10 ways to be more sustainable with your vegetable garden

Yes, I know a vegetable garden in and of itself is a pretty sustainable thing. Growing your own food instead of getting it from the store (usually in some sort of plastic bag or container) is great. But what are some extra steps you can take to be even more sustainable with your garden? Here are ten of them.

1. If you start your own seeds, do it in reused containers instead of buying new ones. Yogurt cups are great for this, but any container will do. Also starter pots made from newspaper are an eco-friendly way to go.
2. Use water saved from cooking or captured water from running the faucet to water your plants. When you cook vegetables or pasta in water, nutrients leach into the water and that water makes great plant food. Don't use water that you've used to cook meat in to water edible plants, though. And, make sure the water has cooled before you use.
3. Water early in the morning or late in the evening so the midday sun doesn't soak up half of the water before the plants get it. You'll have to use less water this way.
4. Save your seeds for next year. In addition to saving seeds from my own garden, I plan on buying a couple expensive heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market, enjoy them, and save their seeds for next year. I'm not sure how well it will work, but I'm going to give it a shot.
5. Share your bounty. Your bound to have too much of something (basil? zucchini?). Don't let it go bad. Share with friends and neighbors or find a food bank that will take the donations.
6. Compost. Turn your vegetable and plant waste into food for next year's garden.
7. Rotate your plants. Even in a small garden, moving the plants around from year to year will help the soil.
8. Deter pests naturally. It's very tempting, and I know how tempting it is from experience, to want to destroy bugs or keep the rabbits away using toxic methods. But, this is food your family will eat so keep the chemicals away. Experiment with natural remedies and be okay with losing a little of your crop while you're figuring it out.
9. Learn about the types of diseases your plants could get and how to identify them. This year especially with the late blight wiping out tomato plants, identifying and properly handling a disease could save part of your garden and your neighbor's garden, too.
10. If you have kids, get them out in the garden with you and pass on the skills that you have (or maybe learn skills together) so that they will continue to garden when they have their own space.

Noooooo....It's almost time for back to school

We have over a month till the boys go back to school so I'm not feeling too bad about it yet, but I know elsewhere in the country, kids will be going back in the next two weeks. I don't think I'll do too many back to school posts this year, but last year I did quite a few of them so I thought I'd do a little summary for you.

Before I get into that, over on Mother Nature Network we're giving away a solar backpack filled with green goodies just in time for back to school. To win the backpack, become a fan of MNN on Facebook. On August 24, one random winner will be chosen. If you're already a fan of MNN on Facebook, you're already in the running - the winner will be picked from all Facebook fans. I'd love to win this thing, but even though I'm a Facebook fan, I'm pretty sure the fine print says I'm not eligible. But, I'd love it if one of my readers won it.

Okay, on to my back to school posts.

This one is my favorite:

Back to School Shopping Madness: From Kindergarten through College its Time to Curb the Stuff - I wrote it last year for Sustainablog when I read the unbelievable statistics on how much people spend on back to school "necessities."

These next 5 are a series a did last year, Going Back to School in Green Style:

Assessing What You Already Have
10 Easy Ways to be More Sustainable with Your Back to School Shopping
Trashless Lunches
Transportation
Getting Involved

And some miscellaneous posts

The Walking School Bus
Remember Paper Has Two Sides: Use Them Both

Image of girls: Pink Sherbet Photography (I've found myself using a lot of Pink Sherbet's photos recently - fabulous images)

Going green has never been so fun!

Today's post comes via my friend Bethe who I introduced you to a few months back.

______________________

One of the first steps to caring for our environment is getting to know and love it. For those of us who grew up playing outside until the street lights came on, this is not such an alien concept. That said, those days are gone and many kids today are missing out on the opportunities that help foster the connection to nature and help them connect with the world we live in.

Before we ask kids to save the world, we have to give them the chance to get to know it for the shear beauty and wonder of it. To dig in the dirt, climb tress, sleep under the stars, and wade in creeks. Kids need to know the feeling of grass under their feet, sand between their toes, and the joy of watching birds, squirrels, and butterflies. They need to think of the planet as something to love and cherish, versus simply something to save.

Protecting the planet starts with one simple step: playing outdoors! Not only are there countless health, educational, developmental, and emotional benefits to outdoor play, but it is the first step on the road to going green. Simply put, you cannot save what you do not know. It’s time to give kids the chance to know this beautiful planet we live on.

A great way to help bring play back to your community and to the lives of children and adults alike is to host a Play Day the week of September 19 -27^th. This event can be whatever you choose to celebrate play and get your community outside!

Why not…

• Sponsor a community toy swap and park clean-up
• Host a family nature hike, fishing derby, or canoe trip
• Have a geocaching or letterboxing event
• Have a community garden day or a scavenger hunt that challenges families to explore the parks and trails in your community

KaBOOM! can help. Our Play Day Planner will walk you through the steps of planning a successful event in your community. Click here to register your Play Day today, and get started on bringing fun and play back to your community. Join people nation-wide as the celebrate play and connect with nature.

Bethe Almeras writes The Grass Stain Guru, a blog about restoring childhood, and saving ourselves in the process. She is the DIY Online Community/Communications Manager for KaBOOM!

Greening the end of school

It's the last week of school. I cannot wait for the boys to be done school so we can slow down our pace and have fun. We've all earned it.

As the kids come home with backpacks full of stuff, here are some ideas for greening the end of school.

• Go through everything that the kids bring home and see what can be saved for next year. Each year, we get a supply list and not all of those supplies are consumable. Some things you may be able to save for next year are scissors, calculators, rulers, highlighters or binders. When your kids bring these things home, put them aside to be used again next year so you don't have to buy them again.
• After you look through the tons of papers that come home, make sure the ones you aren't keeping end up in the recycle bin. Or, if the backs of the papers are still good, use them for scrap paper or in your computer printer.
• Take a good look at their lunch boxes, thermoses, drink containers, etc. Can you get another year out of them? Clean them up, perhaps sprinkle them with a bit of baking soda and set out in the sun for a bit, then put them away for next year.
• Inspect backpacks. They can be reused next year, too, if they are in good condition. 
• This would be a good time to go through your kids' books, too. Their reading levels have gone up over the year, and some purging might be in order. Give away to younger friends or relatives (or donate) books that your kids have moved beyond. Make sure there are enough books at their reading level to have on hand for the summer. Visit the library for appropriate books or see my post on greening your summer reading list for ideas on how to stock your home library with less of an environmental impact.
  

One last thing. If you find that things like backpacks and lunch boxes are still in good condition, but your children are no longer interested in the super heroes or tween stars on them, help them to make a better choice with their next purchases. If you're going to allow them to get new ones, donate the still good ones, and then help them to choose ones that won't go out of style so they can use them until they wear out, not until they're out of style.

Image: D Sharon Pruitt

We're hippies

I found this little gem I had written last fall for a website that never got around to publishing it. I thought instead of letting it languish in my documents folder, I'd share it with you.

_____________________________

I had an unexpected knock on the door this morning. It was the local phone/internet/cable company canvassing the neighborhood looking for more business. The man noticed that while we had their phone and internet service, we were not taking advantage of their television service.

“We don’t have TV,” I said to him.

I got a very strange look. Not even an incredulous, “You don’t?!” Just a stare.

Clearly he needed more explanation. I said the first thing that popped into my mind.

“We’re hippies.”

“Oh,” he replied and smiled. I said something else about not wanting our children to become little consumers so we banned commercial TV from our house, but I can’t be sure of what I said exactly. I was too surprised that the “We’re hippies” comment was so easily accepted and understood because we’ve been trying to explain for months to friends and family why we unhooked our TV from all cable, even basic cable, rendering it useless for watching broadcast shows (we can still watch DVD's on the TV).

While I won’t pretend saving money wasn’t a part of our decision, a bigger part of the decision for me was getting my children away from television commercials. According to the book Affluenza by DeGraaf, Wann and Naylor,

The average American will spend nearly two years of his or her lifetime watching TV commercials. A child may see a million of them before he or she reaches the age of twenty. There is more time devoted to them now – the average half-hour of commercial TV now has eight minutes of commercials, up from six two decades ago. (p.149-150)

Those statistics are simply unacceptable to me. There are many reasons why, but lets just look at this from the environmental perspective. Over consumerism is a huge environmental problem. All of the things that we think we must have take resources to produce. And, when we realize they weren’t all that important to begin with, disposing of them becomes an environmental problem.

I know I can’t keep my children away from the knowledge of all of the advertising that is aimed towards kids these days. They will still see it when they are at their friends’ houses. They will still get it at school. They will still see it on every inch of space that the marketing gurus can find to slap it on. But, they will not see one million of them while sitting in my living room. I will not allow it.

I know that unplugging the TV is a bit extreme. It won’t work for everyone, especially those who are huge sports fans or news junkies. But it works for us.

I think it’s important for families to find a way that works for them to expose their children to less advertising and commercials. To do what they can to limit the exposure to consumerism and the “gotta have it” attitude that is prevalent today.

It may mean setting limits on TV time. It may mean using a DVR to record programs and watching them with your kids – fast forwarding through the commercials as you go along. It may mean getting rid of TV altogether like it did for my family.

And don’t worry – limiting TV time or getting rid of it altogether won’t turn you into a hippie. But if you find people questioning your choice, you can always fall on saying you are one. Apparently, it works.

Some national parks going fee-free for three weekends this summer

On Monday, I wrote about getting your kids out into nature so they can learn to love the earth so they want to treat it right. The National Park Service has a deal this summer that can help you do that for free. For three weekends, more than 100 National Parks that usually charge fees will be going fee-free*.

The following weekends will be fee-free:

    * June 20-21, 2009 (Father’s Day weekend)

    * July 18-19, 2009

    * August 15-16, 2009

In addition, many national park concessioners are joining the National Park Service in welcoming visitors on this summer’s fee free weekends with the their own special offers.

*Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

Get your kids out in nature

On MNN's The Green Parent video series this week, Keri Greenwald talks about getting your kids out into nature so that they can learn to love the planet that you are trying to teach them to take care of.

Our friend, Bethe Almeras from the Grass Stain Guru would certainly agree. And so do I. We need to get our kids outdoors more, and not just on the ball fields for organized sports. They need to have unstructured free time to explore nature, get dirty from head to toe, become connected to the nature around them so they can feel an ownership (but a nurturing ownership - not a I can do whatever I want with it cause it's mine type of ownership).

Related Posts:

Raising locavore kids

Meet 8 year old Ally

Schools out: Play outdoors with your kids

 

New Green Parenting Video Series

Over on Mother Nature Network, there's a new green parenting video series that I wanted to share with all of you. Keri Greenwald from Responsible Mommy will be doing a series of short videos that help parents teach their kids how to easily live a little greener.

The series launched today. Here's the first video. 

8 Reasons to Pick Your Own

I have to get to the local farm that allows you to pick your own strawberries. I don't know when I can get there, but my summer will be much sadder without my strawberries that I freeze for daiquiris.

What's so great about picking your own fruits and vegetables from a nearby farm. I'll tell ya.

1. It's cheaper. Way cheaper. I can get pounds of strawberries for about half the price of going into the little market right on the farm and buying them already picked.
2. Zero waste. You can take your own containers to pick in. My kids take beach buckets.
3. You get the freshest, best tasting produce. You can pick food that is perfectly ripe and eat it that day.
4. It's educational. You and your kids (if you have them) can learn things (see my post last year on Lessons Learned in the Strawberry Patch)
5. You'll support small farmers. It's not the big, agribusiness farms that invite locals to come pick. It's the small, family owned farms. They need our support.
6. It's fun.
7. It's good exercise.
8. You can take awesome photos of your family and friends while picking. Really, every year, I get the best pictures. I'm really tempted to post one, but I don't use my kids' faces on my blog.

You can find nearby farms that allow you to pick what's in season at PickYourOwn .org. The site allows you to search by state, and they even have resources out of the U.S.

5 Ways to be Green at the Community Swimming Pool

Summer is coming! Summer is coming! You know how I know? The pool opens this weekend. The boys are so excited.

My family and I have a membership at our local pool. Admittedly, the pool in and of itself isn’t a green thing. It uses lots of water and chemicals to keep that water clean.

But when I look at what the pool offers my family – the socialization, the exercise, the something to do every day, the bonding my husband and I do with the boys when the pool is relatively empty and we get to throw them half way across and they come up laughing – I know it’s something I’m not going to give up any time soon.

But I can do things to lessen the environmental impact that our pool membership has in other ways. I started to do some of these things last summer, but this summer I’m committed to doing them as often as possible.

Here is what my family will be doing, and what you can be doing if you have a pool membership, too.

1. Walk or bike to and from the pool. Throw your pool gear in backpacks or get a basket for your bike and leave the car at home. If you’ve got a lot of stuff, you could throw it all in a wagon (which of course the kids will insist on riding home in).
2. Take your own food and beverages. Most pools have a snack bar or grill. The food comes on paper plates and the beverages come in throw away cups. And let’s face it – it’s not the healthiest food you’re getting from the snack bar, is it? If you plan ahead and take your own food and beverages along with durable plates, utensils and cups, you’ll save a lot of paper products and calories.
3. Only buy new bathing suits, goggles, and beach towels if necessary. Just because it’s a new pool season doesn’t mean you need all new gear to go with it. If last year’s stuff is still usable, use it. The boys each got one new suit this year and everything else is leftover from years' past.
4. Encourage recycling. Our pool has recycling containers, and I’ve been known to stop a kid who has been ready to throw a bottle in the trashcan and redirect him to the recycling can right next to it. If your pool recycles, make sure you encourage those around you to take advantage of it. If it does not, talk to management about starting a recycling program.
5. Keep the kids out of the showers when they aren’t actually showering. Last year my boys went missing during the “adult swim” time at our pool. Turns out they had been in the mens room standing under the hot shower to keep warm while they weren’t allowed in the pool. I came to find out that many of the kids at the pool do this.

This summer, as you’re heading out to the pool or any other water activity, think about how you can lessen the environmental impact while not giving up your fun in the sun.

Image: Gabyu

Books: The Green Teen by Jenn Savedge

My colleague Jenn Savedge, the parenting blogger from MNN, must be one super organized mom because not only does she parent two kids (hey, I do that), write daily for MNN (hey, I do that, too), and keep her own personal green blog, The Green Parent, (hey, I've got a personal green blog - this one), she also writes books about going green (hey, I.... want to do that some day....).

She's just published The Green Teen, a straightforward, well-organized reference book full of tips, resources and advice for eco-friendly teens. In The Green Teen, Jenn not only explains the how’s of going green; she explains the why’s, too, and helps teen to understand the importance of the part they can play in caring for the planet.

There is information on how to Green Yourself, Green Your Home, Green Your School, and Green Your World. All of the tips and advice are things that teens really do have control over - its all advice about what they can do, not what they can convince their parents to do.

From the back cover:

Let's face it: Adults will not see the devastating effects of global warming that you and your children and your children's children will ahve to face head on. So while it's a good idea to enlist the help of adults in the environmental movement, it is really up to you and your friends to spearhead the charge to change.

You have the knowledge, the skills and the POWER to save the planet. And this book can show you how.

Not only is the information in the book relevent to teens, it's been organized and presented in a manner that will get teens' attention. Lots of bulleted lists, charts, and sections that are broken up logically so teens can read through quickly and still get great information.

The book also points teens to websites and places they can text for more information. It's clear that every aspect of this book was written and designed with teenagers in mind.

I did a short review on the section about packing a waste free lunch last week on MNN.

If you've got a teen in your life who is interested in the steps he can take to be more eco-friendly, introduce him to this book.

Green celebrations abound this weekend

Just a quick note to finish out the week. I know that several of the towns near me are having Green Festivals or Earth Day Celebrations or some sort of eco-friendly event to finish off Earth Week.

If there is one near you consider checking it out. You'll likely find information on recycling in your area, gardening and composting tips as well as information on businesses in your area that are green or offer eco-friendly products and services. You'll never know what you might learn.

On a different note, I heard the most spectacular conversation between my six-year-old and his friend as they were walking home from school today. My son was educating his friend about composting.

"Say you've got stuff you're not gonna eat like apple peels or banana peels or something like that. You don't want to put it in the trash, that's bad. You want to put it in the composter so it will turn in to compost. Then you grow vegetables in the compost. You and me can even dig up worms in the back yard and throw them in the composter if we want!"

See, they do listen!

Have a great weekend. We'll be at the ball fields, yard saling, and checking out green festivals. See you Monday.

Meet 8 year old Ally

I've got an interview today with 8 year old Ally, a budding environmentalist. Last month, I ran the book fair at my boys' school. There was a book for kids about how to stop global warming, and Ally was the only kid I saw buy it.

My mom happened to be there that day (cause it doesn't matter how old you are, when you do something like run the entire book fair at the school, your mom shows up to spend a couple bucks and support you). She got into a conversation with Ally about the polar bears. Ally spoke very passionately about the polar bears so I asked if she would be interested in being interviewed for this blog. She agreed.

So everyone, meet Ally.

What are you most concerned about when it comes to the environment? Why?

I’m concerned about polar bears and trees so, so, so, so much. Polar bears can only live in one place, the Antarctic. If we don’t help them no one else will. I really don’t want polar bears to go extinct because they’re so cute and then there won’t be any bears left.

What can be done to help the polar bears?

People can use as less energy and water as possible. The energy goes up to the power plants and the more energy is used the more greenhouse gases come out. The more greenhouse gases come out the hotter the earth gets and the global warming melts the glaciers and the fish are going deeper than usual and the water level is rising and the bears can’t go down that deep to get the fish for their cubs.

What are things that you do in your house to help the polar bears and the environment in general?

I try to turn off electronics when I’m done using them and I try to use as less paper and water as possible.

Are there any other environmental problems you are concerned about? What are they?

I’m concerned about people cutting down too many trees.
What do you know that is good that people are doing to help the environment?

It’s good to know that some people are re-planting trees after they cut down other trees. We need trees because they clean the air by sucking in all the bad carbon dioxide and putting in good carbon dioxide. This keeps us breathing clean, healthy air.

\thank you for letting me say what I want to say about the environment. Ally

When I was talking to Ally, I asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. She told me she wanted to be an accountant because she's good with numbers and on the side she wanted to run environmental protests. Gotta love it!

Image: Just Being Myself

Schools out: Play outdoors with your kids

I've really been trying to follow Bethe Almeras' advice (remember her, she's The Grass Stain Guru) and play outdoors a lot more lately - especially with my kids. They start a much needed 10 days of from school today, and I'm determined to make sure they spend most of their time outside. 

I asked Tina Yerkes, whose job it is to know where to play outdoors in my region, for some ideas. She's put together a fabulous list of things to do. Even if you don't live around me, this list may make you think of something similar where you live, and inspire you.

1. Palmyra Nature Cove - 250 acres of green in a highly developed area on the Delaware River just south of the Tacony Palmyra Bridge. With its woodlands, wetlands, tidal cove and wild river shore line, PCNP serves as an important feeding site for migratory birds. 856-829-1900
   
2. Woodford Cedar Run - 184 acre refuge surrounding Cedar Run Lake with nature trails, live animals, educational & hands-on, fun exhibits. Donations to “adopt” animals will make a lasting impression. 856-983-3329 
   
3. Camden Children’s Garden - The 4 acre, interactive garden features themed and educational exhibits like the Butterfly House, Storybook gardens & Train garden and so much more. 856-365-8733 
   
4. Rankokus Indian Reservation - A 350 acre site with a Native American heritage museum, live buffalo, nature trails, park & gallery. 609-261-4747 
   
5. Batsto Village & Mansion Tour - The roots of Batsto Village can be traced back to 1766. Two centuries of American history are available to visitors, with the Pinelands environment as a scenic backdrop. 609-561-0024 
   
6. Red Bank Battlefield & Whitall House - 44-acre site of a successful Revolutionary War battle with the remains of Fort Mercer. Whitall House, circa 1748, served as both Revolutionary War headquarters and a field hospital. 856-853-5120 
   
7. Fort Mott State Park - Fort Mott in Pennsville was part of a coastal defense system designed for the Delaware River in the 1800’s. 856-935-3218
   
8. Paws Animal Center - Promotes a special relationship between people, their local history and environment with an emphasis on reaching out to children. Learning is designed to be fun at Paws Farm. Classes & story hours, animal programs, interactive exhibits and more than 80 birds and animals are housed here. 856-778-8795  
   
9. Cooper River Park - William G. Rohrer Children's Playground with pavilions, 2 softball fields, The Cooper River Yacht Club, 2 bike paths, dog park, miniature golf course & sculpture garden. 
   
10. Duffield’s Farm - A family farming tradition since 1953. Start the summer right with Duffield's u-pick ripe strawberry fields, opening the first week of June. Stop by later this summer for our own field-grown Jersey tomatoes and luscious Silver Queen white sweet corn, picked fresh daily. Hay rides, activities for children & an active year-round calendar. 856-589-7090  

Tina Yerkes, SJTC Director of Product Development, has the fun job to visit, promote & package our wonderful venues and attractions to not only tourists who come to our South Jersey region but also to our residents of this region. South Jersey is rich in history, culture, food and some of the best eco- & agri-tourism in the country.

South Jersey Tourism Corporation is a regional tourism marketing organization whose mission is to increase the economic tourism engines of Mercer, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem Counties. Our primary focus is to increase the number of tourists that visit and spend money in these counties and promote the many historical, cultural, entertainment & recreational assets of our region.  

Image: Peter Rawsthorne

Meet Bethe Almeras

Do you get enough play in the great outdoors in your life? Bethe Almeras makes it her top priority to encourage kids and grown ups alike get out outside and enjoy this world that we're all trying to make a little greener. Her newest venture, The Grass Stain Guru, is all about just that. I've been diligently reading this new blog that is timely, educational and inspirational. Bethe kindly agreed to answer a few questions for us.

What got you involved in going green, or perhaps in your case, being outside in the green?

Well, I grew up an outdoors kid. It was just what you did after school – go outside and play -- come home for dinner. There was never any question about what to do. Have fun – go play! It never occurred to me not to do that, and I was never bored.

I was lucky enough to live in a subdivision with large yards and a wooded area with a creek at the end of the street. Rest assured, if you were looking for me, I was going to be found in those woods -- often knee deep in the creek -- building little dams, catching crayfish, sailing boats made of leaves and twigs, or prospecting for gold.

I would build forts and play shipwreck or detective. I loved to climb trees, look for signs of wildlife, or just hang out with my friends and talk. As I got older, I would pack a lunch and just find a quiet spot to read – a flat rock by the creek or propped up against a tree. It was a good place to think and to dream.

It wasn’t a huge area, but to me it was everything. Whether I was on my own, or with a group of friends, that little wooded area was simply magic. My imagination came alive there -- in many ways, I think that little patch of woods is where it was born. As an adult who relies on her creativity daily, I am ever thankful to those woods. To my creek.

Sadly, like so many places from childhood, that little patch of woods is gone. Development. “Progress.” I am sad for the kids who live in the neighborhood now – they have no idea what they are missing.

I truly believe that time spent outdoors is necessary for every human being, and is an essential part of a healthy, happy childhood.

You are a self-professed member of the Children and Nature Movement. Why is that so important to you?

I have worked for many years connecting people with nature and have always found it to be a powerful way to reach and teach everyone. I guess like many others, I was part of the movement before it had a name or a unified theme.

When Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods came out, it mobilized and unified professionals in a variety of fields. The book really validated what many people where seeing – children are not going outside like they once were, and the consequences of that are large and long-lasting. It got us moving -- trying to make a more concerted effort to raise awareness and inspire societal change. We are raising what is essentially the first generation of kids to grow up disconnected from nature. Due to health issues, most of which can be related to today’s plugged-in, sedentary lifestyles, we are also raising the first generation to have a shorter lifespan than their parents

Connecting people with nature -- it’s a huge issue, and far more serious that its name suggests. That said, it is also a very joyous thing and an exciting movement to be a part of. Connecting children (and adults!) with nature. Unstructured play. Getting outside more ourselves. These are all very good things. How amazing is it that so many people can benefit from something as simple, fun, and pleasant as getting outside more often? Of getting to know and love the natural world in ways that have meaning to each of us?


On twitter, everyone knows you as the #playoutdoors lady. You encourage us all to get outside every day and play. What's your favorite way to play outdoors?

OK, how much do I LOVE that I am known as the #playoutdoors lady?! That brings me joy. You know, I really do feel like an evangelist for play – it is my sworn duty to get us all out there, kids and adults alike, engaged in play and improving the quality of our lives. I truly hope that I encourage people to get outside and play EVERY day. Your physical, mental and emotional health will be greatly improved if you do. Listen to the #playoutdoors lady –she won’t steer you wrong!

My favorite way to play outdoors now as a grown-up? You know, I like to set out with no prescriptive goal for my play time – it’s a mood-based thing. Some days, I love to walk and take pictures, other days I like to sit on a park bench feeding the squirrels and watching the world go by. I love to discover a “new to me” park or trail, or play Frisbee, and there is NOTHING better than a day spent on the water. It doesn’t matter, as long as I am unplugged and outside, something good is coming my way.

Tell us about your newest project, The Grass Stain Guru blog. What do you hope people will get out of it?

I recently started The Grass Stain Guru because I am so passionate about the issues of unstructured play, connecting people with nature, and education reform. For me, all those areas boil down into one larger issue: Restoring childhood, and saving ourselves in the process.

We can talk about the issue in pieces and parts, as many groups do, but in reality, all of those pieces add up to one thing – happy children living in a happier, healthier society. That is something we should all care about, regardless if you are a parent, educator, a caregiver or none of those things. As a citizen, this should matter to you. It’s your society. It’s your responsibility, too.

What is passing for childhood today is just not good enough. We should want better for our children and ourselves. We should want better for this country. More balance and creativity. Better health and education. More opportunities for joy. Real connections with our families, friends, and communities.

I have three main goals for readers of The Grass Stain Guru:

1. Awareness
   
2. Spreading the word on play & time outdoors
   
3. Behavior change/taking action

Awareness:

• Recognize the emotional, developmental, academic, social, and physical benefits of unstructured play (for children, but ALSO adults)!
  
• Take a HONEST look at their lives/lives of their families in terms of unstructured play time, time spent outdoors, and screen-time.
  
• See the environment as something more than a thing that needs saving, but as a beautiful thing to know, love and interact with. This is really important for children, who are often asked to “save the planet” before they even get the chance to know and love it.

Spreading the Word:

• Become a part of TGSG community – share your comments and questions and join the Play Outdoors Twitter group.
  
• Share your stories and passions about the outdoors with children.
  
• Start conversations with other adults about the topics and issues that we discuss.
  
• Talk to your children’s teachers, the PTA, principal, etc. about recess and reducing homework load or setting a reasonable homework policy.
  
• Be an active member of the voting public. Stay informed and use you voice on issues like education reform, development, and conservation issues. Stay informed.

Behavior Change:

• Decrease the number of structured activities that kids are involved with so they have time just to be kids.
  
• Decrease screen-time for selves and family – unplug more!
  
• Increase time spent outdoors interacting with the natural world.
  
• Focus less on purchasing toys and video games for kids and spend more time with them instead.
  
• Have FUN, be playful and MODEL these behaviors for the children in your world. Model balance and experiencing joy.
  
• Explore your communities and find more ways to connect with people and create a culture that supports outdoor play and an increased sense of security in our communities.
  

And most importantly, I hope that each reader laughs and plays as if their life depends upon it, because in reality, it does.

What's your favorite quote?

Only one?! Well, since I have never been a paint-by-numbers kind of girl, I am giving two:

“Life is too important to be taken seriously!”- Oscar Wilde
“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” - Albert Einstein

Where can we find you on the web?

Blog: http://www.grassstainguru.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/balmeras
Play Outdoors Twitter Group: http://tgr.me/g/playoutdoors

Recycle your denim jeans and help set a world record

National Geographic Kids magazine is asking kids to help them set a Guinness World Record. They want to create the world's largest collection of clothes to recycle, and they are asking kids to send in old denim jeans to be recycled into insulation through the Cotton. From Blue to Green program. 

Recycling denim into insulation is a good use for old jeans that are too worn out to be handed down or donated. The problem is that it's not always easy to find a place that will take them. Now it is easy. They can be sent in to:

NG KIDS/Set a Guinness World Record

P.O. Box 98001

Washington, Dc 20090-8001

However, you don't have to send them and pay the postage. If you drop by any Build-A-Bear Workshop between March 27-29, 2009, you can donate your jeans there, and you'll get a free virtual gift to use at buildabearville.com. Just don't let your kids suck you into making a bear while you're donating.

All jeans must be received by June 30, 2009. Any denim is accepted, not just jeans.

Image: Richard Masoner