We're facing an economic crisis unlike anything since the Great Depression and understandably people are hunkering down and questioning their purchasing decisions. In the past few months, I've heard many consumers and business colleagues say that they just cannot afford to be Green right now. If you define Green as I did last week in this blog, then basically by not being Green, they are putting their personal health, their family's health and the future health of our planet on hold. As if they will just wait until they have the extra money to get well.

I'm not willing to take those risks, but I am concerned about the financial crisis. So I'm sharpening my pencil and looking differently at my consumption with a Green eye towards Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. By being a little smarter, I can both save money and practice my Green lifestyle.

From Environmental Leader:

GE and Google will lobby together in Washington D.C. for renewable energy and are collaborating on advanced energy technologies - including the development of a smart grid.

"Our goal is to provide consumers with improved and expanded energy choices, whether it's buying renewable power, driving a plug-in car, or reducing energy bills by managing home energy use," the companies said in the announcement.

Does your kid need to stay away from milk? Intolerances and allergies, such as milk, have become so common that parents have a long list of foods that are prohibited from entering the school to keep children safe. When I recently spent an evening with mothers and their children, I was taken aback by the number of questions and concerns on dairy intolerance.

Intolerances and allergies have existed from time immemorial. However, they were never as widespread or severe as they are today. Normally, natural allergens like pollen cause seasonal allergies, which run their course and die out. But according to most doctors, allergies are no more seasonal. They have become perennial. And this is due to the influence of 'unnatural' allergens - like fumes of diesel exhausts, volatile organic solvents (VOC), pesticides, and tobacco smoke.

Last week a new friend sheepishly asked me what "Green" really meant. This question reminded me of how I started my Going Green blog in order to help people everywhere learn how to start going Green. I had thought that being Green had been a bit too exclusive...a club where you needed to know the handshake before you could join. I hoped that this Green blog would start to change that pattern and bring anyone who wanted to join under the Green tent. A place where you can ask questions and expect to get an understandable, practical, expert answer.

Since Green is personal, I thought I'd share what Green means to me and then invite you to do the same.

Dear Mr. Green,

Several weeks ago I noticed fleas on my indoor cats. Someone must have brought the fleas into my house. I took the cats to the vet and had them treated and then used an ecologically safe fogger and spray in the house all the while I cleaned and vacuumed every surface. I washed clothing and area rugs with diluted bleach and have continued this routine. I even hired an eco-friendly exterminator to do the house and now almost 3 weeks later the situation is not much better. All but one room has hardwood floors. The room with the carpeting is the one that I am having a lot of trouble with. The exterminator says I have not waited long enough for them to do something else but in the meantime I can't enter that room and I am afraid that the cats will carry the live fleas into other rooms. I don't even want to go into my home because of this problem and it is causing emotional problems for me. What do I do now?

Thank you,
Louise Mack

This week, the folks at Carbonrally.com are helping us pledge to bring our own... lunch, that is. Early bird? Prepare your lunch fresh each morning; Night owl? Take a few minutes before bed. So what are the benefits for all this extra effort? Well, by brown bagging it for just a month, we'll individually reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by 44.6 lbs. Not to mention, gaining some green... dollars, that is. I calculated what I usually spend on lunch take-out against the cost of the items for its homemade equivalent and it turns out I'll be saving as much as $40 a week. I am so in, how about you?

Join the Green is Universal Carbonrally team and take the challenge!

Dear Mr. Green,

As you know, it's back to school time! Can you help me with some all-around back to school green recommendations? Clothing, supplies and fun, green after school projects.

Thank you,
Ready For School!

As kids head back to school, many parents will be scrambling for ideas for easy-bagged lunches. (Below are ideas for you to chew on!) Keep in mind, adequate nutrition is vital to keep your kids' growth and health on track. Children's growing bodies need more nutrients than adults, but their diets shouldn't provide excessive calories and cause them to gain an inappropriate amount of weight.

Overall lunches should consist of, about 50-60% of a child's calories from carbohydrate sources, 25-35% of calories should come from fat, and the rest (10-15% of calories) should come from protein. Just like the diets of all family members, children's diets should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean protein sources, low fat dairy products, whole grains and healthy fats.

This year, think outside of the box. Lunch can be more than a sandwich. Have a recipe? Post it below, other parents would love to know!

Dear Mr. Green,

My friend and I are making an "Action Project" about global warming and going green. I was wondering if you had any tips to help us with this project since we aren't exactly the "greenest" people around. Please help with giving us some useful examples and tips about anything so we can wow our 7th grade homeroom!

Thanks,
Sylvia