Archive for August, 2010

"I'm the only one in my class, no, actually, my whole grade that doesn't have a cellphone." says my eight grader one day as I was looking over the mail at the kitchen table. "Can I PLEASE get one?"

Huh, that's a bit of a dilemma, isn't it? Let me think about it.

Ok

I thought

and

absolutely, positively, No!

And you know what....I don't even feel guilty saying it.

Am I missing something? Why is my daughter the ONLY one in the entire universe without a cellphone.

It's not that I don't believe her. I know she is definitely in the minority group. According to research by C&R Research http://www.cmch.tv/mentors/hottopic.asp?id=70, 22 percent of young children own a cellphone (ages 6-9), 60 percent of tweens (ages 10-14), and 84 percent of teens (ages 15-18). What is it that compels every parent I know to get their kids their very own cellphone? Is it really necessary? Do kids/teens really need a phone at their disposal at all times? Is it really that important to their social lives that they ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NEED A CELLPHONE?

It's not that I'm totally against it. I realize that they are a useful tool in case of emergency and all, but beyond that, isn't it really just another electronic gadget? The "in" thing?

I know I have many questions, but I'm seriously perplexed. What am I missing? What am I not seeing? Am I considered a bad parent for sticking to my guns and telling her that she's just going to have to wait until she can afford to pay for it herself? The way I look at it is this: When any one of my children sees something they want and NEED it, NEED it, NEED it, I always tell them this - You can ask Santa, request it as a birthday gift or save up for it. I see this cellphone issue as no different. Do you?

I'll take two please!

You know what the best afternoon pick-me-up is? That's right, chocolate. And do you know what's even better than plain old chocolate? Yes, fair trade chocolate.

Last week, Cadbury announced that its Fair Trade Certified Cadbury Dairy Milk delicious chocolate bars are finally available in Canada. When a product is fair trade certified it means that the farmers or artisans who help make the product are paid a fair wage, allowed to join unions and provided good housing. The term also guarantees that no child or forced labour was used.

I'm happy that I can now guiltlessly add Cadbury Dairy Milk to my rotation of, um, nutritious snacks.

The kind folks at Cadbury sent me three fair trade chocolate bars. It's the perfect snack for a overcast Monday afternoon. And you know what? I'm not going to share them. I would with you, though, if you were here. But your not and that's too bad ... for you.

What's your favourite fair trade product? Mine's chocolate. Could you tell?

I have a confession to make. It's a little embarrassing and I don't know what to do about it. They say the first step is to admit it, so here goes...

1, Teresa Sousa, am a reality show junkie!

AND

not only am I addicted, I think my whole family is too.

Just the other night, my sweet, little innocent Hailey (ok, maybe not always sweet and innocent - sometimes we actually refer to her as Hailstorm, but for the purpose of this post and the fact that I am the one feeling guilty about corrupting my children, she is indeed the sweet little innocent Hailey) came flying down the stairs when she heard the opening theme song to Big Brother "It's starting mom, why didn't you call me?" I never knew she could move so fast. Jumping on the couch, she says "Did they play the games yet?" What the ????? Is she an addict too? As I scan the living room, all family members accounted for, I realize that we just might very well have a problem here.

Shamelessly, I/we hereby admit to not missing a single episode (heck, I even PVR them) of

Big Brother - it's great for summer night viewing

Survivor - although we have to wait until the fall, darn!

and, shhh, it's a secret, The Bachelorette

It really is my/our guilty pleasure. Reality show nights put me in fast forward, crazy mom mode. After throwing dinner together,  half-heartedly listening to their stories of the days events, after dinner clean-up and throwing in a load of laundry in, I can't believe it nearing the 8pm hour. Uggg! Quick. Put coffee pot on. Sit on couch. Ahhh. I did it. Just in time. And then...they all start strolling in.

Those darn reality show producers. They have me hooked and I've taken the youngens down with me. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2804808/the_five_phases_of_reality_show_addiction.html?cat=7.

What do I do now? How do I break the cycle? I can't even think right now. I have no time for this. I have to bathe the Hailstorm in 10 minutes flat. The Bachelorette is about to begin.

Did you join me for yesterday's Q&A with David Suzuki's Queen of Green, Lindsay Coulter? Are you eagerly waiting to hear about her biggest green pet peeve? I sure am. Without further ado, here's what Lindsay had to say about green pet peeves and the one eco act you should take on.

Lindsay Coulter in her kitchen / Photo by Brooke MacDonald

CanadianLiving.com: Is going green a challenge?
Lindsay Coulter: Nope. It's about quality of life, plus everybody is doing -- so get on board today! Of course, you don't need to know it all, that's what I'm here for. To stay in the loop on all things "green", subscribe to my blog, join me on Facebook or send your question to my column featured every Monday in the Metro. It’s that easy.

CL: What's your biggest green pet peeve?
LC: There are so many, but recently I'm onto the idea of recycling less. Sounds weird, I know. But just think about it for a second. If your blue bin spilleth over every week, maybe you need to start watching what you buy. Already a light shade of green? Maybe you want to move to a darker shade and this is a great place to start. Think about smarter consumer choices -- reduce the amount of packaging you're bringing home, the first "R" after all is REDUCE. Then, think about what you can REUSE before you throw it in the blue bin. When you can fine tune the three "Rs" at home it can bring great insight into your consumptive habits, for the better.

CL: If you could urge everyone to do one green act, what would it be?
LC: Eat more vegetarian meals. Only four per cent of North Americans are vegetarians. Just think, if everyone had a few more vegetarian meals a week it would go a long way to reducing our huge footprint.

I'm sure you're all frequent visitors to David Suzuki's website. And if so, you've come across the Queen of Green's blog. On her blog, Lindsay Coulter - David Suzuki's Queen of Green - offers fabulous tips for leading a green and healthy life. I got to chat with Lindsay about what set her on the path to green living and her first BIG green act. Here's what she had to say.

Queen of Green Linsday Coulter / Photo by Brooke MacDonald

CanadianLiving.com: When did you first start showing dedication to helping the environment?
Lindsay Coulter: I've always been a nature and animal lover. When I was nine I remember being asked by aunts and uncles "Lindsay, what do you want to be when you grow up?" I had thought about being a farmer with lots of horses, or a veterinarian. But instead, I said "One day David Suzuki and I will be like this" and I crossed my fingers. I didn't really know what David Suzuki did for a living. I just knew from watching the Nature of Things that he liked animals and was passionate about saving the planet.

CL: Do you remember your first green act?
LC: Sheesh! I mean, I was concerned about the planet long before the term "green" had anything to do with reducing your footprint on the earth. I spent time in nature as a kid, walked to school during my elementary years, went vegetarian at the age of 16, sold my car at 29, and bought a house in a walkable neighbourhood. But perhaps the biggest one that thrust me into the limelight (pardon the pun) was my "green" wedding.

CL: Tell us about it.
LC: My husband and I planned a green wedding in the fall of 2006. We sourced local and seasonal food, sustainable seafood, local wine and beer, local flowers, and purchased carbon offsets for guests' travel – to name a few details. (You can read more about planning your own green wedding here.)

CL: What scares you the most about the state of our planet?
LC: Not much. I'm an optimist. My job as David Suzuki's Queen of Green means I have the privilege of hearing from Canadians on a daily basis about the amazing things they are doing at home, at work, in their communities, and how they're inspiring others too. When you're surrounded by positive thinkers, it's not hard to have hope.

Come back tomorrow for the rest of our Q&A with Lindsay. You'll find out her biggest green pet peeve.

You can keep up to date with the Queen of Green blog here.

What green or eco blogs do you follow?

If you find yourself wondering what to do this weekend, why don't you try one of these eco-friendly activities below?

1. Visit a farmer's market. Support your local farmers by buying your meat and produce from stalls at a farmer's market. Buy something new and unusual and learn how to make a new dish.

2. Go for a bike ride. This weekend, hang up the car keys and hop on your bike. Cycling is a great way to explore your city, and get some exercise at the same time.

3. Have a picnic in your local park. Bring your kids, partner or friends to the park for a picnic and enjoy a few hours with Mother Nature. Or just bring a book and enjoy some time with yourself!

4. Make something. You're on a quest to become more self-sustainable, right? So stick it to the man and make something you'd typically buy at the grocery store. Try your own ketchup or barbecue sauce and show it off at your next family dinner. Or, take advantage of the season's beautiful bounty and get canning and jamming

5. Turn off the AC. Get out of your house and turn the air conditioner off before you leave. There are plenty of activities you can do that will keep you cool on a hot summer's day. Go for ice cream, take the family to a local pool or head to your town's art gallery or museum to check out the latest exhibit.

What green activities do you love to do on the weekends?