There are plenty of good reasons to go organic for the planet; fewer pesticides used to grow food means less gunk in our air, soil, and water, organic food can help to promote a greener overall lifestyle and value system, and many organic meats require far less non-renewable resources than mass-factory raised animals.

BUT – is organic food actually a healthier choice for you and your family, or is organic food only beneficial to the planet’s well being? Actually, many organic foods ARE better for your health than their conventional counterparts. Why…

• The fresher the food the better it usually is nutrient-wise. Organics are often sold in-season and locally which means you get fresher food.
• Workers on conventional farms are exposed to plenty of the chemicals and pesticides used to grow conventional crops. People working on these farms can get very sick and even die from exposure, so organics are absolutely healthier in the case of the folks growing the crops.
• According to Sustainable Table research notes that; “Grass-fed beef has two to six times more omega-3’s than factory farmed, grain-fed meat.” (Omega-3 is a healthy fat that your body needs).
• See more health benefits of organics.

Keep in mind…

Not all organic foods pack the same punch. Just being organic does not ALWAYS make a food healthier. Learn which organic foods are the smartest to purchase.

Learn more:

11 Ways to Save Money on Organic Food

Go organic without losing your mind

Do you think organic food is better for you, or do you buy it for the earth? OR maybe you don’t buy organic at all – let me know in the comments.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Winter Celebration Bouquet

As I’ve been whining about lately I’m home bound; totally snowed in. I’m whiny about it, because we don’t ever get snow here like this. It’s been nuts, and I know lots of folks who haven’t been able to get out to get their last minute gifts. I’m still minus stocking stuffers myself. If you’re in a fix, you can always look to Organic Bouquet.

Look now though, because you’ve got until Midnight PT Dec 22nd to order for a Christmas Eve delivery. Yeah that’s tonight. On the other hand, a nice eco gift from Organic Bouquet will likely be appreciated even the day after Christmas.

Here are some things I adore:

Holiday Beauty Bouquet

Peace Organic Cookie Tin

Life is Sweet Organic Holiday Chocolates – most adorable organic chocolates ever (look at the little leaves!) – lots to choose from.

The obsessively gorgeous Holiday Splendor Bouquet

Since I’m in the Pacific Northwest, I happen to know that you’ve got about six hours left to order for Christmas – I’d hop to it!

For those of you can actually get out of the house, I’ll be back at some point tomorrow with some last minute green gift ideas that you can organize at the local co-op or natural grocers.

[Images via Organic Bouquet]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

1. Pack green silverware and plates. That means real dishes or at the very least a smart eco-alternative.
2. Bring at least one meatless main dish.
3. Aim for a healthy organic picnic.
4. Block the sun with eco friendly sunglasses.
5. Toss an earth friendly Frisbee.
6. Don’t forget the human safe bug spray and sunscreen.
7. Forget stuff like balloons to mark your picnic spot. Use something safer for the environment like paper streamers. If you must have balloons make sure you don’t allow them to fly free.
8. Take something fun along for water play.
9. Don’t take too much stuff – if you’re out in nature, explore, and learn about the area, before relying on tools and games. Make sure to take a map, and stick with your pals.
10. Take it with you: Don’t pollute nature. When the fun is over, put out all fires, pack up, and haul out all your picnic trash, and that includes food. Human leftovers are no good for animals.

Click here to learn about all the current contests, themes, and green challenges going on at Tree Hugging Family in July 2008

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

All you have to do is visit YoBaby Yogurt fill in your email and click on the baby, and Stonyfield will donate $1 to Environmental Working Group (EWG). The mission of the Environmental Working Group, “Is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment.” Their special targeted goal is to, “Protect the most vulnerable segments of the human population—children, babies, and infants in the womb—from health problems attributed to a wide array of toxic contaminants.” So this is a click well used.

Plus you’ll get a free wallet size downloadable guide to pesticides in produce. The guide lists the 12 fruits and veggies with the most and least amount of pesticides, so you’ll know which ones to buy organic and what it’s ok to spend less on and buy conventional.

Stonyfield will donate up to $20,000 for 20,000 clicks. Also, it’s good to note that I’ve been on Stoneyfield and EWG email lists and never have gotten spammed. That’s important; believe me I wouldn’t recommend giving your email if I was worried.

This is a great donation program and all it takes is a click. We’ve also discussed Stonyfield before and their connection with Recycline. You can read about Stonyfield’s recycled yogurt tubs being turned into toothbrushes here.

Click on the graphic below to donate:

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Many of us are welcoming spring today, so I thought it would be nice to go over some nature loving, tree hugging, eco-friendly ideas that will carry the entire family through the better part of spring and into summer.

1. Quit looking at nature through your frosty windows. It’s warming up, so get out there and enjoy nature in real time, in real life, in full blown color.

2. Throw open your windows wide and let in the fresh air. Natural ventilation is actually a really effective green home goal to aim for. Proper cross ventilation naturally helps to remove any indoor pollution caused by molds, mites, varnishes, paints, cleaners, and more.

3. Have a spring reusable bag sewing party.

4. Use the spring lilacs to create something sweet.

5. Celebrate spring like other cultures do:

• In Egypt, you throw open your windows and breathe deep on the first day of spring. Later have a picnic.
• In Poland a large straw doll is dressed up in old clothes, and then thrown in the river – ok, maybe don’t do that one (not great for fish).
• The festival of colors, or Holi, is a Hindu spring festival, observed in North India and Nepal where children squirt colored water on each other to celebrate.
• What other spring traditions do cultures celebrate? Tell me what you know.

6. See the zoo babies.

7. Try left-over heat cooking for your spring recipes. This means turn the stove top or oven off when food is almost done. Pasta, veggies, rolls, and even meats in the oven will be ok (and fully cooked) if you turn off the heat a few minutes early. Just leave the oven door shut, the pot top on, etc. Imagine how many minutes of energy you will have saved by next spring.

8. Enjoy new blossoms and leaves sprouting to life on the trees.

9. Build a rain barrel to collect spring showers.

10. Rent lawn equipment that you know you will only use occasionally.

11. Alternatively, start a neighborhood co-op of lawn equipment. Purchase together and share major item.

12. Visit a waterfall – this is the best time of year for waterfalls, snow is melting, and the water comes crashing down.

13. Spring clean – just don’t spring clean with chemicals and other icky stuff. Make this year’s spring cleaning actually clean and healthy.

14. Learn which fruits and veggies are in season and eat bunches of them. Buying in season and locally grown is better for the earth, your wallet, and your health.

15. Choose a recycled plastic picnic table.

16. Fold a “springing” froggy out of recycled paper.

17. If your coffee shop of choice serves single serve sugars and creamers, choose a new favorite coffee shop or ask them to get large, bulk containers of cream and sugar.

18. Visit a wetland area – there are still enough wetland areas so that it’s safe to assume that there’s one near you, but there may not be for long. Without conservation we could lose some major wetland areas. I’d visit soon because it’s not clear yet that enough people care to save them. Ask your local visitors center where you can find a wetland area near you.

19. Get some cool spring worthy eco-toys. These new toys from Green Toys are created from curbside recycled milk containers. The actual shop should be open in the spring sometime, but until then you can contact the company directly with purchase inquiries. They have a great Sand Play Set or Organic Gardening Set.

20. Is it still too cold for flowers where you live? Make some colorful recycled tissue paper garlands to add spring to your house. (Use that used holiday tissue that I know you saved). Better yet, make a garland and give it to a neighbor, friend, elderly home, or children’s ward at a hospital.

21. Rejoice in spring flowers.

22. Help your kids to join Journey North.

23. Buy a reclaimed wood garden bench so you can sit outside and read.

24. This season, and each season have your car engine tuned up and serviced. Following a decent tune up schedule will reduce the amount of pollution your car emits by 20%. Better yet you’ll save on fuel – good for the earth and wallet.

25. Hunt for birds nests – don’t touch though, just look.

26. Build your own compost bin for recycling spring garden and kitchen scraps.

27. Visit a rural farm. Notice how a farm in spring differs from where you live. Unless of course you do live on a farm – then visit a city park and observe the same differences.

28. Go ahead, green your entire Easter celebration.

29. Or at least make your own recycled magazine Easter baskets.

30. If you go on a green picnic this spring make sure six packs with plastic rings aren’t on the menu. One, the plastic rings when not cut can kill birds, fish, and other wildlife. Two, plastic won’t degrade until well after your great grandchildren are celebrating their springs. And three, there’s no need to have them. Many canned drink products now come in boxes instead of with rings. If you’re buying canned drinks, get those instead.

31. Get some eco-friendly rain gear for the whole family so you can go splash in spring puddles.

32. Get your spring garden seeds organized using recycled milk cartons.

33. Rent a greener car on your spring break vacation.

34. Don’t defrost the Easter Ham in the microwave. Microwave defrosting wastes more energy than planning ahead and defrosting in the fridge.

35. Go searching for the end of a rainbow.

36. You still have time for a spring garden clean up.

37. This year combine your spring cleaning with some green audits: Try green auditing your trash, bathroom, or your pantry.

38. Get in the habit of nighttime watering now. Watering your lawn and garden is much more efficient at night than in the daytime. In the cool of evening plants lose almost 50% less water than in the heat. That adds up to a ton of water saved each year. Of course you can double your water saving efforts by using your saved rainwater.

39. On each of your spring outings pick up one piece of trash. If everyone did this that would be over 300 million fewer pieces of litter on our streets, in our parks, and so on, daily.

40. Relax… think about simplifying your life and time.

41. As summer gets closer consider organizing a summer toy lending program with other families – this cuts down on consumption, teaches kids about sharing, and uses fewer resources and energy. Get ideas for your lending program here.

42. Now that it’s warming up, turn your heating down by 5 more degrees. Each 5 degree decrease saves up to 11% energy consumption a year.

43. If you go camping, leave nothing behind in nature. Pack up all your belongings and carry them out of the forest with you.

44. Get up close and personal with some fresh grass – ponder a single blade. Think about all the good reasons why you shouldn’t add chemical poisonous fertilizer to your grass this year

45. Get that recycling under control.

46. Learn to love slow mail – the quicker you send your mail or ask for packages to be delivered to you, the worse it is for the planet. Transportation is hugely connected to pollution and global warming. The more transport we require the worse it is. Quit with the two day mail services. You don’t need stuff right away, and if you know you will, plan accordingly.

47. Try out one of 10 great organic gardening projects for kids this spring.

48. See how many toads you can count at the local river or lake. Can you find tadpoles too?

49. If you take out an off-road vehicle this spring, stick to where you should be. Running over habitats is not cool – you could destroy an animal’s home, kill rare plants, and harm tree roots. Stick to wide trails that are deemed ok for off-road travel.

50. Get away from it all. Imagine what life would be like away from all the hustle and bustle most of the time.

51. Blow bubbles! Make some homemade bubble mix out of a tablespoon of glycerin, a cup of natural liquid soap, and a gallon of water (give or take). Make your own bubble wands out of recycled items like…

• Butter or yogurt tub tops with holes punched in them.
• Green plastic strawberry containers.
• Bent wire hangers.
• That fly swatter you never use.
• Pipe cleaners bent into fun shapes.

52. Hang out with a family of ducks.

53. Dare your family to take at least 5 small steps for the environment by summer.

54. Go on a wildflower hike.

55. Clean out your closets – give good clothing away to the thrift store, make cleaning rags out of the worst, and save the cherished pieces for a memory quilt.

56. Make sure your family participates in eco-friendly boating (if you boat).

57. Slap a fresh coat of paint on the house – non-toxic, VOC-free paint of course.

58. When spring cleaning, don’t forget the car. However, use a bucket of water and an old rag to scrub away dirt, not the power spray on the hose. Every minute you run the hose you’re wasting 10 (or more) gallons of water. There are people in other countries who can’t even find one decent glass of water to drink, and animals and fish who have lost whole water habitats due to water waste. There’s no excuse for excessive water waste.

59. Go bicycling as a family – double your efforts by actually having an errand destination; the grocery store, library, the park for lunch. Every time you don’t take your car, you’re doing the earth some good.

60. Plant a tree – it’s almost always a good time to plant a tree, but spring is really nice because a new tree’s roots won’t be shocked by the cold anytime soon.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Organic Guide was originally a print publication. Back in 1987 it was a simple newsletter with information about organic gardening. By 2005, the original publication had long since ceased and a team of individuals decided to bring the information online. However, they don’t just cover gardening anymore.

What you’ll find at Organic Guide:

• Articles
• A blog
• Label sections – this part is really cool. They cover the basics organic labeling, markets, and organic links for Canada, the U.S., Australia, the UK and Ireland, and New Zealand. Just click on the tabs at the top of the homepage. It’s really the nicest line up of organic sources I’ve seen.
• Community, Lifestyle, Family, Gardening, Food & Drink, and Health & Beauty are the topics their website covers – and always with an organic slant.

I’d pay them a visit if I were you. Lots of neat organic news you can use.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family