How about the sun? Again the first strategy is to avoid it first.  Hats and long sleeved clothing are a great start. They even have clothing that contains a high spf, so that you can avoid putting on sunscreen underneath them.  .

Smart camps will schedule activities that keep the kids out of the sun during the 11am -1pm time frame when the suns rays are most harmful.

Just like bug sprays, sunscreens have come under a great deal of scrutiny in the past few years for their chemical content, and the jury is still out on many of the specific ingredients.  We’ll stick to a few guidelines here:

1) You’ll want to avoid parabens, as you would in other skincare

products.

2) Choose something “natural’, without a huge list of chemicals in it.

3) Avoid “nanotechnology”.  We’ll address this later in a separate blog, but essentially it means that the particles are so small that they can be absorbed right into your bloodstream – not a good thing.  Avoid products that say things like “micronized”. (more…)

As a Canadian living in America, I have learned many things about the differences in our cultures. There are many. Americans say that Canadians have so many more long weekends. I count 12 if you include Family Day in three provinces. In fact, Americans are correct – there are nine official holidays in America. With Civic Day and Labour Day right around the corner, you need an appropriate host(ess) gift, right?

Long weekends in Canada are precious. They usually involve family, friends, and travelling. And Canadian summers can seem so short sometimes. So when you receive the invitation to your friend’s cottage, a visit to your kid’s camp, a brunch on the beach, baby shower, wedding, or a barbeque on the back deck in the city, you want to bring a gift for the host(ess). And you know you want to make a difference and make your gift “green”. Here are my top picks from www.greencricket.ca.

1. Check out the Cottage Weekender Gift Basket. This is a perfect gift for your host(ess). Tea, reusable water bottles, chocolate, a cookbook, and Green Cricket hand lotion, hand soap and dish soap.

2. A selection of coffee and tea. Everyone needs a jolt after a big barbeque, a soothing cup of tea after a long swim or hot tub. And as the dew dries on the lawn in the early morning sunlight, nothing beats a hot cup of joe. Sweet nectar of the morning!

3. Summer brings out two nasty things – our desire for a tan (usually ends up as a burn), and bugs. Chances are that your host(ess) has a collection of preventative balms and lotions, but they may not be totally “green”. Green Cricket has screened them all. A bit of sunscreen and bug repellent will make you and your host(ess) very happy.

Have a safe and happy long weekend!

(written by David Greene)

As the father of a five-year-old the calendar is no longer divided by the twelve months or the four seasons but rather into two segments: school and camp. With the school year winding down, the past few weeks have been a flurry of registration for various sports, arts and outdoor activities to keep my little guy busy with each camp providing a list of articles to pack when we send him off. In addition to the usual items like trip t-shirts and bathing suits are a number of items that provide the opportunity to green his summer.

Sunscreen

While the importance of slathering on sunscreen (even on cloudy days) cannot be overstated, protecting your child from UV rays need not expose them to other risks. Avoid products with preservatives such as parabens, which have been linked to cancer or petroleum-based emollients such as mineral oils.  Look instead for products with milder preservatives like potassium sorbate and which contain natural softeners such as sunflower oil, jojoba oil and shea butter.

Insect Repellent

The active ingredient in most insect repellents is N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, commonly known as DEET. Identified as a contributor to seizures in a small percentage of the population, exposure to DEET may also cause skin irritation, moodiness, impaired cognitive function and insomnia. Non-toxic alternatives to DEET include eucalyptus and citronella oils, both of which have been documented to be effective in repelling insects, particularly mosquitoes.

Water Bottle

Keeping hydrated while active in the sun is critical for fun at camp. Instead of sending water and juices in disposable containers that add to waste or plastic bottles which may contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a potentially toxic additive found in many plastics, make use of an aluminum, or better yet, stainless steel bottle to reduce both what ends up in the trash and the amount of toxins in your child’s body.

For those with older children, overnight camps offer even more opportunities to be environmentally responsible, whether it be through biodegradable toiletries that lessen their impact on the lake, organic towels and wash cloths or recycled stationary your kids can use to keep in touch.  Summer always seems to go by so quickly, make sure your kids get the most out of their camp experience by keeping them green!