25 Alternative Energy Strategies from a green blog I was just introduced to, Wise Living Journal. Very homestead related, which I adore.

Hilary over at Eco Friendly Driver is in a mood this week (that’s ok, so am I). She’s got some cool rants about why people can’t just work together to get one flippin’ safety bill passed and all the whining GM is doing lately about the Volt auto.

Keetsa has the scoop on eco-friendly buses.

If Valentine’s day leftovers have you asking,”How can I reuse or recycle chalky candy hearts?” Well, How Can I Recycle This? knows the answer.

The Not Quite Crunchy Parent has a great list of item names you may see in cosmetics and body care products and what they mean. Good if you’d like to have cleaner, greener, personal care.

And last but not least, Eco Child’s Play has an outstanding looking book that all green (and somewhat hippie) mamas need for their kids.

Enjoy.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

• The most sustainable restaurant in America. And it’s family friendly LEED certified and pizza.

• Type 2 Diabetes May Be Linked to Pesticide Exposure – I wouldn’t get too jumpy though, it’s a new study.

• Ha. Too funny -13 ways to spot an eco-poser.

• The dangerous side of eco-lighting.  Very interesting video.

• Groovy solutions for urban commuters

• The Forest Service is kicking off a national “Get Outdoors” campaign. This campaign is meant, “To encourage children and their parents to take advantage of recreational opportunities on national forests to develop a healthier lifestyle and learn about conserving natural resources.”

• Lawmakers to consider proposals to reduce home heating costs. It’s about time – green incentives too.

• Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children’s Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Now that it’s starting to get chilly here are some small steps you can take to stay cozy and still save energy.

• Close off unused space in your house. This includes shutting down heaters in unused rooms or closing the vents.
• If you have a fireplace keep the dampers closed. Remember to open them when you start a fire or yikes!
• Pull down shades at night and in unused rooms during the day. Real light is healthy for you so don’t block out all the light but there’s no need to have all the shades wide open. When you leave close them all as well.
• Dress warm. I have this annoying habit of wearing summer-like clothing all the time. That’s not so smart in the fall and winter. What I normally do is try to wear my dresses and wrap skirts over jeans — or for the more fashion savvy you could simply wear a sweater.
• Co-sleep. Sort of unconventional for some American families. But it does work for most of the world. Cedar likes to sleep with me which I don’t mind because one, kids run hot so he’s always toasty warm and two, I can have the heat on on one room only at night. If you lack toasty hot children or they roll around too much for you try an organic wool comforter. They can be costly; but last forever and are warm to the max
• Experiment. Setting your thermostat back even just 10 degrees will result in savings (more than 15%) and you may not need the extra heat.
• If you have separate air conditioning make sure that the AC system is covered during the cold months to avoid energy loss.
• Hang out as a family. Eat dinner in the warm kitchen. Play board games at night or watch some TV together. Tell stories. Everyone in one place is much warmer than spread out.

There are bigger steps (more time intensive or life changing) that you can take to save energy during the cold months. Eventually we’ll cover the biggies but for now give the steps above a try; it’s not so bad to start out small.

Pop Quiz! Who remembers what that beautiful Blogtoberfest icon means? That’s right; it means a super keen (and secret) prize is hidden behind this special blog post. If you want to win the great prize that I’m hiding simply leave a comment. That’s it. Nice and easy. Not a bad way to win a prize. Within a week the winner of the hidden prize will be announced here at Tree Hugging Family so check back often.

Also of note; did you know you have lots of chances to win great Blogtoberfest prizes? Today, October 10th, your chances (and prizes) are hiding at the following blogs: GenBetween, Inside Motherhood, One Book Two Book, Supernanny Rules, and Thrifty Mommy. Visit them all and leave a comment — you may win even more!

Post from: Tree Hugging Family