« And then I was screaming at the bully in Chick-fil-a... | Main | Mom is Outnumbered »

04/19/2010

National Geographic's Green Guide for Families: A SV Moms Group Book Club

GGF_coverEarth Day IS every day, especially when you have a family - as families, our impact can be felt more, we tend to consumer more, and there is the very real fact that we are raising the next generation that will have to live in this world. The practical questions: What kind of diapers to use? What kind of products to clean and feed your kids and home? How can your family can "Go Green" together? Join us today as we discuss the book National Geographic Green Guide Families by Catherine Zandonella. 

Special thanks to Nancy Friedman from New York City Moms Blog, who sourced this book club for us!

Silicon Valley Moms Blog is hosting the book club discussion this month. Please go here to leave a comment below to join in the discussion.

Author Catherine Zandonella also answered a couple of questions for SV Moms Group bloggers. If you have a question, please leave it in the comments below. 

Question: It’s easy to recycle (or even forgo) the plastic bags from the market.  How do you handle the endless sandwich, snack, veggie and bread bags?  Can these be recycled even if used and peppered with crumbs or peanut butter?  (I’ve already reduced the plastic bag use by choosing reusable containers for earth911.com or www.plasticbagrecycling.org. (California state law requires that stores collect plastic carryout bags for lunches, but we still use too many baggies.)

Answer: Many types of plastic bags can be recycled. These include newspaper bags, produce bags, bread bags, and "zip lock" bags (remove zipper first) can be recycled. You can find locations that will accept plastic bags at recycling, but you'll have to check with the retailer to see if they also accept other types of bags.) www.plasticbagrecycling.org site has a list of the types of plastic bags and plastic wrappers that can be recycled. In addition to the plastic bags listed above, you can also recycle plastic dry cleaning bags and plastic wrap on furniture and other purchased goods such as paper towels, napkins, and diapers. See the web site for a full list.

Plastics that CANNOT be recycled, according to www.plasticbagrecycling.org, are:

  • food or cling wrap
  • prepackaged food bags including frozen food bags (e.g., prewashed salad bags)
  • film that has been painted or has excessive glue
  • other bags or films
  • bio-based or compostable plastic bags

Make sure all bags are clean and dry before you recycle them!

Question: Our family swing set sits atop a blanket of recycled tire rubber.  Until reading the Green Guide, we thought it was the best choice (environmentally & economically).  Should we immediately swap out the rubber mulch for a natural wood product?  If so, how should we dispose it?  Can the rubber mulch be placed in the recycling container?

Answer: Tire disposal is regulated on a state by state basis, and you will have to contact your state's department of environmental protection or waste management board to find out what to do with the rubber mulch. In California, you might start with CalRecycle: www.calrecycle.ca.gov.

Past SV Moms Group Book Clubs have included:

Click here to read all about the SV Moms Group Book Club.

Comments

Receive the SV Moms Group Newsletter
Email:
For Email Newsletters you can trust

Our Sister Sites

Los Angeles Moms
NJ Moms
Deep South Moms