Green Options

I love Under the Nile!  It is one of the first affordable organic cotton companies I discovered with my first child.  Both of my children could not have survived the teething stage without Under the Nile Organic Teething Toys!  I’ve recently discovered another delightful organic cotton product by the company: the Organic Frog Wash Cloth.

Made from hand-picked, 100% organic cotton grown in Egypt, the Organic Frog Wash Cloth, which is also available in duck form, makes bath time fun.  Of course, I don’t have to worry about safety, since it is made by Under the Nile.  The frog is dyed with natural, “metal-free” colors and is a fair trade product.

Once upon a time, I read a study that night lights and ambient light disrupts sleep, including for pets; however, sometimes children need a little light at night to transition to rest. Sun and Moon Jars are the perfect solution!   These LED lights in jars are powered by the sun, and they automatically turn on when it gets dark out. The light lasts for approximately [...]

Sock monkeys are so cute. I’ve always loved them and now they are coming back…and in new eco-friendly styles.

Originally sock monkeys were created as a symbol of America’s ingenuity and perseverance during hard times. The first sock monkeys were created during the Great Depression by imaginative women (housewives). Today Maggie’s sock monkeys are also a symbol of hope and perseverance—with a modern, organic twist.

I was inspired by Jessica’s banana. The most eco-friendly choices are so simple, aren’t they? Though a picture says a thousand words, Jamie said it best this week in her post on fun activities for young children: ”The first step in becoming more Earth Friendly is to consume less.”

This is why I love Jackie Silberg’s book 500 Five Minute Games. Quick and Easy Activities For 3-6 Year Olds. Silberg’s book is great for preschool teachers, but also for moms and dads who tire easily of young children’s games and toys. Before getting this book I often felt tempted to pick up the phone or put on a movie when my preschooler’s games got repetitive. There’s only so many times in a day you can sincerely answer yes to ”Wanna play hippos?”.

The eco-friendly aspect of Silberg’s book is simple; the activities in it require almost no stuff. Apart from a few experiments that call for simple household items like a bowl or a flashlight, the majority of games and activities in the book require only the world’s most precious resource: children. (Some games require a few kids, but I have been able to adapt most of them to 2 player by either becoming a participant or inviting a stuffed hippo or pony into the circle.) You can also scan each page in a matter of seconds and get the game going before any attention is lost. My daughter’s favourite game from Silberg’s book is called “An Interesting Story” and is from the Language Game section. It goes like this: 

Unless he or she is “just not that into you,” the mood has been set. Now it’s just all about where and when.

Your bed will make all the difference; a naked romp in a verdant meadow isn’t your only green option. Invest in an organic comforter set. Don’t worry—if you are living off a writer’s salary, you can get these luxurious items at an artist’s price at Target. Organic mattresses come at a slightly higher price, but are great long-term investments. An organic Natura Sunshine Mattress sells for $660.00 (Organicsleepproducts.com). Always make sure to wash your sheets with environmentally friendly soaps and softeners (like Sun and Earth Deep Cleaning Detergent) before the fun! You may even want to spritz your sheets with organic perfume, like Dream Tarts’ home fragrance in Midsummer’s Night.

Hopefully by now both (or more!) of you are ready for business. Never ever sacrifice a condom in the name of the environment; it’s just another excuse not to use one (listen ladies!). Given the right conditions, latex condoms should always decompose. However, if you are allergic to latex and use polyurethane condoms you have no choice but to throw them away (it’s the only situation where it’s not a good idea to recycle!). You cannot recycle the condom wrapper, but you should always recycle the box it came in. There are also many organic lubes to choose from. UK-based company Yes Pure Intimacy offers a great selection of water or oil based lubes (www.yesyesyes.org).

How would you like to win a $350 shopping spree on Etsy?  Imagine this, 14 people will win a $350 Etsy shopping spree. Really, I detest a contest where I know I don’t stand a chance of winning. This one has some really good odds. 14 winners? I’m one of them (yeah, that’s my mantra).

All you need to do is go on over to Etsy and vote for your favorite item(s) in the Handmade Kids Challenge. What could be greener than handmade crafts sold by their respective craftsmen online? There is a Handmade Kids Eco Friendly category with some great looking stuff.

We really love our Haba Toys. They are safe, fun, and out of the ordinary. The brainchild from Germany creates the most delightful and engaging toys for infants and children. I can tell we are going to have a long love affair with Haba. After our resounding success with the Haba Stroller Chain; we decided to purchase another Haba Toy. We bought this little delightful Haba Baby Bear Ankle and Wrist Rattler. It attaches like a bracelet so you won’t lose it and it won’t fall to the dirty ground. The rattle makes a pleasant noise, and not jarring; the problem I had with toys nowadays. It’s plush which is great for teething. The smiling bear seems to incite a smile even from the fussiest baby. We love rattling it ourselves when our little one won’t settle down. It seems to work, because she stops fussing and starts laughing.

This infant toy is appropriate toy for newborn but is probably best when babies can reach and grab on his or her own. According to Oompa Toy; The Baby Bear Ben rattling bracelet nurtures
these developments

• Creative Expression
• Early Motor
• Sensory
• Social/Emotional
• Independent Play

HolyMolyToysRUs I’m super dee duper excited that you are now marketing to my child’s eco conscious side.

Cuz, ya know, kids need new stuff all the time.

Sorry folks, I’ll try and regain my composure now. I just wanted to start this post off with an appropriate amount of ridiculousness. I get that Toys R Us is trying to get on the green bandwagon. They’ve sent out a press release that includes this:

Toys”R”Us stores nationwide are now offering customers another way to go “green” with a new line of “R”Us branded reusable bags in a variety of eye-catching styles and colors.

INFORM does it again just as parents can once again embrace the “most wonderful time of the year- the Staples Inc. version“. In other words, it’s back to school time for the kids.

My assumption is that kids are already well ahead of their parents in terms of incorporating green living (with less fuss than adults) into their lives and those of their peers. In fact, kids often pressure parents to recycle, according to a study published in the BBC.

Still, raising children to be good citizens and those that can quickly make the link between paper usage, recycling, deforestation, government action and climate change later in their life (I coin these savvy “Forest Citizens”) is not easy but it is well worth it on many levels. Here is who we are watching to help us raise good Forest Citizens as we embark on the craziness of the school year:

Bwah hah. Made you look.

Okay, folks it’s been 8 years of me apologizing. Really, I’m sorry about the whole W thing. We’ll do better next time. In the interim, our President has signed a really important bill into law.

Lead is now banned from children’s toys. Can we all do a happy dance?

Guess what?

The bill also bans a chemical called phthalates that is widely used to make plastic products softer and more flexible. I am positively swooning. Then I did a little research and stood still.

When it seemed like other countries *cough* CANADA *cough* were leading the way in banning unsafe chemicals from toys and baby products, the US Congress finally joined the 21st Century and banned phthalates, with state bills being credited for leading the way.

As my Cool Mom Picks co-founder Liz Gumbinner stated last year, 2007 was definitely the “Year of the Recall,” as too many toys to count were taken down from shelves (well, at least they were supposed to be) due to high lead levels. But the improbable has now happened and the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act has passed “with a veto-proof majority.”