EcoHearth - Eco Parenting

DIY Birdfeeder: An Eco-Ninja Project for Kids

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 05:00:00 +0000

I love to do projects around my neighborhood to better it. And I always try to make them into fun activities that include all of the children in the family. In this regard, I’ve devised an ongoing ritual known to many as “Eco Ninja.” These are stealth projects that are undertaken by only the bravest and craftiest among us… usually the children. They’re fearless. Being small and quick doesn't hurt either. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Growing Plants from Seeds—A Fun Way for Kids to Learn About the Earth

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Dawn Marshallsay | Blog Entry) — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 05:00:00 +0000

As a child, I used to plant everything from pepper seeds to ash keys (winged seeds from ash trees) in pots in the disused greenhouse at the end of our garden. I’d water them every day, waiting for the thrill of spotting the first green shoots pushing up through the soil. Any failures were part of the experimentation—the unpredictability fascinated me. Do children have the time, space and patience to plant seeds in the technological age? If we want future generations to care about the environment and look after it, we must involve them in its creation. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Babies Go Diaper-Free With 'Elimination Communication'

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Guest Contributor | Blog Entry) — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:00:00 +0000

“What's the deal with this potty training before she is even one?”

A dear friend of mine responded with this question when I emailed her pictures of my daughter, Asa. Included in the set were shots of her sitting on the potty reading a book. I figured people would comment on Asa reading, not on the fact that she was using a potty at what I’ve since learned is a controversial age for potty training in the United States.

Before my daughter was born, I decided without question that I would use cloth diapers. I believed it was the environmentally responsible choice, and being well aware of the toxic lifespan of the disposable diaper, I went ahead and stocked up on cotton pre-folds and Velcro diaper covers that I would wash at home myself. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

'Take Me to the Box of Bugs!'—On Children, Composting and the Future of the Planet

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rick Theis | Blog Entry) — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

One summer afternoon, when my nephew Michael was 3 or 4, he came for a visit. We were going to camp out in the backyard that night, but had made no plans for earlier in the day.

I lived in a huge house with a mini TV studio, office, organic vegetable garden, flower garden, an attic full of stuff left by the previous owner, as well as piano, cat, old silent films, antique car, oil paints and canvases, etc., so there was plenty of fun to be had. When he arrived, I reminded him that he'd been there before and knew most of the options. "So, what do you want to do?," I asked. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Environmentally Friendly Baby-Shower Gifts for the Green Mother-to-Be

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 15:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite things to do is incorporate old and new into baby shower gifts. I like to inspire new parents with existing green products that are on the market (new) while at the same time tucking in some of my favorite homemade baby-food recipes. I also tend to add something into the package that’s for mom and dad exclusively to chronicle their birth journey. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Improve Your Kids’ Diet—The Planet May Depend on It

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Sat, 19 May 2012 15:00:00 +0000

A friend of mine recently gave a talk to an audience of 35 rural kindergartners. Her topic was nutrition. She asked them each to draw a picture of where their lunch came from. Two of the kids drew pictures of cows. The remaining 33 drew one of the following: chicken nuggets, an Oscar Mayer “lunchable” and a Chef Boyardee microwaveable ravioli container. When she told me this I wanted to cry. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

Treating Children’s ADHD With Pond Scum: What Science?

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 15:00:00 +0000

My eight-year-old stepson is pretty active. I used to refer to him as “the zoom-zoom kid.” When his little brother started crawling, they began bearing a striking resemblance. Now we have two “zoom-zooms” in the “hizzy.”

Suffice it to say, I am always on the prowl for green means of helping my kids grow healthfully and as chemically free as possible. With our family’s genetic history of drug dependence and alcoholism, I think it best for my kids to look to nutritive supplementation rather than “fix-me pills.” {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

The Anarchist Swami and Me

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Yoga advocates encourage their students to work with natural forces rather than against them. This is, in practice and theory, a philosophy that tends toward deep observation of nature and human interaction with it. Back in the day, students would retreat into the natural world regularly to deepen their practice.

One of my mentors, Swami Nirmalanda, was a huge proponent of the ecology of yoga and was known to many as “the Anarachist Swami,” due to his encouragement of personal reflection upon one’s spiritual values and their incorporation into daily living. Being an angry teenager with a big anarchist “A” on all her school materials, Nirmalanda spoke my language. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

BPA-Free Teething: Safe Alternatives for Babies

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Jessica Dallas | Blog Entry) — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Bisphenol A (BPA) stinks. Canada and Japan have outlawed it completely because, besides being a known carcinogen, it is suspected of accelerating puberty and contributing to learning disabilities in children.

When you consider the recent study commissioned by the WWF (pdf) that alleges BPA to be an endocrine disruptor to both humankind and wildlife, things get a bit more scary. The WWF reports that baby polar bears and certain types of fish are being born with indiscriminate reproductive organs after being exposed to high levels of plastics and other toxins that leech into their water supplies. {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}

An Environmental Song for Kids: Jack Johnson's 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle'

EcoContact@EcoHearth.com (Rick Theis | Blog Entry) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

It's always a treat when parents can introduce their kids to an important topic like ecology by way of a fun activity such as singing. Below is an entertaining music video of children vocalizing with musician and songwriter Jack Johnson about reducing, reusing and recycling. It's a catchy tune that your children might like to sing along to. Johnson is an adult entertainer primarily. And he is a long-time environmentalist, both in his life and his craft. Here's the video: {readmorelink}Read on…{/readmorelink}