GREEN DRINKING, GOOD THINKING!

 With the temperature in the triple digits for the last 3 months, we all have being drinking lots of water, and that's good! But my kids had been using way too many glasses per day! With water conservation in effect, that was not only ecologically bothersome but time consuming. So, I had an idea! Every morning they get a new glass with their names on it! They drink as many times as they want ON THAT glass. At night I wash them and they  are good to go for the next morning! It saves me time, money, water and electricity!

(For the kids I used inchbug rubber labels because I had extras, and for me and hubby I just used colored hair rubber bands!)

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HOW YOU CAN DONATE YOUR HAIR!

If the excessive heat was your drive for a pixie or you simply miss the short/easy/fast hair you had once... A short cut, literally, is your way to go! Buy some magazines to check latest styles... and when you go for it, please, donate your hair! 

Most people know you can donate your hair to make wigs for "cancer patients", right? (see details ahead). How about donating your hair to Matter of Trust? They make hair booms and hair mats that are right now been sent 100% to the golf water spill, the worse disaster on our planet!

Orange Beach Alabama - June 24, 2010.
Oil plume comes up in black waves onto white beaches.

Bleached highlights? Don't want to cut your hair short? NO problem! Don't throw your hair away! Matter of Trust is taking ANY human HEAD hair or any pet hair! Actually, if you are reading this, tell your hair stylist or local pet store about it! They get hair of any length, as long as it doesn't have any trash. It's so simple! All they ask for is that you place the hair on a plastic or trash bag. That's it! Take a look at what they are doing, it is cool! 

Now, if your hair is NOT bleached, you can consider any of the companies bellow and help kids who lost their hair and their confidence, to smile again! Research shows that hair loss was considered by the majority of cancer patients the worse side effect of chemotherapy. But doing my research I found out the most children affected by hair loss actually suffer from alopecia. If  dealing with hair loss is difficult for adults, imagine how hard it is for children and teens! If your child suffers from alopecia this site offers support! 

If you wish to donate to this cause, you will have only to wash and dry the hair and send int in one or more ponytails following the directions of your chosen company. Length requirements vary from 8 to 12 inches. Some companies take even permed hair, again, as long as it has no bleach. To sterilize your hair, a chemical is used and if your hair is bleached it will not be suited for that process and Matter of Trust is your best bet! Pick yours:

Locks of Love

Wigs for Kids

Pantene Beautiful Lengths

The gorgeous picture above is by awarded children photographer Jennifer Wilson. Check her blog, she rocks!

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HOW TO REMOVE THOSE WHITE HARD WATER STAINS

The one change I did not like when I moved to Texas was the quality of water. If you have hard water where you live - and more than 85% of American homes do - you hate the white stains hard water leaves on any surface, right? The stains are caused by the excessive calcium and/or other minerals in the water. Well, forget about all those expensive products you buy! I have tried many and they don't really work. The solution is in your pantry and, besides cheap, it's green: vinegar and baking soda. Spray the vinegar (which is acidic) on the surface and let is sit for about 5 minutes. This step is important! The vinegar has to first soften the stain, be patient! Then, pour the backing soda on top of the vinegar  and watch for some bubbling action! Wipe with a wet cloth or sponge, or for hard to reach corners, like around your faucet, scrub with and old tooth brush dipped in baking soda. Repeat until stain is gone or any time they come back. You will not believe it! Even the most stubborn stain will be gone!

In my house we buy at least, the 5 Pound bag of baking soda because we use it in so many different ways! It is amazing! It is not only cheaper but much healthier than chemical products! Want to find out what you can use baking soda for? Try one of the books bellow and have a healthy living!

Baking Soda: Over 500 Fabulous, Fun, and Frugal Uses You've Probably Never Thought Of



Sodium Bicarbonate: Nature's Unique First Aid Remedy


Try it and leave me a comment if this has worked for you!

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LITTLE PIECES OF EARTH - MY EYES' WINDOW

Planting trees is a nice way of celebrating Earth Day. Today I planted four.  But taking pictures of the delicate and grand beauties Mother Nature has given us is also  a pleasant way of showing Love to our Planet. Here are a few of the ones I took when I found a beautiful piece of Earth along my way.

ALL PICTURES TAKEN BY DANIELA COHEN.

ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ARE PROPERTY OF THE ARTIST AND ARE PROTECTED BY THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONAL LAW.

YOU MAY NOT COPY, PUBLISH, OR OTHERWISE USE ANY PHOTO WITHOUT THE SPECIFIC WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DANIELA COHEN.

Copyright© 2010. All rights reserved.

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WOODEN TOYS YOUR CHILD WILL LOVE

When I grow up plastic was something new. Back then, the picture above would look like something very futuristic. I remember well the time when my parents had to take used empty glass bottles to the store in order to buy soft drinks! Do you? Well in only 4 decades we've come a long way from that as now there are about anything made of plastic and most kids playrooms are filled with toys made from plastic (mostly made in China). While you can teach your child about the environment and the importance recycling, there is nothing better to do to our earth then to buy less plastic and more wooden toys! So, here are several alternatives for wooden and other eco-friendly toys manufactures or resources we love in our house! All of them are easily found online.

• Plan Toys (puzzle shown above, cutest wooden mini dolls)
• Haba (specially good teethers and baby rattles)
• Hape International (bamboo, stylish car shown bellow)
• Melissa & Doug (known for great wood puzzles)
• Educo (Hape subdivision)
• Maple Landmark (made in Vermont, USA)
• Kid O (from Switzerland, toys and great design furniture)
• Adena (has some Montessori materials)
• Montessori Services (all Montessori materials)
• Eden Home (everything green, including toys)

Or if you have a handyman in the house this book (bellow) has 50 easy to build projects to make your own toys!

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LOST SOCKS? RECYCLE THEM THIS EASTER!

  

What a cute creative idea from Family Fun Magazine! Fill them up with lentil passing the heel a little and close with rubber band. Tie a ribbon just below the heel to make the head and cut the cuffs for ears. Cotton ball or white pom pom for a tail! For face features they used cut felt but I will use old lost buttons for eyes and nose, for an even more recycled bunny!

THE GREEN CARD EVERYONE NEEDS!

 

Not exactly "that" green card, but hey, this one you can use all the time! For a thank you note, birthday wish, sympathy, thinking of you card, get well soon message or a love note!  Couldn't be greener! Made by Idea Studio Design. If you speak Portuguese check the designers blog, it is full of inspirational design and craft tips!

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HOW TO REMOVE CARROT STAINS, FROM BIBS TO CUTTING BOARDS!

Your baby LOVES carrots, sweet potato, butternut squash? Well, mine did too! But removing those orange stains from their bibs and clothes, your cutting boards, silicon spoons and plastic containers... was not as easy as I thought. You wash them , you soak them in Clorox, you apply every name brand stain remover but the stain doesn't go away, right? I know that feeling...

The solution is so simple you will laugh: our dear SUN! Take the item (dry and clean) outdoors on a sunny day. Set it on anything you want and let it be, under bright sunlight for at least two hours. That's it! Voilà! Even old, stubborn carrot stains will be gone!
It also works well with other stains like tomato, strawberry, papaya, apricots, pumpkin...

Why? Beta carotene is the pigment (phytochemical) that gives many vegetables and fruits their orange/yellow color. This pigment is not water soluble but photo dissipating.

To find out the many benefits of carrots and all about them, go here.
The lack of Vitamin D increases the risk of many diseases. The increase in the incidence of osteoporosis may be related to the increase in the use of sunscreen. For the health benefits of moderate sun exposure, go here.

Aside from easy, this solution is ecological and economical!
(Sunset photo location is Sarasota, FL)

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