Eco Child's Play » Outdoor Fun

Hank D and the Bee: Winter Olympic Dreams

Joe Mohr — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 13:13:14 +0000

Follow Joe’s cartoonery at JoeMohrToons.com and on Twitter at @GreenCartoons.

Hank D and the Bee: Winter Olympic Dreams is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Hank D and the Bee: Staring Contest

Joe Mohr — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 13:13:45 +0000

Follow Joe’s cartoonery at JoeMohrToons.com and on Twitter at @GreenCartoons.

Hank D and the Bee: Staring Contest is a post from: Eco Child's Play

5 Green Products: Greenwashed Recycled Paper Products to Natural Paint Colors Made From Organic Plant Extracts

Jennifer Lance — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 15:55:45 +0000

GREENWASH ALERT!

1. Small Steps Recycled Paper Products

Marcal Small Steps motto is “Paper from paper, not from trees”.

For over five decades, Marcal has been saving trees and reducing landfill by making its paper products from recycled paper. Marcal uses paper collected from curbs in residential neighborhoods in cities and towns across America; from the small blue baskets in office buildings, unwanted junk mail, and waste from printers; all in an effort to do something good.

Small Steps makes:

Recycled Everyday Napkins
Recycled Hypoallergenic Facial Tissues
Recycled Dinner Napkins
Recycled Paper Towels

Would I buy these products? No, even though purchasing recycled paper products is a “small step”, removing these unnecessary products from our homes is better step for the environment. I shamefully admit to buying recycled paper towels, but I seek out unbleached ones and they last in our home a very long time (except when paper towel loving grandparents visit). We occasionally buy facial tissues too, but this is pretty rare. Cloth napkins are so much nicer than paper ones.

Editor’s note: Thanks to one of our readers who commented below, we were alerted this may be greenwashing on the part Marcal. The EPA asked the company to pay $1 billion for pollution clean up of a New Jersey river, and the company filed bankruptcy. Small Steps may be a genuine effort by the company to go green, or it may be simply greenwashing in an attempt to change the polluting image of the company. Given the company quote above that they have been saving trees for five decades, I strongly suspect greenwashing.

2. Derma e Very Clear Natural Facial Products for Problem Skin

Whether you are a teenager or an adult like me that sometimes has blemishes, natural treatments for problem skin are the way to go. Using Tea Tree, Willow Bark, Rosewood, Lavender, and Chamomile, these products are soothing to the skin while still addressing blemishes and break outs. All of these products are made in the USA.

derma e Very Clear Problem Skin Moisturizer: “Derma e Clear Skin 3 Problem Skin Moisturizer is a daily moisturizer that provides a proper balance between moisture and oil, thus preventing clogged pores and bacterial infection while hydrating the skin.”
derma-e Skin Care Very Clear Cleansing Scrub: “Derma-E Very Clear Cleansing Scrub 4 Oz. Removing dead skin cells to unclog pores is essential for healthy, balanced and clear skin. This gentle yet effective scrub utilizes Aloe and Apricot Kernel Meal to exfoliate skin. Used once or twice a week, this formula will help draw out impurities, resolve bacteria and stimulate new cell growth for clean, clearer skin.”
derma e Very Clear Spot Blemish Treatment: “Unburden your skin of bothersome blemishes with derma ® Very Clear Spot Blemish Treatment. It uses natural extracts and oils to reduce harmful bacteria and pore-clogging oil without causing dryness, peeling, or irritation.”
derma e Very Clear Problem Skin Cleanser: “Punishing your acne-prone skin isn’t the answer. derma ® Clear Skin 1 Problem Skin Cleanser uses effective, natural antibacterial agents combined with skin-soothers to reduce excess oil and harmful bacteria without irritating your skin.”

Would I buy these products? Yes, they are priced similar to other natural beauty products ($10-$20), and although I cannot vouch for the claims, when I have a breakout, I am willing to try anything. Also, these products have low scores on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database ranging from two to three.

3. Leather Work Gloves for Children

My son is a little helper. From the garden to the woodshed, he’s out there with us doing all of the chores of country living. We have bought several pairs of cotton work gloves in the past, but these gloves never fit right, get lost, aren’t like Mommy and Daddy’s, don’t last, are not very protective, etc. It seems only fair to give children real tools, like leather work gloves.

Young children want to help you carry garden clippings, clear brush and weeds, and do other work in the yard. Sturdy, well–fitting leather gloves protect their hands and help them grip tools firmly.

Would I buy this product? Yes, I actually did. I bought a pair of these gloves for my five-year-old son and am very happy with their quality. Plus, they only cost about $5.00. Of course, if you are a vegan, you would want a cloth alternative.

4. My Professional Workshop Wooden Toy Tool Bench by HaPe

Might as well continue the working theme! This tool bench is my son’s absolutely favorite place to hang out when playing.

Big building projects call for big workbenches and that’s the idea with My Professional Workshop. The 78-piece set includes an abundance of screws and wood pieces to construct things with the hammer, screwdriver, vice, and ruler.

We’ve reviewed several toys by HaPe in the past, and all of them have been extremely well made and of high-quality.

Would I buy this product? Yes, I actually did.This is a big ticket item (about $100), and as a parent, I have always been hesitant to shell out the big bucks not knowing if it is really a toy my child would play with or not. For my son, this toy was worth every penny. We’ve had our workbench for two years now, and the interest has not worn off. We have added other tools to it along the way, and it consistently promotes extended creative play.

5. Glob It On: Natural Paint Colors Made From Organic Plant Extracts

Every child’s art supply comes with the assurance that it is “non-toxic”, but I have often questioned how true this statement really is; however, I don’t question the toxicity of Glob It On Paints! This may be one of the coolest products we have reviewed in a long time. Made from organic plant extracts, Glob comes in powder form that you mix with cold water to the desired consistency.

Finally, eco-friendly paints made from natural ingredients. Created with a focus on sustainability, these water-based paints and pigments are biodegradable.
GLOB™ is made from colors found in nature. Our botanically crafted products are colored by fruits, vegetables, flowers and spices.

The vibrant pigments in GLOB™ have been used by different cultures throughout the ages in artists’ paints and body products.

Using cosmetic and food grade ingredients, our products are truly non-toxic.

GLOB™ paints are unmatched in quality and environmental synergy.

The colors are truly vibrant, and the paint mixes up easily. I enjoyed painting with our Glob samples . Mixed up paint needs to be stored in the refrigerator, because they are truly all natural, but you can easily just mix up a little at a time based upon your needs.

Would I buy this product? Yes! Yes! Yes!

Disclosure: The products described above were sent to us as free samples, unless noted differently in the review. Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given. No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews. The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.

5 Green Products: Greenwashed Recycled Paper Products to Natural Paint Colors Made From Organic Plant Extracts is a post from: Eco Child's Play

New Year’s Resolutions: Family Walks Keep Everyone Healthy

Jennifer Lance — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:55:06 +0000

Photo by jermudgeon

No matter the weather, take a weekly family walk.

The British have a family tradition that is dying: the family walk. According to the Telegraph:

Instead, researchers from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Science at Loughborough University found that families are increasingly likely to convene for sedentary activities such as mealtimes and watching television.

A family walk is such a simple idea that can promote the health of every member. From the dog to grandma, going for a promenade in the neighborhood or park is wonderful way to spend quality time together.

Dr. Stacy Clemes of Loughborough University explains:

Lack of physical activity is widely documented across the world as a major risk factor for many chronic diseases.

Despite walking being described as an ideal form of exercise it is concerning to see families worldwide not using this cheap and effective form of exercise to promote their family’s health.

Walking is an inclusive activity, allowing families to share a common interest and spend quality time in the fresh air.

Daily hikes have always been part of my adult life, and I fondly remember taking family walks after large holiday meals as a child. Motley Health further explains the health and family bonding walking can promote:

Walking for as little as 1 mile, which should take only 20 minutes, will help you manage your weight. Walking 2 miles will work better though. Family walks can also help to bring families together. Walking is a time to talk too – just ensure nobody brings an iPod.

It’s not just the Brits that are walking less as a family. Globally, people walk 52% less than they did ten years ago, with the Portuguese being the least likely to walk.

I have to admit I often don’t take my children on my hikes, as I enjoy this alone time, but given this research, I think we will commit to a once a week family hike. If you are looking for a New Year’s resolution for 2010, a weekly family hike would be perfect (I’ve just made it mine).

New Year’s Resolutions: Family Walks Keep Everyone Healthy is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Poll: Recession Promotes More Family Time Over Shopping

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 09:37:40 +0000

Photo by OakleyOriginals

Recession promotes family time over shopping

During tough economic times, you’d expect parents to be working longer hours to make ends meet and family time would suffer. A recent poll conducted by the New York Times and CBS News has found quite the opposite: “More Americans are spending more time with family and friends and less time shopping during the recession.”

What exactly are families doing together? According to UPI:

Meanwhile, the poll found that while some Americans are working longer hours, a larger proportion are spending more time than before with family and friends and pursuing such hobbies as gardening, cooking, reading and watching television.

The Times said the poll results mirror a poll performed by the Department of Labor, whose latest time-use surveys indicated that Americans spent less time in 2008 buying goods and services and more time cooking or taking part in “organizational, civic and religious activities” compared with 2005.

The recession has also renewed families’ commitment to homeschooling.

Spending more time together as a family with less money to spend translates to quality family time. The mall and movie theater are abandoned for the park, trail, river, and pond. The New York Times describes one family’s journey through the recession:

After school and on weekends, the family now hops into a pink canoe they bought secondhand. They paddle through Biscayne Bay to nearby islands, naming each, sometimes making boats out of sticks and leaves.

“I’m trying to teach the kids that you don’t need to have expensive toys to have fun,” said Mr. Montoya, 47, an artist and freelance art director in advertising. “You can make it fun, from anything.”

Of course, it is not all pink canoes for families that are suffering unemployment, but at least family time is being renewed by tough economic times (and Disney product sales have dropped).

Poll: Recession Promotes More Family Time Over Shopping is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Grow Your Own Tree Hugger: 101 Activities to Teach Your Child How to Live Green

ECP Editors — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:04:03 +0000

Here’s a fun book you may enjoy. It could inspire you with new ways to teach your child about living green. Or it may make a great gift for another parent that you know who could use some help in the eco-department.

Grow Your Own Tree Hugger: 101 activities to teach your child how to live green by Wendy Rosenoff is full of activities, crafts and recipes that can easily teach children about the environment and about being green without being preachy.

Some of the activities sound like so much fun your kids won’t even know they’re learning.

A few of the activities in Grow Your Own Tree Hugger: 101 activities to teach your child how to live green are: basket weaving from twigs found in the yard, gift wrap made from maps and sheets of music, craft stamps made from wine corks, memory jars, and an old favorite tie dying old clothes into something fun and new.

There’s also some yummy recipes: King Cake Surprise, edible dominoes, fruit salad in a watermelon, moon phase sugar cookies and sunflower gelato cake.

I’ve read a lot of ”green your kid” books and this one has to be one of the best- it makes everything fun. Which is great because when it comes to kids serious doom and gloom isn’t going to win you any points.

[This post was written by Wenona Napolitano.]

Grow Your Own Tree Hugger: 101 Activities to Teach Your Child How to Live Green is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Disney Admits Baby Einstein Does NOT Increase Intelligence

Jennifer Lance — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:20:56 +0000

For parents who were suckered into Disney’s Baby Einstein concept, the company has announced they will give full refunds on up to four videos. The basis of the refund is to compensate parents who actually believed the videos would make their children smarter. UPI reports:

The move comes after Disney’s Baby Einstein Co. last month announced “enhanced consumer satisfaction guarantees” after lawyers had threatened a class-action suit for false advertising. “The Walt Disney Company’s entire Baby Einstein marketing regime is based on express and implied claims that their videos are educational and beneficial for early childhood development,” a letter from the lawyers reportedly said.

Disney responded to pressure from the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood regarding false advertising by issuing the refunds. We’ve never been fans of Baby Einstein here on Eco Child’s Play, and in fact wrote in January 2008:

Of course, the marketing of Baby Einstein is genius, appealing to every parent’s desire to have a smart child, however, pre[K] now, an early childhood education advocacy group, has given the makers of Baby Einstein the stooge award for 2007… So how do young children learn? It is not from passively watching videos, but from interacting with their environment and loved ones. Playing with open-ended toys, such as blocks, exploring nature, reading books, etc. benefit children in ways a Baby Einstein product never can. In fact, a research study reported on in Time magazine states,

…with every hour per day spent watching baby DVDs and videos, infants learned six to eight fewer new vocabulary words than babies who never watched the videos. These products had the strongest detrimental effect on babies 8 to 16 months old, the age at which language skills are starting to form.

Come on parents: send those Baby Einstein videos back to Disney and give them a message loud and clear we won’t be fooled by slick marketing campaigns!

Disney Admits Baby Einstein Does NOT Increase Intelligence is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Get Outside Even After School Starts

Derek Markham — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:38:35 +0000

Once school starts, sports and band practice begins, and vacations are over, it seems there is never enough time in the day to just get outside with our kids.

I’m a firm believer in getting lots of nature time – anything, as long as it includes plenty of fresh air, surrounded by trees and plants and dirt. The National Wildlife Federation’s campaign, “Be Out There” has a list of 10 ways to get outside, even after school starts.

Here are my favorites out of their list of tips to get a Green Hour during a busy day:

Scenario: Backpack? Check. Lunch? Check. You’re ready to head to school. Tip: Whether you drive or walk to school, or wait with your child by the bus-stop, take a moment to notice nature. Make it a game of “I Spy” — or download this nature scavenger hunt at Green Hour.
Scenario: Your child is studying plants at school and, at the dinner table, recites how photosynthesis works. You, yourself, have never successfully kept a plant alive. Tip: Start small: All you need is some bird-seed and a sponge. For sponge-garden instructions, visit greenhour.org/spongegarden. Next step: check out National Gardening Association’s parents’ primer for gardening with kids.
Scenario: The kids get home from school and immediately plop in front of the TV. You suggest going outside. They respond, “Indoors is more fun!” Tip #1: Set time-limits for TV watching and video game playing. It won’t be popular, so make sure you have a back-up plan. If you have a backyard, kid-customize it with a homemade fort, dart boards, a trampoline, a craft table. Set up a bird house to keep wildlife visiting. Tip #2: No backyard? Find your local parks using nwf.org/naturefind. For older kids, start stretching your child’s boundaries, allowing them to go for unsupervised walks in the neighborhood with groups of friends. They’ll love the feeling of independence.
Scenario: It’s 8 p.m. Dinner’s over, but not quite time for bed. Tip: Keep flashlights near the door, and go for a neighborhood night hike. Kids will love the novelty — and you can challenge them to identify “night sounds.” Learn how to make a moon journal at Green Hour.

For the full list of 10 Ways To Get Outside — Even After School Starts, by Anne Keisman (@GreenHour), read it at Green Hour.

Get Outside Even After School Starts is a post from: Eco Child's Play

End of Summer Collecting

Derek Markham — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 11:40:00 +0000

Whenever we decide to go “Exploring, Collecting, or Investigating” those titles seem to have a bit of a jinx to them. It seems whenever we go on an expedition, the rain follows us. Some days we don’t mind, but others make us run for cover.

This past Sunday was such a wonderfully relaxing day, and I could tell that fall was on it’s way. I told the girls we must go “End of Summer Collecting” up at the Jordan River in Utah so we could keep the things we would miss when summer leaves but still be able to remember the fun we had.

But the rain quickly came so we hurried back with our bags full of treasure to inspect. We spoke about how pretty they were, what they were used for and how we would miss them. We laughed over all the fun we had this summer and being with our Daddy more than usual.

So off we went…

And when the rain stopped, we ran out to do it again. Happy End of Summer Collecting!

End of Summer Collecting is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Walmart’s Battlefield Win

Cate Nelson — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:44:59 +0000

[social_buttons]

Walmart has won approval to build a Supercenter on the edge one of the most important battlefields from the Civil War: the Wilderness Battlefield.

Wilderness was the location when Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant first met in battle, on May 4, 1864. Altogether, on both sides of the fighting, 160,000 soldiers total took part with approximately 29,000 killed or wounded. It was the beginning of the turning point of the Civil War.

Supervisors in Orange County, Virginia voted Monday night to grant a permit to the corporate giant, despite public outcry, especially from historians and Civil War buffs.

Jim Campi, of the Civil War Preservation Trust, is against it because,

What Walmart is proposing would absolutely transform the landscape. Walmart is proposing a superstore closer to a national park boundary than any previous Walmart, and this is right on the boundary of the national park.

Only one-quarter of the historic battlefield is protected, so the controversy has surrounded the question, “What is a battlefield?” Is the battlefield only where the war was fought, or was it where troops were deployed from or where they were taken when they were injured? (Interesting fact: General Stonewall Jackson’s arm is buried nearby.)

The 138,000-square-foot-store will not sit on the 2,773 protected acres of the Wilderness, but on the edge, overlooking the battlefield.

County supervisors point to the tax revenue and 300 jobs provided to the area by the big box retailer. Opponents cite the estimated 6,500 more cars skirting the Wilderness daily.

Even high profile names joined the rally cry against Walmart in this fight. Everyone from actor Robert Duvall to Virginia Governor Tim to congressmen from states that had big losses at Wilderness have spoken out against the plan. Historians like David McCullough and James M. McPherson argued against it. Even filmmaker Ken Burns, who set part of his Civil War documentary at Wilderness, fought the plan.

But Monday, county supervisors showed it was to no avail. They voted 4-1 for the store.

The rural county–population 32,000–needs the jobs and revenue, especially in this economy. District 2 Supervisor Zack Burkett, countered the protest with this,

If some guy wants to come in and put in a 59,000-square-foot porno shop, there’s nothing in our ordinances that lets us stop that. I think this will be an attractive development.

You can’t argue with that kind of logic.

I live about three hours south of the Orange County battle area. And here in Virginia, almost everything is historic. That’s not to disparage the fight for this site. I also live near one historical Civil War marker fastened to the building next to a Subway sandwich shop. (No, I’m not kidding.) That marks a “skirmish,” not a battle.

As far as fights like this go, I wonder: is it worth razing historic grounds for low, low prices? Is sprawl the “historical marker” we’d like to leave for our children and grandchildren?

Image: Koonisutra on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

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Walmart’s Battlefield Win is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Eco Child's Play » Outdoor Fun

Hank D and the Bee: Winter Olympic Dreams

Related Posts:

Hank D and the Bee: Staring Contest

Related Posts:

5 Green Products: Greenwashed Recycled Paper Products to Natural Paint Colors Made From Organic Plant Extracts

GREENWASH ALERT!

1. Small Steps Recycled Paper Products

2. Derma e Very Clear Natural Facial Products for Problem Skin

3. Leather Work Gloves for Children

4. My Professional Workshop Wooden Toy Tool Bench by HaPe

5. Glob It On: Natural Paint Colors Made From Organic Plant Extracts

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New Year’s Resolutions: Family Walks Keep Everyone Healthy

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Poll: Recession Promotes More Family Time Over Shopping

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Grow Your Own Tree Hugger: 101 Activities to Teach Your Child How to Live Green

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Disney Admits Baby Einstein Does NOT Increase Intelligence

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Get Outside Even After School Starts

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End of Summer Collecting

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Walmart’s Battlefield Win

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