It’s almost impossible to think about the words “back to school” without adding the word “shopping” to the other three. Back-to-school shopping is a tradition for moms and kids each August — not always a fun tradition, but still, a tradition. Kids need new school supplies, shoes for their feet that grew two sizes over the summer, and, of course, the latest fashions.
If you’re planning on adding some of the latest back-to-school fashions to your kid’s closet, you don’t always have to choose between what’s in and what’s gentler on the earth. Try some of these eco-friendly trendy fashions for the fall.
For the girls
Graphic Tees – Have you noticed older kids wearing Sesame Street characters on their tees? Parents thought they bought their last Elmo tee when their kid was a 4-year-old, but suddenly junior highers are sporting the fuzzy red monster again. American Apparel has a 100 percent organic cotton T-shirt that pays tribute to the 40th anniversary of “Sesame Street.” The company also offers organic solid color tees to mix and match with the latest fashions.
Gray Skinny Jeans – Denim is big this year, both traditional and colored, and gray is the most popular color of denim this fall. You Deserve has gray skinny jeans in 100 percent organic cotton for high school girls at a great price for organic denim – $49.99. They have a striped v-neck sweater that teens will love, too.
Blazers – Blazers have made a comeback, particularly boyfriend blazers. The best place to find eco-friendly blazers is definitely the thrift store in the boy’s or men’s departments. Let your daughter rummage through the racks of pre-owned blazers to find the one that fits her style. Chances are no one else will have the exact boyfriend blazer she has, and you’ll be able to get it for a great price.
For the boys
Graphic Tees – Graphic tees are even more popular with the guys than with the girls. Threadless has T-shirts for boys and teens. Search for “organic” in Theadless’ search feature, and you’ll come up with a variety of graphic tees that big and little guys will love.
Under Armour’s Catalyst Green Products – Under Armour is the hippest performance wear out there, and the new line of T-shirts, hoodies, caps and more are made from recycled plastic bottles. Even though they’re made for the sports’ field, boys wear Under Armour as regular fashions. Guys who have moved up to men’s sizes will love the styles that don’t look almost identical to UA’s regular line.
Hoodies – Hoodies seem to be the never-ending “it” piece of clothing for guys. For the littler guys, a blue striped organic cotton hoodie from Greenedge Kids will make them feel like they fit in the big guys. For the older boys, a hoodie made of earth-friendly hemp from The Hempest is one of the coolest things going.
Don’t forget the feet
Even if your child doesn’t need new clothes, the chances that he’ll need new shoes when school rolls around are pretty good. All that extra sun and water that feet get over the summer seem to help kids’ feet grow extra quickly. Check out Play Outdoors for a one-stop place to find eco-friendly kids’ shoes from Keen, Simple Shoes, SmartWood and more.
Older kids will love to choose from Planet Shoes large selection of sneakers, sandals, boots and even vegan shoes.
Know more about back-to-school shopping? Leave us a note in the comments below.
Join Eva Stanley, Dipl. Ac for this fun and informative lecture on Food As Medicine! We will also be discussing how food sensitivities affect your digestion. Refreshments will be served
We will be having a raffle for 2 great prizes!
1) FREE ACUPUNCTURE VISIT
2) “THE DR.’S BOOK OF FOOD REMEDIES” The Newest Discoveries in the Power of Food to Treat and Prevent Health Problems – From Aging and Diabetes to Ulcers and yeast Infections
by Selene Yeager, Editors of Prevention
Intimidated to change your diet? Be on the lookout for an upcoming field trip with Eva to our local Whole Foods Market! She will be your guide to help you find your way around the store and answer your questions so you can make better choices for your health.
LONDON(AP) — Salad eaters, beware. Experts say it’s little surprise that sprouts are behind the world’s deadliest E. coli outbreak.
Sprouts need warm and humid conditions to grow — precisely the same conditions required by bugs like E. coli and salmonella to thrive. And raw sprouts have been blamed before in food poisoning outbreaks, in the U.S. and a large outbreak in Japan in 1996.
German officials said Friday that sprouts caused the deadly outbreak there, although they don’t know which kind. The organic farm linked to the outbreak grew a wide variety, including alfalfa, onion and radish.
Sprouts are grown in water from seeds, which are rinsed daily. They can be grown from numerous kinds of vegetables and are often eaten raw in salads and sandwiches. (more…)
A school’s yield is the percentage of admitted students who opt to enroll in the program. At Kansas, 176—or 82.2 percent—of the 214 accepted students chose to attend the school in the academic year beginning in 2010, narrowly edging out the University of Nevada—RenoSchool of Medicine, where 62 students, or 81.6 percent of the 76 accepted, enrolled last year.
Aspiring farmers arriving on campus these days may come from big cities in addition to rural areas, and some are as interested in organic and small-scale agriculture as production farming.
“These kids come from the whole range,” said John Reganold of Washington State University. “Some have farmed for generations and want to learn organic, maybe shift part of the family operation to organic.”
Reganold, WSU regents professor of soil science and agroecology, advises students who major in organic agriculture. (more…)
Blue Manatee Boxes combines children’s inspiration from a simple cardboard box with themed literacy. We have all experienced the creativity of children as the box a gift has come in becomes more exciting and longer sustaining of play than the actual toy it contained. Blue Manatee makes the box and its packaging an essential part of the experience.
We were sent an Eco Box to review:
When they’re not busy hugging pets or boxes, young kids are tree huggers, enchanted by the natural world. Nurture the next generation of naturalists with books celebrating the backyard and beyond.
I love how Manatee Boxes inspires imagination, including the composting peanuts that are part of the packaging. These peanuts can be turned into little people or great science experiments. You can also create your own box if you don’t want to select one of the ready-made themes.
Would I buy this product? Maybe. Although I love the concept behind Blue Manatee, I feel the price is a little expensive. The three board books would total about $21. When added to shipping and packaging costs, the $30 Blue Manatee price is reasonable, but that’s why I would look for these books in a used bookstore or a local shop. We have no shortages of cardboard boxes around my home, and I don’t need a company to remind me of the joy of playing with one. My children do that naturally.
Every year, certain ambulatory surgery center specialties grow and others diminish as CMS approves new procedures and reimbursement rates change. Here three ASC industry veterans discuss five specialties that will likely see increased profitability and adoption in surgery centers in 2011. (more…)
LNJ Denim, a unit of Rs 5000 cr LNJ Bhilwara Group’s, flagship textiles company, RSWM Ltd (NSE: RSWM; BSE: 500350) Wednesday announced a new range of denims, which were in keeping with the growing demand from its local and international clients. LNJ Denim supplies Denim fashion fabrics to some of the best brands in the world across Europe and USA and they include Diesel, Gap, ZARA, Lee, Levi’s, Debenhams, Ralph Lauren, Marlboro Classic, Mustang, C&A, J Crew, Tommy Hilfiger, Ann Taylor, Gymboree, Jack & Jones, Wrangler, Polo, etc.
“By responding to the rising global demand of new denim range and bringing in concerted R&D, we have achieved an impressive growth in last one fiscal year and going ahead, we see tremendous opportunities,” said Mr AK Churiwal, Managing Director, RSWM Ltd. He added, “Rising income levels, globalised cultural amalgamation, and growth of an aspirational class glued on to good things in life have given a new impetus to the apparel industry including a shift towards ready-to-wear (RTW) garments. Denim Jeans is picking up due to all this. We are also aware that Mumbai has been at the forefront of a fashion push in the country and certain that this will continue.” (more…)
Coca-Cola: new chief sustainability officer appointed Perez will take up the role from 1 July and report directly to Alex Cummings, vice-president and chief administrative officer at Coke.
In her new role, she will be responsible for overseeing the creation of an integrated global strategy, managing all global partnerships and major sustainability projects, while setting “high-level goals and commitments”.
Perez will head up a team to form the company’s newly created office of sustainability, which will integrate Coca-Cola’s current sustainability initiatives concerning water, climate protection, packaging, recycling and community. (more…)
This guest post is by Sam R. Watson, senior vice president, Patient Safety and Quality at the Michigan Health & Hospital Association and executive director of the MHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality
On Monday, the American Medical Association’s Archives of Internal Medicinereleased the study “How Long Can Intensive Care Units Maintain Zero Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections?” The article found that Michigan hospitals participating in MHA Keystone: Intensive Care Unit (ICU), a collaborative of theMHA Keystone Center for Patient Safety & Quality, eliminated central-line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) for up to two years or more. Of the 80 participating ICUs, 60 percent went one year or more without a CLABSI and 26 percent achieved two years or more. These findings indicate that extended periods without infections are possible when a comprehensive initiative focused on reducing CLABSIs is implemented. This is the first known large-scale study to demonstrate that CLABSI prevention is sustainable. (more…)
National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale‘s birthday. These permanent dates enhance planning and position National Nurses Week as an established recognition event. As of 1998, May 8 was designated as National Student Nurses Day, to be celebrated annually. And as of 2003, National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday within National Nurses Week (May 6-12) each year.
The nursing profession has been supported and promoted by the American Nurses Association (ANA) since 1896. Each of ANA’s state and territorial nurses associations promotes the nursing profession at the state and regional levels. Each conducts celebrations on these dates to recognize the contributions that nurses and nursing make to the community.
The ANA supports and encourages National Nurses Week recognition programs through the state and district nurses associations, other specialty nursing organizations, educational facilities, and independent health care companies and institutions.
By James Johnston
Published on Wednesday 20 April 2011 04:21
HOT dogs are helping slash heating bills at an animal hospital.
Body heat from the poorly pets and their owners is being channelled to help save energy costs from spiralling.
The sophisticated system at the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) PetAid hospital, in North Hylton Road, Castletown, utilises body heat and surplus energy from electrical equipment to power the building.
As well as helping to warm consulting rooms, offices and operating theatres, it also plays a part in heating the centre’s water supply.
Now the £1.6million hospital, which opened last year, has been honoured at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) North East Renaissance Awards, beating tough competition to win the sustainability category.
Newcastle-based Anthony Keith Architects incorporated the energy-efficient system into the design of the hospital, which means it does not need a traditional boiler.
A heat pump extracts warmth from the outside air, which is boosted by a second pump, captured body heat and solar panels.
A computerised management system then transfers heat to parts of the hospital where it is needed most.
“When it comes to body heat, the animals do help,” said architect Anthony Keith. “It all goes into the mix. We can move the heat around and water is also heated as is the floor, because animals lie on the floor.”
The Wearside hospital employs six vets, eight nurses, five receptionists, four veterinary care assistants and three animal care auxiliaries and treats animals whose owners are on benefits and can not afford to pay.
It includes a waiting room, six consulting rooms, two operating theatres, a dental suite and x-ray facilities.
The award judges singled it out for special praise.
“The PDSA Hospital building represents an evolution of design,” they said.
“Through the clever use of available technology, the building makes the most of heat generated by the users of the building to store and re-use energy, providing a sustainable source of hot water and warmth, and removing the need for a main energy supply to the building.”
Two other Sunderland-based projects were recognised among the region’s top developments at this year’s RICS North East Renaissance Awards, which were presented at Newcastle Civic Centre.
Transforming Hendon took the top prize in the Regeneration category, while the £7million refurbishment of Sunderland Station was highly commended in the Design and Innovation category.
PACT’s motto is CHANGE STARTS WITH YOUR UNDERWEAR. The purchase of PACT underwear is participation in a social movement: when you buy PACT underwear, you are supporting and encouraging organic cotton farmers, responsible labor practices, and businesses that form partnerships with nonprofit organizations dedicated to positive change in our world. >>
PACT is your everyday underwear. It’s made with the highest quality soft, organic Turkish cotton, with 5% elastane for a perfect stretch. PACT may be stylish and sexy, but it’s designed to be comfortable for everyday living and is the best choice for the sustainably-minded consumer.
According to Yvon Chouinard, “There’s no such thing as sustainability. It’s just kind of a path you get on and try – each day try to make it better.” At PACT, we’re committed to operating in as sustainable a manner as possible while still running a viable business. On our journey putting this company together, we’ve made numerous, carefully considered decisions about how we can best accomplish this goal. Each of these decisions was made for a reason, and with that in mind, we’d like to share with you exactly what ingredients go into making your PACT underwear. We know we aren’t perfect, but sustainability is a journey, not a destination. We’re in this for the long haul, and we know we are going to continuously adapt to reduce the impact of the underwear we sell and be a vehicle for social and environmental change.
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