According to www.walkscore.com, the walk score of my old and new neighborhoods is exactly the same: 88 out of 100, or “very walkable.”  Just plug your address into this website and you’ll get a walk score of your very own.  The site will show you the grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, bars, movie theaters, schools, parks, and other places that are within walking distance of your address.  The algorithm is not perfect-it does not take into account some things like your proximity to public transport or the “pedestrian-friendly design” of your neighborhood.

“Pedestrian-friendly design” is what my new neighborhood seems to be lacking.  From my old digs, I could stroll through a pleasant residential neighborhood or along a trendy street lined with coffee shops and bookstores to get to a major grocery store.  Today I ventured out to the Fred Meyer that’s just .68 miles from my new house.  Walking along a major street, I passed a car dealership, a bar, a “fantasy” shop, a men’s bathhouse, a “hot barber” shop, and a thrift store run by wayward teens.  Now, these are all very interesting establishments, I am sure, but not ones I am likely to frequent with a young child in tow (except for the thrift store, of course).  I then had walk on a highway overpass to get to the store.

On the plus side, that was just one grocery store.  I can walk to several others, taking less adventurous routes.  We can also take peaceful walks to the park, the doctor,  and Audrey’s future elementary school.  The best benefit of our new location is that we’re near at least five major bus lines and just seven minutes away from the Max (a light rail system that goes downtown, out into the suburbs, and directly to the airport).

What’s your walk score?  Visit www.walkscore.com and find out!

My smallish city of Eugene, Oregon, has hit the big time by hosting the USA Olympic Track and Field Competition this week­­—and we’re striving to hold the greenest major sports event in history.  

It’s a thrill to see our little city on national news and spot a few ultra-athletes strolling our streets, but it’s even more exciting to see the creative ways event planners have minimized waste.  We’ve gone down to the race venue to admire all the green details.

• Compostable disposables: All the utensils and plates at the food booths are made from compostable materials. 
• Recycling containers everywhere:  Local organizers somehow found a way for all food (including meats and cheeses) to be thrown in the containers  with compostable utensils and dishes.  Another bin is for comingled plastic, aluminum and newspaper recycling, drastically reducing the amount of trash that will head to landfills.
  
• Solar powered stage: Solar panels have generated plenty of power to support big screen TVs, stereos and lights.
  
• Wind-power energy: All the remaining energy needed for the event was purchased from wind-generated power.
  
• Human power: A set of power-generating stationary bikes are available for volunteers who want to personally contribute energy by signing up for 30 minutes of pedaling.
  
• Valet bike parking: The meet has sometimes filled the fenced area that can hold more than 400 bicycles.
• Electric shuttle: The city offers a free EmX bus shuttle for spectators that is hybrid-electric powered.

As if that wasn’t all wonderful enough, there was also a track meet for local youth that takes place on the actual track where the potential Olympians sprint across the finish line.  Roscoe participated in the under two category—and ended up running his own direction. In the photo he’s about to cross the finish line after taking the scenic route with Dad and a friend.     

Strawberry Spinach Popsicles

Pint of very ripe strawberries (overripe is okay)
2-3 cups of carefully washed spinach leaves
1 TBS honey (or more, to taste)

Place the strawberries in the blender and fill the remainder of the blender with spinach leaves.  Add honey and puree until smooth.  Pour into popsicle molds.  (Yields 2 cups liquid)

I invented this recipe and gave the strange-looking brown popsicle to my daughter.  She took one lick and said, “Yum, yum!”  Then she ate the whole thing, making quite a mess in the process.  Of course I sampled this brown concoction myself.  It really does not taste of spinach at all-it’s just pleasantly strawberry-flavored. 

Now, I know that disguising vegetables in other foods is controversial.  When Jessica Seinfeld’s book Deceptively Delicious came out, I read reviews from critics who claimed that lying to children about what they were eating would result in bitterness and mistrust in their parents as they grew older and wiser.  This seems a little far-fetched to me.  Besides, I did not lie to Audrey; I just handed her a popsicle and she ate it.  I hope she grows to love normally-prepared vegetables very soon, but in the meantime, I’m glad I found a way to sneak some greens into her summer confections.

This week’s Works for Me Wednesday is all about easy recipes that use five ingredients or less, so head on over to Rocks in My Dryer for more simple cooking ideas.

This Independence Day, in spite of the fact that I teach American History, I’m looking forward rather than back.  Maybe it’s motherhood, or rising gas prices, or melting glaciers, but it seems as though boundless independence might not be working for our country at this point.

We’re free to use as much fuel, energy, food, and water as we’d like.  We’re free to toss recyclables into the trash and drive Hummer limousines. The pursuit of happiness has pushed us into a level of consumerism that would have baffled our nation’s founders.  (I can’t help but mention here that they were imperfect as well—some of them using slavery to support their own luxurious lifestyles.)

Meanwhile, our unsustainable lifestyle is having a daily impact on the planet.  You have to check out this website, Breathing Earth, to see just how much more carbon we’re emitting than the rest of the world.  It’s humbling and a bit shocking.

So what do we do now? If you’re reading this website, there’s a good chance that you’re making eco-conscious choices instead of shrugging your shoulders in apathetic dismay.  The next biggest change we can make is to share our down-to-earth ideas with our local communities.  People are very threatened by the idea of composting, or using cloth diapers, or planting their own garden until they know someone who has done it themselves.  Share your cloth diaper experiences with other moms, start a green group in your area, and include your family in your eco-victories, even if they don’t share your enthusiasm. 

Grassroots movements have changed the world countless times.  On this Fourth of July, it’s good to remember that a small group of dedicated people started a nation based on freedom. Looking forward, we can help one another take small steps toward sustainability to make our shared future just a bit brighter.    

Our reader pays $1 to run the washer and another $1 to run the dryer.  Obviously she could save money and carbon emissions by hanging diapers to dry, but that not may be practical in her apartment or climate.  I wash diapers every four days, or ninety times a year.  If she can get away with running just one cycle per load (i.e., she does not use extra rinses or run the washer twice to get the diapers clean), she’ll pay $90 a year to wash the diapers.  I know some apartment dryers barely work, but let’s assume that $1 will adequately dry her diapers, so she’ll pay $90 for drying, too.  If she uses Biokleen Laundry detergent (see our posts on eco-friendly detergents here and here), she’ll spend $.139/load, or $12.51/year on detergent for her diaper loads.  Total washing and drying costs (for one year): $192.51.

I spent just $129.50 on one year of diaper supplies, which is on the cheap side.  I estimated in my Cloth vs. Disposable Cost Comparison post that, depending on the diaper system, you could spend anywhere from $120 to about $600 on start-up costs.  Total start-up costs: $120-$600.

Keep in mind that even if you do start cloth diapering and give up, you can usually sell back your diapers and get as much as half your money back.  Consumer Reports estimates that disposable diapers will cost $600-$800 a year-and obviously there is no resale value on a used disposable diaper!  With these factors  in mind, I’d say it’s definitely worth giving cloth diapering a try.  Even in the first year, you could spend about half the cost of disposables.

Now for the practical side of washing cloth diapers in an apartment.  Will you want to lug a stinky diaper pail down to the public laundry facilities?  Will your fellow apartment-dwellers be grossed out by diapers swishing in their laundry machines?  These are factors to consider, too.  Perhaps some of our readers can weigh in with personal experience.  Has anyone tried using cloth diapers with public washing machines?  How did it go?  Please help our pregnant reader solve her diapering dilemma!

The sun’s out, your baby’s teething and it’s time for a soothing summer treat.  So, how exactly do you concoct the perfect popsicle?

Popsicle molds:  There are several plastic molds on the market (I have to confess that I own a set), but there are other options available around your home.  You can make mini-pops with icicle trays or individual used yogurt cups. Crate and Barrel made BPA-free popsicle molds earlier this year but they appear to have been discontinued. I’ve written to our friends at The Soft Landing about their safest choice for popsicle molds and will keep you posted on their response.  If you prefer to avoid plastic altogether, you can use paper cups, carefully washing them out and reusing them each time.  You can also try small juice glasses, ensuring that you gradually cool the glass so that it doesn’t crack with extreme temperature change. 

The perfect recipe:  Growing up, my mom made homemade popsicles out of fruit juice, but they were always extremely dense.  We longed for those soft store-bought brands that seemed to melt in your mouth.  If you’d like to get that texture at home, try blending in whole fruit or yogurt.  The thicker mix will also make it easier for your popsicle sticks to stand up if you’re using ice cube trays or cups.  If you’re up for using gelatin, (which vegetarians might not be) it will create a softer popsicle that doesn’t melt quite as quickly.

Natural Dripless Popsicles:  These are a great way to recycle half eaten fruits and get healthy food into your child. Pictured is the momentous day that that I served Roscoe his first dripless popsicles.  He ate four in a row in one sitting. When I asked him what he would dream about right before bedtime he said “sicles.”  Luckily there was no reason to feel bad about his popsicle obsession since I used organic plums, my son’s half eaten bananas(tossed into the freezer over the last few weeks) and a bag of organic frozen blueberries.  He loved them even though he’s usually picky about eating any of these fruits by themselves.

• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup water
• ¼  cup sugar (or other natural sweetner)
• Three cups of fruit

Heat water, gelatin and sugar in saucepan over low heat until gelatin dissolves, for about 5 minutes.  Then toss gelatin mixture in the blender with fruit and puree.  Pour the mixture into cups and wait until frozen.  Enjoy!

A chocolate dream:  I found a recipe for Berry Fudgy-cicles on vegan-food.net. and modified it just a bit. Honestly, these are completely amazing and taste way better than anything this healthy should.  The secret ingredient for these homemade fudgesicles is silken tofu which provides them with plenty of nutritional prestige.  I’m not sure if this treat will be more exciting for my son or for me!

Toss the following ingredients in a blender, puree, pour into molds, and freeze. 

• 12 ounces of firm silken tofu (make sure it’s silken tofu made especially for desserts)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup rice milk, coconut milk, or cows milk
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch sea salt
• 4 strawberries, washed, stemmed, dried and sliced into quarters (put these in molds and pour chocolate mix to surround berries before freezing)

Baby-sized options:  If baby is too little to handle her own popsicle stick, consider using one of the products that use a tiny mesh bag. You can put frozen fruit chunks or ice in the mesh and then let her gnaw away to her heart’s content. This link shows Muchkin’s Fresh Food Feeder (which is BPA-Free according to their website), but you can usually find one of these in a local store if it’s easier than ordering online.

What are your ideas for summer treats?  Please add your exotic recipes to our post!

Are you worried that pesticides and chemicals from non-organic clothing will irritate baby’s skin?  I have to say that I’m not, but another bonus of used clothing is that once it’s been washed several times, less pesticide and chemical residue remains on the fabric.

The Children’s Exchange in Portland, Oregon

I usually go to consignment shops for my baby clothing, as I appreciate the selection.  However, it’s much less expensive to buy kids’ clothes at thrift stores.  Garage sales supposedly boast even cheaper wares (I am not a garage saler myself!).  I’ve also heard of people scoring huge lots of clothes from eBay or Craigslist.  Lastly, don’t forget the best way to acquire used clothing: hand-me-downs!  Audrey is fortunate to have older cousins who pass on their outgrown garments.

I’d venture to say that acquiring secondhand clothes is better for the environment than buying new organic duds.  Whenever Audrey needs a wardrobe update, we walk on over to Portland’s The Children’s Exchange (pictured) and pick out whatever she needs.  I get to support a local company and dress my daughter in deceptively eco-friendly fashions.

Fill us in on your used clothing adventures or brag about a great deal by posting a comment!  And for more Works for Me Wednesday tips, head on over to Rocks in My Dryer. 

Our house is perched on a giant anthill.  I have no scientific proof of this except for the constant stream of tiny black specks that march around like they own the place. These little sugar ants are happier than ever since Roscoe has joined our family.  Now they can load up with the remnants of my son’s cracker snacks, spaghetti dinners, and cookie treats to their collective heart’s content.

So how do we mercilessly rid them of their newfound territory without endangering our son or the planet?   We don’t want to use any pesticides in our home, not just because our son likes to put almost everything in his mouth, but also because it isn’t safe for the environment. 

So far our weapon of choice has been Borax.  The Boric Acid it contains has natural ant-repelling properties and isn’t quite as scary as some other products.  It does need to be kept away from children so you have to be careful.

After looking at online resources such as greenpaige.com and barebones gardening, I have some new tricks to try on our little friends. 

Barriers:   Sprinkle or spray these in ant walkways or areas where they enter your home.   Their odors disrupt the scent trails ants create for each other. 

• White or yellow chalk (ants will not cross a chalk line)
• Cucumber peelings
• Red chili or dry mustard mixed with a bit of water
• Lemon juice
• White vinegar or half strength cider vinegar
• Orange based environmental cleaning products
• Cloves
• Coffee grounds
• Cinnamon
• Baking Soda
• Baby powder
• Black pepper
• Mint Leaves
• Mint tea bags

Ant traps: You’ll need..

• Borax
• Sugar
• A sticky substance such as mint jelly or peanut butter

Mix the substances together thoroughly.  Spread the mixture on a cracker and place out of the way of children in a cupboard or on a countertop.  When the ants get the food, they’ll also get the poison. 

Dealing with Ant Hills:  The most merciless way is to pour boiling water or hot vinegar directly into the anthill.  This site recommended putting dry grits outside the hole.  Apparently the ants try to eat them and then explode.  That sounds a bit less humane but it’s your call. 

What are your natural pest control tips?  How do you keep baby safe without ending up with ants in the sugar?  

When I first moved to Portland years ago, one thing I loved was how accessible everything was.  I worked in a retail shop two blocks from my apartment. The library, post office, grocery store, coffee shops, and anywhere else I wanted to go were just steps away. Where I grew up, everything was so spread out that driving was a necessity-and a way of life.  So for me, the worst thing about living in a non-green city is the dependence on cars.

Recycling was also difficult in where I grew up.  Yes, it existed, but at the time we didn’t have curbside recycling, so it wasn’t easy to do, especially if you were a teenager without a driver’s license.  On the plus side, though, we got more creative about reusing items.  A high school friend and I won a prize in our school’s science fair by designing a Glockenspiel out of old glass bottles, and we saved newspapers to burn in our fireplace (not really green, I know).  I remember collecting toilet paper and paper towel tubes to donate to elementary schools for craft projects.

If you live in a non-green town, people may not look kindly upon your “wild & organic” yard as they would in Portland.  Where I grew up, in the high mountain desert, many people maintained vibrantly green, weed-free lawns. They may have looked nice like the one in the photo, but I’ll bet behind most flawless yards are bottles of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.  I’m happy to report that my hometown has taken a few steps towards eco-friendly landscaping.  Over the years it’s become more popular to keep the native climate in mind while designing outdoor spaces, saving precious water.   

Of course the biggest downfall of living in a non-green place is the lack of access to like-minded tree huggers.  When I was pregnant, I wasn’t afraid to breastfeed, use cloth diapers, or make my own homemade baby food (from my homegrown organic produce!) because those things were seen as normal.  It’s certainly more difficult to jump into an eco-conscious lifestyle if it feels like you’re the only one who’s ever heard of global warming. 

Now we want to hear from everyone else!  How do you make your place of residence greener-or how do you stay green despite the obstacles? 

Since fuel expenses, high food prices, and child-rearing costs are eating into our thrifty budgets, here are some simple, eco-friendly tips that can save some money. They all come directly from stopglobalwarming.org, which has another five money saving tips available for your perusal.  While you’re there, use their handy-dandy online calculator to estimate your carbon and cost savings.

Run your dishwasher only when it’s loaded to full capacity.  It’ll save you $40 per year and reduce your carbon emissions by a whopping 200 pounds.

Move your thermostat down two degrees when it’s cold and up two degrees when it’s hot.  This minor switch will save your family $98 annually and bring your carbon emissions down by two thousand pounds!

Take shorter showers.  Check out Crunchy Domestic Goddess’s post  on this.  She recently challenged her readers to time their showers and try to keep them to just five minutes per shower.  This really isn’t that challenging!  By reducing your showering time you could save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide and $99 per year. 


Switch just three standard light bulbs in a highly used area of your home with compact fluorescent bulbs.  You’ll save $60 per year (and remember that they last for many, many years) and 300 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.

If you have a car, make sure the tires are properly inflated by checking them regularly.  You’ll save a shocking $840 and 250 pounds of carbon dioxide. 

Why not give a few of these tips a whirl?  It’s like getting paid to save the planet!  We’d love to hear some of your budget friendly, earth friendly tips too.