U.S. students have been drinking tainted water for past decade September 29, 2009

An Associated Press investigation found that over the last decade, the drinking water at thousands of public and private schools in all 50 states contain unsafe levels of lead, pesticides and dozens of other toxins. As water safety violations have multipllied, the problem has gone largely unmonitored by the federal government.

“If a landlord doesn’t tell a tenant about lead paint in an apartment, he can go to jail,” remarked Marc Edwards, an engineer at Virginia Tech who has been honored for his work on water quality. “But we have no system to make people follow the rules to keep school children safe?”

Approximately one of every five schools with its own water supply violated the Safe Drinking Water Act in the past decade, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), analyzed by the AP.

The contaminants are especially dangerous to children, who drink more water per pound than adults and are more vulnerable to the effects of many hazardous substances. “There’s a different risk for kids,” said Cynthia Dougherty, head of the EPA’s Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water.

When the Associated Press analyzed a database showing federal drinking water violations from 1998 to 2008 in schools with their own water supplies, the organization discovered:

• Water in about 100 school districts and 2,250 schools breached federal safety standards.
• Those schools and districts racked up more than 5,550 separate violations. In 2008, the EPA recorded 577 violations, up from 59 in 1998 – an increase that officials attribute mainly to tougher rules.
• California, which has the most schools of any state, also recorded the most violations with 612, followed by Ohio (451), Maine (417), Connecticut (318) and Indiana (289).
• Nearly half the violators in California were repeat offenders. One elementary school in Tulare County, in the farm country of the Central Valley, broke safe-water laws 20 times.
• The most frequently cited contaminant was coliform bacteria, followed by lead and copper, arsenic and nitrates.

Unfortunately, the EPA does not have the authority to require testing for all schools and can only provide guidance on environmental practices. Schools with wells are required to test their water and report any problems to the state, which is supposed to send all violations to the federal government

For more info: Read the report in its entirety.

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Get spooky: Plan your Pumpkin Carving Party now!

Did you know that, botanically speaking, pumpkin is a fruit? Grown on every continent but Antarctica, the pumpkin was once thought to be a cure-all for freckles and snakebites. (Psst! Consider planning your party after 2009 Pumpkinmania! at The Heritage Museum of Orange County.)

Here are some tips for hosting your pumpkin party!

• Fill a wheelbarrow with pumpkins and place it by the door so guests can choose a pumpkin to carve as they come to the party. (Crunched for time? Have guests bring a hollowed pumpkin with them to the party!)
• Choosing the perfect specimen: Examine the pumpkin’s rind; It should be firm, uniform in color, and free of cuts, bruises, and blemishes. Give the pumpkin a knock; A thumping sound means the pumpkin is solid, with no internal defects, rot, or soft spots.
• Decorate Halloween themed brown paper bags–Make enough for each guest. Fill each bag with inexpensive pumpkin-carving tools, a tea light, and a permanent black marker. (Or substitute poster paints, if your party guests are very young.)
• If using a candle to illuminate your pumpkin, you can create the smell of Halloween spice by sprinkling cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin spice on the underside of the jack-o’-lantern’s lid. Once lit, the pumpkin will create a wonderful scent.
• Download free pumpkin carving patterns and have several copies on hand.
• Create a centerpiece using a large pumpkin surrounded by colorful autumn leaves. Use a drill to make holes around the top and sides of the pumpkin, and fill the holes with caramel apples or lollipops for guests to enjoy!
• Cover your work surface with newspapers or a vinyl tablecloth.

Party music to carve by…

• “Beetlejuice: Main Titles,” composed by Danny Elfman
• “Ghostbusters,” Ray Parker Jr.
• “In the Midnight Hour,” Wilson Pickett
• “I Put a Spell on You,” Nina Simone
• “I Want Candy,” Bow Wow Wow
• “Spooky,” the Classics IV
• “That Old Black Magic,” Ella Fitzgerald
• “Thriller,” Michael Jackson
• “Werewolves of London,” Warren Zevon
• “Witchcraft,” Frank Sinatra

For more info: This is the ideal time to begin planning your very own Pumpkin Carving Party! Jack-o-lanterns can only survive 5-7 days once cut, so choose your date and send your invites soon! 

Find pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides and more in the Los Angeles area.

The 2009 Pumpkinmania will be located at The Heritage Museum of Orange County on
Oct 25, 2009 8:30 am – 2:00 pm (Sunday). 3101 West Harvard Street, Santa Ana, CA 92704.

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Trust Birth Conference in March 2010 – Excellent line-up, plan now! September 28, 2009

Moms-to-be, natural birth practitioners, doulas, midwives, OB/GYNs, chiropractors and authors are joining together for the Trust Birth Conference, March 12-14, 2010, in Redondo Beach.

This is a special opportunity for pregnant women, mothers, and those interested in natural birth methods, as conferences of this nature are typically restricted only to industry health professionals.

Keynote speaker Dr. Sarah Buckley is a family physician with qualifications in GP-obstetrics and family planning; a writer and lecturer on pregnancy, birth and parenting; and currently full-time mother to her four children, all born at home. Sarah’s book, Gentle Birth Gentle Mothering: A Doctors Guide to Natural Childbirth and Gentle Early Parenting Choices is published in the US and worldwide by Celestial Arts. Sarah brings a unique and powerful blend of solid scientific, anthropological and psychological perspectives, along with a deep trust in the natural processes.

Each day of the conference offers numerous seminars facilitated by some of the world’s leading natural birth advocates:

• Heather Cushman-Dowdee is the creator of the webcomics Hathor the Cowgoddess and Mama is… Over the past 7 years she has created 500+ comics about attachment parenting, she has published 4 books, and has had her work reproduced in countless books and periodicals.
• Pamela Hines-Powell, CPM, is a homebirth midwife in Salem, Oregon. Her evolution towards gentle, unhindered birth has been a winding path of unlearning and re-learning, resulting in continued personal empowerment. Learn more at her blog.
• Gloria Lemay is an author, teacher and birth attendant. She has worked in the childbirth field for the past 30 years. For 17 years she practiced as a midwife. She also co-wrote the first Genital Integrity legislation to pass into law. She lives in Vancouver, B.C. and travels all over N. America and to Australia in her role as a teacher and speaker.
• Jody McLaughlin grew up on a farm in central North Dakota where she learned most of what she knows about healthful pregnancy, spontaneous birth and successful lactation. Jody has published The Compleat Mother Magazine of Pregnancy, Birth and Breastfeeding since 1989.
• Debby Takikawa is the producer and director of What Babies Want, an award winning documentary film about babies. A chiropractor by formal training, Debby Takikawa founded the nonprofit organization, Beginnings, Inc. in 2001 as a way of supporting a nonprofit clinic and teaching facility. She is also co-author with Carrie Contey PhD, of the What Babies Want parenting book series, the first of which has been recently published: CALMS, A Guide to Soothing Your Baby.
• Carla Hartley is the founder and director of both Ancient Art Midwifery Institute and The Trust Birth Initiative. She has written extensively about midwifery and birth for thirty years and is the author of Helping Hands, The Apprentice Workbook.

For more info: Check out the impressive list of conference faculty. See the listings for all sessions.
See detailed info on conference pricing. www.trustbirthconference.com 

 

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WIN!! Insider’s Guide to Private Elementary Schools in Los Angeles September 25, 2009

Many parents worry about how to pick the right private elementary school for their child. Selecting the right school can be challenging. We’ve agonized over these decisions ourselves. And, the competitive nature of private elementary schools in Los Angeles can limit a family’s choices because there’s no guarantee that your child will be accepted at your favorite schools.

To help you choose the best possible school for your child, here are some excellent tips from Christina Simon, Anne Simon and Porcha Dodson, collaborative authors of a new book, Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools In Los Angeles: (Read on to learn how you can WIN one of FIVE copies of this incomparable guide!)

• Tour as many schools as possible. The authors recommend parents see between eight and ten schools to really learn how different each school is from another. This is easier if you start looking at schools two years before you apply (which is one year before your child will enroll in kindergarten). Los Angeles has excellent private elementary schools, but each one is unique and unless you visit the school, you won’t get a good feel for what it has to offer. 
• Location, location, location. Geography matters in Los Angeles. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of finding an outstanding school that you know would be a great fit for your child. The only problem: it’s an hour drive each way to and from the school. Don’t ignore this geographic reality. A commute of this distance will be difficult on your child and the entire family. And, don’t forget about your child’s play dates and events that require you to be at the school during the day and on more than a few evenings.
• Be aware of the popularity contest. It’s easy to choose a school because it’s “trendy” or “popular” or filled with celebrities. Don’t forget, these trends change from year to year and this isn’t a good reason to select a school. When parents at your child’s preschool are abuzz about a particular school, take a step back and ask yourself if you are being influenced away from your own values. Be confident in your choices even if they are not the most sought-after schools.
• Plan ahead (but not too far ahead). K-6? K-8? K-12? Should you pick an elementary school that has a middle and/or high school? A number of the top private elementary schools in Los Angeles have middle and/or high schools. How important is this when you’re choosing an elementary school? THe authors think you should focus on the elementary school at this point. It’s impossible to know whether your child will remain at the same school until he or she goes to college. The lack of a middle or high school shouldn’t deter you from touring or selecting a great elementary school. Remember that a school that is devoted to elementary education will keep its primary focus on the programs your child will benefit from now.
• Calculate the costs. Tuition at the top private elementary schools in Los Angeles can range from $17,000 to $24,000 per child, per year. Some schools are slightly more expensive and parochial schools cost less. You should know that schools increase tuition annually. And, you need to consider additional out-of-pocket expenses. Every private school asks families to contribute to their annual giving campaign. Your child may want to take enrichment classes or need after-school care. Summer camp, hot lunch and other expenses can add up quickly. If you don’t think you can afford the full tuition, inquire about financial aid, which, if awarded, could cover all or part of your child’s tuition and other expenses. Many private elementary schools place a very high priority on having an economically diverse student body. Money should not deter you from seeking the best education for your child.
• Find the right fit for your child. Most importantly, don’t lose sight of your family’s core values during this process. Look around each school and observe the classrooms, teachers, administrators, students and other parents. Try to see the students in upper grades. Can you feel a connection with the culture of the school? Do you think your child would feel comfortable at the school? Would he or she be excited to arrive at school every day? If your child is artistic and the school lacks an arts program, is it really the right school? Your goal is to find a school where your child will be inspired, challenged and nurtured. Your family should feel comfortable with the other parents. Ideally, your parenting style and family values will be similar to other families at the school. This helps build a sense of community and belonging.

The right private elementary school for your child is there. You just need to find it!

For more info: Beyond The Brochure: An Insider’s Guide To Private Elementary Schools In Los Angeles, available at Amazon.com. Visit FatEnvelopePublishing.com or see what’s new at the book’s blog.

Christina Simon is the parent of two children at the Willows Community School.

Anne Simon is the former head of Wildwood School and the former Dean of the Crossroads Middle School, where her daughter is a graduate of the high school. 

Porcha Dodson is a former teaching partner and director of diversity at the Curtis School.

WIN one of FIVE FREE copies of this amazing new book! Simply COMMENT below!

Tell us your number one concern when looking for the ideal school for your child: Is it an arts program? a style of teaching? the availability of enrichment classes? Tell us and win! Five random winners will be selected on October 16, 2005.

FDA says toxic lead makes lipstick dangerous, especially for pregnant women

Did you know that top selling lipstick brands contain more than 10 times higher than U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‘s standard for lead in candy? Health experts say lead in lipstick is a health concern in any amount.

While the FDA noted that three manufacturers had the highest levels of lead, they did not reveal the names of  those brands. In 2007, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics reported consistently higher lead levels in lipsticks manufactured by L’Oreal, Maybelline and Cover Girl.

“Since recent science suggests that there is truly no safe lead exposure for children and pregnant women, it is disturbing that manufacturers are allowed to continue to sell lead-containing lipsticks,” said Sean Palfrey, M.D., a professor of pediatrics and public health at Boston University and the medical director of Boston’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.

According to Dr. Palfrey:

• Lead is a proven neurotoxin that can cause learning, language and behavioral problems such as lowered IQ, reduced school performance and increased aggression.
• Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to lead exposure, because lead easily crosses the placenta and enters the fetal brain where it can interfere with normal development.

Dr. Mark Mitchell, president of the Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice, agrees; “Lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plainly advises avoiding all sources of lead exposure, stating, “No safe blood lead level has been identified.”

Yet FDA has no standard for lead in lipstick. Lisa Archer, national coordinator for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at the Breast Cancer Fund reports, “Pregnant women using lipstick are unknowingly exposing their fetuses to unknown and unregulated levels of lead. FDA should immediately set standards to require manufacturers to make lipstick as safe as possible.”

For more info: Women should be encouraged to shop for natural, organic cosmetics. Visit the EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database for a list of the world’s safest beauty products.

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My recipe published in star-studded Junior League of Orange County fund-raising cookbook! September 20, 2009

The Junior League of Orange County, California has published a gorgeous new cookbook, Orange County Fare . . . A Culinary Journey Through the California Riviera, filled with mouth-watering photos and delicious recipes from celebrities, top chefs–and yours truly.

 This beautiful compilation includes the very best recipes tested by Junior League members, and includes a tour of Orange County through photographs and insightful information about the area.

With foodie delights from John Stamos, Vanna White, and the always fabulous Chef Jeff of Dinner Mojo, as the author of the blog Unassuming Foodie, I am both thrilled and honored to have my own recipe, Chicken Sausage Crostini, (on page 21) selected for publication.

Orange County Fare is the charitable organization’s first cookbook in 20 years, and is its very first “green” Junior League cookbook, made with 100% recycled paper. It can be pre-ordered for $29.99 on the Junior League of Orange County’s Website, and will officially launch at The Christmas Company Opening Night Gala on November 12th. 
 

For more info: Check out the Facebook fan page for Orange County Fare, or email OrangeCountyFare@gmail.com.

The Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc. is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable, and reaches out to women of all races, religions or national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism. The JLOCC has approximately 750 members composed of active members, provisional members in training, and sustaining members.

Visit my food blog, The Unassuming Foodie.

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Talk like a pirate! Free download of LucasArts + Telltale’s Monkey Island game September 19, 2009

Brigands and scallywags round the globe rule the day on International Talk Like a Pirate Day every year on September 19. Mark the occasion by jumping into the celebrated Monkey Island® swashbuckling pirate games offered by LucasArts and Telltale!

On September 19, Telltale is offering a free download of the premiere episode of Tales of Monkey Island all day. 

Taking place each year on September 19, Talk Like a Pirate Day was officially started in 1995 by two Oregon-based pirate lovers. The event has evolved beyond simple pirate speech with people inserting “piratey activities” into their everyday life by eating, drinking, dressing, blogging, laughing, Tweeting, and gaming like a pirate!

In addition, today through September 21, LucasArts is offering a virtual treasure trove of deals on several versions of The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition titles, including:

    50% off the iPhone and iPod touch version of LucasArts new The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition via Apples App Store

    50% off The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition on Steam®, Valve Corporations delivery and management platform for the PC and Direct2Drive, IGN Entertainments digital download store

Best ye jump on these offers smartly before they expire!

LucasArts will also soon release a free lite version of The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition on the Apple App Store for iPhone and iPod touch as well as a sound board application for iPhone and iPod touch that features 16 witty sound-bites from The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition.

The Monkey Island pirate game phenomenon all started in 1990 with LucasArts The Secret of Monkey Island, a graphical adventure PC title featuring an aspiring pirate named Guybrush Threepwood. The game was an instant critical success and has since spawned three additional titles, making it one of the most enduring videogame franchises of all time.

For more info: 

 Book your room at Anaheim’s Pirate Waterpark at Howard Johnson!

Sharpen ye pirate speech with a visit to ye olde Pirate Glossary.

Health mag cover: Sheryl Crowe talks baby, cancer, and Michael Jackson September 17, 2009

Nine time Grammy award winner Sheryl Crowe graces the cover of Health magazine’s October 2009 issue. Readers were invited to ask intimate questions about the 47-year-old singer, performer, cancer-survivor and new mother. Writer Jancee Dunn reveals how this “wildflower” is no shrinking violet; She talks openly about managing her remission from cancer, what she learned from Michael Jackson about fame, how she knew she was ready to adopt on her own, and offers tips for staying young.

When Sheryl was first diagnosed, she met with a nutritionist specializing in disease prevention and wellbeing, and still incorporates the tips she learned: 

• Omega-3 “I eat salmon or other fish at least three times a week. I eat a lot of walnuts, almonds, colorful vegetables.”
• Antioxidants “I drink pomegranate juice and keep a vat of tomato soup around or some kind of tomato sauce, because it has lycopene, and prunes, which get such a bad rap but are loaded with antioxidants.”
• Fiber “One big thing I learned was that so much of wellness depends on your body getting rid of waste. So I eat a lot of Fiber One, which has 14 grams of fiber per serving.

For Crowe, getting cancer “was a really personal blow, because I was newly out of a relationship and that made it more difficult to even fathom that I could be diagnosed with cancer. And this great friend told me one of the gateways to awakening is to allow yourself to experience your emotions. As Westerners, we’ve gotten adept at suppressing them. It’s always ‘Try not to think about it’ or ‘Keep yourself busy.’ You push all that stuff down, and it manifests itself in other ways—whether it’s stress or disease. So my attitude was to grieve when I felt like grieving, be afraid when I felt like being afraid, and be angry when I felt ike being angry. It also helped me to learn to say no to people. That’s been really liberating.”

When Minnesota reader Joan Steffend asked if there was one piece of wisdom Sheryl would like to make sure her son Wyatt, age two, has in his heart and could carry into the world, Crowe responded, “Respect is huge—respect for the planet and honoring and loving this organism that sustains all of us. And try to make every decision out of compassion, which encompasses how you treat the planet and every person.” Crowe goes on to explain how she “let go of this picture I’d always painted about my life, about how it was going to be set up with a husband, a house, and all that. At the time I was considering adopting, everything else had sort of not worked. When you let go of the story you tell, a lot of times it creates a whole world of expansion for other things to come in.”

Sheryl Crowe was a backup singer on tour with Michael Jackson in the late 1980s. She recalls her 18 months touring with him: “I learned so much from watching him, about professionalism, about uniqueness, about artistry—things that set him apart from the rest of us. And it was a gift that I got to be witness to his greatness. I got to see some of the crazier stuff, too—the fans, the kind of undoing of his identity and the re-doing of his identity, and how lonesome that must have felt.”

As a new mom and busy performer, Sheryl takes good care of her health and is truly an athlete. “I try to do something every day that’s sports-related, and I like to be outside,” she shares. ”I love riding my bike, and playing tennis, and paddle surfing. I don’t love going to the gym, but I’ll do it if it’s rainy.”

Sheryl’s tips for looking (and staying!) young:

• I try to purge myself of stress.
• I definitely am embracing aging. When you shoot your face with Botox and stuff, you rob yourself of your ability to have youthful expressions, and that’s why sometimes people look a lot older. 
• I also have never spent a lot of time in front of the mirror. So as far as I know, I look like I’m 24, which is how I feel.

  For more info: In October 2009, Sheryl will release a deluxe two-disc edition of her debut album Tuesday Night Music Club, stuffed with goodies like a bonus DVD, rarities, and B-sides.

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E-Cloth green cleaning is cost-effective and chemical-free

Several months ago, I was asked to test the E-Cloth, a series of job-specific microfiber towels that require only water to clean every surface inside and outside the home, from delicate glassware to over-burdened outdoor grills.

While some consumers still purport that green products “cost too much,” or are “just a marketing gimmick,” with E-Cloths you don’t have to buy green products—in fact, you don’t need to buy anything at all. Besides, while some sustainable products might cost a little more at the checkout counter than conventional products, there are much bigger, and much longer-term savings that show up in the health of your family and the health of the planet.

What took me so long to give them a test-run? I was hugely skeptical. How could a mist of water and a set of hand towels get my house “clean enough”? I have two sons, a husband, and a pet–all conspiring against the cleanliness and freshness of my home. In my case, the motivating factor was guilt; I’m embarrassed to admit I still hadn’t broken my paper towel habit, and with an E-Cloth Starter Pack at my disposal, I had no excuse.

First, a quick overview on why paper towels no longer make sense for household cleaning:

• Cleaning with microfiber eliminates the use of energy for the manufacture, transport and disposal of paper towels.
• Paper towels are used once then thrown away. Used paper towels cannot be recycled so they create a large volume of landfill waste.
• Manufacturing paper towels from virgin fibers (far and away the most produced) leads to deforestation and typically involves chlorine bleaching to make them whiter. Chlorine is a toxic chemical that releases carcinogenic dioxins and furans.
• No run off and disposal of the chemicals used to manufacture paper towels.

I began with the kitchen pack, consisting of a General Purpose Cloth for thick grease and dirt and a Glass & Polishing Cloth for glass, light cleaning and final polishing. Amazingly, the fiber technology penetrates and removes dust, grime, oil, grease and even bacteria. The most two most surprising results were how easily stuck-on kitchen messes came off, and the consequential gleaming shine of my counter tops.

For years, I only used biodegradable, phosphate-free household cleaners , and I understood that spraying, waiting for the product to sink in, and scrubbing were the three steps of the cleaning process. With the E-Cloth, a light mist of water and an immediate sweep with the cloth lifted even the most offensive of kitchen messes without requiring the help of my own “elbow grease.” Cleaning was literally effortless, without the surface film typcially left behind by cleansers. My surfaces are now the cleanest and shiniest they have ever been. I am, in fact, shocked by how well these products work. Tile, countertops, stove tops, glass windows and bathroom surfaces are literally “squeaky” clean, with zero residue or bacteria, without effort. For family members with respiratory problems, the prospect of entirely chemical-free cleaning brings much-needed relief.

According to the National Research Council, no toxic information is available for more than 80% of the chemicals in everyday-use products. (Click here to view a video about our exposure to household chemicals on mygreenside.org.) In the U.S. there are no legal requirements for listing ingredients on the labels of household cleaning products. Household chemicals don’t come under the jurisdiction of the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) .The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only regulates pesticides, and the focus of Consumer Product Safety Commission is limited to acute poisoning hazards.

However, as mentioned in Clorox Green Works to Boost Company Image and Sales?, regular use of toxic cleansers chronically expose family members and pets to known, cancer-causing carcinogens. Studies have shown that we spend over 85% of our time indoors. The EPA reports that indoor air quality is often times much more polluted than outdoor air. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 23 million people–including 6.8 million children–have asthma. Young children crawl on the floor, then put their hands in their mouth transferring chemical residue. While the human body is accustomed to most common home bacteria, our bodies are not equipped to fight cancer-causing toxins. Since household cleaners were the third largest category of substances associated with calls to poison control centers, the Soap & Detergent Association (SDA) recommends protecting children from cleaning chemical exposure by only cleaning when they are out of the house.
 E-cloth’s only cleaning companion is distilled water, guaranteeing this product is:

• Non toxic
• Non allergenic
• No skin irritants
• No toxic residue
• Unscented
• Completely safe to use around children and pets
• Reusable (E-Cloth promises 300 uses)
• Cost-effective
• More effective than any product this tester has used.

So what is to stop me from buying a case of microfiber cloths at Costco? Does using the E-cloth brand make any difference? “Microfiber” is a general term used to describe a wide variety of materials fabricated using ultra-fine fibers. There is a large disparity in quality from one microfiber to another. Understandably, inexpensive microfibers do not clean as well, and are not as durable as premium microfiber.

Small fibers are best suited for cleaning because they possess far more “cleaning edges” to pick up dirt. Clearly, the more fiber strands per square inch, the more capability the cloth has to cut through, collect and absorb grease, dirt and liquids.

E-cloth’s fabrication creates microscopic texturing with each fiber being about 1/100^th the width of a human hair. A standard E-cloth has 500 million strands per cloth. While Costco, for instance, doesn’t offer that information, its site specifies that its brand, “Will soak up to 7 times its weight in liquids, and leaves surfaces 99% bacteria-free without expensive disinfectants.” Before purchasing microfiber cloths, be sure to do your research.

Using microfiber cloths saves money, time, and will eliminate paper towels’ carbon footprint and landfill waste, along with air and water pollution that chemicals create.

For more info: Check out the E-Cloth website and/or order products.

E-Cloth won the Good Housekeeping UK 2009 Green Living Award, is recommended by the British Allergy Foundation, and Greensburg’s GreenTown.

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Book Review: What happy working mothers know September 16, 2009

Science and sociology have made great strides in understanding what makes us happy and how we achieve it. Written by a behavioral scientist, Dr. Cathy Greenberg, and an international lawyer and career coach, Barrett Avigdor, What Happy Working Mothers Know: How New Findings in Positive Psychology Can Lead to a Healthy & Happy Work/Life Balance (Wiley; Hardcover; Sept. 2009) explores how working mothers and employees in all workplaces can be more content.

What Happy Working Mothers Know lays out the scientific research that has been done to show that happiness reduces stress related ailments and makes you healthier. Greenbery and Avigdor believe that “if you want to be your best at whatever you do, whether it’s a job, volunteer work or being a parent and partner, happiness will make you your best.”

Here are the top ten tips from What Happy Working Mothers Know:
1.  Learn to love yourself as much as you love your friends and family.
2.  Choosing your own path is always a good thing-no matter what you choose.
3.  Life happens – it’s what you choose to focus on that becomes your experience – so focus on the positive.
4.  Learn to forgive yourself the way you forgive others.
5.  If you choose to be a stay-at-home mom, don’t ever stop dreaming for yourself.
6.  Half the battle in life is choosing something you love to do. The other half is celebrating along the way.
7.  You may take a different path from the one you envisioned, but the detours are worth it because you learn as much from failure as success.
8. Happiness begins when you learn to accept that you’re loved and valued for who you are, not what you do.
9. When you accept that perfect does not exist and allow yourself a few mistakes, you’ll go a long way toward being happy.
10.  Set the same standards for yourself that you apply to your loved ones; cut yourself the same slack you give others.

What Happy Working Mothers Know is written by two working mothers who are also certified executive and personal coaches with a combined experience of over 50 years in the business world. Cathy L. Greenberg, Ph.D, is a former partner in two of world’s largest consulting firms and a recognized expert on leadership with over 50 articles and books. She is a master certified Professional Executive and Personal Coach (MPEC).

Barrett S. Avigdor, JD, is an international lawyer and talent development innovator. She is the Director of Legal Talent Strategy at Accenture, a global management consulting and outsourcing company, and a certified career coach.

For more info: Check out Barrett and Cathy’s website, www.WhatHappyWorkingMothersKnow.com

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