. . . For now. I have had fun and education through this blog, and I hope you have, as well. For the time being, however, I’m content to let the project simmer. There are many quality green blogs and websites, and I encourage you to check out some of those.
If you have any parting words of wisdom for me, or just a comment, please feel free to leave it below.
Thank you for reading, and please, don’t stop caring about the things that matter.
A New York Times article demonstrates what the best moms already know: playing in dirt, making mud pies, and getting a little filthy are healthy habits for developing children. Ongoing studies of the hygiene hypothesis–that our clean-obsessed culture is related to the rise in certain diseases–suggest that coming in contact with the microbes and even worms in soil and other natural environments (like pets) is essential to developing a hearty immune system and warding off autoimmune diseases and allergies down the line.
With the alarming rise in illnesses caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as what led to the death of a Brazilian model recently, I think we need no further reasons to drop the anti-bacterial soaps, dishwashing liquids, and hand sanitizers. In the article, Dr. Mary Ruebush, author of “Why Dirt is Good,” advises alcohol-based sanitizers, which are widely available. She adds, however, that the best thing to do is to wash less!
“The typical human probably harbors some 90 trillion microbes,” she wrote. “The very fact that you have so many microbes of so many different kinds is what keeps you healthy most of the time.”
I may be embarking on a highly controversial topic here, but have you considered the most eco-friendly ways to approach pet ownership? In our consumer culture, we are often suprised to find that certain problems even exist as a result of common behaviors. Take your pet’s poop, for instance; I never thought that having too many pets could contribute to landfill and water contamination issues–until I read this article by Sheryl Eisenberg of the Natural Resources Defense Council. She explores the delicate issue of poop disposal for dogs and cats. The bottom line? Trash disposal is best, but if you leave the waste on the ground, it’s best to keep it to your own yard–and to keep the pet population to a minimum.
Today, some web resources to help you get motivated:
Seen: A new element of style. Some creative folks in the Netherlands have created a font that uses up to 20% less ink. Get it free for your computer here. (Thanks to DailyCandy for the tip-off).
Heard: Imperiled bird songs. Audubon published a beautiful and frightening article about Canada’s endangered boreal forest and the North American birds that depend on it for survival. Read about it, and hear the birds sing, at the Boreal Songbird Initiative’s important website.
It is natural, I think, for eco-friendly folks to think about green goals for the new year. I, for instance, want to continue expanding my use of green products and reduce my use of disposable and convenience products. An example of the first goal would be switching to more environmentally- and health-friendly cleaning and beauty products; the second goal includes using fewer paper products for cleaning and fewer plastic or paper bags during any shopping.
I actually posted on this topic because I am more interested in the green goals of others. Please share!
As many people feel motivated to clean out the old in the new year, I found this article on the varied ways to recycle your electronic equipment useful. Note, however, the caution, reliable or not, from a commenter about Best Buy.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac has some nice Tips for preserving the life of your cut Christmas tree–and, perhaps more importantly, how to use your tree once it’s reached it’s end.
Merry Christmas all!
Oh Ranger! has some great tips and surprising facts for improving the heat retention in your home. Several ideas cost nothing to implement, and one insulation idea runs as low as 4 dollars in some stores. To check it out, visit this link, and stay warm!
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