Author Archive | Jennie Lyon

Have a Lovely Weekend + A Few Green Things

Hello, Friends! How are you doing? Eben and I are getting ready to make pizzas for dinner. Then, bright and early tomorrow morning we will be participating the Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup.

Also, I am getting so excited for our fall family trip – we leave next weekend! And all I can think about is fall colors, hikes in the mountains, ghost towns, caramel apples, and good friends! However, for tonight I need to focus on pizzas! While I get the pizza toppings ready, here are a few green things that I thought you might enjoy:

– Stocking stuffer alert! A keychain bike pump that fits in the palm of your hand!
– Are you eating GMO’s? You may be and not even know it.
– Going to Hawaii? Rent this treehouse bungalow!
– Just in time for fall – animal hats, scarves and mittens for kids.
– OMGoodness! I am completely obsessed with this recycled rug!
– Here are a bunch of new smoothie recipes to add to your rotation.
– I am in the mood to stay home all weekend and bake pies! Who’s with me?

I hope you have a fabulous weekend – I will see you back here on Monday!

xo,
Sweet Greens

photo credit

Trash Free Seas: Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup: Sept. 15th

As part of the Ocean Conservancy’s Trash Free Seas program – tomorrow, Eben and I, along with his middle school classmates and families, will be participating in the Ocean Conservancy International Coastal Cleanup. (Which we participate in every year!) This year’s Cleanup will have even greater significance with the anticipation of possible Japan tsunami debris on the West Coast.

Ocean Conservancy hopes to compare data collected this year to historical numbers – adding efforts from various sectors – including NOAA and other federal and state agencies, the military, local businesses and nonprofit organizations.

I will snap photos and share the data that we collect tomorrow with you early next week. The statistics from the 2011 International Coastal Cleanup is startling – “Nearly 600,000 people (598,076) picked up more than nine million pounds of trash (9,184,427) along over 20,000 miles of coastlines (20,775).”

Will you be joining us for the coastal cleanup? What area will you be cleaning up?

— The photo was taken on our last trip to the Florida Keys!

How to Create a Simple Eco-Friendly Homework Station

Sending kids back to school means that homework will be coming home — and sometimes a lot of it! Homework can be frustrating for children, especially if they can’t locate the supplies that they need to get started. One of the easiest ways to keep your child on top of his homework is to make sure he is organized. This can be tough — especially with younger children who are just starting to learn the importance of keeping track of their school work.

A great way to keep your child’s homework organized at home is to create a simple homework station. I wanted a homework station that would not only keep Eben’s homework organized, but that would allow me to see his progress at a glance. I also needed a system that would be easy to use, both for him and myself – because if it is easy to use, he will do it! I spent a few minutes creating a homework station for my Eben this afternoon, using supplies that I found in my recycling bin and home office. Jump over to Inhabitots to learn how you can create an eco-friendly homework station for your child.

7 Eco-Friendly Back to School Essentials for Your Child

It’s back to school time, which means you have a list of essentials that your child will need for the upcoming school year. If you hit the big box store with your school supply list in hand, you may feel overwhelmed considering the environmental and health impact that items such as; bleach disinfectant wipes, plastic binders and petroleum based crayons. Don’t fret – you can find a fantastic selection of eco-friendly back to school essentials that are good for the environment and your children. Jump over to Applegate to learn my 7 favorite eco-friendly back to school essentials and get shopping!

photo credit mDrX via Applegate

5 Ways to Encourage Your Child to Live a Green Lifestyle at School

Living a green lifestyle isn’t just something my family does on the home front. We carry our eco ideals throughout every facet of our lives, which includes school and the office. My family is very passionate about recycling, composting, buying organics, making our own cleaning supplies, and upcycling. However, since many places we frequent don’t share our eco-values, it can be difficult to remain sustainably-minded when we venture outside of our home.

Now that kids are spending the bulk of their time in school, I’m highlighting several ways to encourage your children to incorporate their sustainable lifestyle into their daily routine in the classroom and on campus. Their efforts will inspire others to examine their carbon footprint, and they’ll make a large impact on preserving the environment. Jump over to Inhabitots for my five great ways for your children to go green at school.

photo credit via Inhabitots