The Green Parent

So, you’re turning off lights, teaching your kids to recycle, walking to the store, and buying organic produce. Now what? Well, if you really want to go the extra green mile, you might try purchasing carbon offsets, or credits, that literally “offset” the energy you use at work, while traveling, or around the house. [...]

I’ve taken as many steps as I can to improve my gas mileage and cut back on the amount of money I spend at the pump. But with the rising prices, I find that I’m still forking over the equivalent of my child’s college tuition just to fill up each week. So I [...]

As a mom, I spend enough hours of my day “nagging” my kids about one thing or another (“wear a sweater”,” eat your broccoli,” etc.) So I knew that if I didn’t get my girls involved and excited about going green, it would become just one more thing that I had to nag them [...]

You may be surprised to hear that toxins are lurking in your bathroom? And I’m not talking about whatever’s hiding on your faucet handles or under your toilet seat. I’m talking about the thousands of chemicals that are found in the very products you use to get clean and beautiful each day. Just how [...]

Ahhhh…you’re finally on vacation! Whether you’re on the slopes, at the beach, or on the couch, here’s how to go green on the go: At The Hotel Turn off lights, air conditioning units, TVs, and other appliances before you leave for the day. Most hotels have a policy in place to limit unnecessary bedding and towel changes. [...]

Make It Green: Look for gently used luggage (either from around your house or from your local thrift store) to pack up your gear. If you do need to purchase new, try a daypack or courier bag from Osprey that’s made from 100% recycled PET plastic. Keep It Light: Save you back and [...]

Before you head off on your eco-friendly vacation, take these steps to make sure that things stay green back home: Adjust your hot water heater and heating and air conditioning units to use the minimum amount of energy necessary while you’re gone. (If you have [...]

If you’re going to fork over the cash to stay at a hotel on your trip, look for one that makes an effort to go green. Most hotels have jumped on the “green” bandwagon by asking folks to pass on the daily linen and towel service to conserve water and energy. That’s a good [...]

Think a green vacation means trekking through the wilderness or surviving on nothing but granola and berries? Think again! Green vacations come in as many shapes and sizes as American families. In fact, with a little preparation, you can turn almost any vacation into an “eco-vacation.” As a general rule, the closer you stay to [...]

Father’s Day is right around the corner (Jun 15th). Need a gift that’s as perfect for dad as it is for the planet? Try out these eco-cool ideas to show dad how much you care. No Impact Gifts Save paper, stamps, and the planet, by sending dad a Father’s Day Ecard Give him a Charity Choice [...]

If you’ve got an email address, you’ve more than likely been hit by spam. On an average day, my spam filter catches everything from phony PayPal sites that need to “verify” my password to requests from Nigerian oil ministers that are offering outrageous sums of money to help them embezzle cash out of their [...]

Last weekend, after slathering both of my daughters head-to-toe with sunscreen, I headed outside for an afternoon of gardening only to realize that I forgot to lather up my own lily-white skin. Subsequently I obtained my first (and hopefully last) sunburn of the summer season. Sunscreen is as pivotal to summer fun as bathing suits [...]

Looking for something to slap on the grill this weekend that’s more eco-friendly than beef? Seafood can be a good choice…it’s healthier for you and the planet. But you have to choose the right fish. Around the world, [...]

Memorial Day weekend is the official kick-off to summer, and what better way to celebrate than to host a barbecue. Whether it’s just you and the kids or a neighborhood affair, here’s how to make sure your next BBQ is easy on the planet. Green Grilling: If you’re in the market for a new grill, [...]

It’s “Money-Saving May” at The Green Parent and all month long we’re looking for ways to save money by going green. Today we’re talking water…conserving it not only protects the planet, it can also save you a fortune each month on your water, energy, and sewage bills. Here’s how: Skip The Drips: Dripping faucets [...]