Archive for the ‘Minds’ Category

Winter 2010 Newsletter — Seasonal Eco-info & Solutions

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Cornelia Mazzan

snowy tree on a sunny dayWhat are the dangers lurking in antibacterial soaps?

How can your family eat more healthy and in ways to help the environment?

Are chemicals increasing your risks of getting breast cancer?

How can your school and community get involved in preventing pollution?

For the answers, check out Real Mama’s Winter 2010 E-newsletter below.

Recognizing that families and caregivers are short on time and that environmental issues and actions can be complex, Real Mama researches and reviews some of the latest environmental topics and concerns for today’s busy families.

Hope you’re enjoying winter so far. Thanks for your visit and please let us know what you think!

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Greening Your School With a Community Cleanup

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Camille LoFaro Sowinski

Quick Facts: The problem of litter is ubiquitous and the hazards to our natural environment from improperly disposed trash plagues communities all around our country and the world. Fortunately, pollution prevention happens to be one of the simplest environmental issues to highlight in a school setting and therefore a great starting point for schools wishing to implement a “green agenda” on campus. Read on to learn how to motivate students to tackle this issue by planning a community cleanup.

beach-cleanupAs we welcome the New Year, the school my children attend has resolved to take on the task of pollution prevention. Since we are a coastal community in the heart of our “rainy season,” much of our discussion will center on storm water run off and how 60-80% of all debris found in the ocean comes from land based sources. We provide the students with information that illustrates the harm to marine wildlife and ecosystems caused by balloon fragments, cigarette butts and other common trash found washed-up on our shores. We then punctuate this lesson with a school-wide cleanup located at a popular beach near our campus.
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Fall 2009 Newsletter

Friday, November 13th, 2009

Cornelia Mazzan

leaves_11-09Happy Fall and welcome to our new site! Here at Real Mama we want to help you make simpler, greener choices for yourselves, your families and our planet. We have redesigned our website to present information and eco-actions for families in a more easily digestible format and to inspire quick action to protect kids’ and environmental health, including the ability to easily search the site for topics of interest. You will now find more concise articles, a focus on actively bringing environmentally focused educational activities into schools, and the addition of the “Real Tips” section, a weekly log of the struggles and joys Real Mama Board members face in incorporating environmental stewardship into their lives and the lives of their families.

This fall’s eNewsletter kicks off its focus on bringing environmental concerns and solutions into schools with information about a “zero waste” lunch. In addition, this edition reviews non-chemical and natural pest control at home, climate change actions and updates, and MSG as it relates to children’s health. We’ve also included some ideas for outdoor activities with kids. Articles are categorized into topics related to earth, water, air, minds, and bodies.

Thanks for your visit and please let us know what you think!

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Earth Focused Activities and Games (1-6)

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Kirstin McPolin

activites_11-09All summer I tried to go camping with my family in our back yard.  I thought that this would be an easy thing to achieve seeing as it was literally going to be in our back yard, but invariably something came up every weekend.  It was too hot, or the kids had not slept well the night before, or my husband wasn’t going to be back in time to roast marshmallows, etc.  We actually got the tent up one Friday afternoon and the three kids climbed inside (even the one year old was loving this), only to be eaten alive by mosquitoes that were trapped inside with us!

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Waste Free Lunch: Embracing the Zero

Thursday, November 5th, 2009

Camille LoFaro Sowinski

zero-waste

Quickfacts: A popular estimate suggests that the average child in school can create as much as 67 pounds of waste per school year. More and more schools are going green and promoting choices that encourage families to preserve our environment. Packing a waste free lunch is a perfect way that parents can reinforce these lessons and teach their children about responsible environmental stewardship. In addition to helping the planet, a zero waste lunch can save money and be more healthful.

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Activities, Books, and Websites to Encourage Environmental Stewardship in Kids (and You!) this Spring

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Camille LoFaro Sowinski

While you may have the urge to do some heavy spring cleaning this season, there is no better time to involve your kids with a really dirty project that gets them thinking about the environment. This Spring, create a worm composting bin with your children. It’s educational, easy to set up and the worm castings will benefit your garden this summer.

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