Green Options

Here at Eco Child’s Play, we LOVE Stubby Pencil Studio when Kate Rosenthal,  mama of twin girls started her quest for safe art supplies, she found a wonderful niche to fill.  I had the opportunity to meet with Kate a while back and see her in action.  We spoke about her quest for safe products, the new CPSC/lead regulations, and how one person’s vision has turned into a busy home business.

With Easter coming, we have baskets to fill and my first thought was of Kate and her wonderful shop.  So hop on over to Stubby Pencil Studio and order up some of these fabulous eco friendly art supplies and toys (If you are in the Portland area, you can arrange pick up).  You’ll feel good knowing that your children are getting safe, sustainable products and our Earth will breathe a bit easier as well.

Start with your choice of basket or packaging (Stubby Pencil offers two basket options this year and also carries Envirosax).  If you already own baskets (or buckets, bins and bags) reuse those of course.  If not, opt for a container that can get lots of reuse (and you know your world best, so pick: a galvanized metal bucket, a cloth shopping bag, a wicker basket, a hat turned upside down, a kid sized wheel barrow, etc…

Some of our favorite basket filers:

One of the easiest ways to lessen your carbon foot print is to switch to cloth grocery bags. Considering the BYOB approach (Bring Your Own Bag) isn’t as difficult as it sounds. The truth of the matter is, any tote bag that you have laying around will work well and when it comes to being truly eco-friendly, using something you already have, or making a bag from existing materials is always the best way to go.

However, some smart eco-friendly designers have created bags that will make your transition super easy. As a busy mom who’s already lugging a big diaper bag and two kids around, I’m happy to purchase new bags if I know that I’m actually going to use them. Like most folks, the idea of switching to cloth bags isn’t the problem; it’s remembering to bring them with you. The beauty of the new cloth grocery bags on the market is that they actually fit more than the ones you might have hidden in your closet. So, if you’re definitely looking for the convenience factor, consider my top 5 bag choices.

At Cool Mom Picks, I’ve had the pleasure of testing out some amazing cloth grocery bags, many of which are created by small companies who are truly dedicated to green-minded living. But, like most people, I’ve got my personal favorites.

Thank you to all of our writers, guest writers, and readers that shared their birth stories as part of our Labor of Love series. It’s been a difficult week for me with wildfires surrounding my home, and the birth stories provided me with moments of respite and love.  From VBACS to home births, our experiences have varied but we’ve all been blessed with our children!

Three winners have been randomly selected for our Labor of Love Week Giveaway from our Eco Child’s Play forum.

• Candu won a pair of IsaBooties!  Candu lives in Hanoi and suffered wounds from his wife’s grip:

All day the contractions got more painful and intense. She had to wait for 40 second long contractions and we had been waiting all day for it. I should have got her to cut her nails earlier, for now I have open wounds on my back and hands. Girls got some grip! She would lean right into me and hold on tight when she got another wave. She shook in pain and her eyes squeezed tight. Wave after wave after wave… Now I know why they call it labour!

As part of Eco Child’s Play Labor of Love series on birth stories, natural birth, hospital births, and home births, our writers will be sharing their birthing and pregnancy stories. We’d like to hear your birth stories too, whether you are a mother, father, grandparent, or adoptive parent.

We are encouraging our readers to share their thoughts and birth stories by hosting a giveaway contest.

Entries in the contest are made by leaving a comment or birth story on the Green Options Forum. At the end of the week (6/28), we will randomly pick two winners for this giveaway. Up for grabs are:

IsaBootie: Funky and Stylish Soft Soled Baby Shoes

Editor’s note: OK, most of us probably don’t really consider shopping bags an accessory. According to our friends at Life Goggles, though, Envirosax bags aren’t just functional and reusable — they’re also real eye-catchers! This post was originally published on Monday, May 26, 2008. If you really like these bags, make sure to check out Victoria Everman’s interview with Envirosax founder Belinda David-Tooze from last May. Also check out how these bags stack up against others with Life Goggles’ new reusable bag comparison chart.

Envirosax was founded in Australia in 2004 (now available in the US), and makes eco-friendly bags. Made from a lightweight polyester, they have reinforced seams in order to carry the weight of two plastic shopping bags.

The most striking feature (besides that they roll up really small) is the sheer number of cool designs they come in. The picture is of the one I’ve got, Mikado #5; however they have many designs in the Graphic Series (Mikado, Retro Graphic, Monochromatic, Flora, Amazonia, and Retro Kitchen). They also have a big Kids range (as in a big range, not a range for big kids…). My favorite being the Dogasaurus.

I LOVE my Envirosax Totes, the fashionable alternative to plastic bags. Invented in Australia (Gotta love the Aussies) , it’s incredibly durable, versatile and Oh so tres chic. I even toted 15 library books using mass transportation 7 months pregnant; that’s how useful they are.

Now, Envirosax introduces their children’s reuseable shopping bags with really quirky graphics and vibrant colors (truth be told, all of their bags are pretty vibrant).  Their philosophy is “Educating the next generation in the responsible re-use of bags, Envirosax Kids will help tomorrow’s future move in the right direction.”

In grocery stores all over the world, you'll find all types of people bringing their own reusable bags. Canvas bags printed with company names are the most common, but are there other options? Started in Australia by husband-and-wife team Belinda and Mark David-Tooze, Envirosax offer lightweight, compact, durable totes with unique, expressive designs. "Envirosax believes in environmental sustainability. Plastic bags clog drains and cause flooding. They pollute rivers and streams, killing

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