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I hear conflicting information about whether organic foods are healthier or not. Now, there’s organic clothes, organic cosmetics and even organic toilet paper, and the organic stuff is more expensive than the non organic. Why should I buy organic, and do I need to buy everything organic?

There are two reasons to buy organic: for your health and for the health of the planet. In general, the more you can buy that is organic, the better off both you and the planet are, but you don’t need to go neurotic ensuring that your TP and socks are organic. Green Diva Mom recommends prioritizing high-risk organic produce, then all produce, animal products if you consume them, followed by processed foods, with non-food products being the lowest priority for organic purchase, though still worthwhile if they are certified organic, not just making unsubstantiated organic claims. (continue reading…)

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I’m committed to drinking more water, but don’t want to drink phthalates or bisphenol-a while I keep hydrated. What should I look for when choosing a reusable water bottle?

Proper hydration is one of the most important steps you can take to maintain overall wellness, and individual disposable bottles of water waste both natural resources and money compared to a reusable bottle. At home, glass is the safest choice, since as an inert substance glass doesn’t leach any plasticizers into the liquid. Around small children who may not be ready for heavier and breakable dishes, polypropylene is a safe material. (continue reading…)

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When shopping for juice boxes for my child’s lunch, I notice most of the juices contain 100% of the RDA of Vitamin C, but aren’t fortified with other vitamins. What’s with all the Vitamin C in juices I buy from the store?

Aside from fruit sugars, the main nutrient in many commercially available juices is Vitamin C, which is generally added to juice on top of whatever natural Vitamin C survives the processing. Humans are among the few animals who don’t make our own Vitamin C. Bats, guinea pigs, songbirds and the rest of the haplorrhini suborder of primates (which includes humans) don’t synthesize Vitamin C and must get it from dietary sources. Vitamin C deficiency results in scurvy, which is fatal if untreated but is rarely seen in modern times, since adequate Vitamin C intake is fairly easy with a moderate intake of fruits and vegetables. (continue reading…)

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My daughter is moving out and getting her first apartment on her own, so she needs to stock her kitchen. I want to start her off with the safest cookware possible, but the choices are overwhelming: copper, aluminum, stainless steel, enamelware, glass, iron. What kinds of pots and pans are safest?

As you suspect, cookware is not created equal. Some types of materials leach metals or other hazardous materials into the food. For energy savings, make sure that whatever cookware you choose has a tight-fitting lid. (continue reading…)

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I am at my wits end trying to make healthy and mostly raw lunches for my  boys.  I spend so much time with lunches and dinners, and after hearing you say you didn’t spend that much time preparing meals I kept asking myself, “HOW??”  We do juice and make smoothies in the vita mixer every morning and I send organic fresh fruit and carrots, celery, etc. in their lunch boxes, but when you don’t make sandwiches, this is where it gets tricky for me.  Any ideas would be so appreciated.  Dinners are laborious too!  I buy all my veggies from a local farmer. We’ve already had more kale than you could imagine.  I would love to hear how you prepare meals and lunches efficiently.  Thanks for your help. (continue reading…)

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There are some really informative, educational and entertaining green websites. Here are some diverse and important green websites you may want to check out.

1. Organic Consumers Association

This site has so much information available online or you can request email alerts and you will be up to date on all your organic news. You can read the news nationally or search by your state and see what is going on near you. This website will keep you informed about important issues you may want to support. (continue reading…)

LED lighting gives even more energy savings than compact fluorescent bulbs without using mercury.  While LED bulbs for lamps and overhead lighting remain expensive, LED-based nightlights are gaining inroads in home lighting, reducing electricity consumption for the unit by a factor of 12 at a price point comparable to incandescent fixtures.

GreenDivaMom tested three LED nightlights with photosensitive automatic shutoff features to see how they stack up against each other and a traditional 4 watt incandescent nightlight that might be in a bathroom, hallway or kid’s bedroom.  Tests assessed the function of the auto-off feature, brightness and light quality.  Style is noted as it impacts the function, but the nightlights were not ranked not purely on aesthetics, as personal style preferences vary. (continue reading…)