by P.J. Wilson
Are you sick of rate increases on your Missouri electric bill? Then it’s time to step up and support a new initiative for renewable energy. The Power to the People initiative will result in a cleaner energy future for Missouri, and it’ll also put a stop to the senseless rate increases we’re constantly […]
Don’t pitch those pots! Help reduce the amount of horticultural waste in landfills by recycling your plastic garden pots, polystyrene cell packs and plant trays at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Plastic Pot Recycling will be offered starting April 2 and will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October 31 at the […]
By: Orb (aka Cassandra P. Hage, St. Louis Earth Day)
As promised in last month’s article, I have mused, researched and reflected to determine an appropriate Superhero identity. This April, I am pleased to unveil… Orb. My inspiration for this newly developed Superhero Self, is based on Orb-weavers – a fantastic and complex segment of the […]
Levitate a person five feet off the ground! Ride a unicycle! Twist animal balloons to take home! Sound fun? This is only the tip of the iceberg at Abra-Kid-Abra’s one-week entertainment camps! We offer four different programs at community centers and schools throughout St. Louis, all summer: magic, circus stars, comedy, and balloonatics. Half or […]
By Maureen Cason
Looking for one-stop gluten-free shopping? Folks who must eat a gluten-free diet have asked; Andrea’s Gluten Free has answered the call!
Andrea’s Gluten Free is a dedicated gluten, peanut and tree nut free kitchen and retail store in Chesterfield that bakes delicious, sweet and savory treats daily. They also carry pre-packaged food staples and […]
Manifestation Maven
Kimberly V. Schneider,
M.Ed., J.D., LPC
When our daughter Bridget was small I couldn’t bear to buy her clothes for the next season in case she wasn’t alive to wear them. Bridget had a congenital heart defect, and for the first few years her hold on life seemed fragile. But an encounter I had when […]
With Cathy Burkemper
Headaches
Eye Health
Q: I have been having a lot of headaches lately. How do I figure out the cause and what can I do to relieve the pain?
A: Headaches can be very difficult to figure out. There are many factors that can contribute to your headaches. For example: weather, allergies, hormonal activity, diet, and […]
by Randy Greene
Are chemical fertilizers really as bad as we have been told? Chemical fertilizers are here for a reason. They are meant to provide food for a plant regardless of the condition of the soil. The most concise way to explain the purpose of chemical fertilizers is that they are meant to “provide the […]
by Simon Yu, MD
Fatigue and exhaustion is one of the most common complaints seen in doctors’ offices besides depression, anxiety, allergies, hypoglycemia, and aches and pain. Have you ever felt “bone tired?” Have you been so tired that your body feels numb, your brain feels foggy and you feel like a Zombie throughout the day? […]
by Kathleen Logan Smith
Executive Director; Missouri Coalition For The Environment
www.moeniron.org
Finding No Joy In Being Right
This spring if you are lucky enough to live near a healthy, natural stream, hear the serenade of the spring peepers, watch fish dart in the waters, see turtles sunning themselves, and experience that delight of a child discovering minnows and […]
by Dr. Sharon Fitelston
Bad food choices and ill health go hand in hand. In fact, an estimated 70% of illnesses can be prevented by a healthy diet. Obesity alone has become one of the biggest contributors to common diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and dementia. Scientists are now finding that the […]
by Kari Hartel, RD, LD
Program Coordinator, Cooking Matters, Operation Food Search
Earth Day is approaching, and once again I begin considering the impact my eating habits have on the earth. As a health professional, I find myself getting lost in my own world of recipes, nutrition recommendations and guidelines—often placing the importance of my food choices […]
11th Annual Herb Days Festival, May 26-27
by Nancy Smith, Secretary, Farm to Family Naturally
Making soap has to be one of the most fulfilling livelihood adventures available to the homesteader or small independent farmer. Using a basic formula and adding wonderful fragrances and healing properties with herbs and flowers one has grown on the […]
Associations, Organizations and resources
America Recycles Day- www.americarecyclesday.org
Envirolink – www.envirolink.org
Global Recycling Network – www.grn.com
Missouri Recycling Association – www.mora.org
National Recycling Coalition – www.nrcrecycles.org
Resource St. Louis – www.resourcestlouis.org
The Healthy Planet magazine: www.thehealthyplanet.com
e-cycle St. Louis – www.ecyclestlouis.org
e-cycle Missouri – www.e-cyclemo.org
St. Louis Green – www.stlouisgreen.com
Keep America Beautiful – www.Kab.org
Earth 911 – www.earth911.org
Local Recycling Information – Government
City of St. Louis –
www.stlouis-mo.gov/government
(then […]
Earth911 helps consumers find local recycling
information through the largest and most accurate
recycling directory in the U.S.
Through this directory, information on more than 1 million ways to recycle over 300 materials is available for free. Just a few clicks at www.earth911.com will provide you with local information on recycling locations and services along […]
by Jean Ponzi
This Green Ball sounds like fun! The Moonrise Hotel is so chic – and sustainable.
I love the bar on their rooftop – such a view! Did you know the Moonrise Terrace Bar is solar powered? The awning is a power plant – how cool is that?
As cool as struttin’ the Green Carpet with […]
By Don Fitz
Can poor countries get quality health care without the expense and environmental damage of a US health care model? It is impossible for them to afford the massive buildings and parking lots that characterize US insurance companies and sickness institutions. But Cuba, has a life expectancy equal to the US at a fraction […]
with Heather Hawk
Healthy Planet Fitness Writer
“Spring Fever” …Back to Outdoor Exercise
We’ve had a mild winter and warmer temperatures have been tempting us throughout the season. The arrival of Spring brings the promise of consistently warmer weather. St. Louis has a wonderful Spring season with mild days that are perfect for taking your workouts outside.
Outdoor exercise […]
April 2 – April 30
28-Day Healthy Eating Challenge At Whole Foods Market
6:30 – 7:30 pm, $35 all 5 sessions (individual sessions not available) Are you ready to move forward with your healthy eating goals? We’ll help you stick to it with delicious recipes, education and a community of support. Every Monday in April we will […]
by Kim Reiss, Manager Sugar Creek Gardens
There’s no more dedicated group of gardeners than the tomato gardener. Some are loyal to the heirloom varieties, while others mix it up with the hybrids. And the Sweet Cherry 100s? They’re in a class all their own.
If you’re serious about tomatoes, I hope you’re sitting down because there’s […]
by Teresa Garden, DVM
Most of us are very familiar with getting our blood pressure checked during routine doctor appointments. The cuff gets wrapped securely around our upper arm, next comes the pumping, and then the doctor or nurse gives us good news or bad. Often, if our blood pressure is higher than normal, some simple […]
Hitting the #2 spot on the list for America’s Top Selling Pharmaceuticals is the most popular and widely prescribed medication for indigestion. Although the stomach acid reducers seem to be the ideal solution for gastrointestinal distress, these medications may not be as effective as intended for many people. The reason: they impair the normal processes […]
by Tom & Carol Braford
A few months ago a scientist friend gave me an inspiring book, Chaos Point 2012 and Beyond: Our Choices Between Global Disaster and a Sustainable Planet, by Dr. Ervin Laszlo, a critical systems analyst for the UN, founder of the Club of Budapest and someone who has been nominated twice for […]
The St. Louis Baseball Cardinals began the “4 A Greener Game Program” at Busch Stadium during the 2008 season as a two month pilot program. After tremendous success, the program now averages over 25 volunteers per game with numbers increasing year after year. Since its inception, the program has diverted over 1,836 tons of recycling […]
Saturday, April 21st,
10am–3pm
Kirkwood Farmers’ Market
By Walter Smith,
Chair of Kirkwood Living Green
This year’s theme focuses on Urban Agriculture, Community Gardens, Growing Local, and Sustainability.
Exhibits and experts will offer everything you need to know to create a natural, organic, productive, and easy-to-maintain yard.
Get information on rain gardens, raised gardens, native plants, chickens, composting, and planting […]
The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will require you to purchase a more energy efficient light bulb to replace your old incandescent light bulb. The act has already made the manufacture and importation of the standard 100 watt incandescent bulb illegal in the United States on Jan 1st, 2012.
When shopping for new energy […]
by Gretchen Inman
Last month a very special person departed this planet forever. His legacy will remain a part of the St. Louis food scene just as Jack Buck left his mark on St. Louis baseball. Joe Pollack was a writer with whom I remember from my childhood growing up in Alton. Reading the St. Louis […]
by Cindy Gilberg
When do the hummingbirds return to St. Louis? Their arrival is almost perfectly timed to the blooming of the wild columbine in our woodlands, sometime in late-April. The promise of nectar is welcome after an exhausting spring migration north from Mexico and Central America. Known only in the western hemisphere, there are over […]
Through April
SPRING ART EXHIBITION
Fraser Leonard Fine Art Gallery, 3611 Schutzen Street, in New Melle, Missouri; for info, call 314-853-3695.
Through April
ALLEGORY
Acrylic painting by Arlene Ligori; Norhtwest Coffee Roasting Company, 8401 Maryland; for info, call 314-791-6466 or visit www.alligoi.com/fine_art.
Through April 13
FINE ARTS FACULTY SHOW
Fine Arts Gallery, Fontbonne University, 6800 Wydown; for info, call 314-889-1403.
Through April 28
A MEANS […]
by Dr. Doug Pernikoff, DVM
Clarkson-Wilson Veterinary Clinic
Vet Pet Rescue
Spring is upon us! Unseasonably warm, breezy evenings where choruses of spring peepers and intermittent barred owl hoots fill the darkness with harmonic melodies. I find myself outside earlier in the morning and later in the night, with two of my beloved canine companions, Bruno and George, […]
by Nihal S. DeSilva, PhD
and Tipu Sultan, MD
Environmental Health & Allergy Center
In our earlier articles we indicated to you the importance of the biological phenomenon of Epigenomics in modern bio-medicine. We also indicated how prevention of any chronic disease is closely dependent on epigenomic biomarkers. At EHAC we have an on-going program to […]
It wouldn’t be April without Earth Day in St. Louis. And this year’s celebration is sure to take us one step farther towards the sustainable world we all desire. Earth Day’s fearless leader and this year’s super hero, Cassandra Hage (Orb), has chosen the theme of Heroes For The Planet, Ordinary People, Extraordinary Actions. Make […]
by Linda Wiggen Kraft
There is no official Slow Garden Day like there is an official Slow Art Day, but hopefully that will change. This year Slow Art Day is April 28th. In St. Louis it takes place at the Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts and in over 65 cities worldwide, all on the same day.
For […]
by Sara Gable, Ph.D., State Specialist and Associate Professor,
Nutrition and Exercise Physiology, University of Missouri Extension
Spring is the time of year for cleaning. Your young children can help with cleaning tasks, especially when they are members of a team that works together. Such activities help children focus on a task, talk about what needs to […]
by Ashley Bement, St. Louis Composting
St. Louis Composting invites you to join in celebrating International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW), May 6-12, 2012. This year’s theme is “Compost!…Replenish the Earth for Generations,” and planned activities span the globe with celebrations scheduled across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and Ireland. Composting advocates will […]
Some time ago, I found myself on the other end of the media, being interviewed by a national magazine for an article on arts in the Midwest. “Aren’t you surprised that there are so many artists in the Midwest?” asked the writer. The question shocked me, but I realized that it came from an assumption […]
The St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District has been working to expand recycling in the St. Louis region since 1993. The District is a regional public agency that serves St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson and St. Charles counties. Almost two million people reside within the District, making ours the largest of the twenty […]
The ART OF RELATING
with Christine Kniffen, MSW, LCSW,
Therapist & Relationship Coach
Sign up for my monthly newsletter for free relationship advice, previews of upcoming authors on my radio show and highlights from the current HP article. Purchase a copy of my new book at www.christinekniffen.com.
When it comes to internet dating there appears to be two […]
By Gretchen Karros
THE TOPIC
FOR THIS MONTH:
YOGIC MEDITATION
There are many different types of Meditation, partly because this spiritual discipline has been around for thousands of years, changing and expanding along the way. The ancient Rishis (spiritual teachers) date from as far back as 3,000 B.C. where these men taught ancient versions of mediation to their chelas […]
Story & Photos by Leah O’Donnell
Healthy Planet Lifestyles Editor
Our focus is 100% on customers,” explains Ann Lemcke, owner of The Art of Entertaining, about the benefit of the recent expansion of their building and extended hours. If you have not stopped by The Art of Entertaining lately, you are missing out. It looks like a […]
by Emily Hecker, DC, CNC, MBA
How did our ancestors eat? Did they count calories, shop gluten-free, or watch the lastest episode of Dr. Oz to avoid contaminated apple juice? They ate what was available and they learned by trial and error that certain foods gave them strength, brain power, endurance, or pain. Did they […]
by Carolyn Baker
I would like to share with you what I have learned about the way the body talks to me. Before I got into body work I sat at a desk all day. I was overweight, unhappy, a single parent, and a people pleaser. I always had aches and pains and never had the […]
by Megan Ridgeway,
Growing Green Awards Committee Chair
In March 29th the Missouri Gateway Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council held their fourth annual Growing Green Awards banquet at the recently-completed Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 36 Headquarters to announce and celebrate 2012 winners. Nearly 200 attendees joined to celebrate the accomplishments of all the nominees. […]
State of Sustainability
in Higher Education and Our Role in Society
Elizabeth Stroble, president of Webster University, is pleased to announce its first-time sustainability conference entitled: State of Sustainability in Higher Education and Our Role in Society. The conference will be held on April 16, 2012 and features Keynote Speaker, Paul Rowland, Executive Director of the […]
by Dr. Joseph F. Unger, Jr. DC., F.I.C.S.
Have you ever suffered from a condition that seemed to resist every effort to resolve it? For many people the ability to get well, no matter how hard they try, is elusive. “Why is that?,” you may ask. All too often people are told that deep-seated psychological problems […]