America is shifting to a “green culture” where over 300 million citizens are embracing the fact that environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility. There are so many aspects to be concerned with. As a parent, my number one responsibility is to protect my child’s health, safety and wellbeing.

According to a recent nationwide survey, 900,000 American children aged one to fivehave blood lead levels higher than the Center for Disease Control’s level of concern.

Today, lead is recognized as the single most significant environmental health threat to American children. Lead is found to be of greatest harm to children ages one to six. Young children of urban minority families are at greatest risk of lead poisoning.

Children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead, because their highest potential exposure comes when they are most physiologically susceptible. Lead affects virtually every system in the body and is particularly harmful to developing brain and nervous systems of fetuses and young children. Low blood lead levels can impair cognitive and physical development. As exposure increases, the severity of symptoms increases as well.

Lead is found in paint formulated prior to 1978, dust, dirt, drinking water and food. For pre-school children, lead in paint is the greatest source of exposure.

What Parents Can Do:
Test your children. If you have concerns about your child’s blood lead level, you can get them tested. Ask your pediatrician, medical provider, or state childhood lead poisoning prevention program for information on testing. 
 If you live in a home or renting an apartment that was built before 1978, find out if it contains lead-based paint. Federal law requires disclosure of known information about lead-based paint before the sale or rental of most housing built before 1978. You can also hire a professional for inspection and risk assessment. For more information, contact the National Lead Information Center at (800) 424-LEAD.

Reason in the Season – From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, household waste increases by more than 25%. You can keep the cheer, but cut the waste. Start with some of these simple ideas and continue by creating your own low-waste holiday traditions!

Reduce the hail of unwanted mail – Are catalogs pouring out of your mailbox every day? You can slow the flow of unwanted mail coming to your mailbox. Here is where to go for some of the most common types of unwanted mail.

Catalogs: www.CatalogChoice.org Identify the catalogs that you want to receive and those that you would like to decline. Catalog Choice contacts the catalog provider for you, asking that you be removed from that mailing list.

Direct Marketing: www.dmachoice.org This online tool was developed by the Direct Marketing Association; choose what companies you want to contact you. It’s easy to do, and you’ll be reaching some of the biggest direct marketers in the country.

Credit Cards: www.optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (567-8688). This service allows you to opt out for two years or permanently. No matter what you pick, the same service makes it easy for you to opt back in at any time. Either process will ask for your social security number, full name, address, and telephone number.

Phone Books: www.yellowpagesoptout.com Simply enter your zip code to find the phone book publishers in your area that are participating in opt out requests. You will need to inform each phone book publisher that you would like delivery stopped. Opt outs take 60 days to process.

Sign up for a service. There are some nonprofit organizations that will work on your behalf to opt out of junk mail for you for a small fee. Check out Junk your Junk Mail or Precycle to learn more. Give the gift of waste reduction this year…

Then recycle - Household paper—glossy catalogs, old phone books, window envelopes, shipping boxes – all are generally considered “recyclable.” Find out about recycling options in Burbank: http://www.ci.burbank.ca.us/index.aspx?page=1

Some wrapping paper cannot be recycled because it contains too many un-recyclable materials, such as foil or fuzzy textures. Keep that in mind when purchasing your wrapping paper. For those types, the shredder is better.

VERY IMPORTANT: Before recycling, rip up or shred the credit card offers before you discard them. Prevent identity theft and protect your credit rating and privacy!

A bright idea: LED holiday lights - If you use strings of holiday lights at your house, switch to light-emitting diode (LED) lights this year. LEDs use a whopping 90% less energy than incandescent holiday lights: powering a string of 280 LED lights will cost $0.56 for the entire holiday season as compared to $6 for similar incandescent lights. (EnergySavers.gov) LED lights in many colors are widely available at retail, last for an estimated 40 years, and are cool to the touch, which reduces the risk of fire. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified strings of lights.

Christmas Tree recycling – At the curb/alley: From January 3rd through January 14th, 2011, the Burbank Sanitation Department will collect trees placed in the alley and at the curb.

In two parks: From December 27, 2010 through January 14, 2011, drop off your holiday tree at:

1. Brace Canyon Park, 2850 Haven Way, in the parking lot off Haven Way.
2. Verdugo Park, 3201 W. Verdugo Avenue, near the corner of California Street and Verdugo Avenue.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday season and remember, it is easy being green!

by Jennifer Jesperson

Yes, Halloween is the scariest time of year. With all the good-natured manufactured fear in the air, I thought we’d look at some of the truly scary facts about the natural world. If this doesn’t scare you, nothing will…

As of August – 2010 was as hot as the hottest years the world has witnessed since record keeping began. Every month has ranked above average, compared to the 20th century average.

One of the hardest things to comprehend about climate change is that scientists predict both severe droughts and historic floods will be a consequence of global warming. As weather patterns shift, some areas will be starved of moisture, while in others, warmer air will hold additional moisture that it will unleash in fiercer storms.

“Things that used to be one-in-100-year events maybe now are one-in-25-year events.” Says Gavin Scmidt, a NASA climate scientist.

At least half of our favorite eating fish like tuna, salmon, cod and sea bass among them – are at risk of over-fishing. In some areas, it’s up to 90%!

Coral reefs are not only beautiful but are home to one-fourth of all marine species, and provide habitat to fish and shellfish that feed half a billion people. Unfortunately, about half of the corals in the U.S. and its territories, and as many as 70% worldwide (including the Great Barrier Reef in Australia), are severely degraded or at risk of extinction. Global warming, fueled by our burning of fossil fuels, is the most likely culprit in the warming of the oceans. Corals are fragile enough without these global threats: the runoff from nearby farms and cities, along with the stomping of indelicate tourists, would put many reefs at risk even without global warming and ocean acidification.

Perhaps you’ve heard of colony collapse disorder, that still-mysterious disease causing U.S. honey-bees to abandon their hives? The disorder has caused a staggering death toll that has seen one-third of the nation’s commercial bees die off each winter for several years now. That’s a serious problem! Consider that roughly one-third of the food crops we eat is pollinated by bees. While the extent of the problem isn’t known, experts believe loss of wild habitat and indiscriminate use of pesticides are likely culprits.

One in three amphibian species is at risk of extinction, with as many as 500 species of frogs, salamanders and the like so near to the end that experts think their only hope is to live in zoos – not the wild. Meanwhile, in caves throughout North America, as many as 90% of hibernating bats are dying of emaciation.

While frogs and bats may not seem like the most essential creatures, both play important roles in the ecosystem (and bats actually eat lots of mosquitoes and farm pests); without them, the world would be decidedly different, in ways we can’t necessarily predict.

Viruses and bacteria were on Earth before humans, and they’ll be here after us. It’s a fact of life. And unfortunately, that’s because they are quick to evolve to changing conditions – including changes in the environment or changes to the drugs we use to fight them.

Whether it’s drug-resistant salmonella in eggs, or E. coli in ground beef, the food supply is increasingly falling prey to tiny pathogens that were virtually nonexistent a generation ago. Meanwhile, three-quarters of new infectious diseases emerge from wildlife, but affect humans. So, wash your hands often, stay home when you’re sick and take good care of yourself and our planet. It’s the only one we’ve got.

Remember, it is easy being green. By Jennifer Jesperson

Recycle and earn money for Stevenson!!!

by Jennifer Jesperson

This year, we at Stevenson hope to make our little corner of Burbank a little greener. Stevenson has recycling programs in place that you may not even know about! These programs are easy and not only are we being responsible citizens by recycling, we can actually make money for Stevenson that will benefit our children!

I’m delighted to announce that this year, we have a recycling chairperson at Stevenson! Karen Carter has generously donated her time and is going to help us help our planet and our school!

Check it out and remember, it is easy being green!
Batteries: Please save your dead batteries. I keep mine in a jar in the kitchen, when the jar is full, I bring them into school. We have a bin in the office and whenever necessary, our librarian, Beverly Boussard makes a phone call and someone comes to pick it up. It’s so easy!

Ink Cartridges: Bring in your ink cartridges. Some companies pay over $3.00 per cartridge! You can even ask at work. Some companies allow employees to take their ink cartridges. Just think of how much we could make!

Please see Karen’s note below and let her know if you have any questions.

My name is Karen Carter and I am the recycling chairperson at Stevenson this year. I have signed our school up for several “brigades” with Terra Cycle. With your help collecting items that would otherwise go to landfills, I’ll send them to Terra Cycle and they up-cycle them. Terra Cycle will send Stevenson money once they receive our “trash.” They are a wonderful company that might just keep our children’s world from being one gigantic landfill.

The brigades I have us signed up for are: Drink pouches, energy/granola/cereal bars, and cookie wrappers. We’re also working on a program for used cell phones and we’ll let you know when that’s in place.

The rest of the brigades will be collected at school. I’ve been given permission to speak to our children during lunch to give them some information about Terra Cycle. We’ll have special bins for the children to toss the items into.

Another service I’m willing to provide is to meet parents at pick-up or drop-off if you are inclined to collect these items at home. Please email me at the address below.

If we work together, we can make money for our school and keep recyclables out of the landfills!

Sincerely,
Karen Carter
karenspartyhelp@yahoo.com

It’s hard to believe, but we’re back to school. As parents, we’re concerned about creating a healthy environment that is free of toxins that might inhibit learning.

Here are some tips to help you and your children to have a healthy, happy school year!

1. Keep Swine Flu In Perspective

Because it’s a new virus, there’s no telling how bad it will be this year, but so far H1N1 has proven to be a virulent strain of the flu, similar to the one that goes around every winter. The same basic rules apply:

1. Keep your child home if you think he/she is sick.
2. Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water or use a hand sanitizer if soap & water are unavailable.
3. Cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow, not your hand!

2. Recess Rocks!

A 15-minute break seems to be key not only for learning, but for social development and good health! Unstructured play is as important as structured play with emotional, social and cognitive growth.

3. Reconsider The Cell Phone

Many parents see cell phones as an important tool for staying in touch with their children and for emergency situations. Some children consider them to be a status symbol. There is still a lot of debate about the safety of cell phone radiation and its effect on growing brains. Kids are particularly vulnerable to environmental insults. Give it some careful thought.

4. Head Lice – The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Head lice is unpleasant and a fact of life for many school children.  The most common over-the-counter products contain actual pesticides!  Old-school treatments include olive oil, essential oils, Moroccan oil, even mayonnaise! There are tons of web sites that can help.

5. Check those backpacks!

Six out of 10 children will experience back pain before their 18th birthday and heavy backpacks are one of the reasons why. Pack wisely and use wide, padded shoulder straps. No backpack should weigh more than 10%-20% of a child’s weight. No more than 14 pounds for a 70 pound boy or girl.

6. Pack Healthy Lunches

Buy organic foods and pack them in nontoxic containers whenever possible. Use BPA-Free water bottles. Bisphenol A is a synthetic estrogen used to make some plastics and it’s been linked to a number of health problems including obesity! Pack a lunch with a healthy sandwich or wrap and a drink that isn’t loaded with extra sugars. Applesauce, yogurt, carrots, hummous and raisins are also great choices.

7. Vaccinate With Care

Vaccination is important for public health and is responsible for the eradication of several debilitating childhood illnesses. Discuss the necessary vaccines with your child’s doctor. Avoid immunizing when your child is sick. Take note of allergens like MSG or eggs and be sure to let your doctor know.

Have a fantastic year and remember, it is easy being green!

Jennifer Jesperson

Summer is here!  Whether you’re a regular beach-dweller or you only step in the sun once in a while, sunscreen is of the utmost importance to protect your skin. So when you stock up on your UV-ray protection, make sure the product you choose is not only safe for your body, but for the environment as well!

Chemical Sunscreens can be comprised of estrogenic toxins when absorbed by your skin can affect reproductive health and development. A study has shown that chemical sunscreens may harm coral reefs, so be on the look out for natural and biodegradable sunscreens for use on the beach.

Natural Sunscreens often include plant-based ingredients such as hemp seed oil, shea butter, jojoba oil and coconut oil that naturally provide UV protection – it helps that you can pronounce these ingredients too!

Check out http://www.allterrainco.com/sun_protection.html

Reapplying sunscreen and simply using enough throughout the day has a greater effect on protecting you from sunburn and UV-rays than using sunscreen with a higher SPF (and usually a higher price!). If you plan to spend a day outdoors, doctors recommend using a “shot glass” amount to cover all of your exposed skin, and to apply approximately 20 to 30 minutes before heading out in the sun.  Apply every couple of hours.

Before we know it, summer will be over.  As you start shopping for next years’ lunch boxes remember this:  During the average school year, each child throws out approximately 67 pounds of waste!  Think about purchasing reusable containers instead of plastic bags.

Laptop Lunch Boxes were created by two eco-conscious moms about seven years ago when the savvy pair realized that the best way to help parents pack wholesome, low-waste lunches was to “provide them with a lunch system that was not only convenient and economical, but also appealing to kids.” Made of lead-free plastic, its unique design, features single-serve individual containers, reusable utensils, a water or juice bottle and a handy carrying case.

Everyone from Wal-Mart to Land’s End to The Land of Nod are making eco-friendly backpacks now.  So keep that in mind too.

Our Sun Safety Committee members have offered their time and energy and will continue selling gift cards at school on Fridays during the summer. If every family purchased at least $100.00 a month, in grocery store cards, Stevenson would earn $4,000.00 a month!  At that rate, the kinder yard and possibly even the pirate ship would have a sun shade next year!  I don’t know about you, but I easily spend over $100.00 a month at Von’s alone!   And don’t forget about gas cards!  It’s SO easy!

Have a great summer everyone!  And remember, it is easy being green.

by Jennifer Jesperson