A successful dinner is one that lasts a while and one where everyone leaves happy. It's a meal where we didn't just wolf food down, rather something else happened at the table. That is the goal.

I am gratified on a regular basis by the people I meet all across the country who dedicate their efforts to protecting the environment and public health and are making a difference. The great thing about working on important issues is all of the other people you meet doing the same thing.

Everything we know and love is at risk if we continue to ignore the warnings.

We are all guilty and we all have to be part of the solution. We have to do the best we can and then try to do better. It's not about any one person doing everything it's about all of us doing something and then maybe a little more.

The most disturbing part of working on all these issues is the amount of money spent by corporations to confuse, mislead and misinform the public. This is one of the reasons why we are always taking two steps forward and three steps back.

I am so grateful for after-school snack time, when I light a candle, pour some tea, slice some apples, and get to listen in on my kids' highs and lows of the day.