Eco Homes

I am a firm believer in a healthy home. I have an old home that I upgraded with energy star appliances, only natural building materials, reused house parts, and low VOC paint & stain. I don't use vinyl, only ceramic or stone tile. The house was originally built with hard wood floors. The floors are little stained here & there but I don't mind and neither do my tenants.

It is a 4 unit victorian. Each tenant gets an eco friendly care package when they sign a lease. It includes CF bulbs, a recycling bin and cleaning supplies. I try to make it easy on them.

While I worked at an environmental testing laboratory I processed testing samples from all over the world. It often amazed me what people dump on the ground and in water. I often worked with different chemicals to process the samples. Chemicals included freon, chlorine, acetone, benzene...etc. There are special rules for handling these types of chemicals. There are also fume hoods (like a big vent that sucks out air) to remove chemicals that are emitted into the air in the room.

But there are not fume hoods in houses. So, people breath in all sorts of chemicals such as formaldehyde, chlorine, solvents...etc. I wonder if they understand what is happening to the air in their home and their lungs? Or do they have the attitude "It won't happen to me."

What is "funny" is that many people, the average consumer, doesn't really know what they are getting themselves into. They often trust the companies to provide them with safe product. Or these people think there are strict laws and inspections of products that protect the American consumer. People don't realize that the laws in the U.S. are made only after several people have been harmed over a number of years. And usually because someone complained. We don't have a preventative maintenance types of culture.

I always recommend two classes to all college students, environmental chemistry (not really a chemistry class) to understand the world around them and how one thing effect another and clinical microbiology in order to understand cause and effect. A person would think they know all about cause and effect. But when dealing with a chemical or microbes that they can not see, they probably are not thinking about it, often until it is too late.

Here is a cool article about a person who moved into an eco friendly apartment not for health but for a convenient location on Treehugger.com....Apartments

Doing The Minimum

I hear people say, "Oh she is such a good mom" or "They are great parents". But what does this mean?

This is a complicated issue. I would think that how people define what a "good parent" is will differ depending on various factors. Such factors would include geographic location, community influences, belief system (some people adhere to a religion like Christianity others a philosophy like Confucianism), culture, philosophy and many others.

I would think that there are basic requirements, such as keeping the child healthy, sheltered, fed, given medical attention, affection and so on. But even then I think people have different standards as to what qualifies as "good" health, "decent" shelter, the amount of affection...and I think it varies the most when it comes to misconduct or unwanted behavior. What people consider is appropriate for correcting unacceptable conduct...punishment, not punishment, limits (high or too low), communication, scolding, grounding...time out...etc is the most scrutinized.

All these things are under the label of "Good Parent".

These points are just the start. It can go on or maybe it should start with how you or I were raised and our parents influence.

A Man's Last Message

This is the last lecture given by Randy Pausch.

It has...It will...well, you watch it and post how you could describe it. Like many others who have watched it, I am thinking.

See his last lecture

Car Accicidents and Safety

While doing some research for a hypothesis I have about side impact collisions statistics I found some great websites for accident information in general.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Wikipedia Car accidents

One of the sites Kids and Cars had rather sad statistics regarding vehicles backing up out of driveways and parking lots. The site explains that 70% of the accidents are caused by the child's own parents or someone they know. And 60% of the time the vehicle is a van, truck or SUV. The common age was about 1 year old.

I can't imagine.

So, what does this mean well...The site explained that 50 kids are hit every WEEK, of this 48% are hospitalized and 2 on average don't survive. Every week...

Have a comment? Post it !


My father has a comment but he doesn't know how to blog so here it is: He is a specialty vehicle driving instructor. He said that driving a large truck, van or SUV requires the same skills that a tractor trailer driver has. But most people are never trained or have the skills to accomplish such a task without injuring the people around them. All people should go to driving school like they require in many other countries. And that truck and SUV drivers should have to pass a special drive program for a special license. Well, that is what my dad said and he is a senior driving instructor for large vehicles, 45 years driving rigs and no accidents.

Tantrums & Fussing

My mom and dad were both old school but in different ways. They both had a few modern ideas too. They are divorced so house rules were different in each house but...Some modern things they did were:

Mom would apologize if she over reacted to a small mishap on my part. She also asked me why I did the deed I did. Other then that it was old school. My dad insisted on family meetings. Usually most of the lecture was him speaking but it did show me that he thought of me as a thinking and intelligent person and I sat there even if it last 2-3 hours. In the end I always knew that both parents favored smart kids and that is why they took the time to speak to me and my siblings.

They respected my thoughts and I respect theirs. Had they not listen to me, I don't think I would of listen to them. They thought me listening got you further in life then not listening.

I read an interesting article on Clever Parents. It involved the benefits of listening and how it relates to tantrums and fussing. My parents always tell me and my siblings that we were good kids and did not cause problems or fussed. Maybe it is because they listened when we needed them.

Donations of Food

Food donations are an incredible gift. It is up there with providing shelter, medical care, running water and heat. Donations are a simple, caring act that can take as little as ten minutes or become a full time job.

I put together a care package that includes adult & baby foods. Our local food bank takes any kind of baby food even baby formula.

I found our food bank on the internet by typing in a search for "food donations" for my location. I found the Food Bank of Western NY.

A nation wide organization is America's Second Harvest. Their site has a Food Bank Locater. So, check it out and have fun helping people this winter.

First Birthday

I finally have decided on what I am going to do for baby's first birthday. I wanted it to over come some obstacles: Not overwhelm baby, big enough location for friends and family, entertain different aged kids and the big one... being environmentally friendly.

I choose the local zoo. They have a birthday package that cost roughly the same as had I threw a party at home. It is plenty big enough and have a special event where the zookeepers talk specifically on the animal theme of your choice. This will help connect the kids to the world around them. Learn a few fun facts and leave the pavement & big box world outside for a few hours. Sounds great.

I have also blended in some simple ways to be environmentally conscience. One, invitations will be made from recycled papers. Second, the invitation states "Feel free to use recycled gift bags, newspaper or other recycled sources to wrap gifts". Third, utensils will be non-disposable and limited to spoons for kids. Four, we are supporting the education of children. And last, I am giving out Endangered Species chocolate bars. They donate a portion of their proceeds to the the endangered species featured on the bar you buy. Animals include gorillas, tigers, pandas or and many more.

To keep it all healthy I will be serving homemade veggy pizza, yogurt-pineapple Popsicles, and birthday cupcakes made of carrot cake and frosted with zoo animal faces on top. Drinks are cold juice blended with carbonated water for that fuzzy fun. A great way to fill up after burning calories running around the zoo.