Miscellany Monday

1. I read a heart wrenching, eye opening article by Jemima Khan about the recent disastrous flooding in Pakistan.  Did you know that so far the international community has committed itself to funding that equates to only $3 per flood affected person (and there are some 20 million of them!) - as a comparison, the amount per person in Haiti was $495.  If you want to know how to help, check out this article for a list of reputable aid agencies.
   
   
2. Do the Green Thing has invented World Tap Water Week - and its THIS WEEK! Lets celebrate the convenience of clean, safe, drinkable water delivered straight to our homes!  It really is a privilege - and one that billions of people around the world don't get to enjoy!
   
   
   
   
   
   

   
   
3. And speaking of water .... why not donate a blog post to help fund clean, safe, drinkable water to people in developing countries with the Clean Water Blogivation.  Not only could you get the opportunity to take part in a clean water expedition to Africa AND earn a $15,000 donation for your favourite water charity ... but every vote for your post (and every time you vote for a participating post) P and G will donate a day of clean water for someone who needs it!
   
   
   
   
   




4. Have you done something nice this week?  Why not share it at the Vivo Bello Meaningful Monday Blog Hop.  Check out the very awesome random acts of kindness Angie and her family have been performing - and share your own :)
   
   
   
   
   




5. My oldest daughter read me a story yesterday for the very first time. Its so exciting!!  She has been making use of the free trial offered at ABC Reading Eggs during their Great Literacy Challenge and has come forward in great leaps and bounds.  Its a really fun learning programme - and it comes in Australian, American and British accents!

Miscellany Monday

1. This week is World Breastfeeding Week.  We all know that breastfeeding is a great choice for Mum and baby - but have you also thought about how it is a great choice for the environment!
   
   We Add Up is helping you to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week by offering a 15% discount off their super cool, organic cotton "Breastfeed" tee (and the rest of your order) this week, when you use the coupon code breastfeedweek10.  And $3 from the sale of each breastfeed tee will be donated to a non-profit that supports mothers to breastfeed their babies!
   
   
2. If you're a Green Mum with a blog then check out the Green Blog Hop every Wednesday at Going Green with Noah.  A great way to share your own insights on living green and find other Mum's who care about the planet.
   
   
3. Do you know what's in your beauty products?  Did you know that less than 20% of the chemicals used in beauty products have been tested for their effects on our health?  Watch as Annie Leonard delves into the shady world of the cosmetics industry in her latest video for The Story of Stuff Project:  'The Story of Cosmetics'
   
   
4. I discovered the Putumayo channel on Live365 and have been chilling out all week.  Thanks @MrsNoz.  I have long coveted Putumayo's range of world music CDs and this channel has been the perfect antidote to Wiggles burnout!!
   
   
5. The days are getting longer here at the bottom of the world, and ever so slightly warmer.  Hopefully the ground will start to dry out soon and I will be able to get out into the garden.
   

I have great plans to transform this into a vegetable garden paradise ... watch this space :)

 

Miscellany Monday

1. I read this article about how the escalating costs of childcare mean that raising a child in Britain now costs £800 a month.  Surely, what they are really saying is that the cost of getting someone else to raise your child has risen to £800 a month?
   
   The article also states that "grandparents are increasingly being asked to take care of children because both parents are required to hold down full time jobs to support the family."   We live in a society where having the latest fashion, a new car, a big house (and accompanying big mortgage) are all considered necessary.  Perhaps if we thought more about what was really important to us we could afford to raise our own children.
   
   
2.  I recently downloaded the DoGooder browser plugin (for firefox of course!).  It hides the generic ads you see on the internet and "shows you thoughtful green related initiatives, philanthropic calls to action, and health and wellness ideas instead."  And 50% of its profits are donated to charity.
   
   
   
   
   
   Nothing is Good from DoGood Headquarters on Vimeo.
    
3. Vote for your favourite New Zealand plant/garden organisation to benefit from the LovePlantLife.com endowment fund - and win 6 packets of seeds from the LovePlantLife range, a copy of Save Your Own Seeds and Growing Nutrient-Dense Food by Kay Baxter from Koanga Gardens!
   
   
4. I love this gorgeous print from artsyville's Etsy store.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Did you know that $.25 is all it takes to provide a single child with both vitamin A and antiparasitics for one year? You can help save lives by suggesting the VIVAPRIME Facebook page to your friends. For every person that "Likes" VIVAPRIME, they will donate $.25 to Vitamin Angels to help malnourished children in need around the world.  All it takes is a few clicks to make a difference!