Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Philadelphia, PA

Some of our fellow Savvy Source City Editors recently had the opportunity to interview Cheryl Tiegs!  Cheryl is the spokesperson for Cambria (http://www.cambriausa.com/) , a Minnesota based company producing "green" products, such as countertops.  Cheryl also is one of the judges on the ABC produced show, True Beauty (http://abc.go.com/
primetime/truebeauty/index?pn=index).

Listen in on their conversation:

SS: How and when did you first become interested in environmental
issues?

CT:  I started recycling about 20 years ago, when I had to tie my
newspapers together with string, package up all the bottles and cans
and put them in my car and take them to the recycling center.  Now,
today they make it so much easier and there is no excuse not to do it!

SS: What were some of the first changes you made in your life to start
"thinking green"?

CT:   You see so much waste and I see that a lot of people don't
care.  I'm always thinking "what else can I do?"   I know you don't
have to tear your house down in order to start all over to become
green. My house has so many green elements now.  The first thing I did
was change all the light bulbs.  Years ago, some of the energy
efficient bulbs were dark and didn't emit enough light but I kept
trying until I got the right fit for each one of my lamps or shades so
there is enough light.

I've also been known to, when forgetting my canvas bags at the grocery
store, take off my sweatshirt and pile my purchases in the sweatshirt,
pulling up the arms to make a handy pouch.

SS: What if someone saw you?  The paparazzi?

CT:  I hope they do see that.  The more people that can be
environmentally aware, the better!

SS: Who are your environmental heroes?

CT: Ed Begley Jr. is one of my heroes.  He is so self-sufficient -
makes his own electricity generated from his bike, makes his own
vegetables, puts everything back into the earth by composting.  I did
the show "living with Ed" and invited him over to walk through my
house and make suggestions on how to make my house more green.

SS : How can you green your house w/o spending a lot of money?

CT:  The easiest ways?  Eliminate plug-in air fresheners and instead
use soy candles.  Change out your light bulbs for energy-efficient
bulbs.  Use less hot water.  There really is no excuse to not do the
little things to live green.

SS Indianapolis(http://indianapolis.savvysource.com/):  As a busy mom
what simple activities do you find are the most special when you are
with your kids?

CT:  I like to read.  I like to do things with my kids that I also
like to do.  Cooking with my kids in the kitchen is an easy thing to
do.  I think it's important to do what YOU enjoy.  Of course there are
things that you do JUST for your kids, but do what YOU enjoy.  I also
meditate.  You have to let your children see you have something for
yourself.

SS Toronto (http://toronto.savvysource.com/):  What was it like
working on True Beauty with all the cameras everywhere and the big
secret - and what was it like working with Nole Merin?

CT:  Nole is a doll.  He is lovely and very sweet, very easy to work
with.  I adored him.  I wanted to get involved with the show because I
believe that inner beauty is what makes you shine and glow.  We had 54
cameras, although the contestants only knew about "x" number of
cameras.  They didn't know about the hidden cameras.  We had to be
very careful every day not to spill the secret.  We couldn't say "when
you did such and such" because then they would begin to wonder "how
did they know that?"  We had little tests to see if they giving they
were, how honest, how loyal, how sweet, how kind, judging them on
their inner beauty.

Another thing challenging was judging.  I have worked for 12-15 years
to not be judgmental.  I would be standing six feet away from the
contestants during the judging.  I would list out their positives in
my ear, the producer would be saying "Cheryl, we need a negative, we
need a negative."  I would sit there frozen, looking at the
contestants.  I would finally come up with some constructive
criticism.  Towards the end I started to really get into it.

SS Atlanta (http://atlanta.savvysource.com/):  What are some ways to
excite our kids to be more eco-friendly and what are 2-3 things we can
do that cost little or no money to be more earth friendly?

CT:  I would suggest handing your children the recycling to take care
of on their own.  Hand them a piece of recyclable trash and ask them
to take it to the appropriate bin.  Make them feel that they are doing
something to participate.

Also, be the role model.  Kids need to be very much aware that
recycling is a part of your home.  If they are not teaching recycling
in your children's school, take it to the classroom yourself!

SS Fort Worth (http://fortworth.savvysource.com/): What can moms of
preschool girls do to encourage the "inner beauty" to shine?

CT:  Be a role model.  I try to be kind to everyone I meet.  Now, I'm
not perfect and there are just those days when you lose your
patience.  I wanted to do the True Beauty show because I don't want
people to just sit on your sofa, turn it off and then forget about
it.  I want to remind people to "up" their kindness quotient.

Always ask yourself "what if I were on camera?"   Shouldn't it be the
NORM that everyone is nice?

SS Cleveland (http://cleveland.savvysource.com/): What is your top
piece of advice for a mom who has very little time for herself, to
encourage the feeling of True Beauty on a daily basis

CT:  Inner and True Beauty has everything to do with self esteem.  How
do you feel about yourself?  How good do you feel about yourself?
Educate yourself and always learn.  Always grow and always be good.

The definition of attract is to be like a magnet.  Attractiveness does
not mean you have perfect features.  It means there is something about
you, a shining light going on inside of you, that other people will
see.  Impart to your children a good sense of esteem.  Remind them
"I'm proud of you".