As part of Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, which continues through Oct. 24, the US Environmental Protection Agency is urging families to be aware of the hazards presented by lead and lead-based paint in the home and in childcare facilities.

Lead poisoning is the number one environmental health threat to children in the United States, ages 6 and younger. And families may have lead around the home without knowing it because it can’t be seen, tasted, or smelled. Because it does not break down naturally, lead can remain a problem until it is removed.

The EPA notes that,  before it was understood how harmful it could be, lead was commonly used in paint, gasoline, water pipes and many other products. Now days, house paint is almost lead-free, leaded gasoline has been phased out, and household plumbing is no longer made with lead materials.

But long-term exposure to lead can be very harmful to children. Effects can include learning disabilities, decreased growth, hyperactivity, impaired hearing, and even brain damage. If caught early, these effects can be limited by reducing exposure to lead or by medical treatment. If you are pregnant, avoid exposing yourself to lead. Lead can pass through your body to your baby. The EPA says the good news is that there are simple things you can do to help protect your family.

1. Get your child tested. Even children who appear healthy may have high levels of lead. You can’t tell if a child has lead poisoning unless you have him or her tested. A blood test takes only ten minutes, and results should be ready within a week. Blood tests are usually recommended for children at ages one and two. To find out where to have your child tested, call your doctor or local health clinic. They can explain what the test results mean, and if more testing will be needed.

2. Keep it clean. Ordinary dust and dirt may contain lead. Children can swallow lead or breathe lead contaminated dust if they play in dust or dirt and then put their fingers or toys in their mouths, or if they eat without washing their hands first. Keep the areas where your children play as dust-free and clean as possible. Wash pacifiers and bottles after they fall on the floor. Keep extras handy. Clean floors, window frames, window sills, and other surfaces weekly. Use a mop, sponge, or paper towel with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner or a cleaner made specifically for lead. Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning dirty and dusty areas. Wash toys and stuffed animals regularly. Make sure your children wash their hands before meals, nap time, and bedtime.

3. Reduce the risk from lead paint. Most homes built before 1978 contain leaded paint. This paint could be on window frames, walls, the outside of your house, or other surfaces. Tiny pieces of peeling or chipping paint are dangerous if eaten. Lead paint in good condition is not usually a problem except in places where painted surfaces rub against each other and create dust. (For example, when you open a window, the painted surfaces rub against each other.) Make sure your child does not chew on anything covered with lead paint, such as painted window sills, cribs, or playpens. Don’t burn painted wood. It may contain lead.

4. Don’t remove lead paint yourself. Lead dust from repairs or renovations of older buildings can remain in the building long after the work is completed. Hire a person with special training for correcting lead paint problems to remove lead paint from your home, someone who knows how to do this work safely and has the proper equipment to clean up thoroughly. Don’t try to remove lead paint yourself.

5. Eat right. A child who gets enough iron and calcium will absorb less lead. Foods rich in iron include eggs, lean red meat, and beans. Dairy products are high in calcium. Don’t store food or liquid in lead crystal glassware or imported or old pottery. If you reuse plastic bags to store or carry food, keep the printing on the outside of the bag.

In addition to the steps parents can take to reduce their children’s exposure to lead, the EPA has taken regulatory steps aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the new rule, beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

Until the new regulations take effect, EPA recommends that anyone performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities and schools follow lead-safe work practices. All contractors should follow these three simple procedures: Contain the work area; minimize dust; and cleanup thoroughly.

Currently, owners of residential rental properties built before 1978 must disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before leases take effect. Leases must include a disclosure form about lead-based paint.

Sellers of properties built before 1978 must disclose known information on lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before selling a house. Sales contracts must include a disclosure form about lead-based paint. Buyers have up to 10 days to check for lead hazards.

For more information:

• Visit www.epa.gov/lead or call the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD (1-800-424-5323)

Planning a low-impact, money-saving Halloween is so much more rewarding than trying to turn some other holidays green. You don’t have to argue with relatives about whether or not to have a turkey, or disappoint the kids with gifts to humanitarian causes in their names at Christmas. All you really need to do is think creatively, get holistic about your pumpkin, maybe dust off the sewing machine and take it easy at the store.

Here are our best nine ideas to help you get started.

Halloween Chico Bag

1 - Get A Reusable Halloween Bag

This is a no-brainer, the equivalent of buying CFLs. If you can’t do this, hang up your werewolf mask right now. We like this Chico Bag. It is reusable, affordable and designed by kids. Buy it at Greenfeet for just $5. Or find a pillowcase for treats. Either way skip the clunky orange plastic pumpkins, unless you’ve already got them, then: reuse, reuse.

2 – Make Your Own Costume

Don’t sew? Keep it simple – a cape, fairy wings, a skirt or a toga can be made from remnant material or old sheets with minimal stitching. Use inexpensive, iron-on fusing tape to make seams. Cut with pinking shears so fabric won’t unravel. We won’t insult your intelligence by suggesting you use a sheet to be a ghost (duh!), but old sheets can make good costume base material. Accessorize princes and princesses with glitzy fabric leftovers from the wedding/party section of any fabric store. We once glammed up Ginny Weasley with a pastiche of recycled duds, using a red robe from two previous Harry Potters, and a moon-and-stars cape from wizards past. Capes, velvety robes and glittering trim can add a lot of drama for little sweat equity. Here are some basic instructions.

Boy Snatched by Alien (Photo: Homemade Costumes)

But… if you’re making your own, why stop there? Get creative.  Turn your kid into a child being snatched by an alien, a mom-niacal optical illusion they won’t soon forget (that’s just the kid in the photo; the alien is affixed to his back). Read details at Costume-Works.com, where veteran costume maker, Colletta, mother of six  and grandmom, showcases homemade costume submissions. There’s some amazing stuff here, from Oompa Loompas to boys dressed as both plane and pilot. (Your kid may not remember being a pirate from a package, but he’ll surely recall the day he trick-or-treated as a cardboard plane.)

3 – Hold a Costume Exchange Party

This is novel idea could work for the under-10 or over 30-crowd. Any grade-schooler whose accumulated a few dress-up outfits and costumes would probably love to trade one in for a “new” one from another kid. So share!  Make it a party by allowing participants to “buy” the costumes with coins or points earned at activities or games. You’ll be recycling and creating a fun experience.

We think this idea, now wafting around the Internet, may have taken flight at GreenHalloween.org, a website founded by Seattle mom Corey Colwell-Lipsome and her mom and partner in green adventures, Lynn Colwell. Green Halloween delivers many ideas for making spooky parties healthier and greener, like skipping the candy and serving black olive and orange bell pepper pizza. See their neighborhood Halloween kit for more.

(Photo: AllRecipes.com)

4. Make pumpkin bread

It’s yummy and healthy. Pumpkins are full of beta –carotene (present in all orange veggies) which is converted to Vitamin A. Some nutritionists consider these orange foods to be Super Foods” with properties that protect against cancer and strengthen the immune system. Another reason to celebrate the orange. Drizzle icing over it for picky eaters or serve plain and warm, a perfect fall treat for a Halloween gathering.

There’s a healthy, light recipe using buttermilk on AllRecipes.com, and another delicious pumpkin bread recipe on Cooks.com. (And countless more, but these two are not too sugary.)

Twisted Fruit snack (Photo: Clif Bar)

5. Give Trick-or-Treaters dried fruit treats...

Treats can be tough when you’re thinking green. There’s a problem from the git-go with all that individual packaging and while you may want to give something healthier, you don’t want to suck the fun out of the evening for visiting Draculas. Dried fruit is one answer. Try Clif Bar’s Twisted Fruit sticks.

Or combine dried mangos, pineapple, cantaloupe and dates into a sweet mixed-fruit goodie bag. Downside: You’d have to package it yourself, which might raise suspicions that your treat was tainted, leading to its expeditious disposal at the recipient’s home.  Hardcore greenies also might have trouble with including tropical fruit, but there are lots of local dried fruits, from apple chips to dried cantaloupe slices. available stateside.

6. …Or crackers

The University of Illinois Extension service came up with these ideas for healthier treats: Cheese and cracker packages; sugar-free gum; juice boxes; raisin or nut packages or peanuts.  We say no to the Aspartame gum, and hold those peanuts (God forbid you’d give them to a kid with a peanut allergy). The crackers sound like a plan though. Butter crackers, graham crackers. Kids love them, especially after consuming a pound of sweets.

Halloween Crackers (Photo: Martha Stewart.com)

And wait! There’s a variation. From Martha Stewart (who else) comes this idea for Halloween “crackers”, as  in those party favors that you pop open. She uses orange crepe paper and plastic spiders. No, we don’t think the world needs more plastic spiders, but these crackers do reuse toilet tissue tubes. Fill the tube with selected treats and fulfill your Martha leanings.

7.  Don’t forget popcorn

Kids with braces won’t like you, but popcorn would be a welcome departure for some wee spooks. Here’s an idea that uses a little plastic, but not so much as to violate the green spirit: Take some of those thin plastic gloves that servers wear in cafeterias and stuff them with popcorn. Paint the nails red, add some gashes or creepy tattoos; bind the glove closed with a rubber band and give a “hand out” at Halloween.

8. Decorate with compostable stuff

Straw is really great for animal bedding, but it can be used as a  garden mulch. So if you’re decorating with straw bales for fall, spread it on the flower beds afterward. Dried colored corn can be re-purposed as a winter treat for squirrels and birds. Hang a string of dried garlic on the door to ward off evil spirits on Halloween night, and doubtless you know it can be cooked with later. Cardboard can be easily turned into tombstones, and later used as a weed cover.

De-decorate by turning off all the lights except for a few candles at the door. Put on some scary music, dress like a gangster and you’ve turned your casa into a mysterious manse. (We concede it won’t give Tony Soprano nightmares, but it might hit the right note for small tricksters). Bada-bing!

Heirloom pumpkins (Photo: GreenRightNow.com)

9. Use the whole pumpkin

If they weren’t orange, pumpkins would be the ultimate green Halloween veggie — and some of them actually are green, or blue, on the outside. These heirloom pumpkins (see picture) make some of the best pumpkin foods. Carve them into jack-o-lanterns at the last minute so you can pull out the pumpkin meat for soup or a pie. Remember to roast the pumpkin seeds. We again defer to AllRecipes for directions on this.

Afterward, take the pumpkin to the compost pile. See Earth 911 for composting directions. If you don’t have a compost pile, fall’s a great time to start using leaves, grass clippings and garden dredge. It’s positively frightening how useful the resulting mulch will be come springtime.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media1 –

Sustainability and nature appreciation walk hand in hand. But surprisingly, there are still just a few U.S. vacation venues lodged lightly in nature’s embrace. If you want to “go green” you can camp out all over North America, but you can’t necessarily find a hotel that hugs the woods (or the beach) and boasts full green credentials and white linen service.

Here are a handful of green getaways that nestle nature, but don’t necessarily involve nesting with nature. We set the bar fairly low, requiring that these hotels have mattresses, hot food, indoor showers, and a LEED rating of some sort. We begin with Callaway Gardens, a great place to enjoy a respite from urban hustle amid botanical delights.

Callaway Gardens, Georgia

Indulgence often brings with it just a twinge of guilt. Riding in the back of a limousine, you can’t help but to think about the tailpipe emissions.

The Lodge and Spa at Callaway Gardens, a well-groomed paradise about 80 miles southwest of Atlanta, is a place where you can indulge guilt free. The 150-room lodge is one of fewer than two dozen hotels across the country to earn a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the US Green Building Council.

The resort operations are green, too. The Lodge and Spa uses refillable dispensers of all natural bath products in each room, saving nearly 200,000 plastic containers a year. Your piña colada is served in a glass made of corn.

Energy-efficient construction here is pretty easy on the eye, too. The look is upscale rustic, with heavy beams in the soaring lobby and heavy use of earth tones in the décor. The guest rooms feature down comforters with duvets, pillow top mattresses and 32-inch flat screen televisions.

Every room has a balcony. The best balcony belongs to room 8450 – a private perch overlooking the pool (but far enough away to not be noisy) and the treetops of the forest that surrounds the lodge.

While the lodge rooms are nice, Callaway Gardens isn’t a place where you stay indoors. This is a place here Mother Nature is dressed to kill, especially in the spring when thousands and thousands of azaleas – more than 700 varieties – erupt in color. The John A. Sibley Horticultural Center is indoor/outdoor garden with plants from around the world with something always in bloom.

And there is always bright colors to be found at the Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center, a big glass house filled with 1,000 or so tropical butterflies, or, as Robert Frost wrote: flowers that fly.

A 10-mile bike path courses through the lavish landscape and there are miles and miles of walking trails. There are two golf courses, lakes for fishing and Robin Lake with a wide, white sand beach for swimming.

At the end of the day, you may be too exhausted to feel guilty about anything at all.

The New York Botanical Garden, historically green by nature, is helping New Yorkers cultivate ever greener ways. This summer it is featuring “edible evenings,” a celebration of home-grown food with tips from chefs and help for getting kids involved in gardening.

The eco-outreach will continue during the Garden’s Fall Open House on Sept. 12, which will feature a day (from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.)  of lectures, demonstrations and classes in botanical art, botany, floral design, landscaping and horticulture and horticultural therapy

Green classes will continue throughout the year with these offerings:

• Growing Green with Roses, 3 Thursdays starting September 24

• Organic Greenhouse Methods, 3 Saturdays held in November

• Organic Gardening and Ecological Landscaping: The Natural Approach, 6 Wednesdays starting January 6, 2010

• Does “Organic” Really Work?, January 19, 2010

• Environmentally Safe Lawn Care, March 10, 2010

• Native Plants Saturday, March 27, 2010

The Open House also will feature career talks for those who are interested in learning more about landscape design, horticultural therapy, or horticulture. To find out more how the Garden’s Continuing Education program can help people find careers in these industries, see the website or call 800.322.6924.

You’re picky, selecting only the best organic fruits and vegetables, or cruelty-free meats and poultry to prepare healthy, well-balanced meals for your family.

You might not be so thoughtful when it comes to your dog’s dining choices. Does it come straight off the grocery store shelf, plopped from can or bag into Fido’s bowl? OK, maybe we’re being too tough on you. Perhaps you lovingly spring for the extra cost of organic, natural dog food from the pet store or the Web.

Why not give your beloved companion the doggie version of a high-quality homemade meal? In these more austere times, perhaps making Rover’s dinner could save money. With recent scares and recalls of pet foods, others may feel that turning to their own kitchen is the solution.

There are about 75 million dogs in American households today, and it’s likely a very small percentage of them eat homemade (much less organic) food.

However, when it comes to developing just the right combination of ingredients, you’d best be armed with information and resources before starting to simmer the chicken.

First, be prepared to do homework. Searching the Web for “homemade dog food” turns up thousands of recipes offered by well-meaning souls who may or may not have examined the latest information about dogs’ nutritional needs (which is regularly updated).

“Pets need different vitamins and levels of things in their diet,” said Debbie Hill, supervisor of special services technicians at the University of California at Davis’ Veterinary Teaching Hospital. “People don’t realize, for example, that a dog needs a certain amount of calcium. You can’t just throw together some food and assume you’re giving them the right thing.”

Most would-be dog chefs are well-meaning, “but they don’t know that they can actually do more harm than good in creating a home-cooked meal,” Hill said.

“We have a nutrition service that offers consultations with pet owners. It’s a pretty long, drawn-out process to get it right,” she said. Improper levels of needed nutrients, minerals or vitamins can cause heart or liver damage, she added.

Many online sources suggest a simple mix of protein (chicken, turkey or beef usually), carbohydrates (rice) and vegetables. That sounds healthy, but it doesn’t provide all needed vitamins and minerals. Others may say a “raw” diet is the way to go, but uncooked meat can harbor bacteria or salmonella that can make a dog sick, just like it would you.

Grandparents.com has launched a campaign to get grandparents and grandchildren off the couch and outside. The goal of the “Go Play Outside” campaign is to have 1 million hours of play logged by the end of the summer.

It’s an idea that encourages fun, introduces tots to turtles and toads and may help them (the kids, not the amphibians) stay healthier.

Fighting childhood obesity has become a struggle in this country. Alliance for a Healthier Generation reports that nearly one in three youth are already obese or overweight.  The World Health Organization says the likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes and hypertension rises steeply with increasing body fatness.

Outside play has many different benefits for the younger generation. By getting outside, grandchildren can discover the nature they live in. They can explore in gardens and dig for bugs, while their grandparents show them the different kinds of birds living in their backyard. It provides a great bonding experience and a chance to appreciate nature.

Summer time is a great time to start a garden, too, and something about which grandparents may know a thing or two. Kids (and parents alike) will be amazed when they get to eat something that they helped grow. Adults can also take the kids to the farmers market to pick out locally grown fruits and vegetables. Take a walk down the local nature or bike trail. The hills provide for great exercise and you will get to see nature you can’t find in your backyard. Just in case you need more ideas, the folks at grandparents.com have made a list of 100 things to do outside

After coming back inside, grandparents simply log on to grandparents.com and register their hours. If 1 million hours are logged by the end of summer, grandparents.com will donate $10,000 to KaBoom, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing play into children’s lives.

(Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Copyright C 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Paul Dorn knows that getting Americans to ride a bike to work instead of driving a car is quite the uphill battle. Even on a good day, he says, only a tiny percentage of the nation’s commuters use pedal power to get to their jobs.

He remains undeterred.

Given that this is national Bike to Work Week, it’s an apt time to pick Dorn’s brain on the subject. Between co-authoring a book (The Bike to Work Guide: What You Need to Know to Save Gas, Go Green, Get Fit) his bike commuting advice Web site and his commuting tips blog, he is well-versed in the subject.

“I’m fairly typical of most Americans in the sense that the day I got my driver’s license, the bike went into the garage. I didn’t really touch it again until my mid-30s, when I was living in San Francisco, and didn’t have a car,” he said. His frustrating mass transit commute took 90 minutes. So he hopped on a bike, cut the commuting time in half, felt healthier, stopped paying bus fare and just generally started having more fun.

He’s still doing it at age 48, (now living in Sacramento and working at The University of California at Davis) and hasn’t owned a car since 1992.

Of course, starting out in San Francisco helped. It’s a generally bike-friendly city, and Dorn (pictured at left) found  a supportive cycling community to tell him about equipment, routes to avoid traffic and other advice. He started the website in 1997 as a class exercise. “People started finding it and at the time there weren’t a lot of online resources on the subject,” he said. So he offered guidance in bikes and equipment, dealing with bad weather and traffic and now has a loyal following.

“I’m just trying to provide inspiration and information for people who might be traveling by bike.”

Bike to Work Week is the brainchild of the League of American Bicyclists (which traces its roots to 1880). The organization offers support, advocacy, resources, education and information to their 300,000 affiliated cyclists. It’s all about creating a more bicycle-friendly America.

To that end, they have a project guide for cyclists interested in organizing events and support for Bike to Work Week as well as Bike Month (which is now). Part of the guide includes suggestions for overcoming excuses not to ride your bike to work (if you say you’re too out of shape, they say ride at an easy pace, and try it on a weekend; if you say it will take too long, they respond that car commuters travel an average 10 mph, and you’ll eventually go faster on the bike; it’s too far, you say – then combine riding and mass transit to shorten your commute).

When getting ready for Mother’s Day, don’t forget about Mother Earth. We have gathered ten ideas that your mother will love and won’t hurt the earth.

A Gift That Blooms

1. Flowers are always right for Mom’s Day. If you are leaning in that direction, consider buying local blooms from a local florist. Picking out flowers that are grown locally cuts down on the amount of gas used to bring you that flower, and you will be supporting your neighborhood economy. If cut flowers aren’t easily found, look for a perennial or shrub in a pot.

Find local flower markets and farms by typing in your zip code on LocalHarvest.org. We found White Dove Farm Flowers, in Santa Paula, Calif., north of Los Angeles, which produced this gorgeous Iris.

White Dove is just one of many possible local sellers. You’ll find several flower farms, sometimes as part of larger produce and herb farms, in any large market.

A Gift With A Conscience

2. Make your mom proud and invest in another woman’s future. Microplace.com enables you to make an investment in a loan of a hard-working borrower in an impoverished nation. With only a $20 donation, your mom can receive a hand-woven, free-trade scarf from Bihar, India and you will help a hard-working entrepreneur to lift herself out of poverty.

A Tasty Treat

3. A basket full of fresh organic fruits and vegetables can more than carry the day. Stop by your local farmers market and hand pick some fruit or veggies. To be earth friendly, reuse a basket or pretty tote you have in the house and fill it with your hand-picked goodies, her favorites.

Add some baked treats from Blackbird Bakery for some gluten-free sweets to make mom smile. Blackbird, founded by Karen Morgan, and popular with Courtney Cox Arquette, Island Def Jam and Laura Dern,  uses 100 percent organic fruit, eggs and dairy in its products.

Or add a sweet touch from Taza chocolate – it’s organic and stone ground and available in gift boxes.

As Earth Day approaches, one of the most significant things you can do is to help a child celebrate nature and embrace a greener lifestyle. Here are ten ideas for creating a fun and meaningful Earth Day celebration.

1 – Picnic (with local food)

Get outdoors and enjoy a snack with the squirrels and ants. To really get the most out of this, take your favorite kid(s) to the market in preparation and let them search out local healthy foods. Even young kids can participate, choosing the apples, veggies and cheeses they want to include. So introduce them to the farmer’s market or local foods section of your neighborhood grocery. Look for organic and lower your impact by using reusable dinnerware and plates, or biodegradable paper plates.

Then head to your favorite city park or nearest lakeside picnic spot to relax. Note the trees, the wildlife, the wonderful spring flora, the plastic bags wafting in the breeze…what!? Be a good scout and pick up a bit of trash during your visit.

(Photo credit: Sebcz/Dreamstime.com)

Every little girl dreams about the perfect wedding growing up. Missing from that dream is the large amount of waste caused by that wedding. When it came time for 29-year-old Tara Brown-Selders to walk down the aisle, she could not imagine having an event that produced so much waste. “When I learned how much waste is produced by a single event, I knew I could not have the traditional wedding,” she said.

Her then-boyfriend, 31-year-old Michael Selders,  proposed with her great grandmother’s diamond that had also been used by her mother. By reusing the diamond, the couple had a green start to their wedding. GreenKarat also has earth friendly options for engagement rings and wedding rings using recycled metals and fair trade gems.

When it came time to plan the wedding, Tara knew that she knew nothing about planning a green event. She had always been passionate about recycling and eco-friendly initiatives, but knew nothing about planning a green wedding. After doing some research, she came upon Green Lily Events and it was a match made in heaven. Green Lily Events is based in Houston and is an eco-friendly event planner. Together Tara and her wedding planner Jessica Zapatero started to find ways to make every aspect of her wedding green.

“There is a common myth that eco-friendly events are more expensive but that is not true,” said Tara. “Although many green products and services can cost more, some do not and it’s about making wise, informed decisions.”

The wedding and groom’s cake were made by an organic baker Monica’s Divine Delights. They saved a total of $400.00 based on the quote they received from a non-organic baker in town. The choice was clear for Tara, and she said “the cakes were delicious, organic and fabulous.”

One wasteful aspect of the wedding can be the invitations. After doing some research, they discovered Invitesite an low-impact invitation company. Tara and her fiance would be saving $600.00 by using the earth friendly company. Not to mention they invitations were printed on tree free paper and post consumer recycled paper. “We did not have to sacrifice elegance for an eco friendly invitation, rather I was just the opposite,” she said. They also used the same company for their menu and place cards. Other companies such as Earthly Affair, Green Field Paper Company and Twisted Limb Paper all offer earth friendly options to the invitations.

The couple also made sure that they had an eco-friendly option to the flowers in the wedding and reception. They contacted a local florist and expressed their desire for an eco-friendly option. They were able to get some flowers from local Texas farms. After the ceremony was over, some of the flowers were reused in the decor for the reception. After the wedding, the floral centerpieces were donated to a local senior care center so they were not wasted. By using a local florist, they reduced their carbon footprint and helped out the local economy.

They couple originally wanted to have their wedding at a boutique hotel, but that did not pan out. The Four Seasons hotel in Houston was more than happy to help the couple with their green wedding vision. The hotel already had a few eco initiatives like compact fluorescent bulbs and was a member of Chef’s Collaborative Association, which promotes sustainable cuisines and local cooking. They hotel worked with the local recyclers and Tara insisted on training the staff to recycle for her big day.

If the wedding venue you have selected does not offer organic food, find a company in town who does organic and have them cater the event. When planning for the big day, make sure you make arrangements ahead of time for the leftover food to go to a homeless shelter or another organization. The key to waste free successful green wedding is planning.

The couple knew they would be having lots of out of town guests and wanted to reduce the carbon footprint. By having the wedding and the reception at the same location, the guests would waste less gas. The hotel offered pick up service from the airport, which meant that the guests had no need to rent a car.

Tara’s environmentally sensitive favors consisted of potted plants and lavender seeds. “Several of them told me that they planted their seeds since the wedding and love to watch the lavender grow,” she said. Other green favor ideas include organic chocolates, reusable cloth tote bags, or seed packages.

It was very important to Tara that her dress was made of natural fibers. She was able to locate the perfect dress at Paloma Blanca, a bridal gown company located in Toronto, Canada. Some other green dress ideas include wearing a vintage dress or a family members dress.

No wedding is complete without the time honored tradition of throwing rice at the bride and groom. This practice simply just wastes rice. Ecofetti is a great alternative to rice. It is biodegradable and water soluble and available in a wide variety of colors.

“There are green alternatives to almost every aspect of a wedding,” said Tara.

Tara also says that planning a green wedding no more stressful than planning a wasteful wedding. “Planning a green event does not add any additional stress. Sometimes is almost makes things less stressful because you know that your actions are not causing extreme harm to the environment,” she said.

Tara did have one piece of advice for green brides-to-be, is hiring a green wedding planner. “The best thing about hiring an eco event planner is that they are there to serve not only you but the planet as well,” she said.

After the wedding, Tara decided to start her own recycling pick-up service. Recycle4U and Tara are helping to make recycling easier in Houston. What more could you ask for a fairy tale ending?

(Photo credit: Green Lily Events)

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

MORE FROM GRN

Chicago — Some parents are combining nutrition, convenience and eco-friendliness and they’re bringing it to a school cafeteria near you.

Parents get a guarantee that their kid’s lunch won’t consist of cheese pizza or chicken nuggets and for $5, they’ll also know they’re helping to protect the planet.

Check this out. No parents around and one kid chooses to devour apple chunks before a chocolate brownie with edamame as a close second. It’s every parents dream. He’s one of the students at Wilmot school in Deerfield who gets a green bag lunch.

> Watch Now

After an outbreak of bad publicity earlier this year over bisphenol-A (BPA), the plastic additive which dozens of studies identify as a potential carcinogen and endocrine disruptor, the U.S. government promised to take another look. Its conclusion: BPA is safe.

The Federal Drug Administration had previously cleared BPA for use in an array of consumer products, such as clear plastic baby bottles, the resin lining in food cans and many other items. It promised a new review of the science after Canada proposed a ban of BPA in baby bottles and manufacturers of polycarbonate water bottles began voluntarily giving up BPA. All cited concerns over the plastics’ tendency to leach when when warmed and possible harmful effects on humans, particularly children.

The results of the new FDA review were released last Thursday, about a month earlier than promised.

Lest anyone think the agency didn’t look very hard — the FDA had relied on plastics industry studies to support its initial approval of BPA — the regulators put out a 105-page draft on the topic. (Warning: You need medical expertise to read most of it.)

It found that the “”margins of safety” for human were sufficient for baby bottles and those epoxy can liners used in virtually all canned foods (shout out to Eden Organics for using better quality cans without BPA).

Those of us who would like to continue to eat canned chili and beans can take comfort that the U.S. report cites a similar review by the European Union in which regulators there also found no concern for alarm for BPA at “current exposures.”

Or we can heed the call to err on the side of caution, a sentiment implicit in the FDA’s own “message to consumers” put out during the reassessment period on its BPA info page:

“At this time, FDA is not recommending that anyone discontinue using products that contain BPA while we continue our risk assessment process. However, concerned consumers should know that several alternatives to polycarbonate baby bottles exist, including glass baby bottles.”

It’s unclear whether and when this advice will change because the FDA has promised to continue to consider new BPA studies and has called a September meeting on the topic for scientists. Meanwhile, the enduring controversy of BPA is unlikely to abate.

The FDA promised to put out a later safety report on BPA exposure from other FDA-regulated products.

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