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:

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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.

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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!

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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

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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.

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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.”

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Victoria Everman: How and when did the idea for Envirosax come about?

Belinda David-Tooze: The idea for making eco-friendly bags came from a discussion had over a glass of wine in October 2004 after returning from a shopping trip. I decided that the polypropylene green bags on offer at most supermarkets were dull and unfashionable and saw the need for a more fun, fashionable item that everybody would like to be seen with and at the same time still spread the message of reusable bags over cheap throwaway plastic bags. The driving philosophy behind the our vision and product range was to ‘move in the right direction’ which is always a catch phrase we have used for various reasons in the past.

VE: What makes the Envirosax brand different from the many other reusable bag companies?

BD-T: Our eco-chic totes are about as far removed from the average shopping bag as is artistically possible and we challenge the lack of stylish or fashionable eco-friendly shopping bags available. Our stylish bags are not only fashionable but also functional and so the design briefs specified that the bags be lightweight, portable, waterproof and have a large holding capacity. Each bag is able to carry the equivalent of 2 supermarket plastic shopping bags or 44 pounds in weight. We also make the ‘move in the right direction’ easier as each bag can roll up and become a lightweight and portable, 1.4oz package. Our groovy bags, available as single items, also come as an assortment of 5 designs contained in a small pouch. The pouch is small enough to stow into a glove compartment or a handbag. This means customers are less likely to leave their eco-bags in the car or cupboard when they shop.

VE: What inspired the various designs in the Graphic Series?

BD-T: We aimed to create totes which captured the bold colours and freshness of Mother Nature, or the designs and whimsy of retro and modern art and culture. The inspiration for the designs on Envirosax bags are drawn from our surroundings (the tropical rainforest and the beach), our passions (art and music) and our background (fashion and travel). Our children often also stimulate a design process, with a simple discussion over the family dinner table, a drawing or even just a simple word.

VE: Are you concerned about using polyester for the majority of your collection?

BD-T: Yes, the bags are made from polyester, which is a plastic, but we had to start somewhere. The idea of the Envirosax came about through the fusion of passion and creativity. The bag was designed to be extremely strong and durable, but still pleasing to the eye. Polyester was chosen so the bags can be printed with several colours, which cannot fade using the process of sublimation. At the time of starting our business, eco-friendly bags were not as widely used as they are now. The whole idea was to encourage even the most ‘non-greenie’ out there to use a re-useable bag. To do this, we had to create something which is completely different to what was already out there. Also, due to the fabric properties, polyester allows the bag to be rolled up into a tiny package and even the unconcerned (or the forgetful) will find it easier to remember the bags if they are stowed in the bottom of their handbag. We have been looking closely at the new Eco Intelligent Polyester. Currently this fabric is only produced for the furniture industry, and, hopefully in the future, we will move towards this new polyester as long as it does not compromise the quality of our product. We understand also the need to produce a bag made form natural fibres and also produce a hemp bag under the organic range. We are currently focusing on increasing the lines in our organic range and will be bringing out several new lines in August.

VE: A series of surfing rash vests and UV shirts are mentioned on your website, though they are not available yet for purchase - can you tell me a bit more about these?

BD-T: We brought out the surfing rash vests at the beginning of our summer here in Australia and sold online throughout summer. We are currently re-designing our rash vest range and will have our 2008 range out around September. The new range will be available throughout 2008 during the Northern Hemisphere summer.

VE: Not only does the brand itself promote environmentally conscious activities, your offices operate under sustainable practices as well, no?

BD-T: In an indirect way. We do a lot of work from home where we live totally off the grid with all our electricity coming from 12, 185 watt solar panels. Hot water is heated using a solar hot water system and huge water tanks, which collect rainwater, provide our entire water supply. Grey water and sewerage is recycled back on to our extensive tropical gardens using a biocycle. Our laptops and cell phones are recharged each night using electricity obtained purely from the sun. Our warehouse is in an industrial area and the builder forgot to add the solar panels on top! So we try and compensate otherwise - our photocopy paper in recycled paper and also our printing is done by a company which uses recycled paper printed with waterless soy based ink. As far as the ‘other little things which matter’ goes, we also use toilet paper made from recycled paper, clean using white vinegar, compost all of our shredded paper and most importantly - encourage our staff to switch the bathroom light off when not in use.

VE: What sort of feedback have you been getting from consumers and retail stores?

BD-T: There seems to be this energised sort of positive attitude towards Envirosax - really positive. When we first started with Envirosax, the aim was to produce a trendy alternative to the existing eco-friendly bag. From this initial concept to what Enviorosax has now become (in Australia - that is) has suddenly seen Envirosax transpire into a must-have fashion item. But of course, it is not just this aspect which is causing a stir - it’s also the actions of all the wonderful consumers who are actually thinking about the environment. Envirosax is just a wanted product - by all in the supply chain. It makes us proud!

VE: Could you tell me a bit more about the company’s involvement in Australia’s Sustainable Living Challenge?

BD-T: The Sustainable Living Challenge is a leading national secondary schools program that encourages students and their teachers to explore sustainability issues. [My husband] Mark has been involved with The New South Wales University Sustainable Living Challenge for the last five years as a school teacher. Last year, his school, All Saints Anglican School, won an “Outstanding Academic Achievement Award” for their successful “Students for a Sustainable Future” conference, which involved 25 students giving 35 presentations on the four corners of sustainability, cultural, social, economic and environmental. This year the students are working on a fuel cell boat as part of their entry and they are also planning another student conference for October 2007. Envirosax became a supporter of the Sustainable Living Challenge in November 2006 by supplying prizes for the competition. Envirosax also attended a Sustainable Living Challenge exhibition in Brisbane this March, to promote the competition and also to educate teachers and students in using reusable bags. In the future, Envirosax would like to get far more involved in fuel cell research using the Sustainable Living challenge as the medium for the students.

VE: What do you say to the folks that still believe global warming is just a myth?

BD-T: I can answer this quite simply. When we first started attending conferences on sustainability and global warming, all the speakers were only talking about the effects of global warming and global dimming. In the last two major international sustainability conferences we have attended, in Hanoi January 2006 and Chennai January 2007, with speakers from Universities around the world, the professors are no longer talking about the effects of global warming, but what we can do to live with global warming. Global warming is no longer a myth but a reality. There is no quick fix to the problem, but a lot of small steps in the right direction will add up to one big step. Envirosax hopefully is one of these small steps.

VE: Do you have any other nifty, secret projects in the works that you could hint at?

BD-T: Our online store in the USA goes live the end of next week. Our product development is going all out and yes there will be some surprises around the corner. Think texture, organic graphics and nourishment!