Eco Child’s Play

This post was originally posted on Eco-Libris blog on June 1st.

Soccer is a great game and I used to play it every day when I was a kid. I love the game and therefore I enjoyed every page of our book today that got its inspiration from the (littered) soccer fields and is written by a soccer coach.

Our book today is:

20 Easy Ways to Help Save the Earth

Author: Coach Pedro and Susan Adam-Rita

Amarildo Pedro Rita was born in 1962 and has been playing high level soccer in Brazil and has being coaching youth soccer players in the United States since 1999. Currently he is the Director of Developmental Soccer Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan and author of The Magic Soccer Ball series plus The Boy and His Dream, A Great Soccer Tournament, and 20 Easy Ways to Help Save the Earth. Coach Pedro holds a bachelor degree in physical education and USSF “A” License

Susan Adam-Rita was born in a small city in Brazil where she lived for twenty-seven years. A psychologist in her home country, she continued to pursue her studies and currently is a PHD candidate in the counselor education program at Wayne State University. Susan lives with her husband, Pedro, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Illustrator: Murilo Pruner

Ages: 4 - 8

Publisher: AuthorHouse

Published on: December 2008
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If you have ever touched a baby’s skin, you know how super soft and delicate it is.  It only makes sense to put the softest natural fiber against such velvety smooth skin.  Naturally Knotty has created cashmere blankets, hats, and booties for babe that you can even get at Costco.

Naturally Knotty is passionate about sustainable style:

Naturally Knotty is committed to environmentally-friendly manufacturing practices, integrating components of factory scrap, factory overstock or recycled materials whenever possible. We are very careful to insure our products are made in factories that treat their employees fairly because we believe in the end we are all in this together and one persons lifestyle should not be to the detriment of anothers. This is also why we focus on giving back to those in need wherever possible.

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I have a couple beautiful ZuluGrass necklace strands to give away. And yes these necklaces are really made from grass and glass beads on a stretchy elastic string. The necklaces can be worn as bracelets, anklets, belts, hair accessories and more.

To find out how to get a free ZuluGrass necklace keep reading. Read the rest of this entry »

In the cloth diapering life, parents get on this quest to find The Perfect Cloth Diaper. Now, I’m not sure that I have my grubby little hands on the Holy Grail of cloth, but it’s darn close.

It’s the Fuzzi Bunz One Size diaper.

In my perusing the cloth diapering world and in my experience working for a natural parenting store, I’ve definitely had the opportunity to check out many nappies. I even snagged a few hand-me-down Fuzzi Bunz fitted diapers before Baby E was born. Soft, durable, great absorbency.

That’s why I was so excited to give the new Fuzzi Bunz One Size a whirl.

I’m a Bum Genius gal. I mean, my son makes me a Bum Genius gal…I don’t personally wear them! They were the first cloth diaper I tried. And I liked that I could switch to cloth diapers when my older son was hitting the potty training months and then still use the diapers for the baby in my tummy. It was a real, “Why haven’t I been doing this all along?” moment for me.

See, one size diapers are like that. They can last for your child’s entire cloth diapering life, and then you can pass ‘em on to the next kiddo.

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Oh Plah! is French for “Here you go!”.  This nifty bracelet is a colorful addition for a fashion forward Mama and does double duty as a toy to entertain a fussy baby.  Oh Plah! is free of lead, PVC, BPA, and phthalates.

My kids were always wanting to play with whatever was attached to my body and sometimes we ran out of the house without stashing a toy or two in the bag, so wearing a safe toy would have been a great help in our world.

There are no small or movable parts on this bracelet… it is one piece of durable, flexible material.  The bands are designed to stand up to lots of bending and chomping.  It can be cleaned up simply by washing in warm, soapy water.  In addition to being free of nasty chemicals, this bracelet meets or exceeds all CPSIA regulations and it is made in the U.S.A. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the great blessings of my adult life was a summer vacation spent with my husband and children at Catalina Island Camps. We spent the better part of the week learning about the ocean, our food supply and our ability to affect change.

Jean Michele Cousteau (son of Jacques Cousteau) would call himself an ambassador of the environment. I would call him a hero to us all.

Most recently Cousteau has discovered many populations of killer whales are contaminated with toxic, synthetic chemicals known as PBDEs, or flame retardants. I understand the wisdom of not wanting your children’s pajamas to catch fire, but how many of us are living in gaslight districts? At what point do we ask for change, and at what point do we demand it? Read the rest of this entry »

I love finding companies that have everything I am looking for all rolled into one.

Little Chickie Wear is one of those companies. It has eco-friendly, ethical practices, eco-friendly kid’s products and it is woman owned and operated- by a mom. This is a company I can relate to and most importantly it is a company that can relate to me. A company that knows what moms like me want-safe and cute products for my kids.

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Peace Keeper Cause-Metics is the first cosmetic company to give ALL after tax distributable profits to Women’s Health Advocacy and Human Rights Issues. And the news keeps getting better, all Peace Keeper products have:

“no fd&c coloring, no animal testing, no artificial colors, no artificial fragrances, no toluene, no formaldehyde, no acetone, no phthalates, no parabens, no synthetic preservatives, no mineral oil, no lanolin, no sodium lauryl, no sodium sulfate, no gluten”

The company’s website lists all ingredients and the Skin Deep rating for each product.  The current product line up includes: nail polish (skin deep rating 3), lipstick (skin deep rating 1), lip gloss (skin deep rating 1), lip balm (too new, not yet rated), and nail polish remover (too new, not yet rated). Read the rest of this entry »

Looking for a new backpack for yourself or your child?  Project Blue features PVC-free DAKINE Oceana Surf Packs:

DAKINE’s project BLUE packs are constructed with 100% Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) fabric and lining, which is made from recycled plastic bottles.  The packs also feature recycled buckles and non-toxic Thermaplastic Elastomer (TPE) waterproof fabric backing. These packs feature a  seam sealed wetsuit pocket, insulated cooler pocket and organizer pocket to keep everything separate and secure.

My daugher loves her Oceana Surf Pack, althoug it is a little large for her seven-year-old frame. I love how Project Blue supports our oceans through the Surfrider Foundation, one of my favorite charitable environmental associations. Read the rest of this entry »

Finally, guys don’t have to use the ladies’ all natural goodies that smell like fruit and flowers and other essential oil yummies. Guys now have their own eco-skin care products.

Every Man Jack is a line of naturally-derived grooming products made just for the guys. Read the rest of this entry »