Stuff We Found Today - 08.29.11

[Joyce Kushner]

Floating micro-country funded by Paypal Founder

Family, Kids & Health Stuff

• Why Pregnant Women in California Have High Levels of Toxic Chemicals - (TIME) Hmmm, definitely not good!
• Alternatives to Toxic Hands Soaps at your Kid's School - (Greenwala) "Most hand soaps used by schools contain nasties like fragrance, triclosan and other nasty chemicals."
• 9 habits that my do more harm than good - (Mother Nature Network) A few things here we never really thought about before...

Food Stuff

• Keep Pesticide-Ridden Corn Off Your Dinner Plate - (Center for Environmental Health) "Monsanto’s new GMO corn, intended for the frozen and/or canned corn market. This experimental corn will not be labeled, so consumers cannot know when they may be eating a GMO food that contains a toxic pesticide in every bite." Take action.
• Cocoa's benefits linked to anti-inflammatory potential: Human data - (Confectionery News) Cool beans... cocoa beans, that is - haha!
• Hershey's Chocolate Sweatshop Sullies its Image - (InvestorGuide.com) Right here in the good ole US of A! C'mon Hershey's... it's bad enough that you don't use Fair Trade chocolate.
• The Bicycle Coffee Company: Sustainable From Bean To Cup - (Dowser) We are huge fans of these guys...and their coffee!
• Cargill pays premium millions to cocoa farmers as sustainable sourcing grows - (ConfectioneryNews.com)
• Salmon Fish Cake [Recipe] - (Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution) Mmmm...going to have to try this out this weekend!

Home Stuff

• Cat Hammock in a Box - (CatAbove.com) For cat lovers, this has to be the coolest cat gadget/accessory ever... and it's made of corrugated cardboard!
• 8 lush green rooftops from around the globe - (Mother Nature Network) These are neat to look at!

Beauty & Fashion Stuff

• Christie Brinkley Launching Vegan Skin Care Line - (Ecorazzi) Set to launch this summer...keep an eye out!
• Stick Your iPad Down Bernie Madoff's (Recycled) Pants - (Ecouterre) iPad cases made from Madoff's auctioned off pants...kind of funny.

Tech & Science Stuff

• GE's Solar Powered Carousel Opens at the South Street Seaport! - (Inhabitat) Fun!!
• Lightning Motorcycles Break 200 MPH Electric Bike Speed Record! - (Inhabitat) For all you speedster bikers...

School, College & Student Stuff

• Announcing the Global Green USA Green School Makeover Competition: A Chance to Win $65,000 to Green Your School! - (Global Green USA)
• Enter to Win Inhabitat's Green Back-To-School Contest - (Inhabitat) "Worth a whopping $1155, our back to school prize package includes a HP Pavilion dv6 laptop with Windows 7, a set of notebooks from ecosystem, a creative bundle from Behance, some sweet recycled newspaper pencils from TreeSmart, folders, tabs and more courtesy of Naked Binder, and a Voltaic Converter solar backpack to put all of it into!"

Nature & Environment Stuff

• Shell Oil Leak in North Sea Raises Memories of BP Gulf Oil Spill - (Treehugger)
• Moving Planet: A Day to Move Beyond Fossil Fuels - Coming Sep 24th... check it out!! From the guys over at 350.org.

Arts, Entertainment & Travel Stuff

• Constance Hockaday's Boggsville Boatel Turn Defunct Boats Into Floating NYC Hotels - (Inhabitat) Maybe a fun getaway with kids??

Political, Social & Economy Stuff

• Fair Trade Chocolate Activists Upload Protest Photos On Hershey's Facebook Page - (Huffington Post)

Other Random Cool Stuff

• Apple Unveils Exciting New Pictures of It's Foster & Partners Designed Green Headquarters in Cupertino! - (Inhabitat) Self-sufficient curved glass building... cool!
• Paypal Founder Peter Thiel Invests $1.25 Million to Create Floating Micro-Countries - (Inhabitat) "...building his very own start-up countries in the far off, open ocean..."

[Shane Shirley-Smith, Admin.]

I can just see him lying there bored out of his mind staring at the other sleeping kids...poor guy.  This will certainly be a cool school year for him. 

 

Tell me about how fast they grow up!!  My "baby" is 14 and a freshman taking college course already.  They really just get even more enjoyable as they grow up.  Plus, once they can bathe themselves it is heaven!!! LOL

 

[Joyce Kushner]

So far, so good. Max seems to really like his "new" school. He's been in daycare since he was 9mo, so he's pretty used to being in school all day. He's especially happy that he's not forced to lie down for naps anymore. He hasn't napped since he was 3 1/2, and says he just stares at the other kids because he can't sleep. Plus, his kinder teacher is a male, which he thinks is pretty cool. It was all female teachers in daycare.

Babies grow up way too fast!

[Shane Shirley-Smith, Admin.]

Very cool Joyce.  You will not believe how much fun you will have.  Plus, we are doing good and that always make for a great time!!  My little Hayden-Jay just started Kindergarten too.  Today she asked if she could stay home.  She loves it though, she is just so tired.  Once she gets used to going to school every single day, she will be better.  Do you like Max's teacher?

[Joyce Kushner]

That's wonderful! Max just started kindergarten this year...I'll be joining the PTA. Hope to get involved with his school as well! :)

[Shane Shirley-Smith, Admin.]

Ooh I want to submit to have our school win the $65,000!  I am working with an amazing mom on PTSA to green up our local high school and middle school.  Very time consuming but so worthwhile and rewarding.  Of course I will tweet this as I always look forward to reading your STUFF!  :)