Katy Farber is a teacher and a writer in Vermont who blogs at Non-Toxic Kids. She covers the environment, parenting, green living and education. She is also the mother of “two spirited little girls.” Last year, as she wrote recently, she participated in Vermont’s first “body burden study” and learned that she had a high rate of Deca contamination — a toxic flame retardant chemical used in electronics, fabrics, and mattresses. Naturally, her thoughts immediately went to how she could protect her children from exposure, and she shares her findings in her post. Farber’s first book was Why Great Teachers Quit and How We Might Stop the Exodus; her second book is Change the World with Service Learning: How to Organize, Lead and Assess Service Learning Projects. Her testimony in front of the Vermont legislature helped to pass a bill regulating lead in consumer products.
BY Katy Farber ON February 10, 2014
It is clear to me every day — we need more humanity — everywhere. In our nation’s schools, in politics, our homes, and in our media. As a teacher, I strive to show my students …
TOPICS: Activism, Climate Change, Politics
BY Katy Farber ON January 7, 2014
As I reflect on 2013, with my kids shrieking joyfully in the background, I am reminded that massive change starts out slow.
Back when I had my daughters in 2005 and 2007, we were just …
TOPICS: Toxics
BY Katy Farber ON July 22, 2013
Oh, sweet summer. That fleeting season, sometimes unbearably hot (and increasingly so, in many parts of the country) and delightful in its simplicity, freedom, and fruit. Before you know it, kids will be heading …
TOPICS: Food, Heat and Extreme Weather, Indoor Air Pollution, Toxics
BY Katy Farber ON June 3, 2013
Where do your kids spend the majority of their time? Probably in schools and childcare centers. While many schools have made considerable progress in the areas of environmental health, there is still a long way …
TOPICS: Asthma, Indoor Air Pollution, Schools, Toxics
BY Katy Farber ON April 15, 2013
While thumbing through my recent Runner’s World magazine, I found a short article about running and air pollution. As an air quality activist and a long-time runner, this article fit a cross-section of my interests. …
