By John Ivanko •
November 19, 2009
The only thing I could easily find in the whole place — with a “Made in the USA” label — was underwear. What I didn’t expect to find, was a mall heated by the sun (and body heat).
Forget the “conservative right” or “liberal left.” If America has a religion, it’s that of the consumption culture that has become the centerpiece for our economy. Now 70 percent of our GNP is based on its citizens purchasing stuff, on credit cards or otherwise.
This religion of consumption has its Mecca, too, called the Mall of America. A concept designed and constructed by the Triple Five Group — a privately held corporation owned by the Ghermezian brothers of Canada — Mall of America attracts more than 42 million visitors a year with their retail stores, restaurants, Nickelodeon Universe amusement park and Underwater Adventures Aquarium. While Mall of America is the most visited mall in the world, Triple Five Group also owns the biggest shopping mall in North America, the West Edmonton Mall.
Just for fun, I set out to find something that was made in America (and, ideally, without negatively impacting the environment). No, I didn’t think this was an insane goose chase. After all, more and more ecopreneurs I write about in ECOpreneuring are seeking to sell their “green products” through more conventional retail outlets – even big box stores and chains. That’s why Seventh Generation toilet paper can be now found at your local supermarket and nearly everyone, it seems, sells compact fluorescent bulbs these days. Perhaps one or two products might be here, in America’s megamall composed of 520 stores and 50 restaurants – housed under 4.2 million square feet of enclosed roof space. My odds should be good.
By Jennifer Lance •
February 13, 2009
I love my reusuable bags, but they are awfully boring. When I take them into the grocery store, I really don’t care what they look like, but when I use them shopping at other stores, I kind of feel like a bag lady. The solution: a stylish reusable bag by Green Girl. Green Girl Totes are made of 100% cotton (wish it was organic cotton), are reversible, reusable, and stylish.
Designed for eco-conscious women with an eye for style, Green Girl’s hip line of reusable totes is turning heads with a unique “Earth-first” fashion statement. Made of machine washable, 100% cotton, reversible Green Girl eco-totes hold an almost unbelievable amount of goods while folding compactly enough to fit in a purse. From the farmer’s market to a shopping spree, you will love using this stylish combination of eco-friendliness and fashion time after time.
Each bag ships with a silver ring to keep it conveniently wrapped for easy travel! The bags all measure 15 1/2 inches wide x 17 inches long (not including handle).
By Kristen Chase •
December 3, 2008
Finally digging out of my post partum haze to report back to duty here at Eco Child’s Play, I was greeted this morning with the news that one out of three toys tested are found to have toxins. According to this NPR report, Healthy Toys, a Michigan non-profit organization, found that while toys made in China did have higher toxin levels, the ones with the made in the USA label were not guaranteed to be safe either.
By Jennifer Lance •
October 29, 2008
Many parents feed their children healthy organic food, but they often neglect to consider their child’s main environment, their bedroom or nursery, for ecological consideration. Tiny Decor is a company commited to helping families chose eco-friendly products for interior design without sacrificing style. Tiny Décor products are handmade in the USA and feature:
- Ecospun® Felt made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles
- Bamboo fiber pillow inserts and batting
- PLA-fiber pillow inserts made from corn
My daughter likes Tiny Decor’s felt buckets. These soft felt buckets are great for storage. My daughter keeps her Only Hearts Club dolls in her felt bucket, which may not be the most eco-friendly doll, but at least they minimize the plastic and look like girls instead Playboy models. Each bucket is made from:
By Jennifer Lance •
June 10, 2008
I always cringe when I see babies and toddlers in hard sole, inflexible shoes, as if their feet are bound like Chinese girls a hundred years ago. Little feet need to grow naturally, without the restrictions of hard shoes, and pediatricians now recommend that children go barefoot until they are two-years-old. The next best thing to bare feet, which is not always practical when walking outdoors or in cooler temperatures, are soft-soled shoes. We have previously reviewed Robeez footwear, but a more eco-friendly, made in USA option exists: IsaBooties.
IsaBooties are made in Colorado with fair labor. These soft-soled shoes are formaldehyde-free, and the “ultrasuede” fabric exceeds the Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety (ASTM F963-07). The fabric is durable, machine washable, breathable, and 100% vegan! These shoes are stain resistant and do not fall off, as well as they help keep socks on little crawling feet. The packaging is made from 100% recycled materials, is 100% recyclable, and printed with soy ink.
The only thing I could easily find in the whole place — with a “Made in the USA” label — was underwear. What I didn’t expect to find, was a mall heated by the sun (and body heat).
