The review is of Citiblocs – a totally green, super fun, and best of all, affordable green building toy. Cedar loved them, and if you’ve got little ones, this item is a must consider toy for the upcoming holiday season. Seriously, kits start at just $15 and are a cool family activity. Plus they really work your brain. You can build twisty structures, straight structures, long and tall structures, and crazy intricate patterned structures. See some of the cool things you can build below, then check out the review.

Read the review: ‘CitiBlocs’ Eco-Friendly Building Blocks: A Kid Tested Review

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All of these beautiful nursery rhyme collages are original designs created from scrap papers reproduced for her collection of nursery rhyme prints and posters are printed on high quality 100% recycled paper with soy ink. You can see many more amazing eco-friendly art pieces at Print Pattern Paper.

See a close up of these cute designs in the gallery below!

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Facts:

I personally was raised with Christmas – trees, cookies, gifts, the whole darn deal. I liked it and as a kid thought it was mostly fun, but I never loved how hectic it was, and by the time I was in my early 20s I was sick of the whole planning perfect gifts mess.

By the time my son Cedar was born, his dad and I wanted to do something for the winter holiday season, but we couldn’t quite place what that was.

Since Cedar was born we’ve had years with Christmas trees and years without and even years with living trees. Years with big stressful get-togethers and years where we’d just chill with friends. We’ve had MANY years of trying to balance gift giving because we like the less is more idea, but just try getting people on board – it sucks. You say, please do not get me anything, and people just won’t listen.

What’s hard is finding a balance. You could be green by avoiding the winter holiday season altogether but that’s extreme and doesn’t really build any sort of tradition for kids. You could say screw green and have a big ol’ celebration with lots of bling – the other extreme. OR you can find balance. It’s finding a balance that everyone will agree with that’s hard because it’s not just your little household; it’s extended family, friends, co-workers, and more.

This year, I seriously want to make a change. I’ve managed to green up many areas of my life, but finding the perfect (or a good) green Christmas is one area where I could use some help. In a perfect world… we’d find some traditions to keep like organic cookie making day or giving gifts that are all green and homemade and personalized, and ditch the holiday traditions that aren’t working so well – i.e. extended family not listening when we say JUST ONE GIFT! Or maybe deciding to skip the Christmas tree forever.

In order to sort out my own family’s idea of the perfect holiday and to help readers along, I thought we’d get started early this year. It can take some time to plan a fun, meaningful, and still green winter holiday season. To get you (and me) going, following are some useful resources that can help anyone start planning a greener, more meaningful holiday season.

Two useful sites:

• Buy Nothing Christmas – an excellent kick off point. If you want to start practicing early you can ditch Black Friday and join up with Buy Nothing Day.
• The Simple Living Network

Two cool books:

• Green Christmas
• Celebrate Green

I’ve got some more resources coming up as well as some tips for a green and meaningful holiday season. For now you tell me – what are your plans this year for a greener holiday season?

[image via stock.xchng]

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Basically, these green disposables are simply made without chlorine, fragrances, or latex, and some are made with eco-friendly wood pulp but many still have stuff like Sodium Polyacrylate (SAP); a gel that’s a chemical water absorber and is known to be toxic. This chemical was removed by the FDA from tampons because of its link to toxic shock syndrome but studies have not been done on SAPs affect on babies. Also these diapers contain Polyolefin (plastic) film.

Are there any pros?

Well, it’s nice that these diapers often come with fewer chemicals, and sometimes easy to recycle packaging, but they also come with a much heftier price tag for what’s basically a wee bit healthier regular disposable. Greener disposables sit in a landfill just like regular disposables and are a sad choice compared to biodegradable or cloth reusable diapers but if you want them they include brands like…

• Seventh Generation Disposables
• TenderCare Plus Disposable Diapers
• Nature Babycare Nappies
• Earth’s Best TenderCare Earth Friendly Disposable Diapers

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What’s this contest about?:

ChicoBags, maker of yes, all things reusable bags, and Green Halloween, a non-profit, grassroots movement that was created by Celebrate Green author Corey Colwell-Lipson, in order to promote sustainable Halloween traditions teamed up to bring this contest to kids.

Children ages 1-13 are encouraged to enter the contest by submitting an original drawing best depicting the spirit of a Green Halloween. Artistic talent is not the focus of the contest, but the design that best captures the “spirit” of a Green Halloween is. The hope is that children participating will be inspired to make greener choices for Halloween and other celebrations throughout the year.

Images are due by October 24, 2009 – 5:00 PM Pacific Time. (Winner will be notified no later than 11/5/09.)

PRIZES!

If your child wins, her design will be printed on ChicoBags sold through retailers nation-wide and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Treeswing, a nonprofit organization that promotes healthy eating and lifestyle habits for children. (Last year’s bag was even featured on The Bonnie Hunt Show!). First and second place winners, as well as a runner up, will receive a variety of fantastic prizes including some of the most popular eco-friendly goodies and some shriek-worthy monetary awards to be announced in the coming weeks.

Learn more about the 2nd Annual Trick-Or-Treat Bag Design Contest.

Learn more about Green Halloween & ChicoBags:

• Green Halloween
• ChicoBags, a Fun Solution
• Have You Tried a ChicoBag?

Let me know if your kids enter and good luck!

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A prefold diaper has multiple layers in it which results in a folding of sorts – hence the “prefold”. You fold the prefold up and can hold the diaper on with a cover, pins, or Snappi. Flats need to be washed once before use, while prefolds need to be washed a few times before use.

Traditional cloth diapers (flat or prefold) are as basic as you can get BUT it’s a little overwhelming to choose the best cloth diaper for you. You’ll also need to consider covers, closures (i.e. pins) and inserts in some cases. Plus you’ll need to decide whether or not you want to use a diaper service or wash yourself.

For comprehensive user reviews of both cloth diapers and cloth diaper retailers, check out Diaper Pin. To find a diaper service near you (meaning someone who’ll pick those icky diapers up and wash them), visit the National Association of Diaper Services.

The debate against cloth prefolds (and other cloth diapers) is the washing. Some think it takes more energy and water than it’s worth. I don’t agree. I think the problem with disposables in our landfills is a much larger problem. But that’s the argument against them – just so you have the facts.

Something to consider is fabric. Prefolds are available in basic cotton and organic. Since your baby spends a lot of time in diapers, organic is the way to go so that you limit the amount of chemicals and pesticides touching his skin. Prefolds also come in hemp fabric, bamboo, and more.

People have some major opinions about the best fabrics and styles of basic cloth diapers. Before you choose a style, I’d do some research. Visit new to cloth diaper info; visit parenting forums and see what other mamas and dads like; ask your pals.

Prefold and flat diaper choices and supplies (some anyhow):

• Cloth-eez – available in organic cotton.
• Chinese prefold
• Organic Hemp prefolds
• Unbleached Indian Prefolds
• Organic Sherpa prefolds
• Swaddlebees Bamboo prefold cloth diaper
• Organic Prefolds Bummis Organic Cotton Diapers
• Tie Dye Chinese Prefold Cloth Diapers – cute!
• Snappi Diaper Fastener
• Diaper pins
• Diaper covers 101

You can also… Make your own cloth diapers.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

There are many elements that make up the whole of a green school – energy efficiency, recycling, school gardening and composting, sustainable materials, transportation, and indoor air quality. All of these are important, but none are quite as important as actually teaching kids about the environment. You can have a super charged green school, but if you’re not making sure kids know about all these elements that make up a green school and learn about the benefits of green living, the school is missing a major point.

Benefits of a greener curriculum:

• Environmental curriculum can easily be incorporated into all subject areas, from math and science to English and art. All aspects of life and learning can be made more eco-friendly, so options for curriculum planning are endless.
• Kids naturally swing toward eco-issues. Science fair administrators note that without prodding, about 40% of all kid planned science fair projects relate to the environment.
• Now is when kids need to learn about the environment. It’s good if you’re a parent teaching eco-ethcis in the home, but unless you homeschool or unschool, your kids spend more time per day with their teachers and schools then you (in most cases). This is a large part of their world that can either teach or not teach green.
• According to the Earth Day Network, research has found that schools that teach core subjects using an environmental context have “Reduced discipline and classroom management problems, increased engagement and enthusiasm for learning and greater student pride and ownership in accomplishments.“
• When students have a more positive eco-experience at school it transfers to their family, the community, their friends and more which raises overall awareness of environmental issues and their solutions.

If your kids aren’t involved with green learning at school, it’s up to you as a parent to advocate that your school bring in some green lesson plans. If you don’t yet think green education matters read the book Earth in Mind; it’ll change the way you think about education.

Get other parents on board and take your concerns to the school board. If your school needs suggestions and help with planning for a green curriculum, offer up the following resources.

• Green Curriculum Resources
• EPA’s website on Environmental Education
• The North American Association for Environmental Education
• The Sierra Club’s webpage on Environmental Education

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Over the years organic versus conventional rules have changed over and over. Hence the new list. However, over the years some foods have come up time and time again in studies that note these foods are better in organic form than conventional form – i.e. more pesticides and other toxins have been found in these items than in other items.

When your money allows it, here are the best foods to spend your organic dollars on.

Veggies & Fruits — in any form (canned, jarred, fresh, frozen, dehydrated, etc.)

• First of all the big baddies – the newest dirty dozen which are the produce products with the largest concentrated amounts of pesticides, and consists of…

1. Peaches (worst)
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Imported Grapes
11. Carrots
12. Pears

Other items in this category to consider buying organic at all times include…

• Edamame (soy beans) + soy milk + soy formula + tofu
• Potatoes — all colors and varieties (including frozen like tator tots).
• Spinach
• Lemons, oranges, and limes or other citrus when used for zest

Dairy products + eggs:

Dairy products and eggs time and time again have been shown to contain large amounts of growth hormones and organic versions have been proven to be far more beneficial to your health. Butter, milk, cheese, ice cream, and other dairy products plus eggs should be top organic priorities on your shopping list.

Meat and poultry:

Meat, pork, and poultry advice has stayed pretty much the same for the last few years. There are pesticides found in meats and poultry but most studies agree that the big dangers in meats are hormones, antibiotics and additives. Organic meat is worth the cost to avoid these drugs and additives in your body but organic meat is also one of the more costly organics – a good choice is to eat less meat overall and buy organic when you do.

Any and all baby food: Learn why babies and young children should eat mostly organic foods.

Grains: Grains don’t often make the list when it comes to best foods to purchase organic. Fewer pesticides are found in grain items than other foods. Buy when and if you can afford it because health is not the only reason to support organic farming but it’s more important to buy other food items first.

My take – I always buy dairy, eggs, and most produce in organic form. I buy any other foods in organic after this. The perfect goal would be to buy all organic, but second best is to purchase the worst conventional offenders first (as shown above).

Which foods do you always buy organic?

[image via stock.xchng]

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Today’s green question appeared on the post, 25 Safe, Non-toxic, Homemade Cleaning Supplies; a reader asked, “I have some old floor cleaners, wax, ect.. what’s the best way to get rid of it with out hurting the environment?”

First of all you’ll need to know which household cleaners are worth keeping, and which should be tossed. You can read the following post; How many cleaning supplies are under your sink that your child could safely drink? to sort out your chemicals.

Secondly, you don’t want to toss them in the sink. Cleaners can be just as toxic to the environment as paint or other hazardous materials so allowing them into the groundwater system is no good. You need to dispose of them correctly.

WHERE TO DISPOSE OF YOUR ICKY CLEANERS:

Apartment Therapy has a nice informative post up for people who live in large urban areas (i.e. NY, San Fran, etc) – Where to Rid of Your Toxic Household Cleaners but this won’t help if you live elsewhere.

Some other ideas…

• Earth 911 lets you search for recycling centers and household cleaners are included.
• Check with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Their household toxic waste disposal page lists tips for proper use and disposal of waste (like cleaners) and offers ideas about where to drop off these items in your community.
• Your local recycling center is a good place to start. Even if your general recycling center won’t accept old cleaners, they’ll be able to tell you who will.

Post from: Tree Hugging Family

Product: CVS/pharmacy Earth Essentials Aromatic Room Mists available exclusively at CVS/pharmacy. These aromatic room mists come in four scents. I reviewed the following three…

• Lavender + Citrus
• Sweet Rain
• Apple + Cinnamon

Also available in Fresh Eucalyptus which I didn’t try, but it’s just as well, since I’m not the biggest fan of eucalyptus.

Price: Around $4 for a 7-oz can which is an excellent price point for an eco-minded air freshener.

Eco facts:

• No animal testing.
• Uses natural essential oils.
• No propellants.
• Non aerosol.
• Recyclable container.

Ingredients listed: Purified Water, Surfactant, Fragrance, Glyceryl Caprylate.

The ingredients are tricky. Glyceryl Caprylate is a low hazard chemical, and it’s not something you need to worry about. It’s the surfactant and fragrance I’d be more concerned about. For one thing there are biodegradable surfactants out there (often made from stuff like coconut), but this product doesn’t actually say what kind of surfactant is used, so it could be anything. The fragrance is another concern of mine. Fragrance is VERY vague. I’m not sure if they mean the essential oil, or possibly something else. Both terms are used on the bottle so… ?

If I had to guess, I’d assume they mean the fragrance IS the essential oil based on how these smell (not chemical, very essential oil scented) however I don’t like to guess, and consumers shouldn’t have to either.

Product pros:

• I love the Apple + Cinnamon scented room mist and the Lavender + Citrus smelled great too.  Both smelled very much like natural essential oils, not like some chemically scented air freshener.
• Nice soft mist of scent. When you spray this can, you get a light mist that floats around the room. No harsh squirts.
• Not too harshly scented. Someone who is scent sensitive could likely use this product without a problem.
• It’s nice that the can is recyclable.

Product cons:

• I didn’t like the Sweet Rain scent at all. As frequent readers here may know, I’m a big ol’ essential oil user. I’ve smelled dozens, used dozens, and can usually tell you with my eyes closed which essential oil you’ve got. However, I couldn’t, for the life of me, tell you which essential oils were used to make this product. I’m not even sure I could tell you what this is scented like. It did smell chemical to me.
• I’m not sure that the lid is recyclable. I’d go ahead and toss it in the bin though.
• Obviously, I’m not pleased with their ingredient listing (see above). While they do list ingredients on their website and on the can, terms like surfactant and fragrance are just far too vague.

Pros or cons depending on your taste:

I didn’t think the product was quite so concentrated as they say they are. I also didn’t think the scents lasted very long. If you compare these to say, the 100% Pure Citrus Air Fresheners that I discussed in the post Natural Air Fresheners, these room mists are nowhere near as concentrated or long lasting.

Now, this might be a pro and it might be a con. For instance, I think that the 100% Pure Citrus Lime is WAY too much scent. You spray it and a day later it’s still really strong; which means at first it’s so overwhelming. The CVS scents are far less overwhelming. This pro or con comes down to personal taste. If you like light scents, the CVS are perfect for you. Especially if you’re using this in a small space, like the bathroom.

If you want more scent punch, I’d try something else. For example, while I like the Lavender scented CVS room mist I’d probably never buy it, because I can achieve the same results by dashing a few drops of lavender essential oil onto a room diffuser, only my lavender scent will last longer.

Overall happy tree score:

Four out of five happy trees: For both the Apple + Cinnamon scented room mist and the Lavender + Citrus room mist. I’d for sure buy the Apple + Cinnamon mist again. I would not buy the Lavender, but only because I own so much lavender oil. This is the only Lavender room mist I’ve ever smelled that truly smells like essential oil vs. weird lavender. I hate the vague ingredient list, but overall, based on my nose, I’m guessing these mists aren’t too toxic, if at all. I’d recommend both the above scents.

Two out of five happy trees for the Sweet Rain scented mist. If I can’t tell what the heck it’s made with, that’s a problem for me. If it smells perfume-like, that’s another problem. Overall, I can’t recommend this scent.

Learn more at CVS/pharmacy (tip – hit their air freshener page)

Have you used these room mists? What do you think?

[images via CVS/pharmacy]

Post from: Tree Hugging Family