“Graduation is only a concept. In real life every day you graduate. Graduation is a process that goes on until the last day of your life. If you can grasp that, you’ll make a difference.” ~ Arie Pencovici

My grandparents never thought much of college graduation, but instead spent their time and energy on our family’s high school graduations, often traveling long distances to show their love and support. Other families may recognize all manners of graduation, from potty training and kindergarten to high school and college. In a lifetime of milestones though, those high school and college graduations will always be remembered.

One thing is universal for graduating seniors and that is our responsibility to send them off into the world with a strong sense of self, their place in the world, and the drive to make things better. Our gift to them should not be a an object to be placed on a shelf or, shudder, placed in a box never to be seen again. Most graduates do not really need a new gadget or Batman money clip as much as it may seem cool in the moment.

Instead, I would like to consider what we could give our graduates to make their lives better so that they can make the world better. Money is always appreciated, but if you want to have a little say in how your investment is spent give one of these graduation gifts a go.

Digital Camera. Allow them to capture the world, understand it from a new perspective, and take that with them on their new life’s journey. Technology advances have made digital cameras very affordable. Plus, this may be one of the only ways you get to see how much fun they’re having.

Passport. Open up a world of possibility by encouraging graduates to go out into it. Opportunities abound with cultural exploration, adventure, and even charitable work. Get them started with a passport card ($30) or passport book ($110).

Roth IRA. The power of compounding. Young adults may not always think about starting a retirement account now, but starting early may reap big rewards later. Check with your financial advisor, but contributing to your graduate’s account is generally very smart planning.

Experiences. The moments in our lives that become most significant in the future do not come from gifts, but the memories we make while experiencing something new, something life-altering, or spending time with those we love. We cannot always manufacture these moments, but there are circumstances that encourage it. Volunteering, travel, internships, or a combination of all three can positively impact any young adult.

If you have any important graduates to celebrate this year, what are the gifts you would like to give? Alternatively, what would you have liked to receive as a graduate?

To make Father’s Day really special for the dad in your life you need to discover the answer to one simple question, what does he really need or deserve that he wouldn’t give himself? Here are some inexpensive and environmentally-friendly gifts for the green dad on your list:

Eco-friendly Shave Kit. Green your man’s morning routine by giving him what he needs to wet shave like his grandpa, or John Wayne. Start with an eco-friendly shave kit that includes a traditional shave brush made from natural materials and shaving soap made from safe, natural ingredients. Next consider the razor itself and opt for a safety razor or a straight razor which lasts a lifetime. Then enjoy the smoothness.

Organic Homebrew Kit. Go green by letting your man brew his own beer. Using an organic beer kit, with eco-friendly materials and organic beer ingredients, means he can reduce packaging waste and transportation costs, have more control over ingredients, and have a whole lot of fun making it with family and friends.

The Gift of Time. First you need to know if dad needs more time with his family or a little time away from them (we all need that sometimes, don’t we?). The gift of an experience is bound to be appreciated, but so too would be the ability to have more time in general to spend doing what he loves best. Perhaps gift him with a month or two of lawn service so he can spend time playing games in the yard instead of working in it. Maybe offer to take out the trash, or do the dishes, or some other typical chore to give him just a little break and a little extra time.

What are you planning to give the father in your life this year?

Natural gas has been used as a source of light and heat for more than 100 years. Historically natural gas been touted as one of the best eco-friendly fuels for wide-scale use. Relatively this may be true, however we are also beginning to see a darker side to the future of the industry.

Natural gas is considered the cleanest fossil fuel but because it is a fossil fuel it is also a finite resource. The natural gas industry developed new drilling techniques, called hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to reach what was previously inaccessible, including the largest known reserve of natural gas in the Marcellus Shale.

Fracking is simply a means of natural gas extraction from shale. Literally tons of proprietary chemicals, some toxic, are mixed with massive amounts of water and sand and pumped deep underground (up to 8,000 feet). The enormous pressure fractures the shale and allows the gas to flow more freely.

Fracking Chemicals’ Impact on Health and Environment

One major issue with fracking is the lack of transparency of chemicals used, and in what quantity. There has been some movement toward public awareness of the specific chemicals which are pumped into the ground, but it is certainly not definitive. The so-called Halliburton loophole exempts corporations from disclosing the chemicals in the fracking fluid and from the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and even the Superfund law.

What is known is that many of the chemicals – used in every stage of drilling and extraction of natural gas – are known to be seriously toxic to humans and animals. A few of these include hydrochloric acid, benzene, formaldehyde, methanol, and mercury, all of which have serious consequences for human health and wildlife.

With the inherent likelihood of spills, leaks, accidents, and even equipment failure, the impact these toxic chemicals could have on the environment around us is enormous. Some areas of the country have already experienced some of the following (and more):

• Human Health Cost. The most egregious documented health effects include neurological problems, respiratory illness, birth defects, and cancer. Other documented symptoms can include bloody noses, asthma, diarrhea, dizziness, migraines, nerve pain, and skin rashes. More than 75% of the chemicals used affect the skin, eyes, and other sensory organs, and the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. About 40-50% affect the nervous system, immune and cardiovascular systems, and the kidneys; 37% affect the endocrine (hormones) system; and 25% can cause cancer.
• Earthquakes. These man-made earthquakes are becoming more and more frequent and the root cause is “almost certainly” fracking and the disposal of wastewater. The earthquakes have not caused much damage yet, but with a call for more drilling anything is possible, especially as seismologists are learning more about faults no one knew existed.
• Contaminated Water. Naturally occurring fissures can allow for fracking chemicals to seep into the groundwater. Residents near fracking wells have complained about the quality of their water, some of which are even able to light their tap water on fire due to the large amounts of methane. Recent study has begun to prove to be true what these people have known all along: the groundwater is being contaminated.
• Air Pollution. Tons of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) escape and mix with sunlight and the emissions from equipment to create ground-level ozone. Most notably, this wreaks havoc on lungs causing irreversible damage.

Beyond all of this, potentially the most frustrating thing is the continued lack of research on the short- and long-term effects and the loopholes in place to prevent existing public health policy from applying to fracking. It would behoove our country to take a long pause to conduct a little more research, for the health of our families and environment.

Bath Salts. After a long day of teaching, what better than to enjoy a long soak in the tub and wash the stress away. Combine 1/2 cup Epsom or sea salts with 2 tbsp dried herbs or about 20 drops of essential oil in a glass jar and tie with a pretty ribbon.

Sugar Scrub. Help your favorite teacher get ready for summer with a luxurious sugar scrub. Besides the benefit of glowing skin, sugar scrubs are known to remove dry paint from overworked hands. Combine 1 cup of sugar (granulated or brown) with ½ cup oil (olive, sweet almond, jojoba, coconut). Optionally add 1 tsp vitamin E, 1 tsp cocoa butter, 1 tbsp honey, a few drops of essential oil, or a small amount of dried herbs. Put in a lidded glass jar.

Pencil Holder. We all have too many pens and pencils to corral, perhaps teachers more than most. Turn an empty metal coffee or food can into a pretty, useful gift. Make sure it is washed with no jagged edges. Measure and cut out paper of your choice then paste it on the can. Turn the kids loose decorating with whatever materials you have on hand.

Stationary. Using plain cardstock, paint, and a marker for finishing touches, your child can create animals or nature using thumbprints and a bit of imagination. Add envelopes and tie a stack of cards with ribbon for the perfect gift.

Cloth Napkins. For use at home or in the classroom, cloth napkins are always useful and easy to make. All you need is fabric (vintage, scrap, or new), thread, pins, and an iron. A sewing machine makes it easier, but you can hand sew too. There are loads of tutorials for beginning sewers like me!

Educational Foundation. Many school districts and private schools have foundations that rely on community donations. What better way to honor the work our teachers do than to make a donation in their name? Foundations, or parent-teacher associations, provide great opportunities for schools and in some cases are funding teaching positions. If your area doesn’t have such an organization consider starting one!

What do you think is the best way to show teachers our appreciation?

Mother’s Day was officially created in 1908 to honor mothers whose sons died in war. The earliest attempts to establish a Mother’s Day was rooted in women’s peace groups. It has since become a day to celebrate motherhood, mothers, and the positive contributions they make to our society.

Consider what we believe to be true about motherhood. Mothers are supposed to be selfless; love unconditionally; be kind, patient, gentle; quick to soothe a hurt; always available; always forgiving; raising children to change the world for the better. I believe a mother can be all these things and more, but do we support mothers to take on all these roles?

It isn’t surprising that we revere a mother’s love and honor their strength, but the reality is that our actions are in direct opposition to our stated values about motherhood.

Mothers have found themselves victims of the “high price of motherhood” solely because they have children. Mothers are the breadwinners, or co-breadwinners, in most U.S. states and their income is an important part of family life, and their work always has been. There is no reflection of this in the reality of motherhood.

A college-educated mother of one can easily lose more than $1 million in lost lifetime earnings. Women must still make do with a pay gap based on gender, but mothers live with an increasingly widened gap between childless women and larger still with men (whether they are fathers or not). Motherhood is the single largest indicator of poverty in old age, while female heads of household are even more vulnerable to extreme poverty.

It is still difficult to be a mother in this world.

Instead of changing our policies to fit our societal beliefs about the role of mothers, this year we will spend more than $16 billion on gifts and cards trying to convince ourselves it is so. It is truly sad that our culture has commercialized a holiday meant to recognize mothers’ importance, both literally and figuratively.

Want To Add More Meaning This Mother’s Day?

Work to improve the lives of mothers around the world. Health, education, and economic conditions are important to mothers, but also to society at large. Contrary to some opinion, the more we invest in women, mothers, the more we invest in their children, community, and national economy.

Start local. Empower women in your own community through volunteering with or donating to a local organization that supports mothers who are victims of domestic abuse, mothers with medical crises, or families who need a little extra support. Domestic violence shelters, meals on wheels, food banks, Moms Clubs and MOPS all support mothers in your community in different ways. Each community has its own set of needs. See if you can discover what that need is and do your best to help fill it.

Change state and national policies to support mothers. There are organizations, many of which are grassroots, working to effect change in the areas of paid family leave and workplace flexibility, breast cancer research, leadership training for women, support for women entrepreneurs, and helping women end the cycle of poverty. We cannot do them all individually, but collectively we can accomplish a lot.

Support global initiatives to support women around the world. Women are the foundation of every community, every nation, every economy. There are hundreds of worthy organizations working to empower women across the globe. A few favorites are: Mercy Corps, Heifer International, and Kiva.

What do you think we should do to support mothers this Mother’s Day?

Key Considerations and Ideas For Eco-Friendly Crafts

Reused. Reusing an object that might otherwise go to waste is a great lesson for kids. Whether or not an item has multiple uses helps when thinking about buying something in the first place.

Use old containers to show off freshly cut flowers. Even those dandelions that small children pick in your honor will look great in a tea tin vase or pretty shampoo bottle. Tie a ribbon around it for a sweeter look.

Recycled. Slightly different from reusing, recycling is turning something bound for the waste (or recycle bin) and turning it into something new that will then be trashed or recycled at the end of its life.

One of my favorite things is to take pieces of art the kids make and turn them into something fun. If you have a preschool aged child, you are bound to get many abstract paintings on large easel paper coming home. They are large and cumbersome, but they make excellent gift wrap.

Upcycled. This is when it gets good. Upcycling is taking something that would otherwise be discarded and turning it into something new, useful, and better than it was before.

Wool dryer balls get me as close to excited about a laundry product as is possible. They shorten drying time and work as well as disposable dryer sheets with no waste. There are some fabulous people who make and sell them, but the next time you have an old wool sweater that your family has outgrown, consider trying to make your own.

Recyclable. Consider whether the craft at the end of its life will be recyclable.

Children have endless imaginations and are often in need of fancy accessories to act out tales of danger or fairy-tale endings. Why not make your own which can be recycled after the last curtain call? Newspapers become princess crowns or pirate tricorns. Cleaned aluminum foil becomes swords, action figures, or robot parts. Large yogurt containers and a little rope turn into stilts for little giants. Wire hangers from the dry cleaners and fabric become fairy wings.

Compostable. Consider whether the craft at the end of its life will be compostable.

Nature walks allow kids to forage for items to create tiny homes for fairies or leprechauns. Start with a structure of twigs or bark. Add moss, pinecones, stones, acorns, petals, and needles to create fantastic memories with your children. At the end of play, these items return to the earth with no impact

Non-Toxic. Once you decide what to make out of your otherwise useless items, choose non-toxic and eco-friendly options for the other materials you might need, including paint, glue, and crayons or markers.

What ideas do you have for eco-friendly crafts that follow one or more of these principles?

Before we explore WWD further, I would invite you to consider the last time you had no access to clean water when you needed it. If you have ever experienced water scarcity, even casually, what did that look like? What did you have to do to solve that problem?

• Did you have to walk 3.7 miles a day to collect water – like the average woman does?
• Did you have to use dirty water for cooking, drinking, or cleaning?
• Did you have to keep your children from an education because they are needed to haul water?

My guess is, if you were born and raised in a Western nation, the answer would be, “No.” But that may not always be the case. If  you live in an arid climate, you know that climate change is beginning to negatively affect our water sources here too. Water scarcity affects every continent. It is an issue, here, primarily in the southwestern part of the United States, and reaches into at least half of Mexico.

Unfortunately, one in eight people (or an estimated 1 billion people, worldwide) lack access to safe drinking water. Two in five people lack access to basic sanitation. The lack of access to clean water and sanitation disproportionately affects women and girls.

Water is the Key to Food Security

The average person needs 2 to 4 litres (about 1/2 to 1 gallon) of water a day, but it takes 2000 to 5000 litres (about 528 to 1,320 gallons) of water to produce one person’s daily food. The world’s greatest work over the next few decades will be to find ways to feed more people, using fewer resources, and with more sustainably.

The good news is that, for every $1 invested in sustainable water projects and basic sanitation and hygiene, $8 is returned in increased productivity and reduced health care costs.

A Few Solutions in Agriculture to Combat Water Scarcity and Food Insecurity:

• Produce more food with less water. From family farms in the United States to soil-less crops in Dubai, farmers are learning to maintain healthy soils, rotate crops, and focus on crop water management through conservation agriculture.
• Put strategies in place to combat climate change and natural disasters. This is a topic that books could be written about, but organic agricultural practices, conservation agriculture, and greater energy and water efficiency are thought to be important strategies.
  
• Reuse and recycle. We all benefit when water is reused or recycled. More infrastructure may be needed in the developing world and better education is needed worldwide for success.
• Reduce food waste. An estimated 30% of edible food is wasted every year. This not only means less food is getting to the people, but water and other resources have been wasted in the production of it.
• Sustainable diets. Eating sustainably means a lower impact on the environment and natural resources. Choosing food with smaller water footprints, like in a vegetarian diet, is one way to reduce the water needed to produce food.

Take Action

Educate yourself and others about the global water crisis. Read about the issues and what organizations and governments are doing to solve it.

• NRDC
• Water.org
• Water For People
• Coalition for World Water Day

Donate your voice. The Coalition for World Water Day is advocating for safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) issues in Congress and could use your help! Check out a list of events near you or simply allow your Facebook or Twitter statuses to be updated for World Water Week.

Write your members of Congress and ask them to support the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act.

Conserve water at home. We can all do our part to protect the world’s clean water by using less.

What exactly is a green smoothie?

It is simply a smoothie that combines any combination of raw vegetables and fruits. Many people also use smoothies to add extra “superfoods” to their diets. In truth, there are many nutritious extras that can be great additions, but a diverse diet of whole fruits and vegetables (the darker and most brightly colored the better) are what you need. Green smoothies are quick and easy to make and drink giving your body all the servings it needs in a day.

Did you know?

There are numerous health benefits to eating whole fruits and vegetables. Children especially need the nutrients derived from fresh produce to grow strong and healthy. Eating a wide variety gives all ages the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber it needs to guard against many chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and two common causes of vision loss: cataracts and macular degeneration.

The average American eats only 3 servings day, but to see the greatest health benefit, you need at least five servings a day. Children need the same number of servings, although their serving sizes are smaller. To see how many servings (now listed as cups) of fruits and vegetables a day you and your family need, use this handy calculator based on age and level of physical activity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Multi-vitamins do not count toward the recommended intake of fruits and vegetables. Fruit juice can, although you will not get the fiber necessary through juice alone. The experts say that the majority of your vitamins and minerals should come through whole foods.

Dark leafy greens are a great source of a healthy combination of proteins, calcium, iron, vitamins A, B12, C and K, beta-carotene, folic acid and fiber. However, these same leafy greens can be hard for the digestive system to break apart and absorb all of the essential nutrients. Putting those leafy greens in a blender for a smoothie breaks the cell walls apart allowing the body access to the good stuff inside.

Green smoothies are an easy way to sneak in some less palatable vegetables because the sweetness of the fruits can help disguise those green ingredients. If you have a picky eater, there is no reason you have to tell them you just put a bunch of spinach or kale in their delicious smoothie! More adventurous eaters may find it fun to see how good those green leafy vegetables really are, especially when you put in a bunch of strawberries or the like.

Want a few tips to get you started?

• High-powered blenders may be helpful, but most household blenders will do just fine, especially when you are just starting out.
• Search online for recipes or get a book from the library to find some tried-and-true recipes, then just start experimenting with ingredients to see what you and your kids like.
• Start with just a few ingredients per smoothie, but try to incorporate a wide variety throughout the week (or month).
• Use a healthy fat in your smoothie to help your body absorb the nutrients better: coconut (milk, meat, or oil), avocado, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseed, shelled hemp seed, almonds, cashews, walnuts.
• Colder is usually better. Use frozen fruit or ice cubes to chill your smoothie.
• Shoot for a 50-50 mix of fruits and vegetables to start and see if you can work your way up to 60-40 favoring vegetables.

Sample of Ingredients (opt for organic, local, and in season whenever possible):

*I would encourage everyone to learn more about these “superfoods” and their health benefits before adding them to your smoothies. If you have any health concerns, allergies, or are pregnant, please consult your doctor.

A couple of sample kid-friendly recipes:

• 3 cups red chard, 2 cups blueberries, 1 banana, 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 1 tbsp chia seeds, and ice.
• 3 cups heirloom lettuce blend, 1 cup spinach, 1/4 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk, 1/2 cup water, 3/4 cup pineapple with juice, 1 tbsp chia seeds, and 1 chunk of ginger.
• 1 stalk celery, 3 cups spinach, 1 tbsp bee pollen, 3 tbsp shelled hemp seeds, 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, 1 cup water, and 2 cups strawberries.

What do you think you will try first?

Change can be difficult, especially when you are trying to do too much all at once. Take small steps that will ensure a greater chance for success. Nearly all changes toward living green come down to reduce, reuse, recycle, but within those categories there are so many small changes that make a real positive impact.

Top Ten Green Resolutions That Can Make a Big Difference

1. Use reusable bags for groceries. It can take a lot of concentration to get in the habit or remembering those reusable bags when going grocery shopping or to the farmer’s market, but it is worth the effort: reusable bags can save more than 700 disposables in their lifetime! Already doing this? Take reusable bags every time you shop at any store or mall.
2. Start composting. Composting your kitchen scraps and yard waste will not only reduce what is going into the landfills, but creates an amazing, nutrient-rich soil amendment that your plants, trees, and garden will truly appreciate. Composting has numerous environmental benefits and anyone can do it, even in an apartment.
   
3. Green your clean. Unfortunately for our family’s health, most mainstream cleaners contain toxic ingredients that actually create indoor air pollution, include antibacterial agents that create superbugs resistant to antibiotics, and are expensive. There are two great options to green your clean: make your own or choose eco-friendly brands.
   
4. Choose homemade over processed food. Processed foods are convenient, but also contain a lot of ingredients that are unhealthy for us and potentially toxic: preservatives, artificial colors, artificial flavors, and even sulfur, formaldehyde, and bleach among other synthetic chemicals added during processing that don’t need to be included on ingredient lists. In our reality, it is likely that you will need processed foods sometimes, but choose homemade whenever possible and be a savvy label-reader when it isn’t.
   
5. Buy local, organic, and fair-trade. Think consciously about your purchases and the impact they have around the world. Supporting local businesses is proven to keep more money in your community. Supporting organic is healthier for the environment and for your family by keeping toxic pesticides from both. Fair-trade certified means you are helping farmers earn a fair wage, promote sustainability and community development, making an enormous difference in the lives of others.
   
6. Buy used. A great way to save money, especially for our children who grow so quickly out of their clothes and toys, it is also a great way to reduce our environmental impact.
   
7. Avoid toxic chemicals in personal care products. More than 80 percent of the 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products have never been adequately tested for safety. Become a savvy label-reader by understanding which ingredients are most harmful and choosing products that are safer. Have a question about the safety of a specific product? Check the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.
   
8. Walk, bike, or use public transportation. Whenever possible, choose to walk, ride your bike, or take public transportation. This goes for commutes to work, getting kids to school, and weekend trips to the library. Doing this even once a week will make your family healthier and prevent a lot of wasted gas and pollution.
9. Fix, repair, or mend what’s broken. Instead of throwing broken things away, first see if it can be repaired or mended. Choosing quality products first will have an impact, but for the inevitable hole in a sweater or broken toy, choosing to fix rather than toss and buy new will have a great impact on your own and the environment’s resources.
10. Choose reusable. Ditch the disposables and choose reusable products. From cleaning cloths to diapers to napkins, things we use in our daily lives that get tossed effortlessly in the trash could be replaced by something reusable saving precious resources and money.

Happy New Year! Remember that these changes may not be easy, but if you take them in small steps, you are bound to find they become routine and fulfilling. Choose one or two, take it slow, and persevere!

Which one sounds like a green New Year’s Resolution your family can tackle?

One solution to these problems is to bring the whole family together through yoga.

Practicing yoga as a family has been shown to reduce stress, reduce anxiety, and lead to healthier lives because of it. It takes just a little planning to create the opportunity for your family to come together and practice the techniques of relaxation, flexibility, coordination, and strength that yoga encompasses.

There are many ways to learn a few simple poses that you can do at home with children as young as two, whether you borrow a DVD from your local library, buy yoga cards or a book, or even use an app!

The two components of yoga that are most important are the poses and the breathing – in and out of the nose. One of the best ways to work with children is to tell a story or sing a song while going through related poses.

Breathing comes with practice. Keeping the attention of young children can be difficult, especially when it is new and different. Truthfully, that can be hard enough for most adults. If the adults focus on learning to breathe and the mind-body connection, the children will learn through practice. Singing or telling stories with movement connects the two wonderfully.

The following are 4 poses that families could do every day as a simple routine. Add more as your time and children allow:

Candle Pose (this is a great way to start a children’s yoga practice as it gets them to slow down and focus on their breath)

Cow Pose (this posture is a great warm up for the spine)

Dog Pose (stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands)

Do Nothing Pose (great posture to end a yoga practice with)

Yoga with children, especially small children, is going to look a lot different than if it were just for adults. However, it can also be a whole lot more fun if you can be flexible and a little more creative.

It will certainly take practice, patience, and accommodations, but the rewards are great. Yoga may not solve the world’s problems, but if your family can experience peace of mind while increasing fitness, then it may solve some of the stress in your small piece of the world. Go slow, have fun, and breathe.

Illustrations credit: Kathleen Rietz from the book, The ABCs of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Power.