1. Latin America Coloring Book and Europe Sticker Book Collection

Of course, the best way to expose children to different cultures is through authentic experiences, such as visiting far away lands and engaging with real people. Putumayo Kids has the next best thing with their “world culture” collection of sticker and coloring books. These books have the same great quality you have come to expect from Putumayo musical collections.

We were sent the following two Putumayo Kids world culture products:

Latin America Coloring Book

Twenty oversized coloring pages invite children to discover the people, animals and musical instruments of Latin America.

Europe Sticker Book Collection:

Curious kids can build sticker stories on the fold-out European landscape, explore countries on the full-color map and check the glossary to get the scoop behind the sticker images. These reusable stickers adhere to almost any surface.

Both of these products are “printed with eco-friendly soy ink”.

Putumayo has sourced sustainably-derived resources in the manufacture of products. Our printer is Forest Stewardship Council(FSC) certified and the company has taken a “100% replanted” approach, providing funds to Trees, Water, People to support global reforestation efforts.

Would I buy these products?  Yes.  I think they are wonderful and would be appropriate to get a child excited and informed about an upcoming adventure. I also like how they are rather simple and don’t bombard children with too much information.

2. Patagonia Footwear Women’s Addie Rider Boots

I remember the excitement I felt when Patagonia started making shoes.  The same great quality found in their outdoor gear and clothing would soon support my feet!

I love the Patagonia Addie Rider High boots!

A tall, zippered boot with a nod to equestrian style, the Patagonia Addie Rider High boot delivers everyday comfort and versatility. This women’s tall boot features a full grain, waxed cotton upper with a glove-like leather lining. The steel shank provides underfoot stability and natural flex in the forefoot. Stitched outsole construction delivers durability while minimizing the used of solvents and adhesives in the Patagonia Addie Rider High boot.

These stylish eco-friendly boots are made from

• 60% natural hevea latex outsole and heel cover
• 70% recycled polyurethane footbed with leather lining

I love my new boots!  The red color is more subtle in person than on online, which I like better in person.  The side zipper makes entry easy, as well as pulling down pant legs inside of the boots.  They do seem to run a little small if you want to wear thick socks with them.

Would I buy this product?  Yes,but they are expensive, so why not win a pair!

3. Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home

Our children are like the canaries in the mine of how toxic  our world is.  It is not good.  Our children are developing serious health conditions as a result, and parents need advice on how to create the safest homes possible for their little ones.  Healthy Child Healthy World is the best resource on the internet for healthful solutions and increased awareness.  Their publications do not disappoint.

Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home by Christopher Gavigan is the “definitive guide to creating a healthy, nontoxic, and environmentally sound home”.

“Less than four cents of every health-care dollar is spent on prevention and public health. Our health-care system has become a disease-care system, and the time for change is well overdue.”
— First Lady Michelle Obama

“Healthy Child Healthy World helps mothers and fathers connect the dots, to understand cause and effect….It tries to emphasize the healthful solutions, the positive, easy-to-follow steps you can take for your family, your home, yourself.”
—Meryl Streep

“This is a book that every single parent needs to read….before they read the What to Expect books or even Dr. Sears’ books.”
—Nature Moms

“The work that Healthy Child Healthy World does is of the utmost importance. They are actually saving lives and supporting them, and it is not only our duty but our privilege to protect future generations as well.”
—Brooke Shields

Would I buy this book? Yes. There is something for everyone to learn.

4. Stanley Home Products Degreaser

To be included in our Eco-Friendly Product reviews and 5 Green Products round ups, I am contacted by a lot of companies.  I don’t have time to explore each product before responding, as I save that for the reviews.  I am very clear  in my response that, “All products will be evaluated based upon their eco-friendly and natural properties.”  I figure if a company still send me their product, then it must have some attributes of eco-friendliness.

I was sent a bottle of Stanley Home Products Degreaser Concentrate:

Dissolves grease in seconds: Removes grease on cookware, grills, broilers, dishes, laundry, woodwork and walls. Cleans up oil spills, greasy tools, bikes, engines, equipment. Works in hard or soft water. Easy on your budget! One bottle makes 32 gallons of hard working solution.
Safe for you and your home and septic tanks. Plus, it’s biodegradable and phosphate-free.
Contains BITREX–which has such an intensely nasty taste it is practically impossible for a person or pet to ingest.

I cannot find any information about what is actually in this product, and well frankly, it scares me. Sure concentrates are more eco-friendly, but the fact the company feels it needs to add Bitrex to the solution makes me wary.

Would I buy this product? No, not without full disclosure of ingredients.  Furthermore, the product was shipped to me in styrofoam peanuts:  Not a good sign for a “green” product.

5. Ju Ju Be Be All Diaper Bag and Ju Ju Be Be Neat Bib

Ju-Ju-Be’s motto is “Smart bags for smart people”. Just what makes these bags so smart?  Ju-Ju-Be has thought of the small details, such as magnetic closures instead of velcro and Thinsulate bottle pockets in the diaper bag.  The reversible bib also comes in a handy pouch that would be great for tossing in a purse when going out to dinner.  Where I think these products may lose some intelligence is in the chemical treatment of the fabrics.

We were sent the following two products to try:
Ju Ju Be Be All Diaper Bag

– deep & smart organization
– picture pocket to keep photos handy when bragging to friends
– “crumb drains” get rid of the mess so it doesn’t stay in your bag
– adjustable strap includes a top-notch shoulder pad with memory foam and a grippy textile underneath…no more straps sliding off your shoulders.
– mommy pocket with extra-long key clip and cosmetics pouch
– sunglasses case that you can use to clean and store your lenses
– separate diaper changing station that includes a mess shuttle. No more digging for supplies, they’re all in one place!
– swivel attachment points for BeConnected stroller clips (sold separately)
– Teflon … so stains don’t stick.
– AgION … nature’s antimicrobial treatment. No one likes yukky things that grow in the dark.
– Memory foam changing pad … nice ‘n comfy, super cushy.
– Metal Hardware … we don’t trust any of the cheap plastic stuff.
– Mommy Pocket … get organized!
– Light Colored Linings … you can actually see what’s inside, it’s not just a big black hole in there.
– Quiet Magnets … Velcro’s noisy. Yuck!
– Bottle Pockets … with Thinsulate by 3M. keep it warm? keep it cold? sure!
– Machine Washable … air dry.

Ju Ju Be Be Neat Bib

– magnetic closure to make for easy on-off
– reversible!
– crumb catcher pocket on the bottom.
– soft and flexible so baby is comfy
– machine wash/air dry
– Teflon … so stains don’t stick.
– AgION Antimicrobial Linings… kills germs, mold, mildew, fungus, bacteria, and other bad stuff.

What makes these products eco-friendly? I am not sure. I am concerned about Teflon coated fabric, and I don’t like the way it feels. I am sure it makes cleans ups easier, but it sure feels slippery and vinyl like. I do adore the fabric choices for these products, as they are bold and beautiful. I am also not a fan of antimicrobials, naturally-derived or not, which I suspect involves silver nanoparticles.

Ju-Ju-Be does make a line of “Earth Leather“, but we were not sent any of these products.  The company does support Breast Cancer Awareness:

“Thousands of dollars of “Our” money (“our” means “you” plus “us”) goes toward breast cancer initiatives ranging from cure research to providing mammograms for the underprivileged. We’re proud to give back, you should be too!”

Would you buy these products?  No.  $120 is expensive for the diaper bag, and I never worried about stains when it came to bibs.  I would choose products made from organic fabric over those treated with teflon any day. Ju-Ju-Be does explain their use of these fabric treatments, such as saving energy by reducing the need for washing; however, I just don’t buy it.

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.