NANNY PROJECTS – childcare green TIPS

Sunday, April 25th, 2010 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

College students built DieselZilla planting a tree on Earth Day 2010

At ISAstaffing we wholeheartedly support meaningful projects Nannies can do with their Childcare for any age group. TIP – Support programs for tree planting. Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on about the environment, trees are a welcome addition to any landscaping or sustainability efforts. It’s a great weekend project to undertake with children for a Nanny or Housekeeper Childcare provider. Parents should get involved with this important drive because we know kids copy and emulate the adults around them. DieselZilla is a wonderful robot built by students in the American River College clean diesel program, their project to help plant a tree for Earth Day at the former Mather Air Force Base in Sacramento, California.  “The trees symbolize the Air Force Real Property Agency’s commitment to environmental restoration,” said Robert Moore, AFRPA director.

Denis Hays, the creator of Earth Day, is also the Chair of Earth Day 2010 Global Advisory Committee. The Air Force Real Property Agency officials coordinated a drive known as Trees Across America, an initiative with a twin mission of restoring and recycling property at closed Air Force Bases. They’ve conveyed more then 76,000 acres of surplus Air Force property to benefit the public, and to optimize their assets such as runways and other infrastructure to strengthen local economies, jobs, and commerce.

Earth Day celebrates its 40th year. The current recession has hit these areas hard but the effort to attract new businesses and public uses like colleges, aerial firefighting support, public safety training and distribution centers continues. By 2012, another 10,000 acres will be conveyed into public ownership.

Trees were planted all across the country to provide shade, beauty and oxygen for those living and working in these communities and elsewhere. As a worldwide event held in 180 countries, Earth Day folks planted trees or supported organizations that did it for them.

Treehuggers confirmed the drive to plant trees was a major success and Earth Day still enormously relevant. Trees are recyclable and provide habitat including cleaning our environment and supplying the oxygen we need. Hybrid poplars help clean toxins out of landfills through a process known as phytoremediation. Share Treehuggers GREEN TIPS. Teach children about their local environment and the importance of trees, including whether we should use paper or plastic (if at all).

Paper Bags or Plastic Bags? Everything You Need to Know

Weeplant mini trees to plant

Another great online store is Weeplant, a Californian company built on green consciousness through a positive symbol, a real tiny plant that you can take care of. Perfect for EVENTS you might be hosting or chairing as a fun novelty, or community school drives. From the very beginning, Weeplant has contributed to the reforestation of our planet by participating into a worldwide program developed by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), and has developed a partnership with American Forests. Besides its involvement in reforestation projects, the company’s priority is to make sure their production and logistics process respect sustainability rules. Tiny tree holding capsules are made with recyclable plastic.

All plants are grown in the USA with no chemical pesticides. The species grown and commercialized in the USA are all respectful of the CITES rules (endangered species protection chart).

We’re happy to report that on Earth Day Disney also chose to debut their documentary “Oceans.” The photography in Disneynature’s Oceans (their followup to Earth) is absolutely breathtaking and shows our underwater world with beautiful clarity. It opens by presenting the sheer power of the ocean, then begins its trek into the vastly different life forms that call Earth’s ocean their home. See our gallery of ISAstaffing clients for more on Walt and Roy Disney. A portion of each ticket sold during the film’s opening week will be donated to the establishment of new marine protected areas in the Bahamas, through an initiative with The Nature Conservancy Plant A Billion Trees called: “See Oceans, Save Oceans.”

We can also proudly say that Los Angeles is ranked first in the country with the most number of ENERGY STAR rated buildings. A cost saving of $93 Billion dollars in 2009 alone. See the top 25 Cities rated chart, and for in-depth information on more Energy Star TIPS visit EnergySavers.gov

A Chinese proverb says, “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

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Serving Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Benedict Canyon, Torrance, Hancock Park, Laurel Canyon, Los Feliz, Marina Del Rey, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Melrose. Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Encino, Woodland Hills, Topanga Canyon, Westwood, Hollywood Hills, Pasadena, San Mareno, Santa Barbara, Orange County, Ventura County, California, New York, & the greater United States…

Our Best Advice has been brought to you by www.ISAstaffing.com, renowned Best of The Best in Household Work and Domestic Help staffing. Visit often for other great ideas, use our Tell A Friend featured link to this blog, and our Domestic Staffing website to pass our HOT TIPS and renowned services. THANKS!

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SPRING CLEANING – New Tips

Friday, February 26th, 2010 | Our Best Advice | No Comments

Liora Manné floormat available through MoMA

Spring is here with housekeepers, nannies, and other household staff needing to transition to a lighter season. Textile designer and engineer Liora Manné makes products perfect for Spring Cleaning. Using hand blended acrylic fibers needle-punched together her floor mats are saturated with latex for durability, antimicrobial and antistatic, machine washable, and the non-skid backing makes it ideal for use as a new doormat.

MUJI storage box for Spring Cleaning

Another great item for spring storage is from MUJI (the name derived from the Japanese phrase “Mujirushi Ryohin,” meaning “No Brand Goods”). Their products are streamlined, environmentally friendly, and beautiful in simplicity. You can order online or both items at MoMA Feature: Spring at Home

As we get ready for Spring I look at new ideas to combine with others written before on our TIPS pages you can send someone using Our Best Advice and Tell A Friend links. We cannot emphasize enough that Spring Cleaning is a great time to get rid of the old and bring in the new, including products that are green.

I’m amazed at how many people still use toxic and dangerous cleaning products. The days of a huge arsenal of home cleaning products are over. There never was a need for it since traditional cleaning formulas were always environmentally friendly, sustainable, non-toxic, and naturally antibacterial.

Children and Pets are most at risk so make sure to use “old fashioned” friendly products you can make or buy at a natural food store or coop. Make them yourself to save and extend dollar value from baking soda, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, borax, salt (as a great abrasive), and other natural ingredients. There are tons of natural formulas online rather then buying dangerous synthetic chemicals.

photo of Savannah Buffett courtesy of ELLE

While you’re Spring Cleaning a great playlist for you to download to feel as if you’re in Miami “having a rum-soaked vacation” is posted by Savannah Jane Buffett (daughter of musician Jimmy Buffett) in this months ELLE: Read Full Story. Savannah looks so ready for Spring! An all around fun loving expert her list includes lots of reggae to enjoy doing anything including not Spring Cleaning! Check her playlist out.

Another great TIP if you’re in New York, the latest exhibit from the Howard Greenberg Gallery, opened yesterday. More than 50 black and white photographs from the gallery’s collection entitled Heartbeat Of Fashion— including works from Irving Penn, Brassai and Richard Avedon; wonderful fashion images that captured the spirit of an age. Be inspired for Spring!

Heartbeat Of Fashion show in New York

I’ve given some great TIPS on Spring Cleaning and natural cleaning products in our previous TIPS you can find listed on our SITEMAP.

Our Best Advice has been brought to you by www.ISAstaffing.com.Visit often for other great ideas, use our Tell A Friend featured link to this blog, and our Domestic Staffing website to pass our TIPS and renowned services. THANKS!

Serving Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Bel Air, Benedict Canyon, Hancock Park, Laurel Canyon, Los Feliz, Marina Del Rey, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Melrose. Santa Monica, Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Topanga Canyon, Westwood, Hollywood Hills, Santa Barbara, Orange County, California, New York, & the greater United States…

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