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You care about the environment and also your family’s health. So it’s time to embrace eco-friendly child care!

Many daycare and child-care centers around the U.S. are embracing eco-friendly ways, and it’s not a day too soon. That’s why we’re building a huge directory of eco-friendly child care centers around the country. We have over 120 listed so far and we’re adding more every day. Check them out! And if you know of one you’d like to add, please send us an email to feedback@lowimpactliving.com.

The State of Oregon’s Environmental Council has taken a pioneering role in certifying child-care centers with their Eco-Healthy Child Care program.  Child care facilities qualify as “Eco-Healthy” by completing a 25-element checklist that highlights 25 steps facilities can take to ensure a safe place for children. Eco-healthy child care centers commit to reducing a child’s exposure to toxins and other environmental health hazards. 

As you know, children’s little lungs and respiratory systems are particularly sensitive to toxins and irritants in cleaners, carpeting, furniture and other elements. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to indoor air quality when children are in the mix.  You need to be able to rest assured that your daycare center uses non-toxic cleaners and is careful about outdoor and other pollutants that might come in from landscaping, street care, etc.

The Eco-Healthy Child Care checklist includes questions about cleaning toxins, lead paint, furniture, plastic toys, recycling and more.  Take the checklist to your current daycare facility and have them fill it out– it will be illuminating for you as a parent and may inspire them to take positive action!

We hope you can find a great facility near you– and please continue to check back here at Low Impact Living as we will be adding centers frequently.  Here’s to healthy kids and a healthy planet!

We’ve written before here at Low Impact Living about the relationship between meat consumption and global warming.  The sad truth is that the raising and distribution of meat is a major contributor to our global warming crisis. 

However, beef is by far the worst of the meats from an environmental perspective.  According to an excellent new article in Scientific American, beef contributes more than 13 times as much to global warming as do the gases emitted from producing chicken. And it’s even more shocking when you compare beef to potatoes– the multiplier is 57.

The article, by Nathan Fiala, highlights some other alarming facts. For example:

• Producing the meat eaten by an average American each year produces the equivalent greenhouse gases as driving a car 1,800 miles
• Meat production is responsible for between 14 and 22 percent of the 36 Billion tons of greenhouse gases we produce on Earth each year

Please read the entire article How Meat Contributes to Global Warming here.

Here at Low Impact Living are big advocates for residential renewable energy. We’d like to see every home in the US being fed by solar, wind and/or geothermal power.  (And we hope that President Obama will be driving to make that vision a reality!)

But we also understand that very few of us Americans can afford $20,000+ for an installation of a solar PV system– especially these days!  That’s why we’re always on the look out for ways people can save on solar. So when I heard about what 1 Block Off the Grid (1BOG) is trying to do, I was intrigued.

1 Block Off the Grid (1BOG) is based in San Francisco, but they are launching a nationwide effort to create community-based buying clubs for solar power.  They claim that, “By aggregating consumers and negotiating on their behalf we take the fear out of buying new green technologies, decrease the purchase price, and increase the adoption rate of these technologies.” 

If you’ve ever gotten and compared quotes for a solar installation, you know it can indeed be confusing and intimidating. Having a group discount negotiated by a third party sounds like a great idea to us.

1BOG did one set of installations in San Francisco in 2008, and they are just getting their 2009 group ready for another round. They are working with SolarCity for the new installations there.  The 1BOG website says they are launching a group for Los Angeles in February 2009.  Sign up quick!

I did some research and it seems that one of the participants in 1BOG’s inaugural program in San Francisco cut 43 percent off list price, according to co-founder Sylvia Ventura. But that is not necessarily a standard savings. For the average participant it would probably be closer to about 20 percent off.  For a $25,000 solar system, you could save $5,000 — and you’ll get additional goverment rebates as well.  Not too shabby!

We also want to remind everyone to always consider a solar hot water system if a solar electric system is too expensive.  Solar hot water systems cost in the $4-6K range and will still save you a TON off of your power bills. 

Also, to find a solar installer near you click here.  You can also get quotes for wind power and geothermal power, depending on where you live.

Yesterday I got to check out the Go Green Expo at the LA Convention Center– and wanted to let you know that it’s running all weekend and open to the public.  If you’re near the area, check it out!

The Go Green Expo has many exhibitors and speakers, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re into large-scale renewable energy, there are solar and wind options for you to see.  If you’re into organic soaps and vintage fashions, you’re covered too. It’s quite a fascinating mix!

One company I really enjoyed visiting is SolaRover.  SolaRover provides big solar panel set-ups on mobile carts.  They can provide electricity for all types of commercial, industrial and emergency applications.  Need some solar at your concert? Your school? Your natural disaster? Check.

Another company I loved seeing was Green Roots. They build green roofs and walls. (If you don’t know why green roofs are so great, click here.) The demo models they had at the show were of gorgeous succulents– I could just see them glowing green on a roof. They also provide green plant “walls” or “screens” for events. They are pretty cool.

I’m sorry to have to go negative, but I saw one company that made me sad.  There is a guy with a booth who is promoting green models– yes, female models– supposedly for green events and promotions.  His materials show a lot of leggy blonde ladies wearing short green dresses.  Really? Is that what the green movement is all about?  Perhaps he should go to the Detroit Auto Show.

Yesterday I got to check out the Go Green Expo at the LA Convention Center– and wanted to let you know that it’s running all weekend and open to the public.  If you’re near the area, check it out!

The Go Green Expo has many exhibitors and speakers, so there’s something for everyone. If you’re into large-scale renewable energy, there are solar and wind options for you to see.  If you’re into organic soaps and vintage fashions, you’re covered too. It’s quite a fascinating mix!

One company I really enjoyed visiting is SolaRover.  SolaRover provides big solar panel set-ups on mobile carts.  They can provide electricity for all types of commercial, industrial and emergency applications.  Need some solar at your concert? Your school? Your natural disaster? Check.

Another company I loved seeing was Green Roots. They build green roofs and walls. (If you don’t know why green roofs are so great, click here.) The demo models they had at the show were of gorgeous succulents– I could just see them glowing green on a roof. They also provide green plant “walls” or “screens” for events. They are pretty cool.

I’m sorry to have to go negative, but I saw one company that made me sad.  There is a guy with a booth who is promoting green models– yes, female models– supposedly for green events and promotions.  His materials show a lot of leggy blonde ladies wearing short green dresses.  Really? Is that what the green movement is all about?  Perhaps he should go to the Detroit Auto Show.