We’ll always have the Paris Agreement:peer pressure and global warming

This was a historic week in climate politics with 60 countries formally binding their governments to the Paris Agreement at the UN. It’s a truly formidable milestone, but one that remains voluntary. Other than gathering leaders together at high-profile events  and take a public stance on dealing with climate change challenges, there will be no…

Benefits of Struggling: Are You Helping Your Child Too Much?

Struggle as learning: read this a million times; understand the concept; can’t be reminded too often of this important lesson! Not only for our children but for ourselves. I thankfully read the article below a few years back, shortly before The Little One invited a “friend” over for a play-date. This “friend” and my daughter were caught in a…

Early learnings in voting and compromise

Earlier this week, The Little One spoke at length about the tough but valuable lesson of voicing your opinion by voting, and learning the art of compromise. We’re entering the final few beautiful days of an abnormally and obnoxiously (in a good way) extended summer. Mid-September days in the mid-20s is not normal for the Nordic…

3 problems with cotton

It can be difficult to resist new home furnishings – particularly when it is marketed aggressively as organic (or ekologisk here in Sweden). It almost makes you feel less guilty about purchasing another jumper and pair of trousers. But the next time you are at the cashier, ready to complete your purchase of cotton items, please…

4 steps to cheap reusable quiet-time play

School just started a few weeks ago and The Little One has waxed lyrical about these “magic boxes” she plays with for hours on end. I had no choice but to check it out for myself, and it really is addictive, soothing and scalable for multiple children. This is a big favorite amongst the 6-7…

How to reduce your household’s carbon footprint in 3 easy steps

If you would like to reduce your household’s carbon footprint, there are a myriad of options to take in order to make an impact. While these might seem overwhelming and difficult to commit to for some households, I have narrowed down a few of the best recommendations which you are able to fix in a weekend or…

Top 10 Plants to Improve Indoor Air Quality

Originally posted on Green Mixtape:
This is from, believe it or not, the Earthship website.  We’ll be talking about Earthships on Tuesday’s green building episode of This Green Earth.  (Google Earthship and Images if you haven’t the slightest idea what I’m talking about).  Anyway, one of the best things you can do in your home…

Future-proofing cement (short read, I promise!)

(featured image from Wikipedia) Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of attending a seminar about the cement industry held by my employer, CDP (formerly known as the Carbon Disclosure Project). While some of you might be suffering from heavy eyelids already, please  consider the following facts: the cement industry is one of the most powerful…

New Beginnings: 4 ways I plan for a “Joyful” Autumn

Fall is a time of mixed emotions. On one hand, every thing reverts back to normal, status quo is restored, schedules are respected and we know exactly what needs to be done day-in-day-out before the next big holiday (December!) On the other hand, the monotony of the daily toil, ever darkening days and the lack…

Organizing LEGO

How do you organize mountains of lego? Stay tuned for an update of how three generations worth of this wonderful building block was organized for easy access play, display and clean-up!

When your 5-year old knows more about biogas than you do

Stockholm has a pretty decent system for household recycling. It still demands that the consumer is motivated to recycle on his/her own accord, but the communities do try to make it easier for inhabitants to access (outdoor) tips where this can be done effectively and on a 24-hour basis. Recycling tips can be found in the vicinity of housing areas, and are…

So.. do you?

“When you have less things you create more space – and space is an increasingly valuable thing in this increasingly cluttered world. It is possible to enjoy the absence of things. Extra room to move, breathe, swing cats and all the rest of it. Space is a thing, you just need to see it.” I…