One of the easiest yet biggest impact steps to you can take toward greener living is to ditch the paper and plastic shopping bags and shop with reusable bags instead. Anywhere from 500 billion to one trillion plastic shopping bags are consumed around the world each year and they end up in our landfills, along our highways, and in our oceans. They have become a big environmental problem. Environmental clean-up crews site plastic bags as one of the 12 most common items polluting our earth. Plastic bags are also responsible for the deaths of thousands of marine animals each year as sea turtles and whales that eat plastic bags after mistaking them for food.

Plastic bags are also made using a non renewable, highly polluting resource…petroleum. Using plastic bags diminishes the availability of our natural resources and damages the environment as petroleum is extracted from the planet. Plastic bags can usually only be reused one or two times and they are seldom recycled. They may be touted as the cheapest, most convenient solution for touting your goods and products but their environmental impact is quite costly. Green consumers everywhere are seeking to ditch the plastic and start a BYOB campaign, “Bring Your Own Bag”. It is actually pretty easy. Just start bringing your own bags whenever you go shopping.

Chances are you probably already have a good starter selection of reuseable bags in your home. Beach bags, backpacks, canvas bags, large purses, etc. can all be used to carry items home from a shopping expedition. If you don’t have very many bags you may have luck finding some at thrift stores and garage sales. You can also make your own with some sturdy fabric and thread. There are also dozens of online stores that carry reusable shopping bags in many of styles, colors, and material choices. You can buy bags made form sturdy canvas, stylish bamboo, or even recycled garbage. Some bags are made to be super compact so that they can be attached to a keychain, belt loop or backpack.

Major grocery stores and shopping chains are even encouraging customers to use resuable bags by offering them for purchase in their stores and by offering monetary discounts for each bag you use in their stores. Whole Foods and Ikea are two such stores that offer cash discounts and even Wal-Mart is selling them. They are so accessible and fashionable now that there are no excuses anymore NOT to use them.

One big reason why so many people still use plastic though is because they are free and they are given out by stores so you have no need to remember to bring your own bags. More and more cities and countries are beginning to impose bans or taxes on plastic bags to reduce their consumption so there is no time like the present to break your plastic bag habit. Reusable bags can easily be stored in your car trunk or glove compartment so that you always have some on hand. Attaching a compact bag to your purse will remind you to have your bags ready for shopping trips and soon it will be habit. Now you can visit a grocery store, department store, mall, or even a roadside market and be prepared to use your own bags.

Consensual Living or CL is based on the notion individuals in relationship with each other can exist in a way that avoids conflict through fair and democratic recognition of each others needs and effective communication.

CL is sometimes considered a parenting philosophy, where children are considered to have an equal say in family decision making.  This may either sound chaotic or unrealistic but by reviewing the principles of CL I think you’ll agree that it can form the basis for a family lifestyle that is not only balanced and nurturing but educational as well.

The main principles involved in CL are: equality, trust and self-determination.

Equality
In a family that has embraced consensual living, the principle of equality is very important.  What this means is that the thoughts, feelings and needs of each individual involved are equally valued and equally considered.

Each member of the community/family is not just considered equal they each must truly feel equal and that is an important distinction.

Trust
Direct, honest and sincere communication is an expectation of individuals choosing the consensual living lifestyle.  Each member of the family must trust that all members are being truthful when sharing their wants or needs or suggesting solutions to an issue or problem.

It is so important that in times of conflict, each member of the family trusts that together the family will arrive at a mutually agreeable solution.

Self-Determination
In this model or approach to living it is believed that only the individual is capable of making decisions that are right for him.  Of course it is hoped that each individual will have the ability to access the kind of information he or she needs to make informed decisions about the course of life they choose.

The principles of consensual living outlined above provide a foundation for parents to raise children this parenting approach and family lifestyle.  One reason why this is considered such an ideal parenting approach is because it is a lifestyle that supports effective conflict resolution.

Essentially we have children and/or teens and adults in a CL family who regard each other as equals, have explicit trust in one another, and feel empowered to make decisions about their own destiny.  This sounds wonderful but it also sounds like the kind of situation where you will have conflict – especially when there individuals pursuing their own self-determination goals.

CL can work beautifully in these situations.  Yes there will be differences of opinion since in a CL family each person will have an opportunity to communicate their particular need or vision and that may not be the same as another family member’s vision of need.  Those differences of opinion, however, are valued and considered because that is the basis for CL.

A family is then able to continue the exploration and discussion of each person’s perspectives until a mutually agreeable solution is reached.  The process won’t necessarily be quick or easy but it will be inclusive.  A wonderful benefit of this process is the impact that it has on younger children.  As children mature they are able to take these problem-solving abilities with them into other personal and business relationships.

This is a clear stick deodorant with no scent.  It contains cotton fibers to absorb moisture.  It contains no paraben and no aluminum.

Trader Joe’s is a great store, with lots of natural and organic products at reasonable prices.  This is the only deodorant that I have found without aluminum that works (I have tried probably about 8 other brands).  My husband uses the same one I do (because there is no cover up scent).  It has lots of herbal ingredients that I feel good about putting on my skin: lichen, witch hazel, comfrey, lavendar, willow bark, as well as vitamin A and vitamin E.  I have searched for several years and have finally found a deodorant that (somewhat) protects from sweat and does a pretty good job of controlling odor.  I highly recommend this product to anyone.  Plus, it is as cheap as “normal” deodorant- $3 a stick!  (ps. If you are using a deodorant with aluminum, take 15 minutes to look up what it is doing to you. You will be shocked!)
Visit : Trader Joe’s

During warmer months it is easy to send kids outdoors for some fun in the sun and fresh air. Bike riding, tree climbing, soccer, hopscotch, and dozens of other outdoor activities provide children with hours upon hours of creative play that is healthy for their bodies and mind. Less than favorable weather such as rain and extreme cold may present a problem at times though and moms need to get creative in helping their kids to find productive play activities. In an age where video games and TV can easily become too important in a child’s life, many parents are reluctant to encourage these things. Luckily there are many alternatives for parents that want to stress productive and creative play.

Help Them Make Believe

Pretend play is particularly important for a young child’s development. It helps them to develop their critical thinking and communication abilities. The great outdoors provides a grand stage for this type of play but parents can facilitate make believe any time with just a few clever props. A box of costumes can create hours of pretend play fun as your kids pretend they are pirates, fairies, knights, or even characters from their favorite movies and books. Homemade forts also provide an excellent opportunity for kids to imagine they are playing in a log cabin, a castle, or a tent. A simple sheet draped over a table can provide hours of fun and creative play.

Creative Toys

Instead of toys with lights, sounds, and movement give your children some basic toys that they can use to build and create. Legos and wooden blocks are usually very popular among kids as they can spend hours creating virtually anything they can come up with. Take some pictures of their creations and help them create a photo journal to record all of their inventions and accomplishments as mini architects.

Play kitchens and play food can also provide hours of creative play as kids pretend to cook their favorite meals and serve their family. Even an item as simple as a playsilk can be used as a flag, as part of a costume, as a sail on a boat, or a doll sling or hammock. Give them the raw materials and watch them create!

Books for Homegrown Adventure

For younger and older kids it is great fun to read a book aloud and ask them to re-enact it in a play or with puppets. They can build the set, create the costumes, and then act out the part of their favorite character. If you have a video camera handy you or an older child can record these performances to let them view later and to create memories that the whole family will treasure for years.

For children that insist on TV time perhaps you can strike a deal asking them to select a movie that originated from a book and then after they read it you can all watch the movie together and discuss how the book and movie compared.
These are just a few of the ways that parents can encourage creative and productive play and leisure within their children.

I try not to buy too many magazines because they seem so wasteful. One magazine subscription that I cannot do without though is my subscription to Mother Earth News. This is one subscription that really helps me to stay true to my goals to live green and be more self sufficient.

It features articles covering sustainable, self-reliant living and homesteading. Topics include green building, renewable energy, gardening, do-it-yourself projects, farming, and so much more. In addition to great information about these topics it also has feature stories about families that are actually living this lifestyle and they share their journey. You don’t need to be a homesteader or a wanna-be hippie to like this magazine either. Even if you just want to grow more of your own food, or reduce energy costs, or raise some chickens for farm fresh eggs, this magazine is like a guide book and an inspiration.

Personally I think the do-it-yourself projects are the most useful. Not everyone can afford to hire someone to make a chicken coup or a lean-to shed and not everyone knows how to install Photovoltaic solar panels. The guides in Mother Earth News provide step by step instructions and pictures that even novices can understand. You can even buy back issues of their magazines to expand on your collection of DIY guides and they come on CD so they are earth friendly too.

A subscription can be purchased here: