Change Becomes Change

Eco-Friendly First Aid Check List

Summer is finally here which likely means that we're all spending more time in the great outdoors. While chasing bubbles and butterflies, and exploring nature is essential for our children, keeping our kids safe is our very important role. 

We wonder what to have on hand and what products are safest for our young children, so I was thankful to receive this eco-friendly checklist from Healthy Child Healthy World. We're careful with the products we use for our family to avoid chemicals and toxins. I trust these folks to do the research before they recommend products for us.

I hope you find this helpful and will share your ideas and resources in the comments section below.

Eco-Friendly First Aid Check List

A well-stocked first aid kit is an essential when you have children. To be prepared, keep one in your home and in your car. The Red Cross recommends that all first aid kits for a family of four include the following (and we’ve made note of some natural alternatives):

• 2 absorbent compress dressings (5 x 9 inches)
• 25 adhesive bandages (assorted sizes) - If you have small children, make sure you have very small sizes on hand. Try Eco-Guard Bandages.
• 1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch) All Terrain carries a natural, latex-free Tender Tape, but the dimensions are 5 yards by 2 inches.
• 5 antibiotic ointment packets (approximately 1 gram) - try All Terrain Antiseptz Gel.
• 5 antiseptic wipe packets - Use a non-toxic baby wipe like Seventh Generation’s to first clean the surface and then use a botanical-based antiseptic wipe like EO Sanitizing Hand Wipes or CleanWell Pocket Packs to sterilize the wound. Antiseptic wipes and sprays (whether they are natural or not) do not work on soiled surfaces. You must remove dirt first.
• 2 packets of aspirin (81 mg each)
• 1 blanket (space blanket)
• 1 breathing barrier (with one-way valve)
• 1 instant cold compress
• 2 pair of nonlatex gloves (size: large)
• 2 hydrocortisone ointment packets (approximately 1 gram each) – try Wally’s Itch Away Oil.
• Scissors
• 1 roller bandage (3 inches wide) – try All Terrain Latex-Free Gauze Roll.
• 1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)
• 5 sterile gauze pads (3 x 3 inches) – All Terrain has gauze pads, but only in a 2x2 size.
• 5 sterile gauze pads (4 x 4 inches)
• Oral thermometer (non-mercury/nonglass)
• 2 triangular bandages
• Tweezers
• First aid instruction booklet

A couple other items you may want to include:
• Aloe vera gel to soothe the inflammation of sunburn and common kitchen scalds and burns.
• Electrolyte replacement like powdered Emergen-C packets or Coconut Water.

Don’t want to fuss with finding everything? Check out the Lifeline Green First Aid Kit (note: it does not include everything recommended above).

In addition to the basic necessities, include any personal items such as medications and emergency phone numbers or other items your health-care provider may suggest. Check the kit regularly to replace any missing items or products that have expired.

Do you know any additional substitutes for this list? Other ideas for items to include? Share with us in the comments!

Consult a qualified practitioner before using any topical herbal applications. Some herbs, such as chamomile, are known to cause allergic contact dermatitis. For any treatment, watch carefully for any adverse reactions.

Little Things We Can All Do To Help The Big (Oil) Spill

Whether you're watching the nightly news or reading the stories online, the continually growing oil spill travesty in the Gulf is distressing to us all. This crisis will hurt our nation in multiple ways from the economy, the environment and our health, for years to come, possibly even future generations. 

From National Wildlife Federation's (NWF) Dr. Doug Inkley:

"Words like 'tragedy' and 'disaster' do not do justice to what is happening to the people whose way of life is being disrupted and destroyed. My heart goes out to the fishing guides, the shrimp fisherman, the oystermen, and others whose lives are being destroyed. At the same time, it was inspiring to see so many people willing to help."

The NWF has sent a team of wildlife experts to asses the devastating impact of this tragedy on the communities, wildlife, marshes and wetlands throughout the area. They are collaborating with BP and other industry representatives, local and national nonprofits, and state and federal government agencies to help coordinate a meaningful volunteer response to the catastrophe.

While it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of the disaster and mounting clean up that needs to happen, everyone that I talk with wants to help in some way. We just don't know how. Like me, most of us can't take a week off from our work or family obligations to clean pelicans but there are ways that we can all help. Easy, simple ways that collectively add up to impact.

Here are just a few ways we can help support the National Wildlife Federation's efforts in the Gulf:

1. Donate to the NWF's Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund. The money donated to this fund will go toward supporting NWF's immediate response and longer term on-the-ground work to safeguard wildlife affected by this tragedy.
2. Use social media to help spread the word about NWF's clean up efforts. Whether you share on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or your own website or blog, they've listed messaging, links and graphics to make it really easy to get the word out.
3. Tell your senators that now more than ever we need to pass comprehensive legislation that provides America with cleaner and safer energy choices.

For us parents, the editors of Ranger Rick magazine have put together this great article on How To Talk To Kids About The Oil Spill. This is a great resource to help them understand what happened, how it's impacting  the environment and how they can help their family be a little greener.

NWF is also sharing inspirational stories of children across the country doing their part to help in creative ways. These unique, and fun, fundraising ideas are a great way to encourage our children to take their emotions and desires to help one step further into action.

For those of us in other parts of the country, it might be tempting to not think of this as "our" problem, but it truly is. The Gulf region's waters and the animals that call this area home, are major contributors to our U.S. economy. Health issues that have begun to plague workers in the region have the potential to be passed down to future generations. No one can even begin to estimate the resulting environmental damage our world will be left with. 

If we all do one thing today to help National Wildlife Federation's clean up efforts, we can make a big difference in the Gulf region, and future generations.

Photo: Saul Loeb - AFP/Getty Images

The New Dirty Dozen: What To Buy Organic

Whether you're standing in the produce aisle at the grocery store or in a stall at the farmer's market, it can be a challenge to prioritize what we should buy organic and where we can save some money with non-organic items. As we seem to learn each week, reducing pesticides from the foods we eat is becoming increasingly important.

Good news...The Environmental Working Group (EWG) just published their updated list of Dirty Dozen (12 foods to buy organic because they contain the most pesticides) and the Clean 15 (the fruits and vegetables that contain the least amount of pesticides). We've bought organic produce for years, but it wasn't until this time last year that we were introduced to the Dirty Dozen. Since then, we keep the list handy and make sure that we start there and spend our dollars on those organics...and more when we can.

The EWG partnered with Dr Andrew Weil for this short video that so simply explains why we should care about pesticides and how to avoid them.

My suggestion: download the Dirty Dozen/Clean 15 wallet card and keep it nearby your shopping list or in your wallet. It's a valuable piece of paper to make it easier to keep pesticides out of your family.

Tell us...how do you decide what to buy organic?

 

If you're reading this article in your email or reader and can't view the video, please click here...and enjoy!

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Are Pesticides the Missing Link to ADHD?

There was big news today coming from a recent study that links common pesticides used in growing the fruits and vegetables our children eat to ADHD. Worrisome? Oh yeah.

These pesticides are manufactured to work by interfering with the nervous system of insects but have a similar response on mammals...including humans. Considering that children are found to have a high penetration of pesticides based on their body weight, these findings are disturbing. Frightening. Quite honestly, this is the reason we switched to mostly organic produce when our youngest was about the size of a rodent.

According to one of the authors of the study, Maryse F. Bouchard, a researcher at the University of Montreal in Quebec:

...Children are at greater risk from pesticides because their young bodies are still developing and may not metabolize chemicals as well as adults'.

The most alarming finding was a near-doubling in odds of ADHD diagnoses among kids with higher-than-average levels of the most common of the six (pesticide) metabolites detected. Kids with high levels of dimethyl thiophosphate were 93 percent more likely to have the disorder than children with undetectable levels of the marker.

From Reuters:

"There is growing concern that these pesticides may be related to ADHD," said researcher Marc Weisskopf of the Harvard School of Public Health, who worked on the study.

"What this paper specifically highlights is that this may be true even at low concentrations."

Although the study didn't look at how these children were exposed to the pesticides, young children are typically exposed through the foods they eat, the water they drink or the air they breathe. According to Maryse Couchard,

"Exposure is practically ubiquitous. We're all exposed,"...people can limit their exposure by eating organic produce. Frozen blueberries, strawberries and celery had more pesticide residue than other foods in one government report.

The Huffington Post sheds light on possible solutions to minimize pesticide exposure for children:

A 2008 Emory University study found that in children who switched to organically grown fruits and vegetables, urine levels of pesticide compounds dropped to undetectable or close to undetectable levels.

Since we made the move to organic produce six years ago, more research has supported what was a parental gut-following for us, that confirms we made the right decision for our family and we'll continue to be even more vigilant given this new study. Yes, organic produce often costs more but we try to look at it as an investment in our children's health. And they are certainly worth it.

What do you think...will you think twice about the fruit and vegetables you buy? Are you already buying organics?

Next Steps on the Kid-Safe Chemical Reform Act

Since launching Change Becomes Change, we've talked a lot about the need for chemical reform, especially when it comes to the safety of children. It upsets me that we're still talking about chemicals like BPA (bisphenol A) but I'm committed to help the efforts until it no longer threatens the health and safety of my children and their children. 

Over the past year, the government has recognized studies proving BPA dangers and has made statements that infer they're looking into this chemical further. From the Wall Street Journal recently:

... government regulators have routinely deferred to industry officials on questions of safety, even though hundreds of studies have linked the chemical to cancer, obesity, heart disease, diabetes and sexual dysfunction, among other problems.

Why would our government put the safety of children in the hands of the chemicals industry? Think about that for a while.

Progress is being made. Some states have taken action to ban BPA in baby bottles and other food containers: Washington, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Connecticut, the city of Chicago and three counties in New York. Some retailers like Walmart and Toys 'R Us have also stated that they will not carry baby products with BPA.

But, there's still more work to be done. We need to protect every child from this chemical which is found too often in products for babies and children.

Here's one thing we can do today: 

Sign a petition.

Signing THIS petition makes it crystal clear to the US Congress that we want an effective national chemicals policy that protects human health, especially our children who are most affected by toxic chemicals.

CLICK HERE to ask your Facebook friends to sign it, too.

THE TIME FOR CHANGE IS NOW:  We want to be heard loud and clear on this one -- it's simply too important to miss the political window of opportunity we have this Spring in Washington. Your help is critical to our success - we simply can't get to 20,000 without partners like you.

Eco-Friendly Water Bottles

Are you still drinking bottled water?

There's many reasons most people made the switch to a reusable bottle that range from environmental to health reasons (remember BPA? and it's health concerns?). And when we did, sales of bottled water tanked. As you could imagine, the big guys that bottle up water would prefer we buy their product instead of using our reusable bottles with tap or filtered H2O. What's a beverage company to do?

Well, the Denver Post shared news that these beverage companies are preparing to launch some greener options for bottled water fans. Here's a snipit from their story:

Last year, Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. unveiled a new plastic bottle made partially from plants. The Dasani bottle, made from a blend of petroleum-based materials and up to 30 percent plant-based materials, is now rolling out in select markets.

The Eco-Fina half-liter bottle for PepsiCo's Aquafina brand uses 50 percent less plastic than a similar package made in 2002.

Meanwhile, Nestle Waters is touting its next-generation Eco-Shape bottle as one of the lightest half-liter plastic bottles available today. It weighs 9.3 grams on average and uses about 25 percent less plastic than the Eco-Shape bottle launched in 2007.

Niagara Bottling LLC, which bills itself as the largest private-label water producer in America, sees "lightweighting" as a way to keep its prices low.

Are these changes enough for you? Will these innovations persuade you to make a change? Or is it too late - you're happy with your reusable bottle? Share your story with us here in the comments below.

What Do Farmers Eat...and Avoid?

I've shared with you a few times here the reasons we buy fresh, organic foods, but those are our personal opinions and reasons. Even though I consider myself to be educated in this area, those are still my opinions and I'll admit that I'm passionate around local, organic real foods. So who's opinion matters to you? Who do you trust?

When I'm not sure or have a new question, I look to the food experts that are well-known in the industry and well-respected by the food community. I also like knowing how growers feel and what they're eating at home with their family.

As you can probably imagine, I was very interested, and curious, when I came across this headline: The 7 Foods Experts Won't Eat. I had to know: what could be so horrible that farmers, doctors and scientists wouldn't eat?

If you enjoy tomatoes, beef, popcorn, potatoes, salmon, milk or apples (and who doesn't love at least one of those?) I urge you to READ THIS NOW. It's a quick read and may affect your next trip to the grocery store. I know it's changed ours.

I hope you'll come back here and leave a comment below to let us know if you'll make a change too.

Recycling Surprises

Last week we shared 7 Surprising Things You Can Recycle and hope that you found one or two new ways to give something a second (or third) life. Now we want to hear from you. Yes!

Please leave a comment below and tell us, what has been your biggest recycling surprise? Could be something you'd been recycling and found out you couldn't...or something you hadn't been recycling and learned you could. Or something funny about recycling.

No strict rules here! Just an opportunity to share. Thanks!

7 Surprising Things You Can Recycle (or Reuse)

My son has been learning more about recycling this year at school and knows all about the usual suspects: paper, glass, plastics, cans and cardboard. But now he's ready to step it up and talk about recycling, or reusing, other things we no longer need but don't have to go in the trash. Why? Like you, we're concerned about our growing landfills. Anything that we can keep out of them is a great thing for future generations.

Here's a look at some of the more surprising things that we can recycle:

Packing peanuts can be taken to your local Kinkos/Fed Ex shop, or other pack and mail place to be reused. Or save it for the holidays if you ship gifts across the country. I've also seen preschools and daycare facilities use them in their sensory bins.

Shoes. Yes, you can take old sneakers, no matter their condition, to one of the many drop off locations to be turned into Nike Grind. Nike then uses that material to surface playgrounds and other athletic areas. 

Toys can enjoy longer playlife by sharing them with friends, your church, shelters for families, or places like Goodwill or Salvation Army. You can also drop them off at a children's consignment store and replenish your own toy funds.

Wine Corks can be collected and dropped off at many places. Our local Whole Foods accepts them and I know other grocers do as well
.
Appliances big and small can be recycled too. Visit Earth911 to find a local donation center near you.

CFL Bulbs contain mercury and need to be disposed of in an eco-friendly way so that we keep that out of the ground. Thankfully Home Depot stores accept these bulbs and take care of that for us.

Doing some work on your home? Donate old hardware, molding, windows and doors to salvage companies, restoration organizations or put an ad on Craigslist. We gave away about 700 sq feet of our old carpet when we put wood floors down that way.

For so many items that we're done enjoying, we can always turn to places like Goodwill or Salvation Army. Sharing gently used items with friends is a great way to help another family out who might not be able to afford fancy new toys or clothes. We also know a few friends who rotate toys with other families so that their kids don't get bored with "the same old toys". And, of course, another option is to put your items up for sale on eBay or Craigslist or plan a neighborhood garage sale this summer.

Key: almost any thing can have a second or third life, even if it doesn't work or is in poor condition.

And it's easier than you think. We organize items that can't go out to the curb in our pantry, garage or in a closet by the front door - depending on the item. We drop off our donations as we run errands in that area so that we're not making an extra trip.

So, tell us...what do you recycle or reuse that might surprise us? Help us all with your ideas. Thanks

Shopping Locally Made Easier

For some of us living in suburbs or communities without a thriving arts and crafts community, it can be a challenge to buy clothing, accessories, home decor or gifts locally. As much as we may want to support our local businesses, growers, markets and craftspeople - it's sometimes really hard.

But let's just take a step back and think about this another way. Maybe we can take small steps towards buying locally. Helping our local communities is a good thing for so many reasons...and it feels really good. So, what do you think of these ideas?

1. Maybe for some of us this year, buying local means buying "made in the USA" instead of imported items
2. For us in the North West, maybe we support local wineries, artists and companies with items from our "Made in Oregon" (or Washington, or whatever your state is) stores
3. Could we support local services, restaurants and businesses with gift certificates
4. Here's one I like (hint, hint!): Browse the "local" section on Etsy.com for bonus points on local AND handmade goods
5. Something we're taking great pleasure in this year is making presents at home with what you already have, can find in nature, cook, bake or find locally (I'll be sharing these with you soon)

So, do these ideas work for you? What other ideas do you have to get a little closer to "local" (and a little farther from those big global guys)?

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