A for Apple, B is for Beluga, C is for Chullo.

Parents on planet Hollywood and elsewhere are headed in that fruity, foamy and woolly direction in declaring devotion to Mama Earth via naming their young.

In the roaring Nineties, when real estate and dot comers were soaring, we saw a return to the Old Testament with the names  Sarah, Jacob, Rachel and Eli in vogue.

“Eve and Adam, please leave the great room until Mommy is finished closing her Genentech deal.”

Now that resources are scarcer than ever, green …

Tags: babies , Deepak Chopra , earth , eco , endangered , food , garden , Gore , green , hybrid , Laurie David , names , naming , organic , parenting

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My mother, the nice Jewish lady seen here at her box at the Hollywood Bowl,  is among the biggest paper and water consumers in the country. It hasn’t been easy getting her to turn over a new leaf. (Or rather, fewer of them.)

She has a varied and colorful history of helping herself to fistfuls of disposable napkins at restaurants, collecting hundreds of brown paper grocery bags from Gelson’s Market and requiring daily soaks or showers. She’s pretty darn clean, my mother.

“I never, ever get …

Tags: children , composting , conserving , Italy , Jewish mothers , Life in the Green Lane , parenting , recycling , renewable energy , seniors , towels

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Years ago, when I was traveling in Peru, I became enamored with the way Andean women carried their babies – in blankets tied around their backs.

It made so much sense; after all, strollers are heavy, expensive and impossible to push up a mountain trail or crowded cobblestone mercado. The mamachas had their hands free and their young children were safe and secure, held so close to their mother’s body. I vowed then and there that if I ever had children, I’d wear them that way too.

And now …

Tags: attachment parenting , baby , baby carrier , babywearing , child , parent , parenting , sling

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I’m not a parent”¦yet, but I am an aunt and at times I can still act like a kid, which is why I know the importance of snack time. No one in their right mind should ever consider messing with snack time.

A crucial part of any kid’s day, not to mention a necessary distraction so mom and dad can take a breath, snack time rules. I never outgrew my love for snacks and now there’s a fun, eco and safe way to share them with my niece and nephew….

Tags: Boon , food , healthy , parenting , safe , Snack Ball , storage

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I never in my life thought I’d have a baby. Seriously. I was always one of those people who spouted about overpopulation and my own independence – motherhood was just not on my list of things to do.

But when I found out I was pregnant, and in a stable relationship and a good place in my life, I was overjoyed. The timing was perfect. And as I approach the final month of my pregnancy, what I’m struck by most is how regular an occurrence this whole pregnancy thing is (after …

Tags: birth , children , eco , health , parenting , pregnancy , vegetarian , women

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You’re a kid again. Now, imagine sitting at your cramped classroom desk, your brain already stuffed full of letters and numbers, and the sunlight and fresh breeze beckoning you from outside. All you can think about is recess, and rightfully so! Although any kid can explain the importance of recess, studies now show that school kids with daily recess breaks show better classroom behavior than kids who go without.

The scientific explanation for this is that the brain needs a break. I’d like to add that humans evolved …

Tags: children , education , environment , health , parenting , sun exposure

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A couple of days ago I revisited my childhood and caught up with my old friends Dr. Seuss and the Lorax. It was the least I could do, seeing that it was Dr. Suess’s 105th birthday. Of course, he is no longer with us, but The Lorax lives on and should be required reading for anyone aged from 1 to 101 or more.

You do remember the Lorax, don’t you? If not, let me remind you about this character created by Dr. Seuss in 1971. A strange gopher-like creature with …

Tags: conservation , Dr. Seuss , environmentalism , forest , parenting , The Lorax , trees

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Education is the key when it comes to respecting and protecting the environment. So it makes sense to start teaching kids early about living green and what better way to do this than through books. Recognizing this, book publishers Simon & Schuster have put together a new eco-friendly series of storybooks made from recycled materials and aimed toward helping parents and children learn more about environmental awareness.

Simon & Schuster has teamed up with Keep America Beautiful, who will promote the Little Green …

Tags: children , education , environment , Keep America Beautiful , Little Green Books , parenting , reading , Simon & Schuster

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Perfluorochemicals (PFC), found in many common household items, have been linked to female infertility in a recent Danish study. Research has shown that PFC is toxic to the liver, immune system and reproductive organs. In this case, it looks like infertility is nature’s way of saying “Your environment is way too poisonous to sustain healthy life – this is not the time or place to reproduce the species.”

The most common PFC-containing items are nonstick pans, the grease-resistant coating on microwave popcorn bags, and water and stain …

Tags: children , environment , health , infertility , parenting , perfluorochemicals , PFC , sex , women

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