Thursday, July 16, 2009

World’s Oldest Mom Dies; Toddlers Orphaned

by Teresa

Remember the story of the world’s oldest mom? It made headlines around the world a few years ago.

Maria del Carmen Bousada of Spain sold her home to pay for fertility treatments. She lied to doctors at a clinic in California and told them she was 55—the age that’s the cutoff for treatment at the clinic.
In fact, she was 66 years old when her twin boys were born in 2006.  She was named the Guiness World Record holder for “oldest mother” when her true age was verified.

Now she’s dead from cancer at the age of 69, and because she used donated eggs and sperm, her children are parentless.  Reportedly, some other relatives are working to make arrangements for the care of the children… who are just two and a half years old.

Read more in this story from the Associated Press.

A lot of the chatter in the newsroom when this story came out focused on exactly this scenario: the likelihood that a woman in her 60s would die, leaving the children in the care of others at a very young age.  Many of my coworkers felt Bousada was making a selfish decision to have children, when there was a good chance she’d die before they reached adulthood.  I have to say that I agree.  Sure, there’s always a chance that something unforeseen will happen to the parents of young children, no matter what age. Car accidents and illnesses claim the lives of many mothers and fathers.  But by giving birth at age 66, without a spouse or partner, Bousada virtually assured that her sons would be orphaned, early in life.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

*Hug*

by Teresa

So there’s an article in the New York Times that kind of makes me shake my head a little.  The tone of the piece implies that hugging is a brand-new phenomenon, or at least a very recent phenomenon, among high school students. It talks about how teens use hugs as a greeting, how they hug in hallways between classes.  It contains the sort of reactions you’d expect from some people who think teens shouldn’t be doing all this hugging, as well as references to some schools that try to ban hugging.
I know nothing about the reporter whose byline is on the story, but I just have to wonder a bit about her, and the editors who worked on her story. Obviously someone thought this “hugging thing” was some sort of big news flash.
I disagree.  Kids hugged in my high school all the time (and I was not in high school recently).  We hugged at school, out of school, in between classes, at after-school activities, etc.  We hugged at church.  All my close friends hugged me and hugged each other… you know, because we liked each other.  And we were friends.
So, was my high school really so unusual?  Is it really so astonishing that friends hug each other?  Are there high schools where teens never hugged?  I don’t think so. 
At least one blogger feels the same way: Brett Singer of Babble’s “Strollerderby” blog.  Here’s what he had to say about it.  He points out that banning or regulating hugs (with a “three-second” rule!) will probably just make kids want to do MORE hugging.  And I’m quite sure he’s right.
I also think, frankly, there are far more serious things to worry about where teenagers are concerned.  Drugs, alcohol, peer pressure, school standards, standardized testing, bullying… just to name a few.  Maybe we ought to leave the huggers alone, and focus on some of the more important issues teenagers face every day.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Cutesy Pink Ouija?

by Teresa

I can’t decide whether I should be amused, dismayed, or appalled by this one. Possibly a mix of all those reactions.
Hasbro is making its Ouija Board pink… for girls… it even comes with a cute carrying case! Like a little Ouija purse!  And there’s a deck of cards with burning questions like “Will I be famous someday?“
I came across this post yesterday on the A.V. Club Website—which is published by The Onion—a news “spoof” website.  Because of the source, at first, I wasn’t sure whether the whole thing was a joke.
But I did a quick internet search, and, sure enough: here’s the cutesy pink Ouija for sale at ToysRUs.com.
Is it just me?  Or is this a little ridiculous?  Perhaps I am overreacting.  I remember slumber parties with Ouija boards when I was a young girl.  It was popular when I was in junior high.  Part of the fun, back then, was the creepiness of the basic concept: lighting candles, whispering… asking questions and getting answers from the spirit world!  Ooooh!  Scary!  Right? 
Then again, my friends and I did sometimes ask the Ouija which boys liked us, and which ones we’d marry someday. So, maybe the pink isn’t so bad for members of today’s “Hanna Montana” generation who want to find out who among them will be famous someday.
And maybe it’s best for the whole thing to be silly, not scary. 
After all, the Ouija rarely did give accurate answers, anyway.  I never did marry that cute blond boy from my math class.
 

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

The Best Test

by Kelly

Calling all parents of small children! Time to update your baby book! Remember that chore you began before your eldest was born? There was a time when your little precious was the entire sun of your family orbit with their infant needs. You swore you’d keep it up to date and fill in every line in an effort to recall every “Da-da” and diaper. Your spare time while your little precious napped would be dedicated, in part, to this token of memorabilia. OK. You can stop laughing now. How many years ago was that anyway?

Present day, it’s hard to fit family time in your child’s schedule, never mind yours. Our strong parent-offspring connections may need a refresher. (Especially if you refer to the warm family fuzzies as the “parent-offspring connection.”)

My dear friend Beth sent me this Mommy Quiz. Beth’s whip-smart seven year old son answered the quiz and his answers were remarkable. These simple questions revealed how he views the world and feels about his mother. It showed off his sense of humor and let his smarts shine. It demonstrated the level of comfort and security he has in his relationship with Beth. This test showed what he values and how he truly appreciates her as his mom. Good stuff!

Then it hit me! It is a wonderful method for strengthening the family bonds, as well as a terrific gift idea!

You can use the back cover of your baby book to make a great addition to the memories. Be sure to record your child’s age when quizzed, the date, and be sure to write out the questions as well as the answers. The insight gained will be priceless when your little angel is taller than you. The quiz should take about twenty minutes.

Here it is:
Ask your child the questions and write down exactly how they respond.
1. What is something mom always says to you?
2. What makes mom happy?
3. What makes mom sad?
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
5. What was your mom like as a child?
6. How old is your mom?
7. How tall is your mom?
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
11. What is your mom really good at?
12. What is your mom not very good at?
13. What does your mom do for her job?
14. What is your mom’s favorite food?
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
17. What do you and your mom do together?
18. How are you and your mom the same?
19. How are you and your mom different?
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
21. Where is your mom’s favorite place to go?

The gift idea here is to substitute “mom” with another family member. I plan to do this with “dad” in place of “mom” for my husband for Father’s Day. You can quiz them about their siblings and grandparents – imagine the answers! If you know a special mom, you can ask her child these questions and record the answers for a super special gift.

Of course, the time actually talking with the child, and being truly interested in their thoughts and feelings and perceptions is the real gift here. Not just for you but for them. The quiz is twenty minutes of your undivided attention. When was the last time they had that?

So if you’re starting to feel little more than a chauffeur, maid and chef to your little precious, take twenty minutes to see how you really are so much more to them. I suspect their perspective may change yours. 
Cheers!

Kelly

Monday, February 02, 2009

Kids, Germs,  & Dirt

by Teresa

Most people who know me well are pretty aware of my germ phobia.  I don’t know where it came from, but I do know it’s fairly recent.  It certainly got a boost when I had children.

Anyone who’s been in a public restroom when I’ve taken my kids to use the bathroom has heard me saying, “Don’t touch anything!  Don’t touch anything! DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING!“—in escalating tones of concern and panic—I admit it.

And I’m known for somewhat obsessively using anti-bacterial wipes to clean my keyboard and phone at work (computers here in our newsroom are shared by co-workers); I always carry Purell in my purse.

So several people saw this article in the New York Times and emailed it to me, right away.  I have two comments on this one.  First, I agree that kids do need to be exposed to “dirt.“  I never worried too much about them chewing on leaves in the backyard, or getting sand in their mouths at the beach.  I believe the experts who say it’s good for kids to grow up with animals because being exposed to pet “germs” is good for their immune system development.  It’s really mostly germs from other HUMANS that bother me, not the stuff you find outdoors.  I don’t freak out when they pet the neighbors’ dogs.

But I have to say, this quote from a doctor in the article, “Children should be allowed to go barefoot in the dirt, play in the dirt, and not have to wash their hands when they come in to eat,” kind of made me shudder.  Not wash hands before eating?  Dirty hands on food?  That’s just a bit too much for me to handle.  We’ll stick to using our child-friendly, fruity, foamy soap before meals, thank you very much. 

Monday, January 26, 2009

My Rockin’ Family

by Kelly

Remember the summer? Summer is the best time of year for building family memories, at least it is for my family. We’d stay up late and be outside on weekends. We roasted more marshmallows than I could imagine, twirled glow sticks on long strings, and caught fireflies. Then it got colder and the family fun we looked forward to every weekend evaporated.

So my husband and I started “Game Night.” Every Friday we would haul out Monopoly and play until my 5 year old fell asleep in his chair. We’d leave the board exactly as it was and resume the game in the morning. We loved it! We had so much fun, and aside from my butt falling asleep from sitting for so long on our wooden kitchen chairs, it was just perfect.

After a few months, though, our super-fun family night was getting a little stale. So my technologically-addicted husband came home with an XBox 360.

Needless to say, the boys all had a great time with the variety of games that also came home with the Xbox. The problem was that there wasn’t a game that all 4 of us wanted to play together. I’d play Marvel Ultimate Alliance with the boys while my husband would play The Bigs and Halo3 with them. Our warm and fuzzy Friday nights had deteriorated into the kids determining which parent got to play with them.

About a month ago, I escorted my 7 year old to a classmate’s birthday party. They too had an Xbox 360. The game they were playing was just plain cool! It was Rock Band, a game created by Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., an MTV Networks company.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Rock Band, it comes with a drum kit, guitar and a microphone. The goal is to work together with someone on each instrument to complete a song with high accuracy. The screen during the selected song has designated areas for each instrument to follow including a lyric track for the singer.  You can even customize your member of the band, complete with hometown, hair color, body art and clothing.

Now on Friday nights you’ll find my husband on guitar, me on the drums, and the boys take turns belting out songs that are like old friends to my husband and me. My 5 year old sings “In Bloom” by Nirvana, and my 7 year old sings “Roxanne” by the Police. He also nailed “Tom Sawyer” by Rush, which we got as part of a downloadable content pack. My 5 year old blew us away with “Learn to Fly” by the Foo Fighters. “Vaseline” by Stone Temple Pilots and “Buddy Holly” by Weezer are other popular choices at home. My Dad comes by occasionally to sing “Margaritaville” by Jimmy Buffett and attempt the Roy Orbison downloadable content pack.

After we get the kids to bed, my husband and I use the game like a karaoke machine and butcher popular songs in the convenience and comfort of our own home. Good times!

Evidently our family Rock Band nights aren’t that unique. It’s pretty natural that Rock Band has caught on with families; take this technology author’s story on NPR, for example. 

Families have been rocking out for decades when you think about it. There are the Osmonds, the Jackson 5, the Partridge Family (OK that last one is stretching a wee bit huh?), but, you get the idea.

On a related note, my sons begged for, and are now taking, guitar lessons because of this game. They badger their teacher to show them how to play songs they hear and like. They’re working on “Iron Man” by Black Sabbath right now. They heard it in the movie this past summer and since it’s not in the game, they’re learning it on the guitar for real. Who would’ve guessed Rock Band could prove to be educational? It had inspired a love of music from many decades as well as from a large variety of genres for my kids. Thank you MTV!

We really look forward to the winter weekends this year, especially since Santa brought us Rock Band 2 for Christmas. We still miss warm summer nights, but Rock Band has taken the chill off the mid-winter blues.

Now if we could only agree on a name for our band.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Well-Written Objection to Abstinence Education

by Teresa

I’ve written in this space before about the issue of teens having sex… and the stubborn view of some adults who think they can eradicate teen pregnancy and STD’s simply by telling kids… not to have sex.  It’s an unrealistic, and (according to many reports and studies) ineffective, unsuccessful approach.  Recently a blogger on Babble.com, a parenting website, took on the topic of abstinence education and she expressed her objections so well, I just had to share them here. It’s simply one of the best arguments against abstinence-only education that I’ve read in a long time.

Katie Allison Granju writes the blog called Home/Work ... she also writes a couple other blogs and has written parenting books.  Recently her daughter’s school notified parents of their intention to begin a program of abstinence-based sex education.  Admirably, Granju did not stay silent.  She sent a letter to the school explaining why she believes it’s a bad idea.

She calls her post, “Abstinence, meet a mama who objects,“ and I’d like to quote one of the best passages: “Your letter introducing the program states that the teens will learn that sex outside of marriage has ‘consequences’ that include STDs, unplanned pregnancy and ‘heartbreak.‘  In fact, these things are not consequences of sex outside of marriage, but the consequences of physically unsafe or emotionally unwise sexual activity. Marriage does not prevent ANY of these negative consequences, and to suggest otherwise is misleading.“

I couldn’t agree more with that, and several of her other points as well.  If you have a teenager, check out what she has to say on the topic.  She really makes a great argument.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Resolutions.

by Teresa

Hello, readers:
Kelly and I had busy holidays and some vacation days thrown in there so the posts have been a little sparse lately!
But, I’ve been meaning to write a bit about my New Year’s Resolutions. 
So here’s a quick look, for those of you who may be interested:

Sure, I want to do all the usual, like eat healthy foods and get more exercise.  But there are a couple things I’m hoping to accomplish that are a little less typical, I think.

I’d like to be more “green” in the New Year.  I’m keeping up with my reusable bag habit.  I’ve decided I need more grocery store bags because often, the ones I have get filled, and I end up taking home some plastic bags, too.  I’ve also changed my grocery shopping routine a bit, so that after all the food is put away, I don’t consider the task “finished” until I fold up the bags and put them back in my car.  Otherwise, I’m likely to end up zipping to the store on the way home from work, and not realizing until I get there, that I don’t have the reusable bags with me.

I am hoping to get my all of my photos into actual photo albums.  This will never happen.  I’m setting myself up to fail here, because like many parents, I take hundreds of photos of my children.  They’re all organized and saved in the computer, of course.  It’s just actually getting them printed that’s my problem.  I know I won’t be able to catch up on all the photos that aren’t in albums yet.  But I hope to get some of them done.  And here’s my plan for moving forward: I hope to manage to print out at least the best dozen or so photos from each month, at the end of each month, and get those in an album.  So at least there will be something there to commemorate the big events.

Finally, and this may sound like a strange resolution for a journalist, but I’m going to try to communicate more!  Not on the job, where I do plenty of communicating, thank you very much.  I want to do more to stay in touch with the important people in my life.  To this end, I’ve done a couple of things.  I have finally learned how to text message!  I’m sure 20-somethings may be rolling their eyes as they read that, but until now, I just hadn’t done it.  At all.  Now I have a phone contract that includes texting, and I’ve found I actually enjoy using it for little things, like sending quick “Happy Birthday” messages to friends.  I’m quite certain I’ll never reach a point where I’m texting all day long like some people do, but it’s nice to have this option, now. 

I’ve also joined Facebook. This is something I have been resisting for quite some time now.  I finally decided to give in a few days ago.  (A couple of days after I joined, Slate published a great article on “reasons why people should join Facebook.“)  So far, I have about 25 “friends” and I’ve had some very happy experiences: “finding” people I used to know in college, learning new things about people I know. And I’ve had some experiences that are a bit mystifying, bordering on annoying: people I hardly know, and even some total strangers trying to “friend” me for reasons unfathomable.  But all in all, speaking here after just a few days with it, I think it’s going to be a worthwhile experience.

Finally, in the midst of all this computer and cell phone technology, I’ve vowed to hand-write at least one letter or note, per week, to someone I care about… and send it through the U.S. Mail.  I like this new goal the best of all my resolutions.  I bought some new, nice stationery, and I am really looking forward to quiet moments spent writing, each week, throughout the year.

By the way, this week on turnto10.com, we asked people how they’re doing on their resolutions.  More than 600 of you answered our survey, and here’s how the numbers ended up: 68% of you said you don’t make resolutions in the first place!  20% of you said you’ve stuck to them so far (good for you).  About 9% said you’ve broken your resolutions, but you’re not giving up, and will keep trying.  But 4% of you said you broke your resolutions, and that’s it, you’re giving up!

Only time will tell whether I’ll succeed with mine or not. 
If you’ve made resolutions, good luck with yours—and belatedly, Kelly and I wish you all a very Happy 2009.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Well, Now I Know.

by Teresa

I have to admit, I’ve never understood why anyone would really need to drive a Hummer in Rhode Island.

But on Saturday, at the Warwick Mall, in the parking lot, I heard an engine roar, just behind my car, and then I saw a Hummer screech out into the oncoming traffic lane (luckily, no other cars were traveling in that lane at that moment).  The huge truck then cut a sharp turn up over a section of curbing, crashing onto a median that separated the travel lane from the parking space.  It launched up over the curb, and lurched into a parking spot on the other side of that median, slamming to a stop right in front of another car whose owner had been waiting patiently to get into that spot, as another vehicle pulled out.  (Thankfully, that other car wasn’t close enough to get crushed by the gigantic, gas-guzzling behemoth.)

So.  I guess.  Now I know.  Some people apparently need to drive enormous, pseudo-military-assault vehicles… in order to cheat other people out of parking spots when the mall is crowded with Christmas shoppers.

Happy Holidays.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Discouraging News about College (Un)Affordability

by Teresa

How’s this for a disheartening headline?  In the New York Times: “College May Become Unaffordable for Most in U.S. “  

And, from Babble.com (a great site for parents who want to kill a little time reading stuff online, by the way), check out this list of The 3 Most Common Mistakes in Saving for College .  I’m guilty of at least two out of the three.. especially the third one: Getting Discouraged.  My oldest kid is only in first grade, the youngest only in preschool, and I already feel like it will be impossible to pay for a good college education for either of my children.  Stories like the NYT article above are not helping me feel any more optimistic. 

Monday, November 24, 2008

Except Your Local News, Of Course.

by Teresa

A new study evaluated the things happy people do versus the things unhappy people do.
They found one major difference: TV watching.  Happy people watch LESS TV than unhappy people.
Check out The New York Times article about the study.
If you’re an avid TV watcher, however, take heart: there’s a “chicken and the egg” aspect to this story.  It’s not a clear cause-and-effect.  Study authors weren’t sure whether watching TV made people more unhappy, or whether unhappy people just ended up sitting at home watching TV.  They did note that happier people spent more time on social activities, visiting people and participating in group activities.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Hallelujah!  Product Packaging That You Can Actually Open.

by Teresa

This is a true story: We actually have a gift someone gave us for one of the kids, years ago, that we’ve never used, that is still in its packaging.  The contents are delicate, but the plastic around it is practically impenetrable.  My husband and I have both tried to open it.  We’ve both cut our hands on plastic shards.  But we’ve only made a small hole—not big enough to get the object out.  We don’t want to do something really rough with it, for fear of breaking the object inside. 
We talked, at one point, about bringing the hedge clippers in from the garage to finish cracking the darn thing open, but ultimately, we just shelved it.  And there it sits.  Three years later.
That’s one reason why I was so happy to read this article in the New York Times.
The story also talks about the tiny wire twisty ties, and their insidious counterparts, the clear elastic bands, that secure every single teeny tiny part of every toy that comes in a box with a clear platic front.  The tiny plastic pets my daughter likes, for example.  They come in sealed plastic bubbles attached to cardboard backing.  Clearly, the toy is not going anywhere until you get it open.  Still, the cute little things are each strapped in with a half-dozen elastic bands that have to be twisted, untangled, pried off or stretched and cut before you can actually hand the toy to the child.
I think it’s a great idea to simplify the packaging on toys and other products.  As an added bonus, if manufacturers get on board with this idea, they’ll also be kinder to the environment.  Fewer packing materials = less garbage going to landfills!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Christmas Confession

by Teresa

I have a confession to make.  There are holiday music CDs in the CD player in my car right now.
This represents a 180-degree turn from my attitude on the subject, at Halloween time.  The night of Halloween, after the trick-or-treating was over, when I went to pick up something at my neighborhood CVS, I was appalled to see that most of the Halloween candy and decorations were gone from the middle aisles, and workers were already stocking those shelves with stacks and stacks of candy canes, bags of Christmas candy, and Christmas ornaments.  I was further astonished when I stopped at Wal-Mart the following day, and there was Christmas music playing over the speakers.  On the day after Halloween?  Really?  Isn’t that just a bit too soon to be thinking about the holidays?
Many of our viewers felt it was, indeed, too soon, as we discovered when we posted a “Question of the Day” on turnto10.com asking people to weigh in on a local radio station’s decision to switch over to its “all holiday music, all the time” format.  2,388 people, 87% of those who responded, said it’s too early!  Just 366 people, 13%, thought it was a good time to start listening to Christmas carols.  ( The program director says B101 wants to “spread some cheer” during these tough economic times.  Click here to see more about B101’s Christmas programming. )
I don’t know exactly what happened to change my mind, but a “holiday” sort of mood crept up on me last week. 
I resisted the impulse for a while, but now I am confessing: I have Christmas music turned up nice and loud, and I’m singing along as I drive. 
I watched “Frosty the Snowman” with my kids over the weekend. 
And that’s not all: I also found myself gazing, longingly, at the illuminated reindeer and brightly colored lights on display at various stores.  I’ve found myself wondering how much longer I need to wait before I start decorating.
So, there you have it!  I’m officially in the “holiday spirit.“  Bring on the jingle bells, boughs of holly, and cups of hot chocolate.  I’m ready.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Guns & Common Sense.

by Teresa

Let me be clear: No, I do not believe all guns should be illegal.  Yes, I steadfastly support people’s right to own guns, and to hunt animals for the purpose of feeding their families, or even just for sport (PETA probably hates me).
However, there needs to be some level of common sense applied to the rules about the types of guns that people can own… and to what sort of activities are allowed at gun shows, and to the age at which children are allowed to participate in those activities.
There is no argument in the world that can convince me that average Americans need the “right” to own Uzis.  Or that people need Uzis to hunt.  Or that they ought to be sold at gun shows.  Or that children should be allowed to fire Uzis at gun shows (the NRA probably hates me as much as PETA does). 

So.  Why am I risking the wrath of the NRA?
Because this story saddened me so much that I couldn’t stay silent. 
From the Associated Press today, a story about a gun show in Westfield, Massachusetts (quoting here):
“An 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair…  The boy was with a certified instructor and ‘was shooting the weapon down range when the force of the weapon made it travel up and back toward his head, where he suffered the injury,‘ a police statement said. Police called it a ‘self-inflicted accidental shooting.‘“
Here’s a link to the full article from the Associated Press.

I will only say two more things: first, I offer my condolences to the family of that little boy who died so tragically, so needlessly.

And secondly: there’s no such thing as being “too careful” where guns are concerned.  Even when safety measures are followed (as they were, by all accounts, in this case), gun accidents happen. I’m not telling anyone what to decide, but I do hope anyone planning a family trip to a gun show in the near future will read this article, and think about this little boy’s death, and thoughtfully consider the risks. 

Greenspiration

by Teresa

I can’t remember where I read it, but there was a little blurb, not a full article, just a single sentence, in the corner of a page of a magazine.  It said a recent survey showed that college students are pretty “green”—mindful of the environment, consistent with recycling, etc.—but can you guess which group is even “greener?“  Moms.
Since I can’t remember the source, Google hasn’t been able to help me find out more.  So I don’t know if the survey had any questions about WHY moms are so “green.“  If I had to guess, I would say it probably has something to do with us wanting to make the world a better place for our kids.

I think I may have mentioned this before, in this blog space, but at my house, we DO try to do what we can to be mindful of our consumption and of recycling.  I long ago switched to making coffee at home in the morning, partly because it’s cheaper than hitting the drive-through of the big coffee-and-donut chain each day on the way to work, but ALSO because I felt guilty about the sheer number of styrofoam cups I was throwing in the trash. 
And we recycle everything we can. 
I’ve also recently started shopping with those re-usable bags instead of plastic bags.  (Though I will admit there are certain things at the grocery store—meat & chicken, for example—that I still put in plastic bags, every time.) 
And, we switched this year to re-usable water bottles in the kids’ school lunches instead of the disposable kind. 
I think I probably fall somewhere in the middle in the spectrum of “Green” Americans.  I care enough to make an effort, but I readily admit I COULD be doing more. 
There are a lot of people out there who are really going to extremes to live sustainable lifestyles.  Their stories have been my “greenspiration” for some of the smaller, less dramatic things I do.
Here’s one example:  this guy, David Chameides, has pledged to NOT take out his trash for an entire year, in an effort to illustrate how much trash one person generates in 365 days.  He keeps it all in his basement after recycling and reusing everything he can.  Each day he tallies up what’s left over.  Check out his blog, “365daysoftrash”; it’s really interesting.  Or, just read this New York Times article, which profiles Mr. Chameides and a few other people with similar “green” goals.  After reading his blog, I decided to adopt one of his tips: I’m now keeping a set of reusable silverware in my backpack and my car, so that I don’t have to take disposable plastic knives, forks, and spoons, when I get food “to go” or fast food during the week. I know it’s a small thing, but little things DO add up, over time.
I’ve been “greenspired” by some other websites recently, and I’ll write about some of them soon.  Today’s post is already long enough!
However, I’d be remiss if I wrote about this topic without pointing you all toward NBC 10’s own “Green” blog: “It’s Your World: Welcome to It” by environmentalist Chip Young.  He has some great “green” information there, specific to Rhode Island.  Check it out, if you haven’t already seen it!