The weather is getting more and more chilly which makes it the perfect time for hot chocolate! However, you do want to green it up and try to make it a little more healthy right? Here are some ideas…

THE HOT CHOCOLATE:
Harvesting cocoa beans for chocolate poses large threats to communities and children. Global Exchange notes that at least 284,000 children are involved in abusive labor conditions in West Africa’s cocoa fields and that conventional cocoa companies pay prices so low that many cocoa farmers cannot meet their families’ basic needs. Fair Trade certified chocolate ends this. Ends forced child labor, …read more

Here at Tree Hugging Family, I mainly advocate making your own homemade green cleaners. Not only is it easy to make simple green cleaners, but very cost effective. That said, there will always be folks who want to buy, not make cleaners, so I figured we should take a look at which store bought cleaners are actually green.
The number one rule for choosing a green store bought cleaner is – read your labels. A pretty waterfall or little green leaf means nothing. Ignore fancy ‘green’ packaging and read your labels.
Terms you want to see on a cleaning bottle include:

Ammonia …read more

This is one easy to make a homemade air freshener if you happen to have a wood-stove. You can use an oven to make it, but that’s not the best use of energy. Benefits – great scent and no toxic chemicals like commercial air fresheners.This is a nice one for crisps autumn days (which yes, are coming soon).

This is a super easy recipe too:

Core a large Roma Apple – not all the way through the bottom though; leave a layer of skin intact.
Peel a ring of skin away from the apple around the hole at the top of the apple.
Place …read more

Look what we saw on our walk the other day!

The lilacs are starting to bloom! FYI this is the perfect time to collect some and try that Candied Flower recipe – you know you want to.
Or maybe you’d rather make some air freshening mixes that aren’t toxic. I saw some great dried lavender at the farmers market the other day, so maybe some local shops around your town have some as well.
Gather:

Cedar shavings – 1-2 ounces (I like mine Cedar heavy, but most people like the lavender to shine through more).
About 1/4 – 1/2 ounce dried pennyroyal (air dried best, …read more

Kids will love collecting the nature items they need to make this as much as completing the actual project.

Look here to see full project instructions.
As I hope you gathered from the picture this autumn nature wreath craft is from Craft Ideas. They have many neat fall projects right now but I like this one because you get to go for a walk outside plus use recyclables and nature for art.
You can use a glue gun the project states but I’d bet any sort of plain old craft glue will work. Also, I’d plan on using whatever your …read more