By now, you have all heard of the HEDAC Fundraiser that LGTH is underwriting to support the rebuilding of school and construction of educational programs for children in Honduras. The benefit is September 24 from 6:00pm-9:30pm and is being held at LGTH.

Tickets are $100 presale and $125 at the door. All ticket sales and donations are going directly to HEDAC. If you cannot attend, but wish to contribute, donations can also be made online at www.hedac.org or by calling (708) 425-2407.

We look forward to seeing you at the fundraiser and we look forward to sharing our dream of Schools Helping Schools from Chicago to Honduras!

The Advanced Toddler Sycamore Room jumps into fall by hosting their own Olympic games! The children were able to make 3-D footballs and soccer balls, Olympic flags, and gym shoe imprints in preparation for their Olympic games.  On the day of the big game, the Sycamore classroom headed to the park and participated in fun relay races to compete for gold medals. The children were able to continue to master their abilities to catch, kick, and work as teammates to win their relay. By the smiles on the children's faces, the Sycamore Olympic Games were a success!

Congratulations to Elsie Cardenas for being September's Employee of the Month! Elsie is a hard-working infant teacher who has been with Little Green Tree House for a year and four months and has been highlighted for her excellent attendance record as well as her love for the Bonsai room children and her dedication to Little Green Tree House. Elsie attended Kendall College and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education with a specialization in Bilingual Education.

Elsie makes sure to spend quality time with each baby in her classroom and is committed to providing the best possible care for the infants. When asked what the most rewarding part about being a teacher is, Elsie replied, "Witnessing their milestones. It amazes me how smart babies are. They are like little sponges just waiting to soak up all of the knowledge that is thrown at them. They can sure brighten my day with a silly face or a simple smile. It's the best."

Elsie said that the most difficult part of teaching is being able to, "meet the needs of all of the students."  A challenge that Elsie said that she has had to overcome since working with infants is doubt and fear, but thanks to great resources she has been able to accomplish one of her biggest goals- to ensure the children's' academic success. As stated above, Elsie is very committed to her job. She said that she never thought she would be working with infants, but that she loves what she does!

As most know, September begins the autumn season which means that football is sure to begin to be broadcasted all across the U.S. and football parties for your favorite teams are common. This article aims at showing families how to make an eco-party that still has the same sporty, fun, flare as any other football party, but still keeps our families environmentally conscious.

Fall means football and football means party! When you invite your friends over to watch the big game, it doesn't mean you get to shirk your responsibility to the environment. You have to put out a green spread, keep the trash to a minimum and increase fun to the maximum.

1.     Supply your fellow football fans with eco-friendly beer. The New Belgium Brewing Company, based out of Fort Collins, Colorado, is just one of many companies that have been working to reduce waste and energy. Recycle the bottles after the game.

 2.     Serve organic snacks. Locally grown, organic snacks are healthy for those eating them. They are also better for the environment due to the lack of pesticides.

 3.     Keep extra sweaters available. The majority of electricity a house goes to the heating and cooling systems. Keep your heat at a minimum if any party-goers complain, give them a sweater to wear. It can even be a sweater with a team logo on it.

 4.     Send out your invitations via email. Don't waste paper by snail mailing them.

5.     Only use reusable tableware. Go out and buy some inexpensive matching plates and silverware with party-time! in mind. Only break these out for parties. Clean them after the party and put them away. One of the biggest eco-offences at parties is the dreaded paper-plate-plastic-silverware-Styrofoam-cup combination. If possible, add cloth napkins in your team colors, too!

Courtesy of the PlanetGreen.com, http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/green-football-party.html

We hear the words Fair Trade and Organic pretty regularly these days. But are they the same? And if not, what makes them different? Below is an article that helps us manage the differences between the two to help us make more educated decisions when choosing which product to buy.

We hear these words all the time and by now, you're surely familiar with the term organic and likely familiar with the term Fair Trade certified as well. But does Fair Trade mean that the product was grown organically and does organic mean that those that produced your foods were treated fairly? Not necessarily.

These labels both make us think that we're making conscious choices. And we are, but at the same time they are not interchangeable terms. The organic label certifies how food is grown; it does not denote fair labor practices. Fair Trade does not always mean that foods are grown organically.

However, there is a link between Fair Trade and sustainably grown. Fair Trade USA has environmental standards and incentivizes organic farming by offering more money for organic products so the practices are often more attractive to farmers who are working as part of a Fair Trade program. About half of all Fair Trade certified products are organic.

Here are the Fair Trade environmental standards, according to Fair Trade USA:

• Protecting water resources and natural vegetation areas
• Promoting agricultural diversification, erosion control, and no slash and burn
• Restricting the use of pesticides and fertilizers
• Banning use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)
• Requiring proper management of waste, water and energy

Courtesy of the PlanetGreen.com, http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/does-fair-trade-mean-organic-and-vice-versa.html