All the kids were lined up in rows in the gym.  It was the day the public health nurse came and combed through everyone’s heads looking for lice. That is the way it was done when I was young. Judging how often I am getting notes from my child’s school, head lice is just as frequent now as then and just as frequent in North America as in Central and South America.

Dear Green Mama: What is the dirty dozen?

If we use chemicals that are known or suspected carcinogens in our daily lives (e.g. consumer products, food we eat, etc.) we are increasing our risk for developing cancer.

Top 10 Green Faux Pas (originally published on Chicago Now)

This list is based on observations I’ve made about the little things we can do every day to be green. Little things are important because they keep good green practices front of mind and visible to others, hopefully causing others to join in. To find out how you can make the biggest impact, calculate your total carbon footprint.

Here are my top 10 green faux pas:

When I asked the parents in my workshop: “When money is tight, do you stop buying organic foods?” they looked around guiltily. Then, the lightbulb went off in my head: “How many of you prioritize organic food even when money isn’t tight?”  Only a few hands shot up. 

“Why don’t more Americans eat organic?”