Getting a little Green Help

When I got pregnant with Peanut I had already been educating women about pregnancy and taking care of their bodies for a while. And yet when I got pregnant it ALL hit home. Everything I eat the baby eats. The baby breaths what I breath. The baby drinks what I drink.

I was barely into my second trimester when we discovered some problems with our our heating/ac system including a hole in the venting around it. We were warned about the risk for carbon monoxide leaking out from the hole in the venting. Daddy-O was pretty calm because we have a working carbon monoxide detector and he was confident he could do the repairs himself over the weekend. I think it was only a Thursday or Friday though. I freaked out. Carbon Monoxide? Who cares about me or you babe (no offense) but the baby! What if the baby is more sensitive (they are so small)? Daddy-O obligingly found a way to seal the hole temporarily and then did an awesome job replacing all the venting over the weekend. I still have no idea if my fears were rational, but there was something in me that rejected the idea that a small risk to us in our home was not a big deal for the baby.

I think during my pregnancy is also when I really started to get even more into being environmentally conscious . I was aware that I wasn't just doing whatever I could to protect my baby in utero or in my home, but also in the greater world in which she would live. I was recycling more, using less chemical cleaners, eating more organic foods. I've continued to take small steps over the years to keep moving forward in those efforts.

I've had so many questions and concerns on this journey though...

• I read this other cool book and started to wonder if I am increasing Peanut's risk for ADHD envrionmental hazards in our own home.
  
• If my home environments impacts my child's risk for a learning challenge then what else am I putting my kids at risk for?
• I don't want to spray my lawn with chemicals, but my neighbors poo-poo my yard upkeep and yes, the weeds are out of control.
• Are those new light bulbs really that great?
  
• How can I make my own green cleaner that doesn't stink like vinegar so badly that Daddy-O will actually use it?

Someone out there finally answered all of my questions! I think I may have actually found my 'Going Green Bible.' Healthy Child, Healthy World by Christopher Gavin isn't a feel good self-help book, it's a book that when you read it as a mama you cringe at many of the things you read and you change things, even small things that same day. At least that was my experience.

I think if all of this world of environmental hazards and risks and cautions was brand new to me I would be overwhelmed reading this book.Yet, I wish it had been around earlier! I might have done some things differently...I might have had some questions answered sooner.

As this experience taught me we can't control everything that happens...no matter how hard we try. For some horrible and unknown reason parents sometimes outlive their children .and sometimes never even meet their children. We do everything we can to protect them and sometimes it is just not up to us. Yet, I still want to do everything that is within my control...I want to try my best and do whatever I knowingly can do to indeed give my children a healthy and safe place to live and grow...however long I am blessed to have them with me.

Of course it gets overwhelming trying to make green changes. Sometimes it seems impossible to make a difference or to change my habits. I could drive myself nuts and that wouldn't be helpful for my kids either. Sometimes it's WAY easier to drive through Arby's then to pack a lunch with two kids plastered to my knees. That's why I love the "parent blogs" in this book where contributors (including Michelle Obama, Gweneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson and Brooke Shields) tell their stories and then all encourage the reader NOT to PANIC and to just take small meaningful steps. Phew! Thanks Mrs. Obama--I needed that reminder!

I also have to say I love the wealth of resources and information all compiled within this one book. No more surfing around endless websites and trying to keep track of it all in my brain. The info I am looking for is very likely at least touched on in this book. Another great relief for busy me.

There are many practical little tips and recipes for alternative/green products you can make yourself. The cleaner I use is no longer ultra stinky! Check! Now onto some new questions...

• Could Sweetpea's endless cycle of colds really be related to environmental allergies?
• Can I improve Sweetpea's sleeping conditions, breathing conditions, nutrition?
• Is low iron really a risk factor for ADHD?
  
• Should I get Peanut tested for low iron?
  
• Will castille soap really kill pests and weeds?
• Can we really make a lasting difference for good on this planet?

I'd love to hear from you...what are your favorite resources for going green? What are your favorite tips? How do you teach your kids about green living?

This has been part of a Mother Talk Blog Tour. To read what other bloggers are saying about the book go to Mother Talk's Website and enjoy!