I'm proud of the GREENING of New York State education!

In an email newsletter that I subscribe to, I was happy to learn that the Child Safe Playing Fields Act has gone into effect!

This Act was signed into law last year, by then governor David Patterson, and I urge you to read it. It is a simple four page law preventing ALL K-12 schools and ALL daycare centers from using pesticides on "any playgrounds, turf, athletic or playing fields". Spokespeople for the Education Department and Environmental Protection agency have translated "turf" to mean any grass surface (including front lawns). Please make sure to discuss this with your child's school or childcare center to ensure that they're aware - and have begun to enact this law.

If there is any question in your mind about the hazards of pesticides and what dangers your child can face if exposed, please visit Organic. It's Worth It. and read up on Pesticides 101. If you don't feel like clicking yet another link - we are busy, busy, busy - I'll give you a synopsis:

What human health problems are associated with pesticide exposure?
-Lower IQs
-ADHD
-Cancer
-Developmental disorders 
-Reproductive disorders
-Parkinson’s disease 
-Autism

"Lunchables"

With the Monkey starting at Our World Montessori next month I'm on the hunt for eco-friendly, stainless steel and glass (BPA Free, of course) lunch accessories. I've stumbled upon some great sites and am now armed with more information than I think I can sqeeze into this already overflowing-with-nonsense noggin. The best compilation of information came from Simple Kids in their aricle "Head of the Class: Eco-Friendly Lunch Containers for a Smarter Planet".

Of course, if you don't know what to pack on any given day (Okay... night. Let's get real. There's just no time in the morning.) be sure to visit Made Your Lunch which has a boatload of creative lunch ideas for you to pack that are healthy, balanced, and just obscure enough to draw attention from the other moms/kids.