It’s Time to Do Something
Date: December 4, 2008 | Category: Events, Kids
Is green just how you roll? Are you the person in class who is always volunteering, ready to step up and plan the next bake sale or fundraiser, or donate your time to a good cause?
If so, DoSomething.org has lots of projects to keep you busy. The folks at DoSomething.org don’t underestimate teenagers and know that by harnessing teen energy into positive projects the world can be a better place. The organization’s website is full of resources, tips, tools, project ideas and even a school carbon calculator widget to support teens along the way. (more…)
My Little Pakora
Date: November 25, 2008 | Category: Children, Clothing, Fashion, Featured, Kids
As an eco-conscious adult, you’ll want your legacy to live on with your like-minded little ones. My Little Pakora, a line of planet friendly clothing and accessories for baby, takes pride in its low-impact processing (using certified organic cotton from sustainable farms and toxin-free dyeing), helping ensure a green future for the next generation.
The darling designs are inspired by founder Sonia Gupta’s South Asian heritage. What’s more, My Little Pakora features helpful educational material on how to live more healthfully, incorporating local and organic nutrition, yoga, and natural remedies into your routine as part of pregnancy and parenting. In India, these practices have existed long before today’s contemporary trends. So My Little Pakora is not only selling the green goods, they’re living it as well.
Raising a culturally clever kid has never been so easy. Or so adorable.
Strawberries that Whiten Teeth?
Date: November 13, 2008 | Category: Care, Kids
If you find yourself negotiating with your child to get him to brush before bed, sweeten the deal with Silly Strawberry Toothpaste from Tom’s of Maine.
The toothpaste, which is made with real strawberry oil, not artificial flavors, entices kids to brush without the dyes and sparkles found in many toothpastes. And it has received the ADA Seal of Acceptance, which guarantees that it will get the job done. It features naturally-sourced sodium monofluorophosphate as its active ingredient to provide cavity protection.
Also available in Outrageous Orange-Mango (my kids don’t dig this flavor, but it might be tantalizing to yours). Available at Rite-Aid, Walgreens and other drugstore chains.
Hybrids are for Kids Too
Date: November 13, 2008 | Category: Kids, Toys
Your mother always told you to play fair. Good advice, but what about playing green?
That task just got easier thanks to green toy maker, Sprig Toys. Named for Sprigwood, a bio-composite material made from recycled wood and reclaimed plastic (yes monstrous hybrid, but so much better than the alternative), Sprig Toys promises lively, child-safe products that are good for kids and better for the environment - than the other behemoths out there at least. Geared toward preschool-aged children, the Sprig Adventure Series vehicles are chunky, brightly colored, and come with a fun assortment of characters. Better yet, none of the toys require a battery, just the power of your child’s imagination.
I like the company’s Sprig Adventure Series, a collection that uses the kinetic energy created through push-and pump-action to power flashing lights and create sounds so zany they might make you wish your child had a little bit less of an imagination.
Everybody’s Talkin’ About Revolution
Date: November 13, 2008 | Category: Featured, Food, Kids
Times are a changin’ for sure…evidenced by munchies that are actually healthy for little snackers! We weren’t planning on writing about Revolution Foods revolutionary new offerings quite yet, but it doesn’t seem right that your children should have to wait.
My kids are so mad about R.F.’s Mashups that they even accepted them in place of lollipops on Halloween! But they are far from candy - Mashups are squeezable organic fruit-delivery devices. The combination of cool packaging, a fun name and pure fresh fruit has proven to be an irresistible combo. Unlike yogurt tubes, these sweet treats have no added sugars and no preservatives. (more…)
Wear your Mission
Date: November 11, 2008 | Category: Accessories, Bags, Children, Clothing, Fashion, Men, Shoes, Women, ecoMan
Mission Playground has a cool and comfortable clothing line for men, women and kids, as well as flip flops, belts and bags - made of sustainable materials.
The forest loving Air Freshener tee made of 100 percent organic cotton, available in white or brown, is an ecofab fave. It retails for $24. But if you are feeling extra generous, you might want to buy that special someone a Citizen’s Hoody for around sixty bucks.
Make it your mission to only invest in clothing that lasts long, looks good, and does good in the world!
Dimples are so Cute!
Date: November 10, 2008 | Category: Children, Clothing, Fashion
This layette set from Dimples is one of the more magnificent newborn gifts we have seen.
Made of 100 percent organic cotton without any kind of chemical treatments, baby’s delicate soft skin is protected along with the environment. Dimples is owned by husband-and-wife team Jane Anne and Sam McAllister, whose baby wear is manufactured in New Zealand under the strictest standards of quality and fair wages.
The set, which is available in chocolate and sage stripes with a bee embroidered on the front, or in pink with a tiny embroidered rose, includes a playsack with a drawstring at the toes, a hat and a receiving blanket to keep baby fashionable and cozy.
Too bad the sets don’t come in our size!
Puffet the Magic Dinner
Date: November 7, 2008 | Category: Food, Kids
The crazy schedule most families adhere to means it isn’t always possible to don an apron and prepare an organic, home-cooked meal, which is why we love finding healthy convenience foods that can be lifesavers for busy parents.
Puffets from Peas of Mind are one such item. Puffets are mini-casseroles designed to be eaten with little hands, by babies over 12 months old. Wholesome and organic but enough fun that a toddler will look forward to chowing one (or two), they come in a variety of flavors, like Nanna’s Banana Puffet, Eat Your Greens Puffet and Mamma’s Pasta Puffet. All of the flavors are organic, have no added sugars, artificial flavors or preservative and all are free of genetically engineered ingredients. Several varieties are also non-dairy.
Peas of Mind products are available at grocery stores like Mollie Stone’s and Whole Foods Market, so you don’t have to live in a land called Honalee (or whatever) to buy some. To find a retailer near you, click here.
Nike Kicks Waste to the Curb
Date: November 7, 2008 | Category: Clothing, Featured, Shoes, Travel & Leisure, ecoMan
If you partake in healthy leisure activities like walking, jogging or hiking, chances are you have at least one pair of worn out kicks lying around the house. Peek under the bed, dig into the back of the closet and prepare for a sneaker reincarnation, thanks to Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program.
When your sports shoes have lost their steam, bring them to a Reuse-A-Shoe drop-off location. With about 300 locations around the world, finding one near you shouldn’t be difficult. Each individual can donate up to 10 pairs of shoes at a time - and they don’t have to be Nike’s - so ask your friends and family to hand over their old sneaks and donate them all at once. Or, if you are feeling inspired, start a group shoe drive at your school or office. (more…)
Really Good Things Come in Small Packages
Date: November 5, 2008 | Category: Food, Food & Drink, Lifestyle
There is something about a doughnut that can make the most diligent dieter a little bit weak in the knees. But they don’t have to be the guilty pleasure they once were now that Dee’s Mini Organic Doughnuts are on the market.
Small in size but big on flavor, Dee’s are made from scratch using fresh and certified organic ingredients, without chemical preservatives, hydrogenated oils, trans fats, artificial coloring or artificial flavors. And with classics like Cinnamon Sugar as well as Meyer Lemon and Raging Raspberry, there is a flavor for every palate.
Currently available in markets and cafés in Marin County, the company is expanding into San Francisco and beyond. Cops everywhere should be looking a little daintier and a little healthier thanks to Dee.
