Have you ever wondered whatever happened to all of those old tapes people used to have??  Well, it seems like cute little wallets aren't the only things that really creative people are making out of them!  Check out the work of Brian Dettmer.  It's absolutely amazing what he's managed to make from these items that most people would consider a useless relic of the past.  Except for my husband that is.  For whatever reason, he loves old tapes and insists on playing them all the time!

These intricate sculptures are made without any glue or tape to bind them together.  The pieces are made up only of the casette tape case and tape itself in some cases.  The pieces are a metaphor for a dying breed of analog media in an ever increasing digital era.  The thought struck him one day as he saw a dead bird lying on the road.  He pondered the idea that what used to be alive was now irretrivably lost with all that remains was it's physical, solid form.  The metaphor became a reality in 2005 when he began sculpting the bones of the dead from the dead form of analog.

The skull of the ram shown above is made of altered cassette tapes melted together.  Nothing but the cassette tapes themselves were used in these pieces.  The artist has only revealed that he molds the pieces with wet hands and melted tapes.  The exact process of the art form itself remains a mystery.  I can only begin to imagine the time and energy it has taken to make some of his pieces.

This is especially true for his most intricate sculpture to date.  The skeleton is made up of over 180 individual cassettes.  It is amazingly true to form and instantly recognizable as the human skeletal system.  Mr. Dettmer has made a series of skulls of different themes.  There are 12 in the series with the one shown here being a 80's metal theme.  Notice that the tape around the skull's mouth is Motley Crue's Shout at the Devil.  I too was once called a metal head!  It's good to see artist's with a sense of humor as well as the creativity that is required to repurpose everyday items into extraordinary art.  This work is an example of upcycling at it's finest!

The giveaway winner is Anne. Thanks to everyone who participated!

The winner of the Moonrise Jewelry contest was Anne-Marietvete.  We will be contacting her as soon as we can.

The winner of the giveaway is post 23, Anne-Marietvete.  Congratulations.

So, what's a better solution?  How about a line of natural kids products made by a Canadian company??

That's exactly what the Junior line of Green Beaver products delivers!  They have a range of the essential products for kids containing natural ingredients.  A percentage of the ingredients are even produced by organic farming!  They don't need to be shipped thousands of miles either as the products are made in Canada and contain Canadian ingredients!  This line of Green Beaver products has even achieved the organic certified formula label from Eco-Cert.

Many people wonder why it is so important to use certified organic products or whether or not they even make a difference at all.  Green Beaver has a fact page about why organic is the best choice for the planet and for our health that is really full of some shocking numbers.  For example, did you know that a third of all personal health care products contain one or more ingredients that are classified as being possible carcinogens??  Or that 89% of the ingredients used in health care products have not been evaluated for safety??  Those kinds of statistics scare the stuffing right out of me, especially when it comes to my children!

Luckily for me, Green Beaver generously sent me the entire junior line to check out with my daughter.  This includes the conditioning detangler spray, lip balm, foaming hand soap, bubble bath, shampoo and foaming body wash.  She thought it was a birthday gift when it arrived as it was only a couple of weeks away!  All of the products have the same scent which is called Boreal berries.  I definitely thought that it smelled like raspberries and blackberries although my daughter swears it smells just like watermelons and bumble bees -- I think she means honey but I can never be too sure!

My favorite product of the line is the conditioning detangler.  It does a great job of making brushing her hair a little less stressful.  When I use this product there is definitely less yelling and crying involved as the brush goes through her fine hair smoothly.  It definitely helps to get rid of the often severe bed head I find waiting me in the morning and cuts down on fly aways and frizzies.  I've also got to admit to loving the scent and knowing that what I'm using is natural and local.

My daughter's favorite product is the lip balm.  She is a complete girly girl princess and loves to wear "lip stick".  I never let her wear any of the play make-up available at stores because you never know what exactly is in it.  So normally, she just gets plain old unscented, uncolored chap stick.  This lip balm is a huge treat to her because it smells so great and is a pink color when you look at it in the tube.  Not to worry -- it goes on clear.  She doesn't exactly color in the lines with her make up yet if you know what I mean! lol

The foaming hand soap has also been a big hit.  Normally she would use unscented hand made bar soap so the foam is quite exciting for a change.  It's almost hard to get her to stop washing her hands which is a great complaint to have!  It's foamy but not super duper foamy and you don't have to use much to get nice clean hands.

The same goes for both the shampoo and foaming body wash.  A little can definitely go a long way!  She never has a bath or shower without these now.  I know I'm going to have to keep purchasing these items for her because she just loves them sooo much.  Luckily, the site has a handy store listing available so you know exactly which stores in your province carry what you're looking for.  I think that the bubble bath will be what we run out of first as she likes to have enough bubbles in the tub to hide in.  It's great to know that what is getting her clean is not harming the planet or her health.  Thanks Green Beaver for the wonderful review opportunity!  I think you've found yourself a couple of lifetime fans here!!  Now I've got to go and find some of their adult products to check out for myself!  They have hair, face, lips, body and oral care products as well as a separate line for winter skin care products.

The notebooks are sugarcane paper.  Sugarcane grows incredibly fast and the juice is used as a natural sweetener in many products.  The pulp that is left over after juicing is traditionally waste.  Not so anymore!  The pulp is used to make a beautiful paper that does not harm our forests or contribute to global warming.

The notebooks I received are a great size that is easy to carry around in a purse or briefcase to keep notes in.  The paper itself is more substantial than what I am used to and is very easy to write on.  I will definitely be looking for and using sugarcane paper from now on.

O'Bon sent me a box of pencil crayons and a box of pencils to review.  The shafts of the pencils are made from tightly coiled used newspaper instead of being made of wood.  Need HB pencils for computerized grading systems??  Not to worry, these are HB and tree free!  They also look pretty cool when they are sharpened as you can see the layers of newsprint.  The colors of the pencil crayons are vivid and named after different fruits like watermelon and dragon fruit.  A perfect fit with the fruit themed notebooks!

O'Bon goes even a step further.  For every purchase, a tree is planted through a donation from O'Bon directly to the Arbor Day Foundation!  I also really want to encourage people to plant a tree themselves in honor or Arbor Day.  Actually, plant two!  One on the American Arbor Day the last Friday in April and the Canadian Arbor Day on the third Wednesday in September.  Want to win your own O'Bon products??  Here's how:

To Enter:  Read the O'Bon page about deforestation and tell me one thing that you learned.

Bonus Entries:

For review, they sent me these beautiful recycled glass earrings called Cobb.  These earrings look absolutely gorgeous on and I always get compliments when wearing them.  They are light, easy to wear and match with practically anything!  I am 100% behind eco-friendly jewelry but it still needs to be pretty and fun to wear -- that's absolutely no problem with these earrings or any of the other great designs that they make!

I would definitely recommend following both their facebook account where they announce some incredible sales and joining their mailing list for a $10 off coupon!

Want to try out a pair of their earrings for yourself?  Moonrise Jewelry has graciously offered a pair of pretty earrings called Abilene to one of my readers!  They are made of fair trade silver beads on sterling silver posts and feature purple lace agate.  I absolutely adore these earrings!  They would look great with everything from jeans and a tee shirt to a business suit and everything in between.

To Enter (One Time Only):   Leave a comment on this post about your favorite design at Moonrise Jewelry.  Good luck picking only one thing!  So many of their designs are eye catching.

• *Become a fan of Moonrise Jewelry on Facebook.
• *Join their mailing list (you'll get a $10 coupon!).
• *Enter one of my other giveaways and leave a comment telling me.
• *Tell me how you heard about this giveaway.
• *Follow Green Colored Glasses on Twitter and ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored Glasses Giveaway - Eco-Friendly Earrings From Moonrise Jewelry Giveaway (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

For review, I was sent their "Earth Day Pack".  It contained this great binder shown here that is PVC free and has 60% recycled covers.  The colors and design are calming and cute and I love the recycled content.  I also like that it is professional enough to use at the office.

I was also sent the 1 subject notebook and personal book for review.  The 1 subject note book has a fun crossword puzzle in the back for long meetings in the board room and the personal journal has a link to find more green tips and eco-friendly living ideas.  The covers have 50% recycled content and the pages inside are 70% tree free!  The colors of this line would be suitable for both guys and girls that love the earth -- browns, greens and yellows.  Subdued enough to use at the office yet fun enough to throw a little interest into your day.

Sasquatch is now being offered at major retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart.  You can now also purchase the entire product line online at their new web store in honor of Earth Day!  Some of the Sasquatch products are even on sale right now -- I'd definitely recommend checking it out as soon as possible!

Want a chance to win your own Earth Day Pack??  Just a couple little rules -- US and Canada only who have not won any Carolina Pad products in the last 90 days.

To Enter (One Time Only):   Leave a comment on this post about your favorite collection at Carolina Pad.

• *Become a fan of Carolina Pad on Facebook.
• *Become a follower of Carolina Pad on Twitter.
• *Tell me how you heard about this giveaway.
• *Enter one of my other giveaways and leave a comment telling me.
• *Follow Green Colored Glasses on Twitter and ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored Glasses Giveaway - Carolina Pad Sasquatch Line Giveaway (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

Shanna Elizabeth

"I follow Evora Plus on Twitter"

Congrats Shanna!!  What a great way to start off a beautiful Earth day!  I'll be emailing Shanna shortly and she'll have 48 hours to confirm her win by sending me her shipping information.

I know I keep saying this but keep your eyes peeled for a ton of great green giveaways here.  I'm absolutely falling behind but will have lots and lots of great giveaways coming up.

Remember to enter the reusable dryer sheet giveaway here.  Thanks to everyone who is entering.  Remember that the more entries received means the more giveaways that I'll be able to offer!  I've got one coming up that is worth over $100!!

Breastfeeding provides the baby with all kinds of antibodies to babies leading to healthier kids in the long and short term.  Breastfeeding moms also benefit from breastfeeding.  They heal from the birth faster, spend incredibly bonding time with their babies and even have lowered incidents of breast cancer!  Breast feeding is recommended for at least the first 6 months of life as the sole provider of nutrition.  Recently, a research study suggested that huge amounts of money and lives could be saved simply by having more breastfed babies!

The impact on the environment is also huge from breastfeeding.  There are no wasted formula containers, no bottles, bottle liners, plastic nipples, no garbage created, no waste of any kind really unless you count the stinky bums!  The health benefits of breastfeeding also lead to benefits for the planet because less drugs would be used, less resources directed towards ill people, etc. etc.

Okay, now that we have a basic understanding of why breastfeeding is so important, lets get down to the fun stuff of the MoBoleez breast feeding bonnet!  For review, they sent me a gorgeous hat in blue.  It is made of 70% cotton and 30% bamboo which is a great sustainable choice for a fabric.  The hat is incredibly soft and easy to wash.  It can be thrown right into the washing machine and should be laid flat to dry.

I breastfed my daughter for 2 1/2 years.  Unfortunately for me, she never liked to be covered so it made feeding in public places difficult at best and usually completely impossible.  I always found that it was easiest to feed her in a quiet, calm environment with just the two of us.  As lovely as that is, it's just not always possible.  We went to strollercize classes, playgroups and all different kinds of activities during the time she was nursing.  She would always get too hot and kick off any blanket that I used to shield her from distractions.

Also, although the world is changing so that breastfeeding is now more acceptable, I've found it is very slow to change.  More than once I've tried to breastfeed inconspicuously in the corner of a coffee shop and gotten a ton of dirty looks and rude comments.  This meant a lot of feedings sitting in hot cars or even worse, bathroom stalls.  Can you imagine if those uptight people were forced to eat their lunch sitting on a toilet?  People really need to lighten up.  It's just a boob and that is exactly what it is there for!!

This hat would really come in handy with kids like my daughter who preferred not to be covered or who overheated quickly from blankets and covers.  It is an extremely breathable fabric and fits comfortably on a little one's head.  This hat would also satisfy even the prudish prude out there as it absolutely covers the action.

It does more than that though -- it covers it in style!  There's a range of cute colors and designs such as "The Milky Way" and a Teddy saying "Mmmmm".  This hat is truly for the yummy mummy quite literally!  The sweetest touch that I saw was that if you peeked on the nursing babe by lifting up the brim, there's a message going around the edge that says "Hi Mommy!".  Adorable and it shows a true eye for attention to detail, humor and a love of breastfeeding.

I can't say enough good things about this hat.  MoBoleez has come up with a truly ingenious product -- simple, stylish, practical and fun way to celebrate the bond of breastfeeding!  Their wide selection of hats is available to buy online for only $29USD or $34USD for their couture line.  They also have a special line of small hats sized 0-3 that are available to purchase.  Half of the proceeds of these small hats goes to the BC Children's Hospital Foundation which is definitely a great cause.  These hats would make a great shower gift or coming home gift for any new mom who intends on nursing.  What a different, cute gift idea!

Thanks so much for the great review opportunity.

As we strive to live a more environmentally responsible lifestyle, I found that laundry became one of my biggest concerns.  It seems as though the machines are constantly running and I'm always using up a ton of chemically loaded products.

Luckily, I ran into a great green laundry soap online with a name you've just got to dig -- Rockin' Green Soap.  It's recommended as a great way to de-funk diapers and as a general laundry soap.  Luckily, we don't have any diapers here at the moment!!

They sent us a sample of the Classic Rock soap.  This is their original formula that is great for regular clothes.  It comes in 10 hard to choose from fragrances such as Cherry Lemonade and Vanilla Buttercream or unscented.  I chose the "Monkey Snacks" scent which smells very similar to flambe bananas.  It seriously smells good enough to eat and luckily doesn't smell like monkeys at all!

They also have soaps called Soft Rock (a more gentle version that is unscented only) and Hard Rock (specially formulated for use with hard water).  Our Classic Rock soap not only smelled delicious but absolutely performed wonderfully.  Some of our cloths -- especially the teen's -- are quite dirty and stinky.  This soap absolutely worked like a charm!

Eco-friendly??  Yup!  It's phosphate free, SLS free, dye free, filler free, animal byproduct free, biodegradable and never tested on animals.  Perfect choice for green family living.  You can even purchase your own sample pack just like the one sent to me for less than $3!  That is enough for 7 regular loads or 14 High Efficiency loads.  They have multipack sets of two bags of laundry soap packaged in reusable, eco-friendly bags that work out to approximately $0.13 a load.  Going green can save you some serious green too!!

Thanks for the great review opportunity Rockin' Green!!

The box contains 2 re-usable dryer sheets that will last for more than 500 loads.  The same amount of laundry would take 13 boxes of traditional chemical laden dryer sheets to dry.  So not only is this a more environmentally choice because they are re-usable, they are also super cost effective!

These sheets are made in Canada, are chemical free, safe for all fabrics and dryers.  They soften the fabric, reduce wrinkles and eliminate static.  They are scent free for people with allergies.  However, I've found that a few drops of essential oil on the static eliminator dryer sheets will give your clothes a nice fresh smell without the chemicals involved in dryer sheets.

When I really started to look into what traditional dryer sheets have in them, I was beyond shocked.  I had no idea that these harmless looking sheets were so full of dangerous chemicals.  Now, I don't even let my kids touch them!  Once we run out of them in the house I will never be buying them again.  I had no clue that they removed the fire resistance of children's sleepwear!!  The static eliminator sheets are safe for all fabrics, including kids sleepwear!  I'm wondering if I should re-make all of my daughters pj's into a blanket and buy her a new set....  At least we now have a way to dry our clothes safely!  These sheets are available for purchase online at their site or at many retail locations throughout Canada and the United States.

Want a chance to win??  I've got a box of 2 re-usable Static Eliminator sheets up for grabs.  A random winner will be chosen from the entries on May 2, 2010.  Here's how you enter:

To Enter (One Time Only):    Leave a comment on this post about one way you're trying to live green-er this Earth week.

Bonus Entries:

• *Tell me the retail location nearest you that sells these sheets -- check it out here.
• *Tell me how you heard about this giveaway.
• *Follow Green Colored  Glasses on Twitter and  ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored   Glasses Giveaway - Static Eliminator Reusable Dryer Sheets (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

The shirt is called "Pit Bull" and is available as onesies or lap tees for 3-24 months or t-shirts for bigger kids size 2-8 for only $25.  No kids or want a matching one?  They've got adult ones for $30 or will even print the design on your own favorite shirt for $25!  Pretty sweet deal and I know how much my kids love it when I dress like them!!  Well, my 4 year old daughter loves it.  My 16 year old son -- not so much.

Definitely check out these tees.  Many companies have products that give a portion of the proceeds to charity.  Very, very few have products that send 100% of the proceeds to charity -- especially organic, eco-friendly products.  For Barley and Birch, that's just part of how they do business.  Even their regular items have 15% of the proceeds going to carbon-reducing initiatives to offset their manufacturing and an additional 15% of the proceeds going to charities around the world to improve people's lives.  When you buy from them, you're making a difference in both the eco-friendly quality of the products and the social good of various charities.  Definitely a win-win!!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Bloomingdale's. All opinions are 100% mine.

Okay, so my design maybe leaves a little (or a lot!) to be desired but you get the general idea, right?  Bloomingdale's is having a great green contest right now.  You can design your own reusable tote bag on their site for a chance to win some great prizes.

You can enter the Tote-ally Green design contest as many times as you like between April 7 and April 25, 2010.  There are daily winners of a $100 Bloomingdale gift card.  The grand prize is a $2,000 Bloomingdale shopping spree and they'll actually produce and sell your design!!  I think that's pretty darn cool.  There's also a $1,000 gift card up for grabs that will go to the designer with the most votes.

I definitely recommend that everyone enter this contest.  It's really easy to digitally upload a picture or design to their site or you can design away with the tools available on the contest site itself.  Easy, fun and green with a chance to win some great prizes.  Share your designs around with your friends (including me!) to make sure that your bag gets some votes.

It's the Seed organic cradle.  The wood stand of the cradle is made of recycled birch plywood.  The cradle itself is organic cotton and the mattress of the cradle is 100% natural organic latex.  This means that the mattress is anti-microbial (fantastic for possibly damp cloth diapers) and hypoallergenic for a newborn's sensitive little system.  There is no need to worry about chemicals with this cradle as it is organic.  One less thing to worry about as a new mom!

The cradle has a natural swaying motion which is surely more soothing than the battery operated contraptions I had for my kids when they were babies.  Even the sound of the vibrators in the baby chairs were enough to set the kids to crying sometimes!  This cradle is simple, beautiful and natural.  What more could you want for your new little bundle?  Definitely going to be on my baby registry next time!

Here's the winner of the Fairhaven Health sponsored giveaway of FertilAid and Fertile CM -- entry #16!

Congrats to Emily B

I'll be emailing you shortly!!  Emily will have 48 hours to respond to the email or a new winner will be chosen.

Don't forget to enter the EvoraPlus giveaway that is running right now.  Also, stay tuned for more great giveaways coming up.  Hopefully some more will even be running tonight! 

So, what exactly is it?  Well, it's a 100% natural mint that dissolves in the mouth.  You have to take it twice a day -- after each time you brush your teeth.  My daughter swears that it tastes like marshmallows although she does tend to say that about everything!  Needless to say, bad taste is absolutely not an issue with either the kids product -- EvoraKids or the adults version -- EvoraPlus.

It's the first oral care product that offers probiotics in the formulation to support a naturally health gum and tooth environment.  The probiotics in the formulation help to create a balance of "good bacteria" in the mouth similar to how probiotic yogurts help to create the same balance in the stomach.

This balance of "good bacteria" has some great results including whiter teeth and fresher breath!  I try to provide the family with a balanced, home cooked diet every single day but let's face it, I'm not wonder woman.  Now that Easter is over, our house seems to be overflowing with all the junk I normally try to keep out -- jube jubes, chocolate, candies, etc.  This kind of stuff sticks on kids teeth sometimes out of reach of the toothbrush.

Does it work?  Absolutely!  My daughter loves to take it and her smile is becoming whiter already.  I would never allow her to use a more traditional tooth whitener because of her age or have a mouthwash full of chemicals.  The EvoraKids is a great, all natural solution that we can both live with.  It's gluten, sugar, dairy and soy free.  Has no added colors, flavors or sweeteners and is GMO free.  All the stuff you want with none of the stuff you don't want!

The adult line, EvoraPlus, is just as fantastic.  It really does give you long lasting fresh breath without the overpowering feel of a mouth wash.  The teeth truly do whiten slowly with use which gets rid of any tooth whiteners as well.  All natural, affordable at $20 a box and best of all, effective!  Use up the last of your mouth wash and whitener and try this all natural product instead.

Wanna win some for your own family?  Oragenics is generously offering a box of EvoraPlus and a box of EvoraKids to one of my readers.  That's an approximate retail value of $40!!  Even if you're not a contest enterer, I'd definitely suggest checking this one out!  I'll choose a random entry on April 21.  Please leave a separate comment for each entry you qualify for.

To Enter (One Time Only):   Leave a comment on this post giving the name of the doctor who developed EvoraPlus (look on the home page!).

Bonus Entries:

• *Follow EvoraPlus on Twitter
  
• *Tell me how you heard about this giveaway
• *Join the EvoraPlus Facebook fan page
• *Tell me one thing you learned about EvoraPlus
• *Follow Green Colored Glasses on Twitter and ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored Glasses Giveaway - EvoraPlus All Natural Oral Care (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

Open to US and Canada.  Good luck to everyone who enters.  Please don't forget to enter your email address so that I can contact the winner!!  Many thanks to Oragenics for sponsoring this great giveaway.

Check out this gorgeous kitchen island that is made from recycled barrel staves.  The "junk" wood makes a great surface that could be used daily for storage, food preparation and sheerly for the beauty of it.  With the two sturdy shelves for storage and the wine glasses rack above it, you could even use this island as a wine bar.

It's handmade in the US and comes in 3 different stains.  Wondering what the stool and utensil board behind the gorgeous chef are made from??  Stay tuned, they're sure to be featured in the coming days!

FertilAid for women is a fertility supplement that provides complete vitamin and antioxidant support.  The ingredients are all natural making these supplements a great way to boost your fertility without chemicals, doctor interventions or even prescriptions.  It contains 90 capsules which is enough for a month worth of doses.  The scientifically validated herbs and essential vitamins and minerals promote a female hormone balance and help support reproductive health.  These capsules are all you will need to take as they already contain the much needed folic acid necessary for women who are trying to conceive.

Not only is this formula recommended by doctors and OBGYNs, it is also the only fertility supplement on the market that contains 100% of the recommended daily intake of vitamins, antioxidants and minerals to help supplement a woman's diet.  This same product is available for men, by the way, in a different formulation that supplements their reproductive health needs.  In fact, you can even buy a combination pack including both FerilAid for women and for men at a reduced price!

The second supplement that I was sent is Fertile CM.  This supplement basically helps to increase the production of healthy cervical mucus.  This mucus during ovulation is crucial for conception because it nourishes and protects the sperm during it's journey to the egg.  A woman's supply of cervical mucus changes throughout the month and decreases as you age.  This supplement also helps with arousal, sexual sensitivity, female libido and strengthens the uterine lining.  All of these are crucial to support an environment in which conception can occur.  Fertile CM is an natural supplement that can be taken safely with FerilAid to ensure that you have the best chances for conception occuring possible.

I was going to review these products for Fairhaven Health but the truth is that just knowing they were on their way was apparently enough for me!!  So, now instead of me taking these supplements, it can be you!  There is a bottle of both FertilAid and FertileCM up for grabs which are enough for a one month supply.  The total retail value of this giveaway is $48.90!!  A winner will be randomly chosen on April 15, 2010.  Here's how to enter:

To Enter (One Time Only):   Leave a comment on this post about a product not mentioned here that you'd love to try from Fairhaven Health.

Bonus Entries:

• *Become a friend of Fairhaven Health on Facebook.
• *Tell me how you heard about this giveaway.
• *Follow FertiliAid Amy on Twitter
• *Check out Fairhaven Health's Blog and tell me who did their latest Guest Post
• *Follow Green Colored Glasses on Twitter and ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored Glasses Giveaway - Steampunk Ring by LondonsGate (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

Open to US and Canada.  Good luck to everyone who enters (and good luck to everyone trying to conceive!).  Please don't forget to enter your email address so that I can contact the winner!!  Many thanks to FertiliAid Amy for sponsoring this great giveaway from Fairhaven Health.

My mother-in-law loves collecting stamps from all over the world.  Recently, she just got back from Antarctica.  She sent us a few postcards from there which we're saving the stamps from.  I'm not sure if she would love this jewelry or absolutely hate it because she couldn't save the stamps but it definitely reminded me of her.

These pieces are amazing in that they show off the range of colors, patterns, designs and variety found in stamps.  The artist of Fox Glove Accessories has a great eye for deciding which part of the stamp should be featured and how it should be displayed.  Working out of Chicago, this artist is working her way through a huge collection of cancelled international stamps that she's upcycling into gorgeous jewelry pieces.

The multicolor necklace featured on the left is definitely one of my favorite pieces.  The colors are extremely vivid so you can be sure that people will notice your handcrafted piece.  From this necklace, it's almost hard to tell whether it is money or stamps underneath the resin of the pendants.  Absolutely gorgeous and would go with virtually anything.

I also really love these teardrop shaped earrings.  Each pair is made out of 8 different stamps which have been mounted and laminated to sturdy cardstock.  Each shape is individually cut by hand and strung through sterling silver hoop earrings.  There are a ton of different color combinations available in the store and each pair is completley unique.  These are waterproof, super lightweight and subtle enough to blend in with whatever you may be wearing.  However, the original life of the stamps can clearly be seen upon examination of the earrings.  That's my favorite kind of upcycled product -- on that shows it's previous existence.

Lastly, I wanted to show off the gorgeous rings that are also available at this store.  I mean, what else are you going to wear with the earrings and the necklace, right?? I think the simplicity of some of the rings is simply stunning.  Many of the designs have been cut in such a way that it's nearly impossible to tell that it used to be a stamp.  It might be fun seeing the look on people's faces when you revealed what exactly your ring used to be!

There are also bracelets, cufflinks, stud earrings, drop earrings, a variety of necklace designs and some strand earrings (on sale for only $10 right now!).  Remember that supporting handmade is a way for you to stand up against mass production, mass consumption, waste and it's beyond fun!  You can get a unique item made especially for you that no one else is likely to have anything like.  No more "twinsies" with your BFF.

They had a top 50 list of Really Fantastic Wallpapers for Designers which were phenomenal but 3 of them really appealed to me as an eco-blogger.  I thought I'd share them with you here in case you are in desperate need of inspiration like I am!

I love the Recycle logo wallpaper.  The download site is completely in Russian so use at your own risk for sure!  I love how they've completely made over the familiar recycling arrows into a landscape of why they are even necessary.

My second favorite from their list is this serene landscape of grass and wheat blowing softly in the breeze.  It was posted on Super Tight Stuff as one of their favorite wallpapers although I have no idea where it originated.  You can download it from the STS site although they did not make it nor do they have the copyrights.  However, I do love it.  It totally reminds me of summer which is a long time coming here in Canada.

And last, but definitely not least, is the Save The Planet wallpaper from Vladstudio.  I think that this wallpaper is a good reminder that the world really can be put back together even though it seems it's falling apart.

I find sometimes that I have an extreme lack of motivation and inspiration for my writing.  That's definitely been the case for the last couple of weeks or so.  Maybe now that I've found some great images to look back on, things will start rolling again!

If you want to link to any other great Earth friendly inspiring wall papers, feel free!

Check out Thermos' new line of gorgeous "hydration bottles" for modern day mama's on the go.  The left one is called "Butterfly" and the left is called "Green Swirl".  They definitely could have been more innovative with the names but the designs are fun and fresh.  They're BPA free, have a pop up straw design not unlike a kid's bottle, fit in most vehicle or stroller cup holders, lightwegith and unbreakable!  Best of all, they'll keep your beverages cold for up to 12 hours with no wasted plastic water bottles!!

Absolutely fantastic.  I can't wait to get my hands on one of these!!  My mom will be sooo jealous!

Check out this beautiful all white linen dress from Linen Kids.  It's trimmed in lace at the neckline and the hem.  The 100% linen dress is simple and elegant at the same time making it perfect for almost any occassion!  The bunny the model is holding in her hand is also made of linen and available at Linen Kids.

Don't worry if you're the parent of a little boy though...they've got a great selection of completely adorable boy's clothes too!  My favorite for an Easter outfit would have to be this adorable linen suit.  The tie is made of the same fabric as the jacket and pants giving it a put together, co-ordinated look that's not available at many stores.

So, why is linen such a great, eco-friendly fabric for kids?  It helps to relieve sensitive skin that is prone to eczema and allergies.  The fabric is non-allergic and has a natural pH balance.  Linen can hold a lot of moisture while still feeling dry to the touch.  This makes linen perfect for kids who run around all day and even better for bath towels!  If you want a chance to win some of Linen Kids bath towels, check out Simply Stacie's blog and enter right away!

Linen is made from flax.  Every part of the flax plant is used so there is no waste whatsoever.  It's also stain resistant which means less water, power and chemicals are necessary to wash the fabric.  All of that can be a pretty substantial savings for the environment.

Okay, now for the best part -- the discount code!  Indre at Linen Kids was kind enough to give a discount code to share with my readers that will let them take 10% off their purchase.  When checking out, look for the box that says discount code and enter in BLOG10 to get your discount!  Linen Kids also informed me that you can get 3 euros to spend shopping there simply by opening an account!  Also, make sure to put your child's name in the birthday club and check out Linen Kids on Facebook.  I'm already a huge fan of theirs!

Kids like having their own private little cubbies to play make believe in, read in and have their own space.  Sometimes mom and dad can be a little too kootchy koo in your face.  The graphic skull of this playhouse is sure to turn any toddler into an eco-fabulous designer one day...well, a Mom can dream, can't she?

I love this playhouse and many more of their designs available at Our Children's Gorilla.  The prices are more affordable than you think and include worldwide shipping!!  They are based out of Sweden where so many green designs come from.  *sigh*  Perhaps I should go there one day.  For research, I'm sure.

The talented crafters of this shop have decided to giveaway this ring to one of my lucky GreenColoredGlasses readers!!!  The ring won't be exactly as pictured but will be the same band and be very similar.

There are lots of easy ways to enter and support handcrafted and upcycled jewelry.  The giveaway will be open to people WORLDWIDE as LondonGate graciously didn't want anyone to be left out.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry.  The first entry is mandatory and there are many bonus entries available.  I'll choose with a random number generator on March 31, 2010.  Good luck and get entering!!! PS...Don't forget to include your email address so that I can easily contact you if you are the lucky winner.

To Enter (One Time Only):   Leave a comment on this post about your favorite design at LondonsGate.

Bonus Entries:

• *Become a friend of LondonsGate on Facebook.
• *Tell me how you heard about this giveaway.
• *Purchase any item from LondonsGate and get 5 additional giveaways!!  (Please comment once for each entry)
• *Follow Green Colored Glasses on Twitter and ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored Glasses Giveaway - Steampunk Ring by LondonsGate (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

In Bali and India, millions of tires are used every year on motorcycles and mopeds which are one of the most common forms of transportation.  These used tires end up simply littering the streets in many areas because there is no infrastructure in place to do much else with them. 

The owner of Bali and Beyond discovered entrepreneurs designing and selling this beautiful All Season chair.  They employ local workers to build these 100% recycled chairs that not only helps the economy but helps families make a living.  So, buying a chair likes this helps encourage business in Bali and makes a comfy spot to read a good book.

It's perfect both outdoors and in and literally is good in all seasons.  Bali and Beyond is now importing these chairs directly into Alberta, Canada to spread the recycled love to patios near and far.  I have definitely got to stop by this store sometime very soon.  They are also on facebook if you want to check them out here.  They have a huge range of products -- home decor, accessories, art, jewelry and furniture.  They also have many pieces of furniture made from salvaged wood that are incredibly beautiful and eco-friendly.

One of the biggest eco-friendly trade shows is coming to my city in a couple of weeks.  I am super excited to see what kinds of businesses and products will be there on a local scale.  Like any tradeshow though, I'm sure they'll have the usual promotions, giveaways, business cards, free pens and bags that they always have at conferences.  I think promotional items are a great way to get your name out there but wonder what exactly happens to all of this stuff when the trade show is over.  Most of it, to be quite honest, is complete junk.  Super wasteful and exactly the opposite of what the Go Green Calgary Expo is all about!

There are a ton of options for promotions available that are completely eco-friendly.  Check out the personalized pens shown in the pictures above for an idea at the scope of options available.  The first pen is a pen and highlighter combo that is made of 43% recycled content.  The second pen is encased in bamboo which is one of the fastest growing woods available.  This makes bamboo a great resource for sustainability and requires no fertilizers or pesticides to grow.  The bamboo pen has trim made of corn starch and is 81% biodegradable.  The last pen is available for only $0.69 when ordered in larger quantities.  It is made of recycled materials as well although they don't state the percentages.  This one really shows how going green doesn't have to be as expensive as most people think it is.

Even if you're not presenting at an environmental trade show, environmentally conscious promotional items are a great way to show that your company cares about the world as a whole.  Many people see corporations as huge, money making machines that don't care about their effects on the common person.  Going green can really help to make a difference to that opinion.  In fact, Wal-Mart will be one of the big contributors at the Go Green Calgary Expo.  I've always thought of Wal-Mart as the antithesis of everything green.  I can't wait to see what they present!

So, what do you do when this piece of your life gets broken?  Some people make them into gnarly shelves but most just send them to the landfill.  Since the boards are essentially wood, they truly have building possibilities.  This potential for use was discovered by brothers one day -- one with a pile of broken boards and the other with a plan -- and the Deckstool was born!!  Clever name, huh?  Once a deck, now a stool!

The way that the boards broke spoke of their own design.  Most of the boards broken at the truck while a quarter broke in half.  Therefore -- legs and a top!  The connecting piece is an old skateboard truck that holds the pieces together.  The edges are impeccably finished and the end result is guaranteed to be of high quality.

These boards are broken, recycled and remade into furniture in the US and you can even send in your old board to make your treasured item into a new treasured item!

The stools are great in small spaces looking for eco-friendly furniture designs for seating solutions.  These stools also make great end tables, night tables and occassional tables.  Check out their site for the huge range of designs.  The designs are only limited by the designs of the boards they upcycle.  Definitely a site worth checking out!

Here's comment #20: Submitted by Marci (not verified) on Tue, 03/02/2010 - 12:42.   I love the "4-pack: Mixed colors with flower print."  These are wonderful products! Here's comment #41: Submitted by LAURIE (not verified) on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 23:21.   I like the mixed colors w/the inspirational messages. Great giveaway!

If that's you, shoot me an email at gcg@thebentleys.ca with your shipping information.  I will email the winners yet tonight (hopefully!) and they will have 48 hours to claim their prize.  Otherwise, there will be a redraw.  I hope you ladies enjoy your Skoy cloths as much as I do!!

Thanks so much to Skoy for sponsoring this review and giveaway!!

I think it'd be great to celebrate Earth hour in the dark with soy candles, organic wine, fair trade chocolate and these awesome Earth inspired wine glasses.  It'd be great but with a 3 year old, a 15 year old and a dog in the house it's probably more likely that we'll play Guess Who by candlelight, have sippy cups full of apple juice and eat organic whole wheat animal crackers.  We can hardly find the teenager with the lights on and it'll just be easier for him to hide with them off.  But come on, a girl can dream!!

These glasses are made by Hue Phoria and are the product of two friends who were raising their children.  They were apparently extremely crafty because they came up with this idea which helps people remember who's glass is whose, started hand painting them in the kitchen and baking them in their own ovens!!  After a couple of years, they could no longer keep up to demand and had to go big time.  I think it's an awesome idea and a gorgeous product!  Definitely worth checking out their entire line of glasses.  There's a ton of great designs.

I was ecstatic when the Espadrille Store sent me a pair of these shoes.  They are completely eco-friendly.  The sole of the shoe is made of jute and natural rubber.  The colorful canvas is organically grown cotton.  You can't get much greener than that.  The shoes that they sent me were even green!  Pistachio is the name of the color.  They are perfect for spring and make other colors (especially denim) really pop.

The shoes are really comfortable and can be worn for extended periods of time.  I thought these would be best worn as my "back yard shoes" that I could just slip on and off while chasing the dog and kids.  However, I was happily mistaken!  They are much too cute and comfortable to only wear in the backyard!

I would highly recommend ordering a size up on these shoes as they fit a little small.  The shoes I ordered are very tight although I'm sure that the organic cotton canvas will stretch over time and they'll end up being just perfect.  Their sizing chart will help you to get the right size for your feet.  I probably should have checked it out before picking my size!!

This site has a ton of great colors and styles available for every member of the family.  They have some really cute patterns like these gingham checked espadrilles that are more of the slip on variety with a heel.  These ones are brand spanking new to the site and I just might have to order them!  They'd be perfect for summer picnics and walks to the park.

These shoes are also popular with men and come in a variety of colors to suit them including khaki, navy, black and brown.  They even have kids sizes!!  Absolutely adorable.  I love it when my daughter and I can have "twinsies" by wearing the same thing.  Super dorky, I know but if you're going to do it, you might as well do it before elementary school starts and they will still let you!

These Lola Pamplona style shoes with the lace up ribbon are super sleek and eco-chic and are another one of my faves.  Do you need some celebrity clout to back these shoes up?  No problem!  Espadrilles were favorites of Salvador Dali, Grace Kelly, Sophia Lauren, Jack Nicholson and Michael Douglas!

Casual eco-friendly style that can't be beat.  These shoes are handmade in Spain using the same traditions and tools that have been used for generations.  This style of shoe has been around for over 4000 years!!  Go to the Espadrilles Store today and purchase a pair at a surprisingly low price.  Want an even better price??  Enter the promotional code: promotional code: ALPARGATA for a 15% discount on all regular priced products!!

Are you ready for the Giveaway???  The Espadrille Store has generously offered up one pair of espadrilles from their "Sewn in White" line.  This giveaway is open only to residents of Canada and the USA.  Please submit a separate comment for each entry as seen below.  A winner will be chosen with a random number generator on March 22, 2010.  Good luck and thanks to the Espadrille Store for this great giveaway!!

To Enter (One Time Only):   Leave a comment on this post about which color of sewn in white espadrilles you would pick if you won.

Bonus Entries:

• *What is the name of the town where these shoes are made?
• *Name another product (besides shoes) that is sold on this site.
• *Follow Green Colored Glasses on Twitter and ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored Glasses Giveaway - Eco-Friendly Espadrille Shoes (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

**I was provided a pair of these espadrilles for review purposes.  All of the information and opinions found in this post are my own.**

Celebrate International Women's Day (and get your shop on!) with a great company named  Same Sky.  This company employs HIV positive survivors of the Rwandan genocide in 1994.  During this atrocity, more than a quarter of a million women were raped.  70% of those ended up contracting the HIV virus and were left to fend for themselves with husbands tortured and killed.  That means approximately 175,000 were left impoverished and sick.  Many didn't have the skills required to dig themselves out of the poverty, rebuild their families and communities. 

Same Sky is a trade-not-aid initiative that gives women their power back.  Their employees earn 10 times the amount that the average Sub-Saharan woman earns.  This enables them to provide food, healthcare and education to their entire families.  Here's a quote from the site: "Economically empower a woman - you change her, her family, her community, her country and eventually the social and economic fabric of the entire world."

The artisans employed here crochet together hand blown glass beads to form some incredibly beautiful bracelets.  Each bracelet is hand crocheted and even has the name of the woman who crafted the bracelet on it.  All of the proceeds from the sale of these bracelets are reinvested back into the company.  This means that they can employ and empower even more women and expand into other regions.

The bracelets are available in 19 different colors and they even have some suggested color combinations for wearing multiple bracelets at the same time.  The combination shown in this picture is called Sahara Sunset.  Absolutely gorgeous and very reminiscent of natural sunsets fading into the night.

Celebrities such as Barbara Walters, Meryl Streep, Halle Berry, Katie Couric and Chelsea Clinton have all been spotted wearing these stunning bracelets.  These would make a great women's day gift for any woman, regardless of where on earth she is situated.  The name of the company, Same Sky, is a big reminder of the challenges that women face all around the world and how women can be empowered by pulling together on a global scale.

Happy Women's Day!!

Looking for something a little different to put in Easter baskets this year for bigger kids??  How about some solar power toys?  They come in a robotic kit that you can work on together and are run completely from the solar panels on their back.  The grashopper toy jitters around as though scared out of it's mind and the frog jumps along like a frog would.  Both are pretty cool and both are from Helios Solar Toys.

They've got a pretty big range of solar powered toys -- cars, racetracks, a duck, robotic kits, keychains, and even a cable car!  These are some great educational toys that can help to expand your kids minds, have tons of fun and learn about alternate power sources.  These would be especially good for homeschooled children doing a module on solar energy.  Definitely hands on learning and fun at the same time.  I wouldn't mind getting a few of these myself!

With a little research, it's possible to find several different brands of environmentally friendly eye glasses.  There are even some like the ones pictured here that are manufactured without the use of screws, hinges or soldering at all.  This really cuts down on the environmental impact of both manufacturing and recycling these kind of glasses.  Both the frames and the lenses are made partially from recycled materials and the entire pair is recyclable when you're done with them.

There are other kinds of eco-friendly glasses that are made with recycled plastics and recycled stainless steel.  Some companies will even plant a tree for each pair purchased!  There are many companies that are involed in the 1% for the earth idea too where one percent of the company's profits are donated to environmental charities.

Several optical companies include a mail in package to recycle the eyeglasses when you are done with them.  However, I've always donated my used glasses to be sent to developing countries overseas.  That way, the glasses go to people who need them.  I know that shipping glasses overseas is a questionable practice on a global scale with the environmental footprint of shipping being quite large.  But with the cost of eye glasses sometimes equaling up to 3 months pay for people, it would seem to me to be worth it!

My point here is to be conscious of every purchase you make and every item that you get rid of.  There seems to be environmentally friendlier options for everything you can think of.  Even items that are an absolute necessity such as eye glasses.

The eco-friendly part of the design itself is the solar panel on the right hand side of the card.  This panel collects the power necessary to keep the card powered up when needed.  This card could also potentially really help people cut down on the amount of waste they are steadily consuming.  Perhaps people will think twice about buying disposable products or cheap junk that they don't need because they know how much they've already spent and how much they owe on this card.  Many people end up with tons of things crowding their house that they don't even need or want!

My favorite part of the design is the ability for the card to light up around the edges to let you know at a moment's glance whether you are above your credit limit or not.  If the light is blue, you are still within your credit limit.  If the light is red, you are over your limit.  I also think it's cool that the colors used for the edges are not green and red.  Green signals "go" and that is not what consumers should be doing when using their cards.

This design is by Jin-young Yoon, Wook-sun Oh, Young-ho Lee & Jun-kyo Lee.

I can't begin to imagine how many hours were spent crocheting this gorgeous rug which can both indoors and outdoors.  Hundreds of yards of yarn was also woven into the design.  The resulting rug aptly entitled Living Large measures in at 5 x 7 feet!

This rug is more than just planet friendly though, it's also foot friendly!  One would imagine that the repurposed plastic bags would be crunchy or crinkly under the feet but the crafter says that it is soft and tender on the toes.

Imagine how fantastic this rug would look in a main entranceway.  The rug naturally creates static which helps to trap dust.  This could make for a much tidier front entranceway!  I think it would look especially amazing in an outdoor living space.  Many people are bringing outdoor living to a whole new level with couches, reclining chairs and chimineas to help set up the perfect conversation and relaxation area outside.  A rug like this would really help to define the space and give it even more of a living like you're indoors outdoors kind of feel.

This crafter has a range of these rugs in different styles, colors and sizes to suit every need.  Definitely worth grabbing your organic fair trade coffee and poking through.  Happy shopping!!

Ecoleeko has a whole range of stuffed animals, bean bags, rattles, balls, bath puppets and tagged blankets made with the same sorts of all natural materials as seen in Mr. Bock Bock.  The owner even details how the paperwork involved in invoicing and receipts is recycled, as well as the packaging. 

This is definitely a company owner that you know you can trust your children's safety with.  In recent years there have been so many scary recalls on children's toys and cloths that have parents wondering what exactly is safe.  Check out Ecoleeko for gifts and baby essentials instead of a big box store where items are made overseas under dubious safety regulations.  Handmade supports local businesses and shows companies that we are concerned about child and planet safety!!

The sides of the chair are made of recycled wood and coated with a non-toxic water based paint.  The sling of the chair and the cushion are made of organic cotton that is machine washable.  This is extremely important in a kids chair!!

The fun colors of these chairs (originally available in green, purple, pink and orange) are definitely a reminder that spring is (hopefully) just around the corner!!  I can just imagine my little diva girl kicking back in this chair with her star shaped sunglasses on and an ice cold lemonade in her hand!!

Many of their pieces involve the use of watch movements being repurposed into the focal point of the entire piece of jewelry.  They've got a fantastic selection of rings available on their site featuring many different kinds of watch movements.  One thing that I really like about this site is that what is pictured is exactly what you receive.  It's not similar to or like what's pictured, it really is the actual item.  This means you know exactly what the piece you choose will look like!

They do custom pieces or you can choose from their ever expanding selection available in their store.  I use the term "store" loosely as they claim this is not a business.  Just two young people working together developing their craft!

The pieces are quite affordable as well.  The ring pictured here is priced at $35.  It's a 17 jewel watch movement attached to a filigree adjustable band.  That's a steal of a deal for the huge statement that such a piece would make!  The ring prices vary in range but all are extremely budget friendly.

They've also got a variety of necklaces, cufflinks and even earrings for sale that utilize various watch movements.  My favorite necklace is the one pictured here with the black flower.  What a stunning accent piece that would look good in everything from casual wear to the office to a beautiful necklace to go with that little black dress.  It uses a vintage watch movement mounted to a vintage silver setting.  The black rose is what really set it off though.

This is definitely an Etsy shop worth checking back into again and again.  It sounds as though items are added almost daily.  They currently have 273 items for sale and I love almost each and every one.  Some of my favorites are the Lolita gothic hair clips that they have available in vintage silver settings.  Absolutely adorable!!  I love the flower designs and the skull designs.  You can even have them made in a different color to match a certain outfit!!

Comment Number 35! 

 My family friendly tip is to use cloth diapers! It saves money and space in landfills!

I performed a little science experiment to see how much water these cloths could really absorb.  I added a colorant (margarita mix!) to 2/3 a cup of water as shown in the picture and then dumped the contents out onto a plate.  I set the Skoy cloth over top of the water and it soaked it all up immediately!  My husband, aka lovely assistant, was shocked at how quickly it was all soaked up.  In fact, the top right hand corner was still a little dry as you can tell from the picture if you look really close.  I think it could have held even a bit more water!  And it was all soaked up in about 10 seconds or so.

I know that my awesome "experiment" is very reminiscent of the microfiber infommercials that we've all watched on long nights plagued by insomnia.  However, the Skoy cloth is better than the Sham Wow or it's comparasions for a variety of reasons.  First and most importantly is that the Skoy is much better for the environment than a microfiber cloth.  It is made of a mixture of cotton and cellulose found in wood so it's quickly biodegradable with nothing nasty left behind.  In fact, studies have shown that the Skoy is virtually gone in 5 weeks in a compost and 16 weeks in a landfill.  The microfiber cloths are completely synthetic while the Skoy is made of natural ingredients and water based dyes.

Another big bonus with the Skoy cloth is that is more absorbent than microfiber cloths.  This means that it is more effective at cleaning up spills and wiping up messes.  This cloth is so absorbent that it is said to replace 15 rolls of paper towel!  Think of the savings for both your family and the planet.  All of that and it's cute to look at too!  The colors are bright and vibrant and the patterns are fun and remind me of spring which will eventually come.  Won't it??  This isn't something that you'd throw under the sink when the neighbors popped by for coffee because it's ugly to look at.

It's also really easy to clean.  It's machine washable and dryer safe.  If you're looking for a quicker fix, microwave a wet cloth for two minutes to kill any smelly bacteria that may be on it.  The Skoy also just feels better in the hand than a microfiber cloth.  The second that you run it under the tap, it plumps up like a sponge absorbing the water.  There's really no way to describe it, it's just something that you have to feel for yourself.  You can buy the Skoy online at their page if you're in the US, look up one of their many retailers and etailers or even go to Amazon to purchase it.

Skoy has graciously provided two multicolor packs of four of their cloths for a giveaway here at Green Colored Glasses so there will be 2 winners that Skoy will directly ship a 4 pack of cloths to.  This giveaway is open only to residents of the USA.  Please submit a separate comment for each entry as seen below.  Good luck!!

To Enter (One Time Only):   Leave a comment on this post about your favorite color or design of Skoy cloths.

Bonus Entries:

• What does the product name Skoy mean?
• *Follow Green Colored Glasses on Twitter and ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored Glasses Giveaway - Eco-Friendly Skoy Cloths (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Skoy on Facebook
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

**I was provided a 4 pack of these cloths by Skoy for review purposes.  All of the information and opinions found in this post are my own.**

The star attraction of this bench -- these wooden foot forms called shoe lasts -- were actually found by the side of the road.  They were in an Ontario fishing camp on the road side with a sign that said "firewood for cottagers".  The shoe lasts were then transformed into this incredible bench called "Last Place" by Brothers Dressler.  The brothers behind the designs are twins Jason and Lars Dressler who are woodworkers who are motivated to create the smallest footprint possible in their incredible works.  They explore reuse, repurposing, design and art all while keeping an eye on sustainability.  They even make their products so that they are easy to take apart at the end of their useful life and reuse the pieces!  Pretty incredible that they would even plan for the eventual demise of their pieces.

The benches in this series are available only in extremely limited quantities because of the salvaged nature of the components.  The shoe lasts themselves show the true workmanship of the profession of cobblers in decades past.  Although the artistry of cobblers is now extinct, these woodworkers wanted to pay homage to their work while showing a respect for the form and function of the molds.  I cannot imagine that someone would actually use these for firewood!!!

I ran into this fantastic shirt today online by a really cool company called Wire and Twine.  It's a very small company that hand prints the shirts they make in a barn.  Yup, a big cool red barn.  Between making shirts, they occassionally go out and bale hay.  Hence the name, wire and twine which are two options to make hay bales.  Awesome company, great graphics and a few green designs.

This one is absolutely my favorite.  It reminds me of two things.  First, I need to get my teenager unplugged and outside more.  He has an Xbox issue from time to time.  Even my preschooler is a bit addicted to her DS (I did not buy it for her!) and the tv.  Second, spring is finally (I hope!) coming!  What a great reminder to parents and kids that nature is the world's best wonderland.  It's a great way for kids to learn and play.  It's healthy, free and always available!  No need to worry about dead batteries either...

These shirts are printed on 100% organic cotton, sweatshop free tees and are available in kids and big kids (adult) sizes.  Absolutely fantastic!!  They have got some other great green shirts available on their site as well including a baby onesie that says I'm a Green Baby Diapered with a Conscience which is a great way to promote cloth diapers as an earth friendly option and a really cool (but not organic) t-shirt that graphically represents 50 ways to help the planet.  This shirt is awesome and I've absolutely got to feature it at one point or another.  It's got some fantastic and easy ways to live a little greener regardless of how busy your schedule is.  Definitely worth checking out!

Recently, a representative of CSN contacted me about doing a product review for them.  They literally let me choose from any of their over 200 websites to find a product to review.  Sooo many possibilites!  I ended up choosing an item from their Cookware site.  I really love this site because it has a button on the main page to help you pick eco-friendly items.  You just push "Go Green" and you end up with a list of hundreds of environmentally conscious products to pick from all nicely sorted by category.  Very, very cool!

I ended up choosing some really unique cookie cutters from a company called Nordic Ware which my daughter is so cheesily posing with above.  The company has won several green recognition awards for their efforts in recycling, reducing consumption, reusing water, reducing waste and removing heavy metals from their products.  They also are involved in donating useful products that are obsolete or "seconds" instead of simply tossing them away like many big companies do.  They've even got energy star appliances, eco-friendly lights in the factory and use green methods of heating!  Definitely my kind of company.

The cookie cutter set consisted of 18 pieces to make 6 different designs of cookies -- a unicorn, plane, sailboat, dinosaur, teddy bear and dolphin.  Each cookie has separate pieces to make them stand up to give them their 3D shape.  They really turn out to look quite impressive when they are completed.  Unfortunately, I've never been able to capture any of our own cookies completed because they don't last long enough to ice them! lol  A toddler and a teenager can really make cookies disappear quickly!

It was a little tricky to get the cookies to the right thickness so that they stood up properly with all of the cookies fitting together but once youdid, they were awesome.  Definitely Martha Stewart-esque results.  There's even a delicious, easy to make, hard to wreck sugar cookie recipe on the box.

My daughter and I have had a blast making these cookies several times now and we're getting the hang of it.  The cutters are easy to wash, durable and come from a sustainable business.  Everything that a green cook could want!

Items such as this one are clearly crafted with love, care, an eye for detail and design.  A mobile such as this one would bring years and years of enjoyment to a child whereas a licensed mobile bought from a big box store would be junked within a year or two.  This elegant, nature inspired mobile could hang in a children's room for years to come!  Handcrafted items such as this that are themed after nature instead of the latest cartoon are a much better investment.

This design was created by the artist making a mobile for her friend's baby.  When the design turned out so beautifully, she was inspired to make more and offer them for sale in her Etsy shop.  I'm so glad she did!

Check out her shop for some more great eco-friendly finds.  I especially love her range of coffee cup sleeves made from upcycled fabrics.  They are lined with felt to help keep in the heat and can save 6-8 pounds of carboard over the course of a year for an average consumer who buys coffee to go!  It's much better to bring your own cup but if you just can't, these sleeves would make a huge (and stylish) difference.

Check out this drum kit -- two drums, a cymbal and a ridged surface to create some fantastic sound effects with.  The kids could definitely get their rock out with this set.  Headache??  Sure but kids definitely need an understanding of music.  It helps with learning math through pattern recognition and is a great resource to help them express themselves and their creativity.  That's definitely worth popping a Tylenol or two, right??

The banjo from Plan Toys immediately conjures up sounds of dueling banjos in my head.  I can automatically picture kids strumming away with a look of pure joy and discovery on their faces.  Imagine how much fun a group of kids could have rocking out with a range of these instruments.

The best part of these instruments, in my opinion, is the company's plan to be sustainable.  Their toys are made with organic rubberwood trees which no longer produce latex.  This is extremely important because it means no fertilizers of pesticides were used on this wood for at least 3 years.  You won't have to worry about any chemical safety of these toys!  The wood is then kiln dried using a chemical free process to strengthen the wood.

What about the paint?  We've all heard about hazardous chemicals being found in the paint in kids toys lately and it's enough to scare parents silly!  Plan Toys only uses safe water based non toxic dyes on all of their products.  They do not use dyes containing lead or any other heavy metals.  The heavy metal is saved for the kids to make and rock out to with the instruments!  Can you imagine a group of 3 year olds playing Metallica!! lol

The company uses a special non-formaldehyde, non-toxic E-Zero glue to assemble the pieces of their toys.  They also are heavily involved in recycling and use soy or water-based inks on all of their printed materials.

They have a huge range of toys for all age ranges from baby to large scale kids toys.  I definitely would recommend checking out their website for the huge range of safe toys.  They also have a list of online retailers that the toys can be purchased from separated by country.

The website is awesome and definitely worth taking a look at.  They suggest many different actions and ways to make a difference in the world.  They've already got almost 5 million actions completed!  The actions range from tiny to huge and there is something there for everyone.

There are kits to get your school or work environment involved in the movement.  There's a forum, a blog, newletters, postcards, bags and a huge range of books with interesting titles such as "Teach Your Granny How to Text & Other Ways to Change the World".  They've got 131 actions listed so far.  See how many you can complete!  There are lots of environmentally friendly actions listed although some are just people friendly like hugging or smiling at someone.  Plant a tree, turn off a light, read a story to a child or better yet, spread the word.  I just did!

Commercial wipes are full of chemicals such as alcohol that can dry out the skin.  Even alcohol free ones have added fragrances and such that can cause a babe's sensitive area to act up.  They lead to tons of waste ending up in landfills and empty packaging in recycling bins.  Bummas can replace all of that quite simply.

Just wet them a little with plain old water and voila!  The manufacturer's also claim that they help to prevent diaper rash when you use them to dry the area before rediapering as well.  This means no talcum powder (which is bad for kids), ointments or lotions are necessary and no painful rashes will errupt to make for a cranky baby.  Good news all around!!

Once they're no longer in diapers, these wipes are still super handy to have around.  Let's face it -- kids are just plain messy!  There really isn't such a thing as too many face cloths kicking around.  You definitely won't be disappointed in these!

Wanna win them?? 

To Enter (One Time Only):   Leave a comment on this post about one green living family friendly tip that you'd like to share or have me write about.  I'd love to hear everyone's ideas!

Bonus Entries:

• *Follow Green Colored Glasses on Twitter and ReTweet this giveaway RT @Green Colored Glasses Giveaway - Bummas Eco-Friendly Baby Wipes (you can Tweet this once a day for Extra Entries)
• *Become a Fan of Green Colored Glasses on Facebook
• *Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post
• *Suscribe to Green Colored Glasses by RRS Feed

Make sure that you enter all of your entries separately as comments so that I can properly count how many entries.  The draw will take place on March 1, 2010 using a random number generator.  Open to residents of Canada and the USA.  Good luck!!

**Please Note that I did not receive anything in return for this giveaway from Bummas or anyone else.  I will personally be shipping the package to the winner!**

Check out these cool plastic bracelets called Oh Plah!.  They're not just bracelets though -- they can be used as teethers, toys and nursing reminders too!  They're made of medical grade plastic to prevent the bracelets from looking like teething toys with tons of chew marks in them.  They're 100% safe for even the smallest babe with no little parts.  They're also non-toxic, phtalate free, BPA free, lead free, latex free and bacteria resistant.  They're simple to with soap and water and dry really quickly so that you can hand it back to the babe or slide it right back on your wrist.  They're made in the US and meet or exceed all of the safety regulations. 

This is totally brilliant for Moms who are constantly on the go with little ones.  Any mom can tell you that kids are fascinated by jewelery.  When my daughter was little, I stopped wearing anything at all for fear of her hurting herself with it.  This would totally negate any of those fashion stopping offenses.  And it would provide you with something to amuse little ones while grocery shopping, waiting at the doctor's office or whatever you happen to be doing at the time.

Best of all, the company has an end of life recycling program in place.  When you are done with the bracelet, you can go to their website to print off a postage paid label to send it back to them.  Then they'll use the material in the bracelet to make new products!  Great idea for sustainable business plan and an absolutely fantastic product.  Perfect gift for any new mom or new mom to be!!

There are some really amazing products involving the use of fish to grow organic vegetables.  This kind of growing system is referred to as aquaponics.  Check out some of the products offered at Earth Solutions.  They have a huge range of great ideas and resources to help homeowners unlock their organic gardening potential in some pretty innovative ways.

Aquaponics tries to recreate the natural eco-system between plants and friendly bacteria to create organic vegetables and fish.  The idea is that nature does a better job at fertilizing plants than chemicals do.  There is no need for artificial fertilizers, filters or even dirt.  The waste from fish (aka fish poop) is basically ammonia.  This ammonia is transported from the fish tank into a bog of rocks where the vegetables grow.  The bacteria living on the rocks and plants use the ammonia as an organic fertilizer.  This process also cleans the water by removing the ammonia.

This cleansed water is then cycled back into the fish tank which allows the fish tank to stay clean without the use of any filters or cleansers.  The cycle repeats itself every one to two hours on a timer.  So the nitrogen and water in the fish tank are no longer thrown away as waste.  Instead, they are used to fertilize the plants.  And the water from the plants isn't wasted either because it's filtered back into the fish tank.  What an ingenious way to get great tasting, healthy organic vegetables and fish which can also be eaten when they get too big.  Definitely worth checking out how you can get your own aquaponic system.  Earth solutions has products ranging from $15 to $3,000 that are definitely worth checking out.

Their website puts it this way: "Aquaponics is the merging of hydroponics (growing plants without soil) and aquaculture (the farming of fish and/or shell fish); and because one systems waste may be another’s sustenance, putting the two together creates a permaculture relationship. Permaculture is a permanent agriculture system that relies on renewable resources, and is molded after natural ecosystems working together."

This design helps us to remember that small businesses are falling by the wayside, completely forgotten by people both socially and politically.  Huge corporations like the auotmobile manufacturers and banks are being handed millions and millions of dollars to sustain business simply because they are "Too big to fail".  The local businesses too need our support.

Local companies are those that are run by our friends and neighbors instead of by huge multinational corporations who are raking in giant bonuses while being flown around on their lear jets.  Buying locally can make a huge difference for the good of our planet as well.  Local companies involve less traveling for goods to reach our door.  The carbon footprint of stores such as WalMart are huge since many of their products are made overseas.  There are also safety concerns of products being made far away under less strigent environmental controls.  How many toys have been recalled lately for lead or other chemicals being found in them?  And what about the workers overseas who are making pennies to produce the goods that we think that we "need".  What are their futures like?  Is this kind of a business model really sustainable??

Making huge amounts of cheap products being sent thousands of miles only to break within a few weeks of use is how many of the big companies currently operate.  Remember that every time you make a purchase, you are voting with your wallet for the practices that you want to see continue.  Remember that those local companies are too small to fail.  What will happen to our world in the small companies become extinct??

Imagination Kids takes all that worry away with their sweet and simply designed toys that kids will love.  This bunny family set would make the perfect addition to any Easter basket.  It comes with two adult rabbits and two baby bunnies although you can custom order more bunnies to reflect your own family.  They are hand made with sustainably harvested hard wood, non toxic paints and homemade wood polish of beeswax, jojoba and essential oils.  These types of toys will last through several generations of kids as well.  There are no fiddly parts to break or batteries to charge.  There's nothing, in fact, to get between kids and their imaginations!

They have a whole range of toys like this in their shop.  There's cars, helicopters, multi-colored blocks (imo best toy of all time!), fairy wands (which all little girls just must have!), a variety of wooden animals (from robins to narwhals), a fire stacker, an iceberg stacker, natural wooden eggs which would also be great in an easter basket and a rainbow stacker that I'm seriously considering buying in addition to a wand.

The colors are so bright, bold and beautiful that they are simply hard to resist!  Spring has been a long time coming here but this little rainbow really has got my hopes up that it will be coming sometime soon!!

Seriously consider buying toys like these that will be completely nontoxic, safe and last for years to come when filling up your kids Easter baskets this year.  I'm all for candy and chocolate in moderation but a holiday is no time to forget about the good of our planet and the health and safety of our kids.  Skip the dollar stores and walk right past those big box stores.  You really have no idea of where those products come from, who they are helping to support, what practices they use to make their products, what exactly is in that cheap plastic egg and stuffed bunny.  Shopping handmade from artisans takes all the worry out of the equation and helps to make Easter another sustainable green holiday for the good of the kids and all the bunnies in it!

I got an email from them yesterday announcing their eco-friendly line.  I wasn't overly optimistic that these would be anything more than another attempt at luring in environmentally conscious parents at spending their money on a green washed product.  I was very pleasantly surprised however when I started to check it out.

They have a number of designs of shoes and slippers although these are the design that really started off the Robeez company.  Soft soles, elasticized ankle and suede bottoms is the classic Robeez design.  These shoes definitely make the slipper greener by being made of organic canvas across the foot instead of the traditional all leather design.  The inks that are used in the shoe are all water soluble and the leather upper is actually recycled!!  The remainder of the leather and the suede bottom are naturally tanned to reduce the impact on the earth and to allow for greater breathability for sweaty little toes.

Yes, these shoes could be more eco-friendly but the fact is that they are definitely taking steps in the right direction.  I love these so much that I know I'd buy them for my daughter if they came in her size.  Unfortunately, they're only making these in the 0-24 month size range right now.  They do have another line of eco-friendly sneakers that I'll feature in another post.  My hats off to Robeez for jumping into the green product revolution with two feet instead of trying to rip parents off like many other companies!!

Joyful Canine has a huge range of natural products available for both cats and dogs at her store.  Everything from aromatherapy Calming Dog Mist to SLS free shampoos are available there.  And everything inbetween like motion sickness drops, Boo boo healing spray, litter box deodorizer, all natural tooth powder to brush their teeth with, flea and tick powders, massage oils, breath fresheners and a whole lot more.  This store is definitely worth dropping by and checking out!

This Etsy store is a subdivision of Joyful Girl Natural who I've already featured a couple of times.  The owner of Joyful Canine has a pitbull named Chuck.  This month she is honoring people who rescue pitbulls by sending them a care package.

I know that mainly humans in the household are the ones who are getting all natural aromatherapy products but if chemical laden products are not good enough for you (and the planet), then why should they be good enough for your pet?  My daughter calls Bonsai her "furry brother from another mother" so his health and safety is extremely important to the entire family.

There are lots of great (and eco-friendly) options to help you get just the look you're going for to grab people's attention.  A business card is like a first impression and since it's something that people take away from a meeting, it's also a lasting impression.

Start off on the right foot by ensuring that all of your cards are made from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper or better yet, 100% recycled paper.  The cards should be marked as such as well so that the receiver knows that you've kept the environment in mind.

Choose your color schemes while keeping the color schemes of nature in mind.  These pairings of colors are generally the most pleasing to the eye.  Think of flowers, trees, the sky, fields and oceans when choosing color schemes for your business cards.

Use earth-friendly inks -- soy or vegetable based pigments work especially well.  These inks come in a huge range of colors from soft golden hues to bold bright and boisterous if that's what you're after.  However, they don't cause the environmental damage that more traditional forms of chemical laden inks cause.

Many business card printers also have a team of designers on hand for assistance if you need it.  Or you could go for the handmade look of using a local crafter to help you get the look you're after.

Image courtesy of Flickr user vectorfunk.

These adorable little slippers are made from eco-felt.  If you don't already know what that is, where the heck have you been??  Kidding...it's felt that is made from recycled pop bottles.  How cool is that?  The soles are lined with velvet and are rubberized on the exterior.  They're finished off with some vintage ribbon that has been added across the front.  The colors are super seventies and definitely making a come back.  Who wouldn't want to receive these for their little one on the way.

Check out Etsy crafter Emily Island for these fantastic little slippers and a range of other items for sale in her shop.  She sews, crochets and paints!  Remember to buy handmade and support local artists rather than huge big box stores that are full of things that you don't need from places that you've never been to.  Buying environmentally friendly items that have been hand crafted can really make a difference.  Vote for the kind of companies that you want to see more of with your wallet!!

Whenever our family travels, we try to learn something about our planet.  A whale watching tour in San Diego is hopefully our next big eco-adventure as a family.  San Diego has a huge variety of family friendly tourist attractions as well as a range of natural experiences.  As a Canadian, I've experienced some extraordinary whale watching tours off the west coast of Vancouver and would love to be able to share these experiences with our kids.  What better place than San Diego?

Another thing I'd love to do is go on a Dinner Cruise San Diego style.  Maybe we could leave the kids at the hotel and enjoy a romantic night out just the two of us!  Imagine how beautiful it would be to watch the sunset over the ocean in San Diego while enjoying a kid-free glorious dinner alone.  Ahhhh....definitely relaxing, romantic and absolutely sumptuous!

There are a wide range of green-er choices in hotels, many organic restaurants and natural environments for the kids to explore.  Whales are just one of the many astounding features that California's coast has to offer.  There are many tide pools families to explore with a variety of species living within.  Even just collecting seashells, checking out the seals and hanging out at the beach are some of my family's favorite parts of California's coast.

Eco-tourists come in many different shades of green.  By this I mean that some eco-tours are more environmentally friendly than others.  Be leary of companies that are offering "eco-tours" though as more and more companies jump on the greenwashing bandwagon.  Many companies are trying to get eco-conscious consumers to buy into their products without actually being environmentally conscious themselves.  This has lead to a ton of products (especially vacations) being labelled as eco-tours without having any meaning behind the words.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Christopher DiNottia.

As a mom of two, my hubby and I rarely have "date night" anymore.  Valentine's Day was an exception and a reminder that I really don't have much to wear on such occassions.  I started looking around online for a green solution to my fashion dilemma and came across this awesome option.

It's made of 96% organic cotton and 4% lycra for some stretch in all the right places.  It is a dress that can be worn as shown in the color selection photos tied behind the neck or you can go for the strapless option of tying it around the back.  You can even fold the top down and tie it around the waist as shown in the model for a gorgeously eco-friendly skirt!

Best of all, it's sewn by seamstresses in India in a fair trade co-operative to help economically depressed and disabled women!  When you support organizations such as this, you are supporting healthy work environments, fair wages, and employment opportunities for women and their families.  Plus, at $32 can you see any reason to not support such a worthy cause??  This super stylish transforming skirt/dress is definitely on my list of "must haves" for the spring and summer season.

It is made from 100% organic fox fibre colourgrown cotton plush and terry cloth and stuffed with pure white wool.  Super cute, eco-friendly, chemical free, natural and safe toy for baby.  Check it out at a great online toystore from the UK called Toys to You that carries a ton of green toys for kids of every age.

This is not the kind of confetti you'd use at a kid's birthday party or at a wedding.  Maybe a stag or stagette though...  Seriously, I can't think of many other uses for this.  I guess a man's b-day party would work, especially if it's hosted by other men!

Would be an easy DIY -- you'd just need a circular punch and some old magazines.  Used but perhaps not TOO used if you know what I mean!  Suggestively shaped punches would work too.

Want the confetti but don't have the time or old porn laying around to DIY.  Check out the porn confetti website to order yourself up some fun in a barrel!  They offer a discount if you buy 3 or more tubs of their confetti, have t-shirts available and even porn party packs!!

So the question is, how do I balance my love of the planet with the need to camp in an RV instead of a more eco-friendly method such as tenting it??  Well, try googling eco-friendly RV rentals and you'll come up with a huge assortment of kinds of RVs that will fit the bill.

Check out this one clad in recycled aluminum cans.  It's self sustaining, not an eye sore (because it seamlessly blends into it's surroundings) and contains tons of eco-friendly materials in it's construction.

There are a whole range of more practical eco-friendly RV units that can be rented as well.  Everything from fuel efficient models to extremely light models to reduce fossil fuel usage to models that promote the earth to units that use recycled materials.

It's amazing what you can find when you just take the time to look for it.  I definitely recommend checking out all your options before renting an RV this spring and summer!

Clean lines, bold colors and eye catching graphics are what dominate this line by reiter8.  This company makes a range of bags, purses, wallets, pillows, totes and even Christmas stockings out of used sails.  The company name was chosen because it means to say or do again which is exactly what they are doing with these sailboat sails -- reiterating their value.

These are a great eco-chic find for every green design fan looking for something different.  Many of their items feature the original sail seams as part of the design -- check out the green stitching on the blue star pillow for example.  Better yet, if you have an old sail taking up valuable storage space, donate it to reiter8 for them to reuse.  They'll even send you a bag made out of the sail that you send.  Pretty cool keepsake if you ask me!

They've got their own Etsy store and blog running which would definitely be worthwhile checking out.  They've even got durable luggage tags made out of the small bits of sail left over.  Great practical use for small pieces of the material instead of just wasting it!!

They are literally nuts that you use for soap right off of the tree!  This particular company, Superior Soapnuts, uses nuts from the mountains of Nepal.  They are the dried fruit of the Ritha (sapindus mukorossi) tree.  Although other trees are used by other companies for soapnuts, this particular tree apparently has the highest amount of saponin in it which is what gives the nuts their awesome cleaning powers.

They are completely all natural, chemical free and come just as they are seen in the picture.  You put 3 - 5 nuts in a bag provided, hit it with something hard to break them open and toss it in with your dirty clothes.  Nothing else is required.  Not even fabric softener as the clothes will come up naturally fluffy and soft!!

The nuts can be used repeatedly until they are no longer shiny with saponin.  They can be used between 4 and 8 times depending on how hot the water is that is used to wash the clothes.  Lower temperatures are easier on the nuts (lol) and the environment!  They even have recipes using the soapnuts to make other cleaners such as liquid soap.

Financially speaking, these make a lot of sense as well.  A 500 gram bag of soapnuts can clean up to 200 loads of laundry!!  Sounds too good to be true, I know.  I decided to buy their trial pack to try them out.  At only $1.75 + shipping (super cheap btw), you can't really afford not to!  All natural, chemical free cleaners with muslin bag packaging and all that's left over is compostable shells.  Definitely a must have.  I'll re-post after I receive them and give them a whirl.  I definitely do more laundry than you could possibly imagine so these would be a lifesaver in terms of not having to worry about what chemicals are being left on our clothes and linens.

The Sony Vaio has a case that is made up of 23% recycled CD's which really increases the sustainability of the product itself.  It is very energy efficient with a backlit 10.1 inch LCD screen, a battery that lasts up to 7 hours, 250 GB hard drive, Microsoft 7, 1.66 Ghz Intel Atom Processor N450 and  1GB RAM.

Another neat feature that is extremely environmentally friendly is it's packaging.  It comes in a PET case instead of wasting resources making cardboard.  PET is a plastic made from recycled pop bottles.  I'm loving this eco-chic netbook although I might have to get it in green!

The massage oil is safflower oil infused with the essential oils of organic chamomile, lavendar and spearmint for added aromatic benefits to the massage.  My daughter is nearly 4 now and has been a handful to get to sleep since before she was even born.  Fiesty is really how I'd describe her at bedtime if I had to use one word.  This massage oil is fantastic at getting the fiestiness out of her a little bit so that she'll lay still long enough for the sandman to find her.

This oil is great for kids that love massage -- she's definitely a massage lover!  The scent of the chamomile and lavendar have the natural effects of sedation while the oils are warmed by skin to skin contact.  Kids especially enjoy the power of touch constantly wanting hugs, cuddles and kisses.  Massage is a natural extension of the need for touch with even the most traditional of doctors now recommending infant massage.

I love, love, love this massage oil and so does my daughter.  It's non-greasy and I don't have to worry about what kinds of chemicals are seeping into her blood stream through her pores.  The bottles used by Joyful Girl Natural are made from PET (recycled plastic) containers that do not leech into the oils inside.  The bottles are easily recyclable as well as reusable if you want to refill them with another product when they're empty.

She now has her own blog that you can check out to keep up-to-date with this Etsy seller and her extensive (197 items for sale!) line of products.  The customer service is excellent but I do need to warn buyers that it may take some time for you to receive your order.  This is simply because each order is custom made instead of being made in big batches and then sitting on the shelf for months before reaching you.  Definitely more than worth the wait!!  Thanks for the great products Shelly!!

It amazes me everyday just how many environmentally friendly shopping choices there are as green slowly becomes the "new black".  It seems as though there are literally hundreds and hundreds of options available to consumers as they look to green up every purchase.

The key is not to become overwhelmed by choice.  Simply shop with a conscience.  Remember the planet before you open your wallet.  It's easy to live a green-er life each small and simple step at a time.  Even the smallest choice before purchasing something once a week can really add up over the course of a year.  Multiply that by everyone making simple, eco-friendly choices and you've really made a difference!!

It comes in 5 colors -- pink (pictured here), purple, charcoal, blue and green.  The shape of the alarm clock mimicks the only power source necessary for it to function -- water.  The body of the clock is shaped like a single drop of the most precious resource our planet has to offer.  It's transparent so that you can see the water inside of the clock and sits on a base which is actually the cap.

To fill the clock, you twist off the cap base and pour regular tap water into the droplet portion.  Replace the cap and voila!  No need to do anything else.

Some users report that the water needs to be changed every 6 to twelve weeks but this doesn't mean you need to readjust your settings.  There's a microchip inside that will keep track of the time during fills.  Empty the water onto your plants and replace with fresh tap water.

There are lots of articles online about how exactly this works.  I'm no scientist but it has something to do with using ions in the water to generate a current.  There are two metal poles inside of the clock that the ions generate a charge between without any chemicals whatsoever.

Just the kind of thing I love -- stylish, functional, waste free, chemical free and eco-friendly!  This would be especially perfect for people who travel a lot.

Those tiny green square dots outlined in red are what would need to be covered with solar panels to power the entire world in 2030.  Yes, the entire world!!  Imagine that for a moment.  0 carbon emmissions.  None at all from electrical consumption machinery or transportation.  Absolutely incredible, right?  I ran into this map by Land Art Generator while stumbling around the net.  It reminded me of the ridiculous Verizon vs. AT&T coverage maps that are constantly being shown on television ads.  You know...

Now, I know that these maps are not completely comparable.  This one is only the United States.  And it only shows areas that have cell phone coverage by the two companies but imagine what could be achieved if even 1/1000 of that space was covered by solar panels instead of simply having cell phone coverage!

Not convinced??  How about this popular map showing McDonald's locations through the United States?

What if 1/100 of that space represented solar panel coverage?  What if we simply slapped some solar panels on the roof of every single McDonald's worldwide?  Remember that the Mc Obesity epidemic is not simply an American issue...they are unfortunately spreading worldwide into the far reaches of pretty much everywhere.  Imagine how much emissions could be saved simply by having self sufficient McDonald's?  Kind of makes me see things a little more clearly.

Daniel Michalik has an incredible range of furniture made entirely from cork wastage from the bottle stopper industry.  Cork is an extremely important element in eco-friendly design because it can be harvested from trees without cutting the tree down.  The trees will continue to grow even long after the cork has been harvested.  Cork can be used in many design situations from furniture construction to flooring applications.  It's pliability makes it an extremely versatile material that is sustainable, recyclable and in supply in a great abundance.

This lounge chair is made entirely from cork and is called the Cortica.  This piece shows the materials incredible ability to bend in two different directions simultaneously.  This bent sheet is 72" long to cradle the recliner's entire body and allow total support.  The cork suspends the seated person so that they feel entirely weightless.  The bends in the material allow the resting person to rock from side to side as well as forwards and backwards.  In this manner, the user becomes entirely buoyant as if they are floating on the ocean.

Cork is 100% natural waterproof quality as well as the feeling Cortica gives the user sparked the imagination of the designer.  He set off with two test subjects, two cork lounge chairs and a camera to the nearby local beach.  The resulting movie is pretty incredible to watch and can be seen on his web site.

His work is incredibly resourceful, full of humor and functionality while still making other designer's drool with envy.  Daniel Michalik is sure to be featured here again and I'll certainly keep an eye on his up and coming designs.  His work is currently being featured at Voos Furniture design.

The pods come in three sizes 4 m (13 feet diameter), 6 m (20 feet diameter) and 8 m (26 feet in diameter).  While they don't sound much bigger than a typical prison cell, the layout is fantastic and makes use of every square inch (or centimeter! lol).  They can be one or two story tall and have connector tunnels put on to form a whole bubbly little compound if that's what you need.  The designer spent a considerable amount of time laying out each and every area and even lived in it for a period of time!

There are optional solar panels which can be installed, rainwater collection systems and even wind turbines!  The system is actually set up to be completely self sufficient when completely configured.  You can finally live "off the grid"!

The styling and details are just as cute on the outside as they are on the inside.  While the manufacturer does state on the site that it can be set up as an office, studio, playroom, gym or garden room, the pods are definitely designed for day to day living.  There are many different sizes and styles available to be fully customized to your needs.

The turnkey models even include a fully functional kitchen with energy efficient appliances, built in cupboards and sofa, shelving units, desk and work station, CFL light fixtures and undercabinet lighting, low flow aerated shower heads, dual flush toliets and in floor heating!

The first floor is generally laid out with a kitchen, half bathroom, living space and office area open to each other to create a spacious feel.  There are round windows providing a great view of the outdoors as well as natural ventilation when they are opened.

The homes are generally headed by extremely efficient wood burning stoves.  Very little wood is needed to heat the home because of the compactness of function and design.

The second floor of the design is where the bedroom (s) can be found as well as a full bathroom and even storage depending upon the layout chosen.  The price of these homes ranges from $13,565 USD for the bare bones one storey 4m shell to $97,080 for the 2 storey 8m turnkey model.

Linda Loudermilk is a pioneer eco-savvy designer who has coined the term "luxury eco" and redefined eco-chic style.  Environmentally friendly fashion doesn't need to mean shapes hemp fabrics draping unflatteringly across the body.  It can mean luxurious, fashionable and environmentally aware designs that would fit in on the top runways in Paris.

These pendants are a good example of her style.  They're designed to provoke discussions surrounding the lack of clean water for everyone, for water conservation and for human rights.  At the same time, they're stunning.  They come in 4 colors -- bronze, copper, silver and gold with 17% of the profits being donated to charities that are working towards clean water initiatives.  The metals have been reclaimed and shaped into rustic and old fashioned looking faucets which are instantly recognizable by whoever may see it.  A single crystal is suspended from the faucet heads to represent a drop of clean water which is necessary to sustain life of any kind.

Linda Loudermilk's products are available in many different places online and in stores.  Check out her website for more fashion forward, creative and definitely high end style.  Her Mission Wear projects are designed to help clean water charities as well as provoke thinking of the global water crisis.  More than a BILLION people worldwide do not have access to clean and safe water.  Approximately 3.6 million people will die from water-related illnesses each and every year.  This crisis has reached epidemic proportions with the western world drinking bottled water because they dislike the taste of tap water while people on a global scale are literally dying of thirst.

There are many eco-friendly ways that can help you to lose weight which in turn, will help you to have less of a negative impact on the world around you.  First of all, start of each morning with a healthy breakfast.  Try organic oatmeal or granola to help fill you up and keep you full until lunch.  Set small weight loss goals and once you've met them, add another step.  This is the same method that many people use to make their lifestyle greener -- each tiny babystep at a time will make the change gradual and less drastic.  Remember that these are lifestyle changes not short term fixes.

Stop drinking pop and carbonated beverages.  They are full of empty calories and uselessly waste plastic bottles.  Instead of pop, drink tap water.  Bottled water only adds to the wasted plastic piles and most tap water in the western world is completely safe to drink.  If you don't like the taste, get a filter and use that instead!

Eat smaller portions at meal times and safe the leftovers for the next day.  This will reduce calories as well as waste.  At the same time, you'll cut back drastically on your grocery and eating out bills.  Try eating vegetarian once a week -- it's better for the planet and your waistline.

Don't run out and buy a ton of weight loss products that will only end up sitting around your house unused.  Many weight loss pills are completely bogus while others are totally unsafe.  Ensure that you talk to your doctor or naturoath before taking any pill.  As for exercise equipment, research what you're interested in thoroughly before making a purchase that you may come to regret later.  Try buying a second hand treadmill instead of a brand new one.  Buying used products is much more sustainable than constantly buying new and can really help to save you a lot of money as well.  There are many sites where you can buy used items such as Kijiji or Craigs List.  Exercise equipment is especially abundant because people tend to use it as clothes racks as much as they do for exercising!

Good luck with your weight loss aspirations and remember that it can be very much a two steps forward, one step back routine.  The point is that you are making progress towards your ideal weight.

She calls these creations Vintage Twist Tea Cup Candles and I think they'd be absolutely perfect for Valentine's Day or any other time when you're trying to "set the mood".  This artisan put together a love of vintage tea cups together with a new found awareness of the benefits of soy candles over traditional wax candles which are made from a byproduct of crude oil.

She picks up the tea cups from a variety of places -- second hand stores, charity shops and markets so all of these cups have been used.  She has many single tea cups for sale in her shop as well as some doubles so that you could have a matching set!

There is quite a range of patterns and they all look quite gorgeous lit up.  She has pictures of the cups both lit and not lit so that you can get a good feeling for what it will look like in a variety of situations -- whether stored in your china cabinet or lit on the table.  There's a huge range of styles as well from traditional portraits to floral tea cups to cups that are quite simple or modern.

The floral tea cup candles, in particular, would make a great gift for a loved one this Valentine's Day.  This would make a much more sustainable statement of love than that of fresh picked flowers which will soon wither and die.

I think that this is a fantastic idea for repurposing what you already have or what you find second hand and turning it into a natural and sustainable product that is very usable.  Definitely check out the range of candles that she has available.  Remember that supporting handmade items is a way to reduce consumption and waste!

Going green(er) can also help you to cut down on some of the exorbitant costs that a wedding can sometimes entail.  There are many ways to cut costs and go green at the same time.  One easy way to cut costs and cut down on the environmental impact of your wedding is with your invitations.  This does not mean, however, that it has to look like you have cheap invitations.  You can have great quality, eco-friendly, cheap invitations that look like you spent a fortune!

Many people (maybe even most) prefer that wedding invitations are on paper so I'll skip all the alternative, free, and extremely low impact ways that you could invite people electronically.

One of the major ways that you can save money on the invitations is to do it yourself.  There are many stores that supply 100% post consumer recycled paper of certified FSC paper products to completely hand make your invitations at home.  They are super easy to run through your home printer and even come with many design ideas if you can't come up with one you love yourself.

Another DIY product I've seen lately for home computer use is seeded paper.  This paper is either tree free or made of recycled paper and is filled with flower seeds.  In this way, there is no waste at all from the invitation itself.  The receiver can simply put it into a flower bed where it will make an effective weed barrier as well as seeding a bouquet of flowers that will remind them of your wedding!

If you don't feel craft enough to DIY or can't stand the pressure, there are many companies available to print and design the invitations for you that will keep the environment's needs at the top of the list.  Many companies will use tree free or recycled paper decorated with organic materials such as raffia, pressed flowers and even grass.  You can't get much greener than that!  There are also soy and vegetable inks which are much more eco-friendly than traditional inks that your invitations can be printed with.  Remember to view the company's green credentials -- check out how their business is operated.  Do they recycle?  Are they running a green office?  Do they donate to environmental charities?  Finding out these sorts of things can assure you that your invitations are actually green instead of just using the term "green" as a marketing gimmick.

Shop with a conscious and good luck on your big day!

One line that I found particularly stunning was the assortment of jewelry that she makes from plastic used in architectural applications.  Between the two layers of used plastic, she sandwiches a selection of materials to make graphic and beautiful patterns.  Even the materials between the plastic is made up of 40% post-industrial reclaimed materials.  This is then cut into small pieces to be used in her jewelry.

This line of recycled plastic jewelry includes rings, bracelets, necklaces, bobby pins and earrings.  It's nearly impossible to tell just what exactly the pieces are made from just by looking at them.  All you see is their beauty shining through in the array of colors and shapes intricately laid out between the recycled plastic.  Absolutely stunning!  Any of these pieces would make a great gift for Valentine's Day or any other reason...or maybe even no reason at all.

Green Colored Glasses will most definitely be featuring this designer again and again.  I definitely recommend checking out Amy Pfaffman's site to see some more of her amazing creations.  There is also a list of places where her work can be purchased in person or online.

How about a nice pair of manties -- you know panties for men?  These ones are made by Etsy seller Ruffeo Hearts Lil Snotty with the waistband being salvaged from an abandoned belt factory.  Yeah, I don't know where the would have found such a thing either but I think it's pretty cool!  The designer claims that he wore these all summer by the pool and that the ladies loved it.  The crafter says these are: " all season clutch pair of fighting shorts. Box, kick, dance, crump, move -do the jerk".  I'm sure my hubby would love these, right?  He's always busting out sick moves like the guy in the photo!!  Okay, maybe not for my guy but definitely somebody's would love these.

Perhaps tools, my hubby is always tinkering in his workshop with something or another.  Check out these vintage wrenches turned into hooks!  This is definitely more my hubby's speed.  Would be great to help to organize that workshop of his too!

These are made by Etsy seller Freak of Metal who's name is deftly fitting!  This artisan has a ton of very, very cool pieces made from (you guessed it!) metal.  There's belt buckles, a dinner triangle or two and even some roses made of iron.  Pretty amazing stuff.

Okay, what else do guys like....manties, tools and well, dudes love beer right?  Check out these handmade vegan beer soaps by Etsy seller Ethically Engineered.  The listing makes it sound super manly: "This soap brings you the sensations of a stroll through the pubs of Northern Ireland in all their majesty. Using organic and vegan stout beers this bar fits squarely in the working man's calloused hand. At the dawn of the Industrial revolution, and throughout, hearty stouts were the liquid bread and energy of the factory. Mill Workers to steelworkers clamored out of the factory doors and into their cherished pub to recharge."  This would definitely be a hit!!

If you dig around on the net, you'll find a few companies here and there that offer some extremely eco-friendly options for your big move.  Some companies even offer trucks completely powered by biodiesel!  This not only makes a huge improvement for the environment, it also allows the costs of being more green to be off-set by the fuel savings.

Reusable containers are also becoming a viable option for packing your things in instead of cardboard boxes that we need to cut down trees for.  Check out the company called Rent a Green Box that has come up with some truly amazing innovations.  These plastic containers are made from hard to recycle plastics that are taken out of landfills, formed into boxes and rented out to people moving.  They will even deliver the boxes right to your door in trucks running on waste vegetable oil!!  You don't need tape, boxes or anything really.  Just your stuff and their containers.  When you're finished with them, take them back.  Zero waste!

There is also 100% recycled, post consumer materials mined from landfills that are being made into more environmentally friendly packing materials.  Instead of using petroleum based bubble wrap, try a product called Geami (which means friends of the earth).  It's made right in the moving trucks with their own eco-friendly power supply from cardboard sludge and is about half the cost of plastic bubble wrap.  Instead of needing tape to hold it together, it sticks to itself kind of like velcro.  It's reusable and if you don't need it after you're done with it, they'll pass it on to the next customer!  Again, absolutely zero waste.

There are also a range of other no waste solutions to replace packing items such as styrofoam popcorn, tissue paper, labels for the boxes, eco-friendly bags, pallets, moving dollys and zip ties.  The pallets are actually called poopy pallets because they are made from recycled, used disposable diapers that have been thoroughly cleaned -- not to worry!  Who knew they could even do that?  It's definitely worth looking into eco-friendly options before making purchases as a consumer.  I think that the "Poopy Pallet" is going to require it's own complete article!

SECULAR NGO's

Doctors Without Borders (aka Medecins Sans Frontieres or MSF)

Medical help and supplies are desperately needed.  This is an international group of medical professionals who work in chronically underserved countries, emergency sites and refugee camps around the world.  They are already in Haiti.   Unfortunately their facilities in the capitol have been badly damaged so they are doing triage and what care they can on the street.  Their spokesperson has indicated they will be bringing in a portable hospital and more doctors as soon as possible.  He reported many people with serious injuries like broken and crushed limbs, broken ribs and the like but they have at this point no ability to do more than first aid and stabilization. They spend less than 1% on administration and they're on the ground already.

Read more at Charity Nnavigator.org

Direct Relief International 

They have already sent a 40-foot container of ongoing aid to arrive today.  As Relief Web states "Direct Relief's partners in Haiti include Partners in Health, St. Damian's Children's Hospital, the Visitation Hospital, Christian Aid Ministries, and Feed the Children. St. Damian's and Partners in Health are particularly active in emergency response and have received pre-positioned materials for hurricane season, which ended November 30, and are designed to support ongoing patient care if needed. Since 2000, Direct Relief has provided more than $60 million in medical material aid to Haiti."

Oxfam International 

Provides assistance to victims of emergencies and ongoing disasters throughout the world.They are mobilizing to provide emergency assistance to victims in Haiti, and your donations will also help people in places like Darfur as well. I haven't been able to find a link to direct your donation specifically to Haiti on their website.  Here is a direct link to support Oxfam's Haiti relief effort.

Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross is of the standard of emergency response throughout the world.  Though the US Red Cross took a hit for administrative costs in the wake of Katrina, few NGO's have the reach or the resources of the ICRC.  The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund.  Text "HAITI" to 90999 and you will be charged for a $10 donation to the red cross relief efforts.

Read more at Charity Navigator

Other SECULAR NGO's

•  ShelterBox USA, which provides prepackaged shelter.  They've raised the $1000 for one box and are working on their second.
• AIDWATCH Aid Watch blog is a project of New York University's Development Research Institute (DRI).  Note as well that 100% of your donation goes to relief, as they recently got a large bequest that funds all their expenses.  Read more at:  CharityNavigator
• National Nurses United are sending 1500 volunteer nurses from across the United States.
• California Nurses Association call for volunteers
• Portlight Strategies, gearing up to help Haitians with disabilities in the wake of the disaster.
• Yele - cell carriers will contribute $5 send on a $5 donation on your account if you text YELE to 501501.
• Mercy Corps is preparing an aid mission.  Mercy Corps also allows you to donate through PayPal, Google Checkout and Amazon Payments, if this helps. They are actively moving to help already.  They always partner with local organizations and they have no ego about coordinating with other NGOs.  Their flagship programs are directed at children and families, and children are always the the most vulnerable population in any disaster scenario.
• PanAmerican Development Foundation as they are the natural disaster relief arm of the Organization of the American States, the world's oldest regional organization dedicated to democracy, human rights, security, and development started in 1890.  The PADF are in the Haiti right now as I write this passing out tents, water, food, medical care, etc and are making an appeal for donations to help move more supplies in through their Dominican Republic location and replenish them ASAP so as to continue their efforts.
• Save the Children already has offices in Haiti and are already there and taking action.
• Partners In Health is accepting donations of as little as ten dollars online.   their particular expertise in administering health care in Haiti. You can donate here. Partners in Health, or in Haitian Creole Zanmi Lasante, has been the largest health care provider in rural Haiti. Earthquake Haiti is a group now up on Facebook that Rachel Maddow just mentioned on her show.
• Lambi Fund is a secular nonprofit whose mission is "to assist the popular, democratic movement in Haiti. Its goal is to help strengthen civil society as a necessary foundation of democracy and development. The fund channels financial and other resources to community-based organizations that promote the social and economic empowerment of the Haitian people."  They support "projects that embrace the following principles: non-violent, non-partisan, community-based, promoting the advancement of women, using education and training for empowerment, and promoting the overall democratic movement."

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

• USAID
• UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund) has been on the ground in Haiti since 1949 and has people, experience and infrastructure to make effective use of resources.  Word is that their headquarters is down and many missing.  At a glance: Haiti
• World Food Programme  is another major food and water donor in disaster and relief areas and they are already on the ground in Haiti providing food and water.  They are working with Wyclef Jean's organization, Yele Haiti, to provide food, employment, and micro-enterprise grants.  Haitian Relief page.

RELIGIOUS

• American Friends Service Committee (Quaker) has a stellar track record of aid. 
• Catholic Relief Service have already pledged $5 million and have people on the ground there in a country that is 80% Catholic.
• Church World Service is the relief arm of the National Council of Churches. 
• Convoy of Hope, a nonprofit that networks with churches in the community where need exists.  Provides necessities like food and water.  Has Charity Navigator's highest rating year after year and was already in Haiti when the earthquake struck.
• Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, which has started a Haitian Earthquake Relief Fund. According to the website, 100% of funds collected will go to aid - JUF will absorb all administrative costs.
• Little by Little which has been making trips to Haiti for the past 4 years.  Their mission is to bring experienced nurses and nursing students to haiti to establish free clinics for the Haitian people.  They are currently in Haiti helping as much as they can and could use our support.  You can donate to this organization by clicking here.
• Presbytarian Church (USA)  is already involved in responding to the earthquake. The Action by Churches Together (ACT) secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, is now coordinating a global response involving its member churches to the catastrophe.
• United Methodist Committee on Relief which uses 100% of donations for relief.

Some Advice from AidWatchers

This Wednesday will be different though.  Today, we'll feature items from an eco-friendly Etsy seller who is going to contribute all of their proceeds for the entire month of January to the Haitian relief fund.  We must ensure that the tremendous needs of people in Haiti are met during this time as they attempt to recover from the terrible earthquake that has effected so many.  Please donate to Oxfam, Doctors without Borders or the Red Cross to help aid the suffering of people who are just like you and I and need our help.  Any amount would help and be appreciated.  Instead of eatting lunch out for this month, try brown bagging it and donate the difference to help out.

The first featured item (with all proceeds going to the Haiti via Partners in Health) is this adorable bracelet made from vintage European dominos.  It's absolutely adorable and would make a great Valentine's day gift for someone on your list while making a difference in Haiti at the same time.  This great item is made by etsy seller equalityuberalles who is a lawyer who believes in equality and social justice for everyone.

This unusual bracelet is made up of vintage silver pieces from 3 old pieces of jewellery.  The artisan simply took apart some old pieces that were not being used to remake them into a piece that is very fashionable, up to date and wearable.  Perfect little something, something for your significant other this Valentine's day!

Last, but certainly not least, equalityuberalles has these cute repurposed record crafts that are popular but still worth mentioning.  The one featured below is a Dr. Zhivago record made into a snack bowl.  For only $9, you might as well have her ship it or one of her other record crafts along with a piece or two of jewellery.  She also has coasters made out of records that are worth checking out.

Thanks to equalityuberalles and all of the other Etsy crafters who are pitching in to do what they can to help the victims of the earthquake.  There are quite a few who are donating at least a portion of the proceeds of their sales to the relief efforts.  Only a few such as the crafter featured here are donating all of their proceeds so be sure to see what percentage is being donated.  When looking for these charitable sellers, type Haiti in the search.

I thought I'd focus on her necklaces in this post because they'd make such great Valentine's gifts for any girls on your list regardless of how old they are.  The fringed necklace would be great for the fashionistas on your list -- trust me guys, girls would love this!  But there are a huge range of designs from which to choose.

I think most girls and women would love the styling of these pink cashmere roses on the necklace pictured below.  The necklace is so soft and feminine and comes in a huge range of colors.  Some necklaces have the heart as pictured below while others have only flowers along the entire length of the necklace.

If you really want a necklace that says "Valentine's Day", is super green, handcrafted and unique, I'd suggest getting the crocheted necklace which will circle your neck with hearts.  I think this one would look especially cute on any little girls in your life.

Remember when you're shopping this Valentine's day that you are essentially voting for the business practices that you support with your wallet.  Think of the environment before buying another made in china box of chocolates this year.  Be original, creative and show you care by purchasing something out of the ordinary -- buy something extraordinary instead!

The reincarnated kitchen utensils used in their pieces come from a variety of places -- estate sales, online purchases, antique sales and donations.  The pieces are always well used and turned into some pretty surprising objects after the team of Jeremy and Jennifer Evensen are done with them.

One of my favorites is these forks turned into hooks called Peace x Fork You x Rock On.  I love how the tines become tiny fingers which are easily reconisable as the symbols they represent, coat hooks and their previous lives of forks.  Items that maintain their original look so that viewers are forced to reconsider how they look at items they consider trash are definitely my favorite.  How better to start a conversations with someone about green living than to have them ask about a recycled piece.

These Etsy crafters make a huge variety of hooks out of silverware.  Some of the hooks are mounted on boards which are recycled as well.  One of the designs makes the forks look like they're having a terribly bad hair day with spiralled and bent tines shooting off in every direction.  The coat rack pictured here is called the Go Green Stained Funky Forks Coat Rack.

Hooks is only the beginning of what this Etsy store has to offer though.  There are also windchimes made of previously enjoyed utensils, rings, earrings, necklaces, hair barrettes, business card holders, bookmarks, display stands, pot rack hooks and even fork tine nails.

I especially love their line of bracelets made from hammered spoons that literally wrap around the wrist.  Gorgeous, simple, stylish, recycled, fashionable and green.  All of my favorite things all rolled into one!  The one pictured below is made from the handles of two spoons while other bracelets available on their site are made up of one spoon with the bowl hammered flat.  These need to be seen to be appreciated.  My description is not giving them any justice at all!

I recommend stopping by this shop to pick up some unique and interesting items for around your home that will challenge viewers to find new purposes for their cast off goods.  If you have a couple pieces of your family's old silverware that is never used and missing the rest of the set, don't get rid of it.  Try sending it to this couple of Etsy crafters instead and having a new item made that can continued to be cherished and passed down through the generations in a new form!

These gorgeous lights are made by creative artist Anke Weiss based in Amsterdam.  Using little more than garbage, a craft knife and some electrical parts, this eco-artist has created some amazing table lights that are works of art all on their own.  This kind of project really inspires the DIY in viewers to look at what they previously imagined as junk in a whole new way.

My favorite light is the apple juice box shown below on the right hand side of the picture with the apple traced in tiny holes and the girl looking off in the distance.  In the light of day, the girl is just an ordinary blonde girl with a pony tail but after Weiss' creative processing, becomes an art deco silhouette who would grace any shelf or table top while looking at the waterfall in the distance.  Stunning and eye catching!!

This has seriously got me digging through my recycling boxes with a completely different vision in mind...  See what this kind of altered mindset can inspire you to create!!

I love the erotic and retro nude pin-up girl used on the card the brooch is clipped to for sale.  It's intriguing that the naughty bits of a book is covering the pin-ups naughty bits!  This etsy craft rescues books from dumpsters, yard sales and library sales to make these sexy pins. 

She also makes a line of wallets and purses that re-purposes books in bad condition as well.  These sorts of second life products would make great and original Valentine's gifts that will declare your love (& desire!) for your special someone as well as your love for the planet.

The brooches come in a range of phrases that are carefully cut from trashed trashy books.  This ensures that the pin you receive is a virtual one of a kind creation which is mounted to wood and varathane to ensure that the pin is protected.  There are pins listed such as "being deep inside", "slowly stripped off" and "her orgasm hit".

The plate is made of guar gum, agar agar, potato starch and bird seed.  You can pack these plates to go for a picnic in the forest, eat your lunch and then throw it into the forest where it will fulfill it's second purpose as a bird feeder.

The plate is made to withstand stand use so you don't have to worry about the acidity of your balsamic vinegar dressing on your salad eatting through the plate while you're using it.  At the same time, it will easily break up and be eatten by birds once you're done with it.

Great concept for disposable plates by a student who uses his education in both culinary skills and design skills to create viable links between the two.  I think that up and comers such as Brummer really need to be kept an eye on for their fresh, innovative and creative design ideas that could really make a difference.

I haven't done a hump day (every Wednesday) featured crafter for a while but when I ran into seedandsprout's products, I knew what I'd be writing about.  This shop is run by a stay at home mom with a toddler who inspires all of her work.  She has a Fine Arts degree which definitely shows through in her designs.

Check out this cute and punky girls tie tee.  It's hand screened onto unbleached organic onesies or tees for kids up to size 4T.  If you're tired of dressing your princess like, well, a princess then this is the shirt for you.  You can be sure that every other girl in her preschool class is not going to be rocking out the skinny tie like her in this unique and adorable tee.  Are you blessed with a little boy??  Not to worry, she prints the shirts with black ties as well which are more suited to the tiny rock star prince in your life.

The adorable "i'm this many" tee is great for their birthdays and throughout the entire year.  It's a cute and graphic kids language answer to the question that so many people ask them in their day to day life.  "How old are you cutie?".  These shirts are also organic and come in a range of ages from 1 to 3.  As each shirt is custom made, she can make one for you in a variety of ink and tee colors.  The ink used in all of her shirts is hand mixed in custom colors that are water based and completely non toxic.  This means no harmful chemicals are used making the shirts better for both your kids and the planet!

Seedandsprout also has a range of shirts that are more inspired by nature such as this Growin' Like a Weed shirt.  Cute, eco-friendly, unique and a reminder to cherish the time that your wee ones are still wee for the days fly by.  Before you know it, they're heading off to high school on their own while in your mind, they are still those little babes that you held so tenderly in your arms.  My son would kick me if he read that but I find myself missing those days when he was smaller as he closes in on his 16th birthday and my daughter nears 4.  *sigh*

Seedandsprout's designs are definitely worth checking out if you are looking for eco-friendly clothes that are as unique as your kids are themselves.  Shopping while keeping the environment in mind not only reduces your impact on the world around you, it also encourages other companies and crafters to go green.  It is also very important to note that a percentage of the proceeds from this shop go towards the March of Dimes which is a cause very close to my heart.

There are also hair pins made from recycled fabrics and eco-friendly felt made from pop bottles that would make a great addition to the shirts to finish off the eco-chic look.  If your kids are into dress-up, there are some very cute felt crowns also available at her store made from eco-felt that are worth checking out.

They are not the only big company to come out with hybrid bikes though with direct competition from Honda.  Critics say that the Yamaha bike's styling leaves something to be desired (I beg to differ!) and that the Honda bike is essentially a scooter.  However, the technology innovations that are now being released are beyond astounding.

Hybrids are becoming more and more prevalent in the four wheeled world of automobiles and are finally breaking into the two-wheel segment of the industry.  This combination of fuel and electricity will provide riders with fuel savings (great for the environment and the wallet), reduced emissions (which are already greatly reduced from their four wheeled comparables), increased engine performance and ease of maintenance through more computerization.

Check out these amazing and gorgeous ballet flats made by Do-Ni.  They are one of the many colors available in their first collection of shoes called Nobilia ballerinas.  They are the result of a collaboration between two vegetarian footwear designers -- Nancy Dong (Do) and Carlotta Fiorini (Ni).  The word "doni" means gifts in Italian.

The company was inspired by social entreprenur business model, a love of shoes and the planet.  By being both the wholesaler and the direct on-line retailer, the huge mark-up by the retailer is avoided.  This means two things:  1. lower prices for the consumer and 2. enough profit left to be marketable.  The best part is, the retail profits from the direct dona sales are 100% to non-profit organizations!  That's right, 100%!!They also let you choose for their list of associated non-profit organizations where the proceeds from your sale will go.

I also love the fact that they are made without any animal products.  What looks like leather on the shoe is actually a super high quality vegan leather substitute from Italy.  Traditional leather tanning methods are quite toxic and as eco-enthusiasts and vegetarians, the designers found a substitute that tickets all their boxes.

Even the glue is vegan friendly containing no animal products whatsoever.The glue is also water based to be more environmentally friendly.  Speaking of eco-friendly, the insole boards of the shoes are made up of pre-consumer recycled materials.  This means that the shoes are using what would otherwise be considered waste or garbage and turning it into a usable, functional (and gorgeous) shoe.

They come in a range of colors -- red (ruby), green (grass), amethyst, champagne and black all tiedwith ribbons from France for a casually elegant look.  There is even a limited edition of champagne and black shoes available that are jeweled with shiny, hand embroidered medallions on the ribbon.  They add some serious bling to the shoe!

I've decided that these are definitely my new favorite shoe and on my "must have" list for 2010.  Purchasing items like these lends your support to companies that are sustainable, creative, and community minded.  Each individual consumer has a responsibility to shop conscientiously because companies will only have practices and products that consumers are willing to buy.  By supporting fair trade, eco-friendly companies that ensure social responsibility, you are voting with your wallet for more such businesses to exist.

Samsonite Outlab has a line of eco-friendly bags called Terrea.  Instead of simply green-washing a typical piece of luggage, Samsonite has really seemed to hit the drawing board on this one and give it their all.  The results are nothing short of fantastic and with a name like Samsonite on it, you can be assured that the quality is top-notch.

The line includes all sorts of bags made out of 100% recycled fabrics.  But that's not where the eco-friendliness stops.  The bags contain between 86% and 95% recycled materials.  They even use recycled foam padding on all of the bag's back panels, shoulder straps and handles.  The wheel housings, buckles and clips on the entire line of bags are also recycled.

Other planet friendly innovations are used too such as cutting the shoulder straps directly out of the back panel of the backpack to use less material and create less waste.  Some natural fibers such as coconut fibers are also used in the bags to upgrande their greeness.

These kinds of innovations by a major company show exactly what can be done when corporations try to cut back on excessive waste when creating their products.  A stylish, great quality, versatile and surprisingly affordable bag has resulted in this case!

As a mom of two kids (a toddler and a teen), I'm still trying to find places to put away all of the new toys that the Christmas season has left us with.  Even though it's been less than two weeks, some of our brand spanking new toys have already bit the big one.  It's almost as though you have to mechanical breakdown insurance when you buy toys these days!

When you're buying toys for kids, the quality of the toy itself is worth paying for.  Simple, long lasting toys will last through generations of kids. While the foreign made, shipped around the world, chemical laden plastic toy may indeed be "cheaper", the cost that it is exacting on our planet is definitely not worth it in the long run!  One of the most played with toys at our house is a set of wooden blocks that was handed down to my daughter from her grandfather.

'Tis the season to get great deals on Christmas ornaments for next year!  Check out the great selection over at Global Girlfriend where they have ornaments on sale from several countries made by women artisans.  The ball ornaments are created with glass beads by women working at a trade co-operative in India.  This trade co-op helps women to gain valuable skills, be paid a fair, living wage, have a safe working environment and even a retirement plan!  The site contains a huge range of items made by women in fair trade work environments.  The beaded ornament comes in four colors as shown and is currently on sale for $4.95 from it's regular price of $6.  Even better, with every purchase of each of these ornaments, Global Girlfriend will fund 1.0 percent of a microgrant for a woman in a rural community in Africa to launch a small business, through Camfed.

The middle ornament is an angel made from women in Kenya to represent peace and happiness during the holiday season.  The angel is dressed in traditional Kenyan clothing and is completely adorable, imho.  She'd make a great addition to any Christmas tree, regardless of culture, country or ethnicity.  Global Girlfriend asks you to purchase these products "to help build a better future for girlfriends around the globe".  Great idea and company name!  The angels are on sale right now for $3.50 from it's regular price of $4.95.

The embroidered ornaments on the right hand side are made by women in India.  The dragonfly ornament is currently out of stock but the cat ornament with sequins is still available.  These ornaments are made at a women's fair trade co-operative called Tara Projects which can be read up on in detail on the Global Girlfriend site.  It even has short bios of two of the artisans fighting their way out of poverty with strength, perserverance, dignity, skill and hard work.  It's a pretty amazing read that really makes you consider how blessed we are.  These ornaments are now $1 off -- down to $5.95 instead of $6.95.  The'd be a great addition to next years decorations as well as lending a hand up to women crafters in India.

I love this weird quote picture I found on Flickr from user Marksdk.  The quotes are completely unnecessary, the wall and switch are filthy and the note thanks the reader for complying.  Weird and funny not exactly inspiring though...

While searching (desperately) for inspiration, I came across this great list of eco-friendly quotes on Eco-Bites that is definitely worth checking out.  There are some really great ones included from a huge variety of people, personalities and time frames.  Here are some of my favorite that I'm hoping will kick-start my creativity and writing mojo again:

"We could have saved the Earth but we were too damned cheap."  Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

"Man has been endowed with reason, with the power to create, so that he can add to what he's been given.  But up to now he hasn't been a creator, only a destroyer.  Forests keep disappearing, rivers dry up, wild life's become extinct, the climate's ruined and the land grows poorer and uglier every day."  Anton Chekhov Uncle Vanya 1897

"The struggle to save the global environment is in one way much more difficult than the struggle to vanquish Hitler, for this time the war is with ourselves.  We are the enemy, just as we have only ourselves as allies."  Al Gore

"If civilization has risen from the Stone Age, it can rise again from the Wastepaper Age."  Jacques Barzun The House of Intellect, 1959

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world."  John Muir

There are dozens and dozens of more examples to be read on the site.  Some are funny -- George Bush saying his huntin' & fishin' will somehow save the earth and some are profound -- such as Edward Young's quote "Man maketh a death that nature never made".  I'll be bookmarking this site to go back to for future episodes of intense writer's block or a creative spark to send me off on another wild tangent.

This purse could be your evening purse on a regular basis with a shiny exterior that would easily match with anything.  This one is definitely an upstyle upcycled purse.

Instead of using the colorful exterior packaging to weave a purse, this Monica style of purse uses the inner insulation lining of the juice boxes to provide a sleek and shiny look.  The chain is detachable to provide an alternative look to the purse.  Best of all...it's on sale!!  Hmm, I'm not sure I can afford not to buy this bag right now--lol!

They've got a huge range of planet friendly purses that are definitely worth taking a look at.  Even if you're just window shopping like me.  Enjoy!

Photo Courtesy of Flickr User .Human After All

I haven't written anything, anywhere for over a month now.  I seem to be suffering (hopefully in the past tense!) a bad case of writer's block.  I seem to lack any and all motivation, creativity, focus, serenity, claritity and concentration.  I do know the reason why though...  My family was overjoyed when I told them of the positive pregnancy test result at the end of November.  I quietly told my in-laws during my mother-in-law's and Aunt's (they are twins) big birthday bash, ensuring that my youngest (aged 3 1/2) did not overhear our conversation.

Everyone was overjoyed with the news of course.  Our fertility background is complicated, to say the least.  My husband and I have been married for just over 5 years with me bringing a 10 year old to the marriage.  We conceived our first child shortly after the marriage and I gave birth in April of 2006 to a healthy, happy 11 1/2 pound baby girl.  She was healthy and happy but I unfortunately, suffered from severe post partum depression for approximately a year and a half.  When my depression seemed to be somewhat behind me, we conceived again.  My depression seemed to hit me from the first moment of the pregnancy.

When I was nearing the halfway point of the pregnancy, we went on a baby-moon (a holiday before the birth of a new baby).  I started to feel much better while we were away and looked forward to the ultrasound I would have on the day after our holiday ended.  We had hoped to find out whether it was a boy or a girl but instead found that our  precious babe had no heartbeat at all.  I unfortunately discovered that postpartum depression can be just as profound, perhaps even worse after the loss of a baby.  I felt like there was no real reason to hold it together after our tiny son's death.

My depression turned to thoughts of suicide that resulted in my hospitalization for a couple of weeks on the psych ward.  It was beyond awful to be separated from both my dead son and my two living children during these weeks.  My medications were adjusted and I was in a somewhat safe environment though.  Some of the other patients did really make me wonder about my security though.  In time, I was released and began writing on the internet as a way of regaining my sanity and providing my days with some purpose.  After a year, I returned to work outside of the home on a part time basis.  This was the hardest thing I had ever gone through in my life.  Losing a child is indescribably painful to put it in the mildest terms.

When the child who has died is unborn, the world around you doesn't understand your loss at all.  My son Kye had no funeral, no memorial, no birth certificate, no death certificate, no picture taken, no kisses given and was never held or seen by us.  To many of our family members, he never existed at all.  However, after waiting for 20 weeks for him, building up expectations, hopes  and dreams for him, he was very painfully real to my husband and I.  The things that people say to parents of lost babies are terrible.  These things happen for a reason.  What reason is there for dead babies??  Would you say the same thing if my mother died?  It was God's will.  I don't believe in God.  If he exists, he has a lot to answer for.  You can have another.  Oh, so if one of your children died would it be okay for me to say the same thing?  It wasn't a real baby.  Was it fake??  I could go on.  The only thing that you can really say to someone in this situation is how sorry you are and be there to listen.

Anyways, after our son's death, I contemplated never trying to conceive again for obvious reasons.  However, with a huge age range between our two living kids (aged 15 and 3), I felt like they'd both be only children if we never tried again.  This brings us back to the end of November with my positive test results and a happy family.  Within a week of finding out, I began to bleed.  I feared the worst but was bolstered by my husband's optimism that sometimes this happens during normal, healthy pregnancies.  The doctor tried to be optimistic as well when we got to see him.  I was sent for several tests but knew long before they did that I was no longer pregnant.

A loss of a pregnancy at 6 weeks is still a loss of a baby.  I was surprised and devastated at how low I have sunk during the 4 weeks since my second loss.  Unfortunately, miscarrying on December 2 more than ruined the holidays for my husband and I.  We tried to suck it up and plaster smiles on for our two children here with us but it was difficult and completely impossible at times.  To make matters worse, I have a friend who surprised me by telling me she was pregnant with the same due date that I had.  Now, she remains pregnant and I remain here with empty arms and an empty belly.  I've begun to distance myself from her as it has become increasingly difficult to see her and hear what her life is bringing her at the moment.  I am overjoyed for her but full of grief at the same time.  Now, I have not only lost two babes but also a dear friend that stood voraciously by my side after my first loss.

I will try to begin writing again readers but please know that I'm still here, still trying to keep it together, live an environmentally responsible life with my family and still hope to hear from all of my readers about their experiences living green and raising families.  Happy New Year everyone!  Here's hoping for a better year in 2010.

• Laura in Calgary, AB - Penguin
• Katherine in Englehart, ON - Caribou
• Linda in Pembroke, ON - Polar Bear

The winners have been contacted and the WWF will be sending them the kits shortly.

Thanks to everyone who participated.  We look forward to hearing from you all in the future!

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Meanwhile, Varney seems a little lost.  He starts off quoting a variety of non-experts and after Begley calls him on the qualifications of his experts, Varney gets stranger and starts to rant about "I am not allowed to buy incandecent light bulbs" and then starts to go on about the government coming into his house!  He seems quite stuck on his right to use incandecents and refuses to admit that there are plenty of cases where the government has improved everyones lives by legislating changes.  The really interesting thing is that both sides of the debate are somehow claiming that this is a victory for them.

Check out the video and form your own opinions.  Feel free to comment on what you think!

This week's featured Etsy seller is sjroemer who creates some very functional and amazingly pretty designs from washed pop can tabs.  She has been a crafter for many years who's creative fires were stoked when she read about a woman's craft co-operative in Brazil who was making purses out of aluminum pop can pulls.

She definitely seems to have mastered her creative techniques in the variety of purses and coin pouches that she makes out of soda pull tabs and nylon yarn.  The first purse featured on the left, is lined and uses over 400 tabs to make up the exterior and handle of the purse.  The purse has an overall "chain metal" feel while remaining very contemporary in it's overall appearance.  Regular readers of mine will know that I, a) love Etsy and how it supports small artisans instead of major coglomerates and b) love items that proudly display their former lives.  There's no mistaking that this purse is made out of pop can tabs once you take a close look at it.  What a great way to start an eco-friendly conversation with someone in line at the grocery store or show people how stylish living green-er can be!

This Etsy crafter sjroemer shows how completely the purse is transformer by a slightly different design and a different color of nylon yarn binding the tabs together.  Here's the million dollar question though, right?  Where on earth do

es she get all the pop can tabs??  Well, she purchases them from recycling facilities.  Many charities collect them for fundraising and then seel them to the bottle depots.  She in turn, buys the tabs from the bottle depot, sorts them for size and consistency and washes them twice with antibacterial soap before using them.

Need a small gift for your child's teacher or looking for a pretty way to finish off your eco-friendly wrapping of a gift??  Why not pick up one of her pop tab Christmas ornaments?  They're only $4 and are a great way to show that you care about the earth and respect other people's love of the planet as well!  She makes them in a variety of colors and welcomes custom orders.

I'm very excited to announce the very first giveaway here at Green Colored Glasses!  The World Wildlife Fund Canada is providing 3 adoption kits so there will be a total of 3 winners for this giveaway.  The winners will each have an animal adoption kit sent to them which contains a 12.5 cm stuffed animal, personalized certificate for the winner, a brochure explaining where and how the WWF Canada helps to provide for the animal and a reusable WWF totebag!  The 3 adoption kits available to be won are a penguin, a caribou and a polar bear which are the most popular kits purchased on the World Wildlife Fund website.

The species available for symbolic adoption from the WWF are all at risk.  The threatened Canadian species include caribou, polar bear, grizzly bear, Arctic fox, monarch butterfly, Atlantic cod, northern leopard frog, common loon, meerkat, blue shark and the black-footed ferret.  The WWF is an international fund with different branches for each country.  Some of the most popular animals to adopt internationally are the elephant, emperor penguin, tiger and orangutan.These adoption kits each cost $40 and make a perfect environmentally friendly gift for kids of all ages on your list.  Many stuffed animals cost nearly that with the proceeds going directly into a major corporations pocket.  With these kits, you can rest assured that your money will be used to help ensure that our planet's most at risk animals.  What could be a more eco-friendly gift than that??

The WWF will provide animal adopters of the $40 kits with a $30 tax-deductible receipt as well which can definitely help out on your tax bill.  There are also animal families up for adoption or entire collections (Canadian collection, Global collection or Internatioal collection) for adoption if you can't choose just one!  Check out their website for other great eco-friendly gift giving ideas such as organic tees and yoga wear, stainless steel bottles and reusable bags made from recycled plastic.  All done your shopping but would like to donate??  Not to worry, their website makes it easy to donate any amount online here.  You can do a one time donation, a monthly donation or give a donation in someone's memory.

Now for the giveaway....You can enter the giveaway by leaving a comment on this post with your favorite animal available for symbolic adoption on the WWF website.  3 winners will be randomly chosen on Dec. 2, 2009.  This contest is only open to those with Canadian addresses.

*Extra Entries*

•  
  • * Blog about this giveaway and leave me the link for 3 extra entries.  Email us the URL or post it in the comments.
  • * Make a donation to the WWF for more than $5 for 1 extra entry (email a copy of the recept)
  • * Buy an item from the WWF store for 1 extra entry (email a copy of the recept)

Good luck!!

To keep in touch, you can also follow us on  Facebook, through our Facebook Networked Blog, Twitter or Blogged.

This week's Etsy find is Yummy Suds.  Etsy is a great way to support local artisans and crafters who have a much smaller footprint on the world around them than the big box stores who make products in bulk mainly overseas.  Yummy suds uses fresh vegetarian friendly (often vegan friendly) ingredients to handmake a whole range of scrumptious bath products.  On the profile page of the Etsy shop all it says is:

"I love food. I love baths. Making bath and body products that smell good enough to eat, right up my alley.  Check out my blog: www.yummysuds.blogspot.com".  I guess what more do you really need to say, right??  LOL

That description sort of sums it all up with a range of bath products that are definitely as yummy smelling as they are fantastic bath products all in their own right.  Some of them even look good enough to eat, such as the Blueberry Lemon Soap Cake featured in the first picture here.  It seriously looks more like cake than soap so I'd definitely be careful with this one around kids.  They might be washing out their own mouths with soap for a change! lol  They suggest using this cake soap as wedding gift favours which I think would be a fantastic and very useful idea unlike most of the kitch that is handed out at such events.

What about the Oh Honey Beehive Soap?  It looks fantastic and would make a great big stocking stuffer for anyone who's been good this holiday season.  It's scented with honey, sweet orange and bergamon so it's certain to smell as beautiful as it looks.  At $5 for a big 5 oz bar, you'll be able to afford a couple different varieties of this soap to fill up all the stockings.

For the manly men on your list, how about the Pass the Brewski soap?  It's made with Guinness Extra Stout beer with no added fragrance, colors or fillers.  He finally won't need to worry about smelling like flowers.  Instead he can smell like manly man beer!!  Great idea, I absolutely love it.

She has a range of other fragrances as well such as Sugar Cookie lotions and soaps, Me Want Cookie, Rosebuds, Hands Off my Cinnamon Buns, Who Spiked the Egg Nog and many many more that are reasonably priced and would make fantastic gifts for anyone on your list.  Wanna chance to win some of her fantastic lip balms and a pucker pot??  Check out the blog My Organized Chaos for chance to win a great giveaway!  There's also a great product review of the items in the giveaway there.  I'd love a chance to review these products myself, they're absolutely fantastic looking!  Good luck in the contest to everyone who enters.

Everyone knows that it's better to bring your lunch to work than to constantly eat out.  It's healthier for you to avoid the fast food options and can help to save quite a lot of money as well.  Those of us living eco-friendly lifestyles know that making lunches at home can really help to reduce the contamination of the planet caused by over packaging, over processing and over consumption as well.  Many eco-enthusiasts also follow alternative eatting regimes such as all organics, vegetarian or even vegan lifestyles.  Going meat-free even once a week can make a substantial reduction to your carbon footprint.

However, everyone who's worked in an office knows that the communal lunchroom fridge sometimes mean that a well-intentioned eater may lose his or her lunch.  And not just because the fridge is always dirty either!  A clever inventory from Las Vegas faced such a conundrum and came up with a solution --- the Fridge Locker.  Check out www.FridgeLocker.com for some punny descriptions of the personal snack-urity system to stop refrig-a-raiders.

The product totally resembles a shark diving cage and just like the divers are protected from the sharks, your food will be protected from the sharks (er, co-workers) in the office.  No office job?  How about protecting booze from the teen or sweets from the kids or your share of groceries from the room mate's obnoxious girlfriend??  Sky's the limit with this funny and smart invention.

This is a sponsored post with 100% real opinions.

By interventions, I mean medical procedures such as breaking the waters, inducing labour, episiotomies, vacuum assisted deliveries, the use of forceps, etc.  Doctors have an entire range of medical procedures to assist birth that do not involve drugs or chemicals of any kind.  Sometimes these interventions are necessary because of a mother's exhaustion, pain tolerance or difficulties delivering.  Sometimes interventions, even dangerous ones such as c-sections, are preformed simply because of a doctor's lack of patience, experience and skill.

There are many benefits to be had from a natural childbirth for both the mom and the baby.  First of all, women can feel very empowered and in control of the birthing process without being hampered by pain relieving drugs or interferrence from doctors.  They have more options available to them such as walking around which can help speed labour or even eatting and drinking to make yourself more comfortable.  Labour is a long exhausting process and some substinence along the way can really help to keep up a mom's strength.  During traditional medical deliveries, mothers aren't allowed to eat or drink anything in case they are knocked out for a c-section.

Secondly, new moms and babies can bond better when drugs have not been in either system.  Drugs can make moms tired and babies groggy.  This can really interfere with breastfeeding after the birth as well as the initial stages of the bonding experience for both.  You can remain alert to ensure the proper latching (with help from support) and the baby will be more alert to get eye contact going and latch on properly.

Partners can feel more helpful during a natural childbirth too as they are intensely involved in the pain reduction techniques available such as massage, positive affirmations, encouragement, support during walking and position changes, helping in and out of water immersion, etc.  Dads can become a much needed source of support during any kind of childbirth but are definitely essential during natural childbirth techniques.

There are downsides too to natural childbirth that must be considered.  If you plan on a natural childbirth and need assistance with pain or delivery, you can feel very disappointed afterwards with the entire birthing experience.  Ensure not to set your expectations of the birth unneccessarily high.  Be ready to "roll with the punches" and to make sure that your birth plan is flexible.  Having to get help during labour and delivery should not be seen as a failure.

Intense pain during birthing can also hamper the bonding process with newborns sometimes.  Post partum depression and post traumatic stress disorder are both more common in "difficult" birthing situations.  Not that any birth is easy though.  Childbirth of any kind is definitely a challenge but a challenge that should be embraced instead of dreaded.  It's intense but at the end you meet the new person that you and your partner have created and been waiting for for many long months.  It's the start of a new relationship that will last a lifetime.  I guess that's why they say that you forget the pain after birth.  The joy of your new child can definitely overshadow the anxiety felt during a long labour.

Either way you decide to go, ensure that your birth plan is flexible and is something that you feel comfortable with.  Communicate your choices and wishes to your doctor and any support people that will be present during the birth.  Taking classes on birthing techniques and researching natural childbirth online can be very valuable resources while making your decision.

In actuality, they are crayons made from 100% US made sustainably produced soybeans.  They are colored with natural mineral powders into 16 shades that all come in one bag -- red, pink, blue, sky, green, grass, dark yellow, light yellow, orange, peach, purple, light purple, brown, tan, black and gray.

I think these would make a great stocking stuffer or Christmas gift for kids of eco-enthusiasts or any kids that like art really.  Besides being super green, these gifts are great for kids because they are:  "Designed to strengthen the tripod grip muscles, preparing fingers and hands for handwriting skills. Specially shaped to allow small fingers to color in large, wide strokes, promoting confidence in creating kids' art. Used by occupational therapists and teachers of children with special needs to develop fine motor skills and provide handwriting practice."

They're available for sale at at really neat eco-site called Organically Hatched for $9.99.  Check out some of their other products available there too...I know I will be doing so and probably posting about them here!

Looking for a cool gift idea for that preschooler on your list this Christmas?  How about these organic kids shirts from Biome 5?  They're made from 100% certified organic  cotton that is sweat-shop free and made locally to their company in Los Angeles, CA.  Many products are undyed and unbleached.  The ones that do use dyes use a non-chlorine bleaching process and the lowest impact fiber reactive dyes on the market.

A huge plus to the shirts besides being very environmentally friendly is that they help kids to learn the alphabet and some preliminary words while wearing them.  Having trouble reading what the words on the shirts say?  That's because they are printed upside down so that the kids can read them while being from the vantage point of wearing them!  Pretty neat...

You can shop online for these products here at Biome5's homepage or enter a contest at Organic Girl for a giveaway of the winner's choice of letter!  Each letter displays a different animal so that kids can wear eco-friendly clothing, learn how to read and learn to love the animals in the planet around them.  Does it get any better??  Oh, yeah.  You could win it free by entering OG's give away.  Don't enter too many times though, I don't need the competition!!

Now that people have finally caught on to reusable bags, two companies have teamed up with this -- a bag that dissolves in water!  The two companies behind this ingenius invention are Harmless Packaging which is a division of the UK's Cyberpac and Creative Review which is a visual communication magazine out of London.  The November issue of Creative Review uses the dissolving bag to package their magazine!

I for one, thought this concept was simply too good to be true and definitely wanted to check it out with my own eyes.  Creative Review allows you to do just that on their site as they show the bag dissolving in hot water in a plastic container.  They have a series of 11 pics that show you taking the magazine out of the bag, cutting off the glue strip which doesn't dissolve but is biodegradable and soaking it in hot water.  After 1 minute, all that remains is the black printed portion of the plastic bag.  After a couple of minutes, all that remains is some sticky residue.

The residue surely isn't good, is it??  Actually, it's completely harmless (get it -- harmless packaging).  You can even drink it although it apparently isn't very delicious -- go figure.  The packaging company goes on to say that the process of dissolving it in hot water is just to show how the bag breaks down quickly.  It will dissolve in any temperature of water.  In fact, it's even used to package fish food as you can place the plastic bag containing the food directly into the water!

Another great way to get rid of the bag is to compost it.  While us human folk may not think it tastes very good, bugs apparently love it!  Micro-organisms use the bag as a food source by producing enzymes that react with it.  Therefore, all that's left of the plastic bag is carbon dioxide, water and biomass -- is that science speak for bug poop??  No composter?  Well, you should probably get one -- duh!  However, you can also throw the bag in the dishwasher or washing machine.  No harmful residues will be left!

This is truly some creative packaging.  I'd definitely recommend checking out the Harmless Packaging page for more great eco-friendly packaging ideas such as harmless bubble wrap, harmless air pockets, harmless compost (which can be made into envelopes or bags) and harmless bubble envelopes.  Some creative green thinking going on here with some revolutionary new technologies!

This is what lead to the big BPA scare with plastic a couple of years ago.  Now when you go to buy a baby's bottle or pacifier, they are often labelled as BPA free.  I still wonder what else is in there that we don't know about that can be harmful.

Parents and adults in general know how to keep kids away from obviously dangerous situations such as tobacco smoke or knives but when the dangers are hidden in such innocuous products such as their toys, it leaves us unprepared to properly protect kids.  Luckily, there are now many new companies that specialize in natural baby and children's products such as chemical-free shampoos, glass bottles and all wood locally produced toys.

It can take a little research and some shopping around to find what you are looking for but the added safety and value of doing so is more than worth the effort.  These more natural options for babies are also more environmentally friendly baby products which can really be a step in the right (green) direction.  It's so important to teach kids an understanding and love of nature as they will inherit whatever planet we leave for them.

Does your spouse have a bunch of dress shirts in his closet that he no longer wears??  Try sending them to Etsy seller allthenumbers.  She'll take that little worn shirt and turn it into a dress your daughter will love to wear!  She even suggests that this would be a great gift for a new Dad or a Dad to be.  How about a Christmas gift for that new father on your list?  One day she'll be big enough to steal his shirts from him anyways!

This Etsy seller has a ton of great listings for little girls on her site including peasant dresses or shirts that I absolutely adore, some beautiful A-line shift dresses that any girl would love, reversible pinafores that are as practical as they are gorgeous, some fantastic quilts (some include vintage fabrics!) and a range of ultra girly and comfy upcycled dresses.

This Etsy crafter is clearly gifted in the area of sewing and isn't exactly a slouch in the creativity department either!!  It takes both creativity and skill to see these beautiful dresses from men's shirts.  If you don't happen to have any shirts laying around for your little one to wear, contact allthenumbers as she seems to be collecting them for just such an occassion!  She even has a few Mariachi tuxedo shirts around to make the dresses out of.  These are just simply adorable!!  These dresses are definitely going on my daughter's Christmas list this year!

The toothbrushes are BPA free, made in the U.S.A., recyclable and made of recycled content.  But wait...that's not all!  Preserve partners with the National Wildlife Federation to highlight different animals with the toothbrushes.  Preserve is also a proud supporter of the Wildlife Federation.  Right now they're featuring Tigers (orange), St. Lucia Parrots (pink) and Galapagos Island Turtles (green).  The reusable packaging highlights different animal facts so that kids can learn about different animals while brushing their teeth and saving the planet.  Talk about multi-functioning!

I thought that these toothbrushes would be a lot more expensive than their comparables but they're only $2.79 for one or $11 for four.  Guess what Santa's bringing to my kid's stockings this year?  I love products like this that you can stand behind.

The truth is that it's both a wine box and a table.  This ridiculously functional box is used to transport the wine from the winery to the store to the home.  At the home, it can be used as a table with or without the wine inside.  At my house the wine inside wouldn't last too long!

The box is made completely out of recycled cardboard.  It's easy to transport with the big handles on the side, multifunctional table and transportation box and completely recyclable at the end of it's use because it's made entirely out of cardboard.  You can even get custom table tops for it or you could easily DIY a custom table top with some old magazines and decoupage. 

This comes with your choice of wines inside from a shop called design4wine.nl.  The site is neat although entirely in Dutch.  You can choose which assortment of wine you'd like to order, contact the supplier or see more pics of the awesomely sustainable interior design meets packaging on their site.  The product itself was designed by Link Design Amsterdam.  This site is also entirely in Dutch and features a variety of their design projects, some of which are pretty cool!

This is the kind of packaging that needs to be worked on more by innovative designers and eco-conscious manufacturer's.  These wine box tables fit together like lego bricks to ensure that they stack well together.  They function incredibly both as shipping boxes and as tables for use in the home.  I'm super stoked to see even more product packaging like this in the future!

Diving has always been an adventure that I've longed to try.  The underwater environment is as fragile as (or perhaps more than) the land we live on.  It's just that it's harder to see and more of a mystery to those of us who do not go diving.  Much of the underwater world has yet to be explored.  There are species of plants and animals that have yet to be discovered.  It is this unknown factor that lures many to want to try scuba diving.

Scuba diving is an adventure that does require some training and equipment.  Although you'd be surprised how cheap scuba gear can be purchased.  There is quite a few pieces of equipment that is needed including a snorkel, fins, mask, snorkel, scuba tank, diving suit, a weight system, buoyancy compensator, regulator, a knife and scuba computer.  This is why it's best to shop around to try to get the best discounted prices that you can find on quality pieces.

When you hit the water and discover an entire underwater world, you'll realize that the price was worth it.  You'll discover a whole new environment that you'll want to protect and learn about.  Our seas and oceans cover much of the earth and make the planet habitable for human kind.  The underwater eco-system plays a big role in the health of our entire planet.  I cannot wait to discover it on my next vacation!!

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Scotties has officially released the first premium quality tissue in Canada that is made of 100% recycled fibres.  The line is called Envirocare and is certified by EcoLogo to be an environmentally friendly choice.  I've talked before of using recycled fibre toliet paper and the issue here is exactly the same.  Why would manufacturer's cut down trees to make "virgin" tissues?  It doesn't even make any sense!!

These tissues are definitely a better option than other tissues and are a "green-er" choice.  I'm sure that some would argue that a reusable, washable tissue would be a better option.  Yes, it would.  However, some people are just not willing to go there.  The point is to make greener choices for a greener future.  Baby steps are easier to take than giant leaps.  If people just start talking those tiny steps to an eco-friendly lifestyle they will add up and make a difference!

On another note, the packaging for these is completely recyclable.  The box also contains 10% more sheets than the regular box of Scotties tissues so this option also ensures less packaging waste.

The package itself has some eco-friendly themes to it as well with birds, two varieties of flowers and pieces of wool arranged like waves.  Sometimes Kleenex boxes are so ugly that they stick out like a sore thumb.  These ones are much better and you can tell that some thought was put into them.  My fav is the bird pattern.  It's super cute, neutral and would fit into almost any decor without looking out of place.

Infertility is a very common issue.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have calculated that at least 7 million women in the United States alone have difficulty conceiving.  Of these, 2 million have been labelled as infertile.  The label "infertile" itself is given after a couple has been having unprotected sex for 12 months without conceiving.

Billions of dollars are spent by couples trying to conceive.  There are hormone therapies, drugs to boost egg production, surgical methods such as invitro all done with the hopes of creating a baby.  The effects of all of these treatments on the human body as well as the planet are immeasurable.  Yes, drugs and different treatments are sometimes completely necessary for a couple to conceive.  However, sometimes these treatments can be avoided or supplemented by more natural methods.

There are a number of great websites out there that describe methods of natural fertility.  There are a wide range of more natural options to boost fertility or your chances of conceiving (and maintaining) a pregnancy conceived through in vitro or other traditional methods of medically assisted conception.  If you are researching methods of how to increase your chances of fertility through natural methods, the website Natural Baby Pros is an absolute must read.  They cover a huge range of natural choices with articles from professionals in all of the different areas.  There is even a forum to discuss your options and ask questions.

They cover natural fertility methods including: aromtherapy, EFT, healing touch, herbology, nutrition, chiropractic, yoga, pilates, naturaopathy, homeopathy, accupuncture and more.  These natural methods of increasing fertility look at the body as a whole being while the medical methods only treat a symptom.  All of a body's systems work together to create a whole -- a combination of mind, body and spirit.  Logically then, treating only one symptom will not help to resolve a more general imbalance.  It's best to consider all of your options when trying to conceive and there are certainly lots of options available to you from natural or alternative medicine professionals.

I am totally in love with this line of kids organic clothes that I have just discovered from Barley & Birch.  The colours are bright and vivid and made completely of water based inks that are non-toxic.  They have a line of t-shirts, hats, pants, onesies, tank tops and lap t-shirts with the bigger neck opening for little ones.

The clothes are sweat shop free and made entirely in the USA.  They use 100% certified organic cottons to make all of their products.  The water based inks and organic cotton ensure that the farmers aren't exposed to toxic chemicals, the ground has no toxic chemicals dumped on it and no chemicals leech into the ground water.  Our kids are going to be the ones left with the mess we create.  Isn't it only fitting that the clothes on their backs are environmentally conscious??

Besides all of that, Barley & Birch donate 15% of their proceeds to offset the carbon emissions created by making their products.  Several different carbon-reducing iniatives are supported including carbonfund.org which works on 3 different types of projects: reforestation, renewable energy sources and increasing energy efficiency.

Still not sold on the clothes??  Barley & Birch donate an additional 15% of their proceeds to improve people's lives around the world.  The causes they support include: Madre, 1% for the Planet and Cocoda which are all amazing charities that are really making a difference.  Follow the links to find out more information about each organization.  They're really doing some great things!

This company is certainly one that even the most eco-conscious shopper can be proud to support.  Remember when you're shopping this Christmas season that every time you buy something, you are supporting the way it is produced, the company that is producing it and the ideals that stand behind that company.  Buying an item is like voting for the company with your hard earned money.  Really makes you stop to think twice about what you end up buying when you head out with this mindset.

This week's Etsy find has a Halloween theme -- old x-rays repurposed into notebooks!  Super ghoulish for Halloween or any time of year.  I was thinking that these recycled x-ray and recycled paper notebooks would make great gifts for medical students, nurses, EMT's, doctors or anyone in a health related profession.  Christmas here we come!

They are made by Etsy seller momerath who besides being quite witty in her listings, makes items notebooks from a variety of pieces of trash.  And stick figure men.  She and stick figure men seem to have a thing...  She likes to take pics of stick figure signs and use them in a variety of ways I'd never think of -- magnetic stick figure men picking up stick figure dog poop, framed stick family photos, etc.  She tends towards papers that are used on one side and blank on the other.  Unique papers that show their previous lives off well.

These x-ray notebooks are available in a selection of shots with a foot (get it -- foot notes?), leg bones,arm bones, spinal x-rays and even a skull!  She describes the books as being "quietly macabre".  They're subtle enough to use in a conservative office yet you'll secretly know that you're a rebel down deep inside.  Maybe way, way down deep beneath your pocket protector but still slightly edgy.

You can be an edgy office worker or medical enthusiast on a budget too because these books are really quite affordable with a set of two being $20 - $25.  Super cute and great gift for Christmas.  Or you could buy them to jot down suspicious looking trick or treaters this year as you make your rounds.  That would surely make people nervous!

She has crafted one set of the notebooks out of papers used on one side with a particularly spooky theme -- Edgar Allan Poe short stories, paperwork from researching lesson plans for a class on classic horror films and other papers on this theme!

There are other notebooks as well that are really cool -- twinkie covers, macaroni box covers and a toddler's favorite foodgroups theme of notebooks (juice, cheerios and granola bars).  Super cute, witty and eco-conscious...definitely some of my favorite things!

She has another Etsy shop as well called Uffish that sells vintage items.  Both shops are fantastic and full of great Christmas shopping ideas!

Okay, I got this from a colleague of mine today and just had to share.  Reminds me of my own precocious kids!  Here goes:

A stranger was seated next to a little girl on an airplane.  He turns to her and says: "Let's talk.

I've heard that flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passengers. "

The little girl, who had just opened her book, closed it slowly and said, "What would you like to talk about?"

"Oh, I don't know," said the stranger. "How about nuclear power?" he said with a smile.

"OK," she said. "That could be an interesting topic.  But let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff -- grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, and a horse produces clumps of dried grass.  Why do you suppose that is?"

The stranger, visibly surprised by the little girl's intelligence, thinks about it and says, "Hmmm, I have no idea...". 

To which the little girl replies "Do you really feel qualified to discuss nuclear power when you don't know shit???"

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I guess that's why I don't have many articles here about nuclear power!!!

If you are in Chicago or plan on visiting sometime soon, I'd definitely recommend a trip to the Tiffani Kim spa.  They offer a huge range of services that would entice eco-enthusiasts.  They use a combination of medical procedures such as the restylane treatment Chicago loves which involves injecting natural fillers into the face to smooth and plump and more natural and organic treatments such as aromatherapy infused massages using specially blended essential oils.

For expecting mothers, a pregnancy massage is available to relieve sciatica, water retention, fatigue and lower back pain.  These massages are recommended for women in the second and third trimesters and require a doctor's note allowing participation.  A nice relaxing massage is just what a pregnant woman really needs to perk up and relieve stress, anxiety and achiness.

They also offer an all natural fertility boot camp that gives you the advice of a team of experts in many fields to help you fulfill your dreams of parenthood.  Advice is given by experts in accupuncture, psychotherapy, nutrition, yoga, bodywork and reproductive endocrinology.  The bootcamp will give you tips on how you should think, eat, feel, exercise, communicate and even copulate!  Definitely worth a try (or maybe even two -- lol!).  As a mother and a woman trying to conceive, I definitely respect professionals who go out of their way to provide natural services to those who want it.  Many products are filled with a variety of chemicals that people are questioning.  A spa like this one could really help you find the way to natural health and beauty!

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This monstrosity of Hummer and Styrofoam combined is entitled American Detritus.  It was constructed during a 3 month residency program at the San Francisco dump's Artist in Residence program.  This program provides tools, a small stipend, space and access to the dump's never ending supply of materials for artists to create with.  Andrew Junge is the artist who came up with this life sized styrofoam Hummer in 2005.

The base of the Hummer is plywood which was salvaged from the dump.  This plywood frame was then covered in many styrofoam bricks that the artist cut down to size and glued together.  The styrofoam that was used was also taken from the dump.  There is a lot of glue, bolts, screws, etc. holding the sculpture together and it weighs an astonishing amount estimated to be between 400 and 700 pounds!

The title of the piece is revealing.  Look up Detritus in Wikipedia and you'll find the following definition: "In biology, detritus is non-living particulate organic material (as opposed to dissolved organic material). It typically includes the bodies or fragments of dead organisms as well as fecal material."  Logically then, styrofoam and hummers would be American (or North American) detritus ...  Unfortunately, both of these items are far too common here in Canada as well.

Hummers use huge amounts of gas for no real reason at all.  It drives me crazy when I see people commuting back and forth to work in the city in these vehicles.  Styrofoam is another one of my big pet peeves.  While it is technically possible to recycle it, practically no one does because of the cost and toxic fumes involved in melting it down.  There are so many better alternatives to this type of packaging.  Please avoid companies that even use styrofoam products and tell them why.  The only way that corporations change is when their bottom lines are affected.

This is genius work by Andrew Junge and I'll definitely be looking into some of the other Artists in residency.

Looking for a great eco-friendly gift for a music lover on your list?  Check out the site Wear Your Music.  It's a really cool project that reuses old guitar strings that would normally be headed for the trash and makes jewelry out of them.  Even better, a lot of the proceeds from these bracelets go to charity!

The fashion bracelets like the one shown above from pink guitar string, come in a huge range of colors.  They're available for only $10 each or 10 bracelets for $70.  They are made from used guitar strings and a portion of the proceeds go to charities that support music.  These would make great gifts or stocking stuffers for friends (or yourself).  You could buy the 10 pack and give everyone one or two each.  They look great with a couple stacked on top of each other on the wrist and fit all sizes.  This bracelet supports music, charity and the environment.

Even cooler are the artist bracelets.  These bracelets are hand made out of recycled silver and used guitar strings donated by dozens and dozens of different artists of every genre.  100% of the profits of these bracelets are donated to an artist chosen charity and are listed on the site.  There's some great charities benefiting from these sales though -- Unicef, Rock against Cancer, Peta, Michael J. Fox Parkinson's Research Foundation, 1% for the Planet, Rock the Earth and many other great causes.

They have some great artists available in a huge variety of price ranges.  The silver bracelet shown above is one of James Hetfield's strings.  His charity of choice is Music Cares.  At $250 for each bracelet, it's a very cool Metallica souvenir that benefits charity and the planet.  Kinda expensive but I do love Metallica!!

There's lots of other artists like Carrie Underwood, Avril Lavigne, Dolly Parton, Ziggy Marley, Pete Townsend and even the Naked Cowboy!  Many of the artists I've heard of before and many I haven't.  There's a big price range difference...The least expensive is a $50 string bracelet from Yuto Miyazawa who is the world's youngest professional guitar player in the Guinness Book of World Records.  The most expensive is Eric Clapton's silver bracelet at $500.  Very, very cool!  Worth checking this site out.  It's full of big names, little names and everything in between with the money going to a host of great causes.

As mentioned in previous posts, my Christmas wish list this year will be entirely green.  Yes, even a fuschia mug counts as being green when it is made from 100% recycled polypropylene.  Instead of getting paper or the even worse alternative of styrofoam, I almost always bring my own mug.  I've been doing this for years and years now.  I guess that's why it's about time to pick up a new one!  This super environmentally responsible mug reduces waste, repurposes recycled plastic and is 100% recyclable itself when it is time to replace it.

It's BPA free so you don't need to worry about harmful chemicals leaching into your coffee.  The double lined walls of the mug help to keep the coffee warm longer.  This really shouldn't be an issue for me since I usually finish my coffee right away!  Another bonus is that it's microwave and dishwasher safe.  My stainless steel coffee mugs can't do that and it can be a real pain sometimes.  In case any of my relatives are wondering, the mug is made by Aladdin and available online at LL Beans.  You can even search online for an LL Bean coupon to use when buying Christmas items there.  That way your eco-shopping will be even more affordable!  I do quite a bit of online shopping at this time of year and find online coupons can really save money easily.

Just as babies are all different from each other, so are their births.  No two births are the same, even for the same mother.  I've had my children 12 years apart from each other.  The first birth was nearly completely natural.  The only interference I allowed the doctors was some laughing gas to help me relax and finish dilating.  The second birth was full of interventions.  I was put on pitocin to help induce labor, my water was broken and eventually after many hours, I had an epidural.  The birthing process for my second child was very hard and did not live up to my expectations of having a natural childbirth like my first labor and delivery experience.

It's important to keep your options open when you are pregnant so that you do not feel disappointed and disillusioned about birth once your new baby finally arrives.  Realize that every birth is different so comparing them is only as valuable as comparing apples and oranges to one another.  There are some similarities but some glaring and obvious differences as well.

If I get to experience another live labor and childbirth myself, I hope to have the birth be as natural as possible with as little medical interference as necessary.  Women have been having babies for as long as there has been babies.  We are capable of doing it regardless of how your doctor or hospital may make you feel.  I personally am a little worried about home births or any births without a doctor because an emergency situation may arise.  Women have been having babies for thousands of years but they've also been dying during the process for just as long!  On the other hand, the amount of interventions during births in the western world are astounding.  The C-section rate, number of epidurals and amount of drugs pumped into birthing women are especially concerning.

The one really important thing to remember is to make sure that you have a doctor and support people who understand your needs and opinions.  Many doctors let their own opinions and feelings get in the way of providing proper health care during labor and delivery.  This is where your support people need to be able to step in and advocate for you as you may not be able to.  Midwives and doulas are great to have for support throughout the entire pregnancy and, in my opinion, crucial during labor and delivery.  They can help you come up with a birth plan before the big day that will set out your goals in the best case scenario as well as alternatives you can feel comfortable with if things get too tough.

I'd highly recommend reading up about the different methods of natural childbirth (or as natural as possible childbirth).  This link has a ton of great information about doulas, midwives, aromatherapy for delivery, flower essence therapy for delivery, hypotherapy, accupuncture, homeopathy, childbirth educators, etc. etc.  They have many great articles about the huge range of options available for births and an online forum to ask questions that you can't find the answers to.  They cover a lot of topics that I've never even heard of and explain things from both the doctor and patient angles.  Definitely a website to check out even if you are not planning a natural childbirth.

At an age when many kids are running around using spray paint to deface public spaces, the artist Jesse Graves uses mud to stencil environmental spaces in public spaces.  He wants to promote eco-friendly living and make people think about the world around them.  On his website Mud Stencils, he explains: "I use mud or earth because it is a fundamental life-giving substance, logical for my messages".  Pretty darn clever for someone who's not even old enough to vote!

His artwork covers such concepts as eatting wild food, feeding cows grass instead of corn, decreasing our use of plastics, alternative modes of transportation such as bikes, modifying the reduce, reuse, recycle loop to include composting which requires far less energy and wasted resources, organic gardening, growing your own foods, resisting industrial farming and has even been recently involved with a movement to allow prisoners access to used books.

This teen is definitely someone's artwork you should be on the look out for when visiting Milwaukee where he currently resides.  Not only does he create these public statements of environmental responsibility and document them on his website, he also reveals his process of mud stenciling so that you can DIY.  His site is definitely worth checking out -- it's full of great information (like who knew you could grind up dandelion roots to use as a coffee substitute?!?), amazing pics of his work, the process of mud stencilling and even his e-mail so that you can share your thoughts and own mud artwork with him.  Jesse Graves is definitely a role model for green living kids everywhere!!

Talbots has challenged bloggers to write about what they would buy if they won a $500 gift card.  I struggled with the decision to even try as in my mind, Talbots is a store more for my Mom's generation.  I tend towards casual fashions made up of environmentally friendly fabrics.  I really didn't think that Talbot's would carry that sort of thing at all.  Truth is, they do!  They've got quite a nice selection of clothes made of modal fabric and a reall cute cape made of a bamboo blend.

The patterened orange tank pictured above is just not what I envisioned Talbot's carrying at all!  It's made of a cotton, modal and spandex blend with a button on the back to keep it closed.  This is definitely the kind of eco-fashion that I'm into -- bright colors that are easy on the eye with fabrics that are easier on the planet than more traditional chemical laden all cotton clothes.  This tank top is on sale right now for only $17.24 so I'd definitely pick it up in a few shades.  At prices like that, can you afford not to?  lol, that's what I always say to my hubby to justify shopping the sales.

The beige tunic with cropped pants is nearly identical to what I'm wearing at the moment actually!  Super comfy and easily dressed up with jewelery and shoes.  This is also made with a modal blend of fabric which is made by spinning the reconsituted cellulose fibers of beech wood.  It's also 100% bio degradable!  Both the top and bottoms are on sale right now so the entire outfit would cost under $50!  I'd get this outfit in two colors simply because it's such a wardrobe staple.  That leaves approximately $340 left of the $500 gift card still.

I'd have to pick up the ruffle necked tee shown below with it's feminine neckline and super soft modal fabric blend.  At $16.49 on sale, three colors would probably do it.  Lastly pictured below is a cute and cozy looking bamboo blend cable knit cape.  It too is very reasonably priced at $44.99.  I'd still have about $240 left -- there's a beautiful modal blend print dress for $52.49 and some awesome bamboo accented espadrills that would look fantastic with it for $33.44.  Throw in a beautiful tumbled leather handbag with a bamboo handle for another $112.49 and I'd have just enough left for some of their gorgeous chunky necklaces to help me match some of my new outfits!!

Who knew that Talbot's could be so fun, fashionable and affordable for women in their thirties who are eco-enthusiasts??  Talbots has really been trying to advertise their chicness by starting a new ad campaign called red chair confessions which should really help to get the word out how fun it can be for women of all ages to shop at Talbot's!  Dowdy outfits was what my mind used to imagine when I thought of Talbot's.  It's certainly not going to anymore!

I'd definitely say that my shopping expedition would be of the light green variety as opposed to the dark green I become when I'm shopping for 100% organic pieces.  Going green and living in an environmentally responsible way is a journey though.  Small steps in the right direction such as shopping for modal fabrics or bamboo accents are steps in the right direction!

Got some cool eco-friendly pumpkin photos??  Post the links in the comment section.  I'd love to see some more earth friendly designs!!

These are just a few of the awesomely different tee designs by Ban T-Shirts.  The shirts are US made, sweat shop free, 100% organic and they plant a tree for every t-shirt that's sold!  They've got a huge range of completely original and strangely thought provoking designs that speak of the earth, war, peace, religion, politics and freedom.

They've got shirts that say funny things like "Dinosaurs for Creationism" or awful truths like "Work Harder, Support the Rich".  These meaningful shirts speak volumes more than the Gap or Nike shirt that every other person seems to be wearing.  These alternative messages may start conversations with strangers about morality, truth and freedom of speech.  Better yet, they may just make other people think!

Organic Girl has a giveaway on her blog right now where one lucky reader will win one of these alternative shirts that veer sharply away from the mainstream media messages.  I follow her blog like a lunatic and she's always got great eco-friendly finds there that I love learning about.  There's a ton of contests too so that you can actually try out the products she's talking about.  Definitely a must-follow blog!

This is my beautiful daughter at two days old.  When you become a new parent, your entire life changes.  All of a sudden everything baby becomes your focus.  What's the best diaper?  Best crib?  Best toys?  etc. etc.  You suddenly want the world to become a much better place for your beautiful new child to life in and enjoy.  Being a parent has made me more aware of the world and more nurturing of the entire planet.  I want to help to save the earth for my kids, my grand-kids, etc.  Suddenly everything became much more urgent and pressing.

As a family, we have consciously decided to try to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.  That means recycling, reusing, repurposing, supporting local companies, spreading the eco-living message, buying natural and organic when possible and a whole range of other family activities.  It's not hard to change your habits as long as you start slowly.  With my daughter, we started from the very beginning to try to raise a more natural baby.  This means purchasing organic when possible whether it's food or clothes.  She was fed breastmilk exclusively with no supplementing of formula which is pretty hard to do when you have a very large baby (she was 11 lbs 5 oz).  We made much of her baby food at home instead of buying the pre-made varieties.  It's more cost effective and better for the planet because there isn't excessive packaging and shipping of the baby food involved.  When she was older, I would simply turn our leftovers into purees and freeze them in ice cube trays.  Reheat and voila -- food that would have ended up in the composter was being enjoyed!

It's important to not add additional and unnecessary stress to your lifestyle as a new parent.  Not everything can or even has to be environmentally friendly.  The point is to take small steps in the right direction and to keep heading in the right direction most of the time.  Pretty soon, composting food wastes will become a habit and you'll never forget your re-usable shopping bags when you head out to your locally grown organic food market.  Then you can move onto some of the bigger steps such as reducing gas consumption or growing some of your own organic veggies!  Your green baby will see you role modeling appropriately earth responsible behaviors and turn into a green kid, a green teen and hopefully, a dark green adult!

It seems like everyone you talk to uses a different search engine as there are tons of them to choose from.  Google, of course, is a popular stand-by but it's important to realize that other search engines have different benefits that may help improve your searches and bring you untold fame and fortune!!!  Well, okay, maybe not fame and fortune but there definitely are a ton of benefits to using the AAfter search engine which gives you a web search with privacy.

Of course, privacy's not really my main concern.  The environment is to put it quite bluntly.  This engine can actually help me achieve my eco-friendly goals in a few ways.  First of all, you get cash back rewards by signing up with their program which is completely free.  You can also make sign up your favorite green charity to receive the cash back from your eco-shopping expeditions online.  You can search for the best price on those bamboo placemats your Mom really wants for Christmas and keep an eye on any cash back programs the retailer has in place.  Then, you can send the proceeds to Greenpeace or whereever you'd like.

Another cool benefit of this engine is that you can search for local businesses.  I truly believe that it really helps out the environment to shop as locally as you can.  It helps reduce shipping pollution and waste and stimulates your local economy.  When you buy from a big box store, you're supporting it's ideas.  When you buy from a small local company, you're supporting your neighbors ideas instead!  It's kind of cool that the search engine makes it easy to find what you are looking for locally.

Lastly, AAfter has a zip code feature that will keep you informed of environmental conditions.  It doesn't seem to work yet in Canada but for Americans, this feature can be really handy.  It will let you have weather forecasts, allergy alerts, asthma alerts, air quality alerts and pollution updates instantly just by typing in your zip code!  This is an awesome feature for people who love nature because they'll obviously be spending a fair amount of time outdoors enjoying it!  Pollution and air quality reports are also very important for parents with kids who have respiratory issues such as asthma.  Very cool feature and something I plan to use in the future!

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Check out Etsy crafter Glamarita's line of recycled tie dresses.  They are absolutely fabulous and I've got to say that I'm more than a little impressed!  This is a 100% recycled product that is sure to be one of a kind, hand made by a crafter that is definitely a very wearable product that any woman would love to own!!  Glamarita states in her profile that she is a special education teacher who has found a creative outlet to reduce her stressload caused by too many kids with needs unable to be fulfilled by just one person.  Instead of facing career burn out as many do in such industries, she cleared out a space in the basement and started sewing.  She says of her abilites:  "I am not a professional seamstress, but I have a good eye for color and design. I have a quirky sense of style and absolutely hate to blend in with the crowd."  Her talent shines through in every piece listed in her shop.  You'll be sure to stand out in the crowd in these gorgeous gowns!

There's more than just dresses though.  She also makes skirts of varying lengths, halter tops, tank tops, corsets, belts, vests and even a wedding gown pictured above made of silver and ivory ties!  The short and sassy skirt pictured above sells for only $55 and is certainly going to make it onto my Christmas list this year!  Glamarita's got them available in a range of sizes and color schemes currently on her site.  Need a different size or want a different color palette??  She takes custom orders!!  Order right away if you want one of these statement making pieces for a Christmas or New Year's party though as she's going to quickly fall behind on her custom pieces.  They're gorgeous and there must be a huge demand!

More and more people are recognizing the value of natural herbal remedies.  There's a new online store called Herbal Remedies Elite Store that offers a huge variety of herbal remedies at a reasonable price.  The company is a member of the Natural Products Association which helps to assure that the ingredients used are indeed natural.  The company's mission statement is: "To deliver the highest quality health and beauty products with the best value to our customers."

Many people in today's society are endlessly prescribed drugs by a whole host of doctors.  The effect of these chemicals on both the body and the planet is dubious at best.  It's best to always follow the advice of your trusted family physician while being aware that many have the tendency to overprescribe medications.  Herbal remedies can be used to supplement your health in a more natural way for your body and the earth.

The Herbal Remedies Elite Store offers a range of natural products that can help with weight loss, colon health, sexual health, teeth whitening, sports nutrition, skin care and cosmetics.  They also have a more general selection of remedies including ones specializing in both health issues for men and health issues for women.  There's even some trial offers that allow you to check out some of their remedies for free or at a reduced cost when multiple bottles are purchased.  Definitely worth checking out!

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Let's face it...Halloween isn't exactly Earth Day.  We buy tons of pumpkins we don't need, cut them open, toss the guts and seeds, stick a parafin wax candle in it and throw it away after a few days of watching the ghoulish face we carved in it slowly get more ghoulish.  We hand out tons of sugar laden, over packaged candies to kids we don't even know who's parents are slowly following them down the street in their gas guzzling SUVs.  The kids themselves are dressed in awful, overly shiny polyester chemical laden costumes shipped from across the world to portray themselves as figures that the media uses to ensure that they too become overconsumers of toys and movies.  However, with kids, it's not exactly a holiday you can easily opt out of.  I can't imagine what my kids would do to me...

Luckily, there's some easy (also fun and money saving!) ways to green up that favorite holiday of goblins galore.  Let's start with the pumpkin.  First of all, why not take the kids out to a local farm to see where and how pumpkins actually grow.  Even if the farm isn't organic, the kids can learn a thing or two while you support local farmers.  This makes for a fun filled day that's also easy on the budget.  Kids are much more enthused when they can pick the pumpkin themselves!

When it comes to carving, take the seeds out, wash them, soak them, salt them and bake them in the oven for a healthy snack.  Much better than just throwing them away.  Try carving an eco-friendly theme into the pumpkin such as the recycling circle or a silhouette of the earth.  That way, your neighbours will maybe catch the green living bug too!!  Stick a bee wax candle inside and your pumpkin is ready for the step!

Next, instead of handing out junk, try something else instead.  One of my girlfriend hands out the smallest tubs of play dough to kids and seldom gets complaints.  All the other houses (maybe not all but definitely most!) are handing out candy so the kids will definitely get plenty enough of that!  If you've got more energy, you can easily make your own free playdough to hand out.  There's tons of recipes available online.  I particularly like the ones that use kool-aid to give the dough a fun color and scent.  It's completely non-toxic so the kids will be okay even if it's not particularly yummy.  You could also hand out organic juice boxes, organic cereal bars, recycled newspaper pencils, etc. The only real limits here is budget, imagination and my most valuable commodity, time.

Walk with the kids.  Don't drive them for pete's sake!!  If it's too cold to go far on foot, go to a community party or the mall for some indoor trick or treating.  The costumes themselves are also easy enough to green up.  You can buy used, trade with friends, make a costume, convert something you already have into a costume or buy a handmade one.  There's a lot of articles online about how you can have a more eco-friendly costume and many ways of doing it.  Go for an earth friendly theme too -- try to avoid Disney princesses, Toy Story toys, etc.  Be more original!  I've seen kids dressed up as broccoli or trees.  They definitely stood out in a crowd and had people everywhere complimenting them on their costumes.

Good luck on greening up your Halloween this year!  Go easy on the treats and remember to have fun and enjoy it whether you have kids or not...that's what Halloween is really about.  Another reason to party and have fun!  Happy Halloween all!!

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This gorgeous, energy efficient fridge is only one of the prizes available to be one in the Dr. Oetker contest currently being run exclusively in Canada.  The grand prize is $20,000 for the kitchen renovation of your dreams!!  You can enter the Dr. Oetker Kitchen Makeover Contest simply by entering pin numbers found on the interior of their delicious Casa Di Mama pizzas.  Each pin gives you a virtual pizza slice.  Collect all four slices of the same pizza and you win the corresponding prize.

The prizes range from free pizzas (delicious) or pizza cutters all the way up to the grand prize of $20,000 so that you can completely renovate and have the kitchen of your wildest dreams!  There are 2,000 instant prizes of pizza cutters and pizzas as well as 8 secondary prizes of Whirlpool appliances.  The grand prize is what I've got my eye set on though.  I've got the money already spent in my mind...

I have to admit that I'd completely gut my kitchen.  There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not stuff that I would pick if I had built the house myself!  I'd make sure that the cabinets and appliances were handled carefully though and carted off to be re-used or sold with the profits going to charity though.  There's absolutely no point in throwing away things that someone else could use!

I think I'd choose bamboo cupboards with a dark, non toxic, eco-friendly stain.  Recycled glass tiles would make up the backsplash in shades of red and brown.  The countertops would probably be concrete or maybe one of the eco-friendly imitation stones that are now on the market.  And then, of course, the appliances...  Energy star would only be the beginning of my eco-friendly qualifications for the appliances.  They would need to be super efficient and run with the least amount of waste.  Surfaces would need to be very easy to clean to reduce the amount of eco-friendly cleaners that would be necessary to have them shining.  I'd probably avoid stainless steel because kids leave so many fingerprints on them and you can't really stick things to the fridge with magnets if it's steel!

If you want to win the contest, I'd suggest you do so ASAP as the contest ends January 10, 2010 and I plan on buying as many pizzas as possible before then!  If you become a Savoury Moments member on the website, you'll not only get a bonus PIN number for the makeover contest, you'll also get handy tips, great savings and a heads up on upcoming contests run by the company.

Now you can pay homage to the largest producer of hydro-electric power (Niagara Falls) and visit an environmentally friendly spa all in the same visit!  The Four Points Sheraton Suites is opening up a new spa at the end of the month that has been built to be eco-friendly literally from the ground up.  The aptly named Eco Spa is 3600 square feet of environment friendly indulgence.  It will be offering a full range of spa services including holistic rituals, men's spa services, manicures, pedicures, hair styling, hair removal, registered massage therapy treatments, eco facial treatments and a large assortment of body therapies.

The spa has tried to reduce their impact on the environment even during the construction phase by using VOC free paint, recycled flooring products, energy efficient lights and low flow fixtures.  They've even incorporated a five story high skylight to reduce the need for artificial light.  Beautiful and efficient are the key words here!  Being surrounded by nature also helps to relax the senses and allow the clients to unwind.

The Eco Spa uses a line of cosmetics which are made from the pure elements of nature.  The natural properties of herbs and minerals are combined to produce fabulous and all-natural results inspired by the world around us.  You can choose an aromatherapy infused eco invigorating pedicure that uses eucalyptus and mint essential oils to relieve the stress and aches in your tootsies.  Or, you could choose a eco relaxing manicure that uses the essential oils of vanilla and orange to soothe the mind and ease the body.  If it was me, I think I'd have to have them both!!

The spa also offers hot stone therapy with smooth basalt stones to help balance your energies.  Or, you could have an Indian head massage which uses pressure points to help you de-stress.  Okay, I'll admit it...everything on the brochure looks good.  Maybe I'd have to have one of everything!! 

Even the brochures make you feel good because two trees are planted for every tree used for printing them!  Of course, you could just look at the brochure online here.  You'll see that your ticket to heaven comes really reasonably priced too!  I wish this environmentally responsible spa all the luck with their grand opening in a couple of weeks!!

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As I've mentioned in previous posts, here and here, I'm going to try to ask for only eco-friendly gifts this Christmas.  These colorful bowls have definitely made the list.  They're made by Zak designs out of 100% recycled melamine to create a funky, retro style pattern appropriately called "Confetti".  The pattern is available in bright colors or black and reds so you can get whatever suits your mood and kitchen.  I've already got a set of plastic mixing and serving bowls but I always worry about how safe the plastic is.  These bowls are BPA, PVC, phalate and lead free so that completely removes any of the concerns that using plastic might give you.

Safe for dishwasher but not microwave use (of course!), so they're easy to care for as well as easy on the earth.  These are not the only items in the collection -- it contains a whole line of plates, bowls, salt and pepper shakers, etc.  I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that I get a set of these this year for Christmas.  They're available on Amazon if anyone's interested -- hint, hint! lol

EGG Maternity is a New Zealand based company started by a woman who could not find stylish and comfortable maternity wear when she was pregnant.  She started her own design company and included a line of 100% organic cotton and bamboo clothes!  I found that it was very difficult to find anything that even fit properly when I was pregnant, never mind something that also fit in with my eco-conscious lifestyle.

The organic line consists mainly of the basics -- there's a long sleeve top, a short sleeve top, exercise pants, a pencil skirt, a dress and a wrap.  And they're only available in black and white!  However, with these sorts of basics in your wardrobe that are organic, every girl knows just how far you could stretch it by pairing these organic items with colorful pieces from your closet.  I think it's a fabulous start to offer any kind of organic collection at all!

Besides having their all organic line, EGG Maternity has recently funded a postpartum leaflet to be distributed to new mothers in New Zealand to let them know how to get help if they think they are at risk of post partum depression.  After the company heard about two recent suicides of new mothers suffering from PPD, they knew they had to do something.  New Zealand is a country which, unfortunately, provides no government funding to women who are suffering from PPD so companies that donate money to the cause are a major benefit to new mothers.  EGG Maternity also held a silent auction of their products with all monies received going to the Mental Health Foundation to support new moms who are suffering or at risk.

It's important to remember that post partum depression is a very treatable disease.  It's classified as a major depression which is significantly longer and deeper than the very common "baby blues" which is due to the sudden drop in hormones after a baby's birth.  Post partum depression effects not just the new mom but the entire family.  The babies of mothers with PPD have actually been shown to smile and laugh less than babies of moms without it in some studies.

I know that in my case, after suffering from post partum depression twice, my husband really had to pick up the slack.  It was a struggle for me to care for myself never mind this gorgeous new crying baby that we were blessed with the first time.  The cooking, cleaning, parenting and social aspects of being new parents all fell to my husband as I struggled to try to get a grip on myself.  After many months of denying there was a problem, I finally got the help I needed and slowly began recovering.  Any company who can provide the means to help moms in situations that I was in and provide eco-friendly options is an industry leader in my book!!  Remember that when you open your wallet, you're funding a company and the way they operate.

Thanks to Katherine at her blog Post Partum Progress for filling me in on this great company!

The leaves are slowly turning color and dropping to the ground in a sea of yellow, orange and red.  With the end of fall comes the beginning of winter.  The air has a cold nip to it and people are digging out their gloves and scarves.  Why not stretch out the season a little longer with the use of a chiminea?  What's the point of saving the environment if you can't even enjoy it??  Kidding, of course.

Chimineas can allow you to spend more backyard evenings sharing laughs and good times with friends and family.  They create an intimate environment that invites people to snuggle up close to the fire.  The chimney allows the smoke to be vented up and away which creates less of a nuisance than a firepit for those trying to get in some more outdoor time.  There's a huge range of styles and designs of chimineas that will allow anyone to be able to match the decor of their backyard.  Make sure that you buy one that is good and sturdy, like the ones shown here out of cast iron.  This will make sure that the chiminea isn't knocked over in the wind and damaged.

Worried about the environmental impact of your chiminea?  Use an eco-friendly firestarted and wood log to keep it as eco-friendly as possible.  There are tons of them on the market.  Also, consider the chiminea to be a dual purpose product -- it can help keep you warm while you savor nature and you can easily cook up your dinner on it with the addition of a cooking grill!  Now you can grill those organic veggies and soy burgers outdoors in style!

This 100% natural baby wipe kit is really cool and you can win one by going to Organic Girl's blog.  It consists of a reusable/recyclable jar to keep the bum wipes in, 10 wipes and a blend of essential oils.  The oil blend contains chamomile, calendula and lavender to help calm and freshen baby's wee little bum.  The set is kind of DIY because you add water to moisten the wipes and vinegar to reduce bacteria and odours.  Imagine how many baby wipes you use for one child from birth to potty training...the amount of money wasted and trash ending up in the landfill is ridiculous!  Re-usable wipes such as these are better for both the planet and for baby's delicate skin.  When you make it yourself, you know that there are no harsh chemicals or perfumes in the wipes to dry or irritate your baby's skin.  Now the saying "Soft as a baby's bum" will finally make sense!!

Eco-Me has a whole range of neat products that allow you access to the materials to DIY a variety of environmentally friendly products for babies such as baby pail deodorizers and room sprays.  They also have other kits for home cleaning, dog or cat products.  Check out Organically Hatched to purchase these items or go directly to the Eco-Me website to see their entire range of products!  Thanks to Organic Girl for the chance to win this baby wipe set and check it out!

Home Painting is one of the fastest, easiest and most cost effective ways to make a big change in the appearance of your home.  This can, however, be one of those projects that eats up a lot of your time if you decide to DIY.  It's amazing how fast a painting crew can get it done with a professional look -- none of those little oopsies that I tend to get when I'm painting!

College Pro Painters have a two year guarantee on their work, do all the clean-up and prep for the job with competitive pricing and quality products.  When you call them to come out and give you a quote, ask them about using an eco-friendly paint option.  That way, you'll support local students and the environment by choosing this company as your painter!

College Pro not only hires students locally, they're also involved in a number of charity organizations such as Kids Help Phone, Race Across America and Footsteps For Hope.  They are also heavily involved in donating time, skills and paint to improve community spaces and homes in underprivileged areas across North America.  Many of these projects run through the student's spring break which goes to show the student's (and company's) dedication to helping those in need in any way that they can.

There are a variety of eco-friendly paints that are now on the market but the key is to ask for a paint with low VOCs (volatile organic compounds).  These compounds have been found to emit chemicals into the air which can be a huge source of indoor air contamination even for years after the paint has dried!  There is conflicting research as to the toxicity of these chemicals although some have labelled some of the chemicals as carcinogens.

Ask for a paint that has a Green Seal standard which means that it has met all of the regulations to become certified "green".  It's possible to get paints that are made from all natural ingredients although some of these paints are not very washable.  This means that you'd have to repaint (and use even more resources!) every time the walls got dirty.  There are also a number of recycled paints on the market which are made from leftover paints.  These paints usually come in a limited array of colors though.  Make sure that you ask your paint expert which kind of eco-friendly paint would best suit your needs!

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As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm going to only ask for environmentally friendly things this year for Christmas.  That should make shopping a learning experience for my family.  My mom bragged to me the other day that she was going "green" because she recycles her empty cigarette packages....doh!

Onto something funner...check out these gorgeous purses made by Etsy crafter interrobang.  Based out of Australia, interrobang literally means question mark, exclamation point (?!).  I just thought that was an interesting/weird little tidbit!  She lists recycled seatbelts as one of her favorite materials to work with and recommends that you order with plenty of time left for shipping if you're in the U.S./Canada.

Both the purse and matching wallet are, obviously, made from recycled seatbelts.  Tons of cars are sent to the wreckers every year with the metal being recycled.  The seat belts were previously just garbage but have been ingeniously repurposed into these amazing purses and wallets.  The nature of the seatbelt itself is meant to be extremely strong and durable.  This leads to extremely strong and durable products made out of the junked belts!

I absolutely love the look of the belts sewn together and then having melted seams to make it even stronger.  The shiny stripes make a beautiful and completely unexpected striped appearance to the bag.  I'm certain that many people wouldn't even recognize the material as being a seatbelt but I'd love to fill them in on the huge range of benefits of upcycling!

There are a few different styles of purses and wallets available as well as laptop sleeves and messenger bags.  She even has an interesting bag made from upcycled billboards!  Definitely worth checking out this seller as you try to get your Christmas shopping done!!

The health care debate is raging on both sides of the border right now.  Canada is constantly dealing with cut-backs in their public health care system and the USA relies on a private health system that works well for those who can afford it.  President Obama is trying to implement a public health care policy but I don't think he should look to Canada for a public health insurance lead.  Public health care is indeed necessary.  The uninsured, the underprivileged and the ill are the ones who really need the health care system to be there to catch them when they fall.  This is not socialist, this is humanist.  People have the right to healthcare, to live and die with dignity and respect.

Canada's health care system is government funded so individual citizens do not expressly pay for their health care costs out of their pocket.  Rather, it is just part of the taxes.  However, here in Canada, you seem to get what you pay for!  Urban centers are struggling to keep doctors and many families have to go without a family doctor at all.  Instead, they rely on walk-in clinics who will service anyone.  These clinics make their money by sheer numbers so the faster you're in and out, the more money that they make.  Even family doctors, if you're lucky enough to get one, operate on the same policy.  This leads to sloppy, inconsiderate and sometimes down right dangerous advice.  My own family has undergone this situation many times in the last couple of years.

The question people should really be asking is should health care be a profit driven industry??  Why are people so driven to make money off of the back's of other's pain and hardship?  Something must change on both sides of the border and soon for this situation to be remedied.  Until then, many people regardless of citizenship will continue to suffer without the kind of health care that is required.

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Just look at this beautiful bouquet from a company called Gifts-To-Impress.  This would be a great centerpiece at any baby shower or as a welcome home present for a new mom and baby.  The "roses" are actually baby clothes rolled up to look like flowers!  You can get the arrangements in pink, blue or gender neutral yellow.  The clothes are 100% organic, unbleached and undyed t-shirt, beanie, socks, bib and onesie.  The color comes from the the greenery and fake flowers surrounding the rolled up layette pieces.  Another really cool and eco-friendly part of this gift is that the greenery and fake flowers are made from wood shavings and recycled paper!

I've seen DIY versions of baby bouquets using facecloths or just socks as well.  They didn't look too hard to do and ended up looking very, very cute!  E-how has a pretty good article explaining how it's done but it seriously needs a picture to show how cute the project really can be!  The only downside to receiving this bouquet is that you'd have to take it apart to use the pieces!  I'm not sure that I'd have the heart...just so pretty!

Our society seems to be obsessed with body image.  Everyone wants to look like an unnaturally proportioned barbie doll as portion sizes at restaurants and morbid obessity rates just keep rising.  So what do you do to lose those extra pounds?  Should you take diet pills to achieve your ideal size?  What about plastic surgery or maybe even gastric bypass?

I think that radical interventions such as surgery and drugs should only be used as absolute last resorts.  Most people will find that losing weight in a more natural way is likely to achieve more long term effects.  I mean, the problem is one of lifestyle.  If you don't change how you gained all those extra pounds, you'll just end up putting them back on again regardless of how you temporarily shed the pounds.

The old stand-bys of diet and exercise are not fun but they are the stand-bys because they are what works!  The way that people eat and burn calories needs to change at a fundamental level to maintain a healthy weight.  This is regardless of bone structure, genetics or even conditions that cause you to put on extra pounds.  Talk to your doctor before beginning any weight loss routine as they will be able to work with you on ideas and plans that will work for your specific case.

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Check out the I Am Not a Paper Cup that is sold through Amazon for a measley $11.49.  This would make a great gift for the take-out coffee enthusiast who seems to use disposable all the time.  I might just have to get this for my brother for Christmas this year.  It takes everything in me not to freak out when I see him with a styrofoam cup from a coffee shop in his hand.  Styrofoam??!?  Are you kidding me?  This ceramic version of the disposable coffee cup saves trees and prevents people from using styrofoam mugs for their caffeine addictions.  They should sell these right at the coffee shops and make the real disposable cups unavailable!  They already charge a fortune for coffee someplaces anyways...

You'll notice that here on my blog, I feature many products from Etsy.  Etsy is a great resource for finding green products that are handmade.  When you buy handmade, you're supporting small companies instead of huge conglomerates that manufacture overseas.  Etsy even has a feature so that it can search for products locally for you!  This way you can shop locally and remove the need for items to travel so far before they reach you.

There's a huge range of products that are available.  Many are handcrafted, some are not.  They have a bit of everything -- clothing, art and housewares are all available there.  There are hundreds and hundreds of completely unique, one of a kind items.  It's super easy to shop there too because once you've found the item that you want to buy, you just fill out an online form and pay with paypal or a credit card.  You've got to make sure that you order items for Christmas with lots of time for the crafters to be able to complete the order fulfillment as well as allow time for shipping if necessary.

I've found it very easy (and fun!) to communicate with the crafters.  Many are very open to creating custom products specifically to suit your needs.  What I'm really saying is that it's seriously time for me start my online Christmas shopping!  I'd better get to it...there's only 71 more shopping days until Christmas!!!  Yikes.

There are a ton of products for teens that can help them become as eco-friendly as the rest of the family.  A good place to start is by getting them using an organic acne treatment.  Organic ingredients are much better than chemicals for problem skin and help to maintain a sustainable base for the skin care industry.  When you buy organic, you are saying that you want them to keep producing organic products, that the earth is important to you and that you'll continue to ensure that organic farming exists.

There are many DIY acne skin care treatments that you can look up online.  Fresh and all natural ingredients are the way to begin.  Ensure that you research any information you receive thoroughly to make sure that you don't end up with skin that's in worse shape than it already is!  Be aware that some treatments may work better for others than it does for you.  Pay close attention to how your skin reacts and be willing to try something new if it doesn't work.  There are also tons of organic and eco-friendly acne treatments that are ready to buy from the shelf.  Again, just make sure that you understand what you're buying ahead of time.

I'm going to try to do more posts on eco-friendly living for teens as well as the rest of the family.  I realized that this is an area I've been forgetting.  I've got a teenage son and I want him to start picking up some green habits too!  The picture is from Flickr user Fotoos Van Robin who has an amazing array of great photos with clean, clear lines.

Check out this gorgeous wood high chair from Fab Baby Gear.  It's the Argington Babylon high chair and is much more eco-friendly than your standard all plastic high chair like the one I used for my kids.  It's made from FSC certified, sustainably harvest wood and put together with low VOC glues.  The finishing is all completely non-toxic and pollutant free which is important because if your kids are anything like mine, they'll be mouthing this all over the place!

The chair is made in energy efficient facilities and can be adjusted without any tools.  My favorite part is just how long you could use this chair for.  It holds up to 250 pounds and can be adjusted from bistro table height to coffee table height!  You can't get much more use than that.  From ages 6 months to adult is the recommended ages for use.  You want to wait until they're about 6 months so that they can sit up independently and not just slouch over to the side.

Organic Girl has another awesome giveaway -- she and Fab Baby Gear are giving away one of these chairs in either Birch or Cherry.  I follow this lady's blog like a maniac and enter nearly every contest.  I haven't won anything yet but you'll be sure to hear about it if I do!  She reviews a ton of great kids products, some are green-er than others but they're all kinda cool.  There's lots of great giveaways too that you can enter.  Maybe I shouldn't encourage that.  I don't really need the competition!! lol

Looking to check out an up and coming organic skin care line?  Try the ISUN Organic Skin Care that is made with all natural, all organic ingredients.  Check out their website at www.isunorganicskincare.com for more details on their products including the catalogue that lists all of the products that they currently have available.

Their company is inspired by the world around it and therefore, wants to protect it.  They are an eco-conscious company that is mindful of their packaging and manufacturing technologies.  The company tries to ensure that they only have a positive effect on the planet by donating a portion of the proceeds to organizations such as Feed the Children and Youth Action International.  Through their donations, they try to ensure that children receive the loving care, education and personal growth that all children deserve, regardless of where or how they are born.

Wondering how you can try their products out?  Well their products are now being at spas from Maui to Colorado.  You can also enjoy how alive the fair trade ingredient skin care line makes you feel by purchasing online at www.purenaturaltouch.com.  These products would make great Christmas gifts!

This is a sponsored post with 100% real opinions.

This week's Etsy find was inspired by watching the reality show 18 Kids and Counting last night.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you can check out this TLC reality show here.  Last night's episode showed Anna's labour and birth experience with baby McKynzie.  It was soooo beautiful that I just couldn't believe it.  They were "hoping" for a natural birth as many other parent's do and had a doula set up to assist the doctor in achieving their goals.

The doctor ended up being out of town when they went into labour so they opted for a home birth instead of dealing with a doctor that they've never met before.  I think that this situation happens frequently.  It even happened to me during my first labour and delivery experience.  I was only 19 and ended up naturally delivering my son at the hospital with a doctor I've never met before or since.  This really took alot of the intimacy of the experience out of the equation unfortunately.

Josh and Anna asked their doula to help them with a home delivery and she managed the pain naturally with the aid of showering, massage and a series of exercises.  I've never seen birth portrayed in such a natural, beautiful way!  Their experience was completely different than all 3 of my births.  I'd love to be able to experience birth in a more natural way.

Maybe using Etsy seller JoyfulGirlNature's products could help women reconnect with having a more natural and calmer birthing experience.  As a mom of five and a grandmother of 2, she certainly has experienced birth in a variety of ways!  She uses natural and organic ingredients to create her own recipes that have been found to be effective for their intended use.

This back pain relief oil is made of organic almond oil, lavender and frankincense.  The frankincense is especially good for natural labour because it aids in meditation which slows and deepens breathing.  It's very hard to stay calm and focused during labour and birth because of the intense pain.  Anything at all that can help mothers to achieve their goals of having a natural birth or to just calm them during labour is definitely worth a shot, right?  This product also can help provide sedative effects as well as being a natural muscle relaxer.  To make it even better, she uses PET packaging for all of her packaging!

She even has a pain relief labor package that contains a relaxation pillow with organix flaxseed and lavender, a labor relaxation oil, 2 lip balms, a natural peri-care spray and the back pain relief oil described above.  This would make a great gift for any Moms-to-be!!  If I ever get pregnant again, this is definitely on my must-have list.

She also offers a huge variety of other products for kids, men, women and even cats and dogs!  She has cleaning products, shampoos, moisturizers, face and body products and a huge array of natural remedies available.  All natural products by an Etsy crafter...fantastic!  I'd love to have the opportunity to review some of these products one day.  This is definitely a site that I'll be re-visiting in future posts (and purchases!).

Okay, so it might take more than a sign in a restaurant captured by Flickr user Loren Javier at a Disneyland restaurant to say that Mickey Mouse has finally gone green but at least it's a start!  They are urging you to save the plastic baskets from your lunch for re-use and that's definitely a step in the green direction.

What else is helping one of the world's biggest companies to go green-ish?  How about some eco-friendly souvenirs available for sale in downtown disney?  They are getting in some of my favorite family friendly eco-chic products at a Disney store called Tren-D at Disneyworld such as purses made from candywrappers or seat belts that have been reclaimed from wrecks.  I think a seat belt bag may just have to make it onto my wish list...

The Disney company as a whole has been working hard to become more eco-friendly and that's a huge deal when you're talking about such a massive company.  They are working on reducing plastic bag usage at all of their stores and events.  They recommend not using plastic wrap or plastic bags.  If you go to your local Disney store, chances are that you'll see that most products are wrapped in plastic and that they do not charge for plastic bags.  They're talking the talk but I'd like to see them walk the walk if you know what I mean.

They have a classroom based program that helps kids to discover a love of science, teamwork and competition by joining an environmental competition.  It's a free program that actually does look pretty cool.  You can check it out here.  The bad parts are that it's only available for grades 4 through grade 6 and that it is only available to American students.  Very strange to have something called a Disney planet challenge to be only open to classrooms in the United States.

They are (and have been for quite some time) heavily involved in conservation efforts throughout the world (not just in the U.S.A.!).  Their projects are many and far ranging.  They are, of course, also heavily publicized efforts but if they are doing some good then they deserve all of the good press I guess.  Their conservation efforts support non-profit charities that are working with eco-systems, wildlife and communities.

They are also involved in promoting environmental awareness to kids.  To me, this is one of the most important things to promote to kids.  In reality, today's kids are going to have to deal appropriately with whatever mess the planet is in when they inherit it from their parents generation.  These kids are going to need to know the issues, understand them backwards and forwards and be brainstorming ways of trying to negate all of the damage that has already been done.

Could Disney be more eco-friendly?  YES!!!  However, I think it's important to recognize the efforts that the company is making.  They may only be tiny steps but at least they are in the right direction which is more than I can say for other companies that make money from our kids!