By Maureen Sangiorgio How today’s “green” vehicles are helping to clean up the environment. When I was growing up in the 70s, I was deeply moved by the TV commercial featuring the American Indian Iron Eyes Cody shedding a tear over pollution. The voiceover proclaimed, “People start pollution; people can stop it.” I have been an amateur tree-hugging enviro... »
By Nancy Moffett Did you know the air inside the average American home can be two to five times more polluted than outside air? That only 30 percent of the 17,000 petrochemicals available for home use have been tested for environmental and human safety? And, according to the EPA, the antibacterial soaps and cleaners so popular today may contain 275 active ingredients that ... »
By Susan Weaver There’s no better place to welcome spring than the seat of a bicycle. If you agree and you’re keen for new places to pedal, this roundup of Valley bike trails is for you. To add to my personal favorites, I talked with folks at area bike stores–Bikeline in Allentown and the new Cycle Fitters in Forks Township. So here’s a range of trails where you can ... »
By Mary Beth Schwartz Today’s kitchen gardens combine food preparation areas with the elements of structured design Having been through the snowstorms of 2010, our minds turn to thoughts of spring. Nothing says spring more than gardening. This year, more and more Lehigh Valley gardeners will decide to plant their own kitchen gardens—to save money, eat healthier vegetables,... »
By Melanie Gold When I was a girl growing up in Northampton County, farms were all around me. Some of my fondest memories are of pulling back husks on the season’s first sweet corn, tagging along with my grandfather to the dairy to buy raw milk in glass bottles, and my brother and I riding our bikes to the local butcher. He sold local meats, knew us by name, and gave us a ... »
By Faith Brenneisen As inches-upon-inches of snow have piled-up on us this winter, it’s exciting to begin planning for warm spring days and outdoor activities. With nearly 40 parks covering more than 1,600 acres. 34 ball fields, over 50 game courts; five outdoor pools, and two spray parks, Allentown is known as the City in a Park, and is the place to be in the upcoming mon... »
By Sara Vigneri Teaching ‘green living’ in schools involves more than plopping a few recycling bins in classrooms. Global climate change, industrial agriculture, depletion of the earth’s natural resources—today’s schoolchildren will end up bearing the brunt of our current lifestyle in the U.S. Teaching children about sustainable living is vital for their future, and school... »
Here are some interesting ways that we’re helping to make the world a better place or at least our little world here in the Lehigh Valley. If you have additional ideas or suggestions, send them to [email protected] and we’ll consider posting the most innovative ideas we receive. “We do the majority of our shopping at farmers’ markets and roadside stand... »
By Maureen Sangiorgio Shoulder Pain Despite all the rough-and-tumble action sports Jim Macdonald played all his life, it was a mere whiffle ball that finally did his shoulder in. “I was playing ball with my kids, when I felt this sharp pain,” he recalls. “I ignored it for two years, but when I had to turn down fun activities like parasailing down the shore with my family, ... »
By Laura B. Teter On a cold snow-covered February morning, Cathy Naccio-Ford couldn’t sleep – fretting over the well-being of her animals. Rather than stare at the ceiling or pace the floors of her Pocono home, she got dressed and drove the hour to Easton’s Center for Animal Health and Welfare (CAHW). Arriving well before her usual 7:00 a.m. start time, Cathy began her day... »
