by Sarah Lane
It is ironic, or perhaps more accurately just plain wrong, that the movements to green up our workplaces and schools are so far ahead of the efforts to make day cares eco-friendly. Not to say that no one is doing anything about it. But the large-scale successful national eco-school programs such as the Green Schools Initiative, the Earth Day Network’s Green Schools Project, and the National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools program and international efforts like Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots and the Green Schools Alliance focus on elementary and …

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be
judged by the way its animals are treated.”
—Mahatma Gandhi
by Sarah Lane
Now that school’s out and we’re heading down the front steps of summer, our children will rekindle their complicated relationships with insects and arachnids, frequently picking up and trapping, occasionally screaming at and running away from, and too often stomping and squishing them. But there are many good reasons to model a different way of interacting, helping our kids observe closely, admire and appreciate, and tread lightly when in …

by Sarah Lane
Living in an island community I am somewhat accustomed to the completely unnecessary exhaust-spew from idling cars in line to board the ferry. Even though drivers are told to keep their engines off until the ferry directors signal for them to start, some people simply ignore the rules and keep their engines rumbling ridiculously, chewing up expensive fuel and polluting the air. But this human tendency toward idling is never more annoying as it is when done during school pickup and drop off, when children with their young …

by Sarah Lane
Gush. The other day we at PK Reader received a box of samples from O’Bon, a maker of eco-friendly school and stationery supplies. I am often unimpressed by new green products and see many examples of either (1) green products that aren’t that great or (2) decent products that aren’t that green. But O’Bon is the real deal and has both areas covered. Plus, O’Bon understands good design, and its products have sacrificed nothing in terms of attractiveness, which is exciting to someone who, having been in the …

by Sarah Lane
In response to our local power company’s proposed construction of a new electrical substation and installation of high voltage power lines in the downtown core area, I decided to investigate possible health and safety concerns related to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), those electrical and magnetic emissions created by all the electrical devices in our lives, from appliances to giant electric towers. I knew the conventional wisdom that there is no definitive link shown through research between EMFs and cancers, including childhood leukemia. But I’ve also walked underneath high voltage …

by Sarah Lane
The Natural Defenses Resource Council, in its article “Bottled Water: Pure Drink or Pure Hype,” reports that more than half of all Americans drink bottled water and about one-third of the population drinks it regularly. So Americans are thirsty. Why is this a problem?
1. What’s in the Bottles
One problem has to do with what’s in the bottles themselves. The Earth Policy Institute reports that 1.5 million barrels of oil per year, which is enough to fuel 100,000 cars for that same year, are required to satisfy …

What follows are resources to help you provide a healthier (toxin-free), zero-waste lunch for your child. If you’re just beginning this process, don’t get discouraged. Even by changing a few things you do, you are taking worthwhile steps. As Voltaire says, don’t allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good!

Specifically, you want to avoid the following:

1. Toxins
For the health of your family

Lead. Lead affects the brain and behavior and is especially dangerous to young children still in early developmental stages. Read about lead in children’s …

by Sarah Townsend
I’m scheduled to pick grape leaves tomorrow for a meal that will celebrate locally grown wine and produce. I have been instructed to pick the leaves that are both large enough to stuff and not tough. I know to feel the veins and note the curvature of the leaves. I also know not to strip all the leaves from any one branch which may cause it to wither—a reminder that no one individual can carry the weight of community. These leaves will be rolled into dolmas for our …

by the Staff at Blue Planet Run
Consider these facts about water:

One out of 6 people on the planet lack access to safe drinking water.
Each year 1.8 million children die from waterborne diseases (1 every 15 seconds).
Women and children walk on average 6K, almost 4 miles, to collect water each day.
One quart of wastewater can pollute 8 quarts of fresh water.
Half of the world’s 500 major rivers are seriously depleted or polluted.
Four quarts of oil discarded can contaminate 1 million gallons of water.
Poor sanitation …

by Julie Hall and Sarah Lane
With the launch of ProgressiveKid Reader, we are taking the next logical step in the progression of ProgressiveKid. Five years ago, at a time when people were still catching on to recycling, we opened PK as a way to connect people with a more mindful way of life. We offered Earth-friendly alternatives to conventional products, information for socially aware living, and affirming messages for a happier and healthier generation of kids. We alerted parents about lead in children’s lunchboxes before it hit the mass media. …