The Green Parent

The holiday gift-giving season is an appropriate time to involve children in charitable giving and teach them why the old adage, “It is better to give than to receive,” is true.  Here are five great ways for parents to lead by example and teach their children the true spirit of the holidays. 1. As a [...]

Materials 1 floral foam or green styrofoam cone (measuring 4-5 inches in diameter at the base and 12 inches high) NOTE: I know this isn’t very green, so please, please , please try to reuse an old piece of styrofoam or pick up a gently used piece at a thrift store) 1 box of toothpicks [...]

According to the , about 29 million Americans brought home a real, live Christmas tree in 2006. But that still pales in comparison to the 70% of Americans who prefer to set up an artificial tree.  So which is greener?  Here’s how to make sure your Christmas tree is eco-friendly: The Green Parent Pick: Go [...]

‘Tis the season for the winter holidays. In my house, this is the time of year when we deck the halls, talk about the nativity story, play the dreidel game, set up the kinara, decorate the tree, and whip up the eco-friendly menorah. film dvd No, I haven’t lost my mind.  Much to my daughters’ [...]

Looking for holiday decorations that are safe for your kids and the environment? Follow these tips to deck the halls with eco-friendly style: 1. Go Lead-Free: Watch out for ornaments and holiday decorations that are coated in lead-based paint. Instead, look for decorations that bear the 100% lead-free label. 2. Go -Au Naturale: Look to [...]

Whether you like lights that are white or multi-colored, make them green with LED lights that use 90% less energy and last much longer than traditional bulbs. LEDs don’t heat up like standard bulbs…so they stay cooler, are safer for kids, and pose less risk of fires. And if one bulb does break or burn [...]

Green thinking is everywhere these days, in your appliances, in your favorite movies, in your kid’s school, and yes, now in your menorah. There is a movement underway, launched by the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) called Let There Be (Renewable) Light: A New Look At Hanukkah that offers eco-savvy tips to [...]

Get out your address book, it’s time to send out your holiday greeting cards. If you are like most Americans, this is the one time of year where you send out cards to family and friends both near and far. In fact, Americans send out almost 3 billion greeting cards over the winter holidays (that’s [...]

I usually make it a rule in my house that we don’t talk, shop, or decorate for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. Any sooner than that and we risk an all-encompassing holiday burn-out. This year, however, I am making an exception, so that I can thoroughly research all of the eco-savvy new games/books/toys/and gizmos [...]

Not that long ago, Halloween decorations consisted of a couple of pumpkins on the front porch and old clothes fashioned into a stuffed scarecrow in the yard. But today, Halloween has begun to rival Christmas with the amount of planning, preparation, and purchasing that goes into the holiday decorations. Don’t be frightened….there are plenty of [...]