greenfamily

Many pediatricians fail to discuss childhood weight issues with parents

December 12, 2011

Instead of tackling green goals this year, I’m focusing on healthy weight issues for kids. One reason why is because I recently read about a disturbing trend – doctor who are keeping mum when it comes to weight issues affecting kids and teens. The new research, published Dec. 5 in the journal Archives of Pediatrics [...]

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Signs your child may be overweight

December 11, 2011

If you’re concerned about your child’s health, then knowing if they’re at a healthy weight is important. Weight is not all that matters, of course. For one thing, kids are always growing and changing, so sure, some do grow into their size. For example an overly slender child may fill out in his teen years [...]

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A healthy 2012 means childhood obesity in America shouldn’t be taboo

December 11, 2011

2012 is quickly approaching. Usually I do a series on green goals for the new year, but after reading the latest data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and a new survey that shows doctors are ignoring childhood weight issues, I’ve decided to go a different way this year, and do a series on [...]

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Christmas consumerism and spending is out of control

December 3, 2011

Here are some consumer holiday spending facts to ponder… In 2010 consumers spent an estimated $648 million on Black Friday. This year, according to ComScore, consumers spent a whopping $816 million online alone, making Black Friday the heaviest spending day on the Internet so far in 2011. That’s a Black Friday sales increase of about [...]

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Common behaviors and problems of kids obsessed with stuff

November 28, 2011

Consumer-driven holidays and kids who are more concerned with stuff than other people seem to have become more commonplace in recent years. Research shows that I’m not the only one bothered by such behavior either. Many surveys show that a large majority of people think that more kids in general, or their own kids in particular, act too spoiled and materialistic. [...]

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2011 Eco-friendly Holiday Greeting Cards

November 19, 2011

The best and greenest way to go when it comes to holiday greeting cards is to skip the store-bought paper cards and send e-cards or make homemade cards with recycled paper and other art supplies you already have on hand. However, since the holidays are quickly approaching, and since some people do green store-bought cards, here [...]

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Make Homemade Green Cleaners and Save $1,612 in Five Years

November 12, 2011

I’ve been slacking on my, “Save $50,000 in five years” series. It’s a lot of work (all those calculations!) However, it’s time we got back to it, so without further ado… Let’s look at cleaning products. Why use green cleaning products? In this post I’ll be comparing the costs green cleaning products only – both [...]

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24 Amazing Eco-friendly Felt Play Food Sets from Etsy

November 10, 2011

If an eco-friendly play kitchen is on your child’s wish list this holiday season, then you’ll need some play food to go with it. Felt play food is inexpensive, safe, soft and comes in an array of fresh colors, making it a great choice. If you want to learn more about eco-friendly felt vs. conventional, [...]

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Celebrate Buy Nothing Day 2011 Instead of Black Friday

November 7, 2011

I’ve been celebrating Buy Nothing Day for years. This year, I’m even more encouraged to celebrate, because Buy Nothing Day falls on November 25th, my birthday. Buy Nothing Day was originally launched by the folks at Adbusters, and it’s pretty simple to participate. Buy Nothing Day encourages people to skip the Black Friday madness and [...]

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DIY Green Toy – 12 DIY Play Kitchen Sets

November 6, 2011

DIY play kitchen sets are a great alternative to more expensive, already built play kitchens. Usually, homemade play kitchen sets are more affordable, especially if you re-purpose materials. Plus, you can make a homemade play kitchen as eco-friendly as you like, so long as you choose green materials. Safe and eco-friendly play kitchen features. Aim for materials [...]