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 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 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 christine@ecbiz213.inmotionhosting.com 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... »
Brought To You By Coordinated Health By Maureen Sangiorgio~ Nick Fredericks, 57, knows a lot about knee injuries. “I worked construction jobs, was an avid skier, and played all kinds of contact sports, so I really mistreated my knees,” he says. “I had my first knee surgery when I was only 18 following a skiing competition. Since then, I’ve had three more surgeries. Now I’v... »
By Sara Vigneri~ The milk chocolate warms up in the machine, creating silky ripples as it swirls around. The smell is overpowering, and my mouth instinctively starts to water. “I don’t even smell it anymore,” says Arlene Brockel, candy maker and owner of Chocolate Lab, a specialty chocolate shop in Bethlehem. The three of us–Arlene, fellow-chocolate maker, Kelly and ... »
