, but chances are, you can recycle a lot more of what you use on the boat. Batteries, cabin light bulbs and cleaning product containers can all be recycled through municipal programs or take-back programs at retailers. Hazardous waste such as paint containers and oil can be disposed of through municipal hazardous waste … Continue reading →

Top 5 Things You Should Know About Hazardous Waste in Your Home

  By Donna DeForbes | July 19, 2013 - 5:30 am | ,
Leave a comment
Household Hazardous Waste | Eco-Mothering.com

I made a drop-off at the Eco-Depot last week. That’s Rhode Island’s household hazardous waste (HHW) collection agency. I’ve known about them for years but pure laziness has kept me from ridding our home of toxic products (some are even leftover from the previous residents). Scroll to the end of this post to see a partial list of what is considered household hazardous waste. It feels great to have finally made the trip. This isn’t to say that my home is completely toxin free. We have nail polish remover, antifreeze, craft glues, etc. that we still use. But getting rid of the old stuff has made a big dent, and it makes me breathe a little easier. Know the Dangers So there’s a can of old paint thinner sitting in your basement. Big deal. A few items don’t seem like much, but when you add up all the toxic products in … Continue reading →

Eco-Mothering Celebrates Its 5th Anniversary with a Giveaway!

  By Donna DeForbes | April 29, 2013 - 6:00 am |
13 Comments
ecomothering-book-giveaway

Can you believe it? It’s been five years since my very first Eco-Mothering blog post. A blog that originally existed on Save The Bay’s website and was only read by a few friends and colleagues. I blogged irregularly and infrequently those first several years, from 19 times in 2008 (to an all-time low of 6 blog posts in 2010—what was I doing that year?) until I got serious in October 2012 and whipped out 37 posts in three months. Between this blog and Facebook, Eco-Mothering now reaches about 20,000 people weekly. Woohoo! I love doing this. I love that my passions for the environment and for parenting have found this amazing intersection that inspires other people. Thank you for reading and for sharing. I’m celebrating my 5th anniversary with a personal giveaway of three eco-themed books for the family. (PLUS 2 Melissa and Doug Whittle World Wooden Farm Sets thanks … Continue reading →

My Blog is Carbon Neutral!

  By Donna DeForbes | April 25, 2013 - 5:00 am |
Leave a comment
carbon-neutral-white-125x125

I love this idea that I stumbled upon from Green Momma. An initiative started in Germany several years ago, Mach’s Grün (Make It Green) has a goal of reducing carbon dioxide emissions. How? By planting a tree for every blog. With upwards of 181 million blogs globally, that’s a lot of trees! Dr. Alexander Wissner-Gross, Harvard physicist and environmental activist, deduced that an average blog of 15,000 monthly page views emits 3.6 kg of carbon annually (based upon the energy consumption of computers). A single tree is estimated to absorb anywhere from 10-30 kg of carbon per year. Who knew there were even people researching this kind of thing? Mach’s Grün partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to reforest 65,000 acres of California’s Plumas National Forest, which was decimated by fire. Their latest project is restoring the Shasta-Trinity National Forest with 640,000 new trees. Kind of cool to know that a … Continue reading →