Cate & Levi is a cool company with the ability to make reuse fun. Their new eco-friendly upscaled  journals are no exception.

Each of these adorable, fuzzy journals is one-of-a-kind, made especially for your child with soft reclaimed wool and a velcro closure for privacy. Inside each animal character is a spiral bound paper journal (100 blank pages) on which your child can record his daily dreams and secrets. You can choose from a cute cat, dog, bear, moose, bunny or pig journal and specify if it’s for a girl or boy. Because each is unique, you, and your child will be totally happily surprised with the journal that arrives at your house.

+ Cate & Levi Eco-friendly Journals $30.00

+ Cate & Levi

Today I’ll be off and about – I actually have to interview an organic farmer for a piece I’m working on for a client. With that in mind I don’t have time to post anything brand spanking new BUT I posted a super in-depth piece today at Inhabitots that’s a must read if you have kiddos and are looking for a safe and friendly movie for them to watch…

My Neighbor Totoro: One of the Best Family Films of All Time – looks at why this movie is one of Cedar’s faves and covers the family and eco-minded themes you’ll find in this film. Peaceful, not stressful. Happy not sad. Totoro really is, in my opinion, a must see family film.

I hope everyone has an amazing day

UPDATES (June 2011)

• Safe sunscreen can cost more than a car! So, see some less expensive, and still safe sunscreen choices for 2011.
• The safest non-toxic sunscreens for 2011

Sadly, there aren’t many safe sunscreens on the market. This week, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released their fourth annual Sunscreen Guide and the news is not good for most sunscreens on the market. EWG gave low marks to almost all the current crop of sunscreen products, with very few notable exceptions. In total, EWG researchers recommend only 39, or 8%, of the 500 beach and sport sunscreens on the market this season.

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Some sunscreen facts from the 2010 EWG Sunscreen Report include…

There’s no consensus on whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer and in fact the EWG reports that some researchers have detected an increased risk of melanoma among sunscreen users. It’s speculated that perhaps sunscreen users stay out in the sun longer or that free radicals released as sunscreen chemicals break down in sunlight may play a role.

Recently available data from an FDA study indicate that a form of vitamin A, retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions (NTP 2009). This evidence sucks because the sunscreen industry adds vitamin A to 41% of all sunscreens.

This is now officially the 33rd summer in a row here in the United States without sunscreen safety regulations. The FDA has been working on setting enforceable guidelines for consumer protection related to sunscreen for over 32-years now. That’s so lame.

Which sunscreen to choose?

First of all, EWG notes that because sunscreens are unreliable the best UV protection includes protective clothes, shade and timing. You should wear long, light sleeves, a hat and sunglasses at least and your kids should do the same. In fact, May is actually UV awareness month and it’s very important to protect your little one’s eyes from harmful UV rays. Remember that UV rays pose a risk year round, not simply in the summer.

You and your family should try to avoid the sun at peak times (midday) and do most of your outdoor activities during the mornings and evenings. When you can, spend time outside in the shade not right in the sunshine’s glare. After taking these first safety precautions, aim for a safe, non-toxic sunscreen.

According to the EWG…

Mineral sunscreens have the best safety profile of today’s sunscreen choices. They are stable in sunlight and do not appear to penetrate the skin. They offer UVA protection, which is sorely lacking in most of today’s sunscreen products. Mexoryl SX (ecamsule) is another good option, but it’s sold in very few formulations. Tinosorb S and M could be great solutions but are not yet available in the U.S. For consumers who don’t like mineral products, we recommend sunscreens with avobenzone (3 percent for the best UVA protection) and without the notorious hormone disruptors oxybenzone or 4-MBC.

The safest top-rated sunscreens for adults and older kids:

• Beyond Coastal Lip & Face Screen, SPF 30
• Marie Veronique Organics Moisturizing Face Screen+, SPF 30, Light Tint
• Keys Soap Solar Rx Cosmetic Moisturizing Sunblock, SPF 30
• Badger Sunscreen SPF 30
• Soleo Organics Sunscreen SPF 30
• Kabana Skin Care Green Screen Organic Sunscreen Fragrance Free, SPF 20
• thinksport Sunscreen, SPF 30+
• Episencial Sunny Sunscreen SPF 35
• Desert Essence – Age Reversal Sunscreen Mineral Daily Face Protection SPF 30
• Miessence Reflect Outdoor Balm, SPF 15

The safest sunscreens for babies and young children:

Choosing a safe baby sunscreen can be tricky. Many are full of toxic goop and worse won’t protect your baby. Here’s what to look for…

• Get an SPF 30 or higher.
• Get a sunscreen with at least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for broad spectrum protection.
• Avoid Oxybenzone and benzophenone which are both linked to allergies and hormone problems.
• Avoid spray and powder sunscreens because little ones may inhale the sunscreen.
• Avoid any added fragrances which can cause allergic reactions.
• Avoid sunscreen / bug spray combos because the sunscreen will need to be applied more than the bug spray.

According to the EWG, the following are the safest sunscreens you can buy for your baby or child…

• thinkbaby Sunscreen, SPF 30+
• Little Forest Sunscreen Lotion For Babies and Kids, SPF 30+
• All Terrain Sunblock Kidsport SPF 30
• Caribbean Solutions Sol Kid Kare SPF 25
• California Baby SPF 30 + Sunblock Stick – No Fragrance
• California Baby Sunscreen Lotion No Fragrance, SPF 30+
• California Baby SPF 18 Everyday/Year-Round

Don’t forget to protect your lips:

• Badger SPF 15 Sunscreen Lip Balm, Unscented
• Purple Prairie Botanicals sunstuff lip balm, SPF 30
• UV Natural Lip Sun Screen SPF 30 or UV Natural Lip Screen Sport SPF 30

Oh and just for kicks, (and knowledge) I’d check out EWG’s sunscreen hall of shame – these are the worst of the worst sunscreens on the market. Make sure they’re not in your home.

PLEASE NOTE: I posted a selection, but not all of the safest sunscreens available. To see all your options visit Skin Deep and look for sunscreens with a score of 0-2. Also, read the entire 2010 EWG Sunscreen Report to learn more.

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When I was a kid lots of my friends had new bikes. That’s what I wanted – a shiny and bright new bike. Alas, my sister, brother and me had to make due with used bikes. Back then that was depressing. Now of course I realize that not only were used bikes cheaper but greener too.

Being that this is National Bike Month, maybe you’re considering biking more and driving less. That’s smart but if you have a big family getting everyone a bike might seem impossible. This is when going used is a great idea. However, you have to buy a good used bike. A poor quality used bike is not eco-friendly because you might just end up having to buy another. A bad bike is a total waste of money and worst of all a bad bike can be downright dangerious.

Safe used bike buying tips:

• Make sure the bike has not been recalled.
• Avoid bikes with cracked tires. New safe tires pretty much defeat the savings on a used bike. If the tires are deflated, that’s another story. Deflated tires can easily be inflated.
• If there’s rust, don’t buy the bike. Rust can mean corrosion which means an important screw could literally break off while your child is in mid-cycle (yikes).
• Fit the bike to the rider. If you’re buying used, and want to use it right away, only buy a bike that fits the person. If you find a killer deal on a child’s bike, but the bike is too big, go ahead and buy it, but wait until your child is bigger. The wrong size bike can be a major safety hazard.
• So long as the bike is rust-free, loose screws and bolts and other small parts may not be a problem. The bike might still be a good buy. A handy person or bike shop can fix loose items up fast and cheap.
• Ignore dirt. All a dirty bike needs is a little soap and water – or try a water-free wash. A dirty chain can be de-gunked with cleaners.
• Avoid a bike with bent parts. Pounding out bends, unless you’re a very handy and knowledgeable bike person, can be tough.
• A missing seat MIGHT be cost effective to replace. However, some bikes require very specific seat replacements so check around to make sure one is available before buying the bike.

*Note: Most studies note that helmets should be bought new. There hasn’t been some massive study on it, but most health and gear experts note that a used helmet may be less effective than a new one. If a helmet is cracked, you may not be able to see it, but that does make it unsafe. Plus, newer helmets meet current safety regulations, and most importantly, you want to make sure you buy the right size helmet – not all helmets note size right on them.

Bling that used bike:

If you’ve got a kid dreaming of a shiny new bike (like I used to) then a used bike can be a hard sell. Try these tips to make it easier on your kid…

Be honest - kids are smart. Most kids will realize that a used bike is better than NO bike. Talk about the family budget with your child. Discuss why it’s important for the family to save money by buying used. This is also a perfect way to bring up the “used is green” conversation.

Spare a little $ for some bling – a new bike basket, a cool horn or some fancy bike decals or stickers won’t cost much and can make an older bike feel a little more newish. A new coat of bike paint does wonders too. Sadly there aren’t many spray paint options that are also eco-friendly (here’s one kind of ok choice) BUT you buying a used bike, IMO, offsets some of the paint badness. If you need to strip old paint off of a bunch of bikes try an eco-friendly paint stripper.

UGLY your bike – oddly enough some kids might be drawn to the idea of really messing a bike up. It does sound sort of fun to trash a bike on purpose – see 10 DIY Tips for Making Your Bike the Ugliest on the Block (Camouflage Against Bike Thieves) to learn more.

More help:

• Bike safety myths and facts
• Used bike guide
• Recycle a bicycle
• AND just for fun – Bike Hacks – a super slick and awesome bike site.

If part of your spring cleaning plans revolve around painting then good news – The Land of Nod recently hooked up with Mythic Paint, makers of non-toxic paint with zero odor, and put together a collection of awesome new colors for your child’s bedroom, bathroom, playroom, clubhouse or wherever else you need a coat of fresh paint.

Actually achieving zero VOC paint with 100% zero off-gasing is impossible because all paints do off-gas to a point, however, Mythic Paint comes close and that’s a good deal for your health. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), notes that indoor air quality can be far more polluted and harmful to our health than outdoor air quality and much of that is due to the stuff we bring inside (such as paint that releases chemicals inside).

Every shade of Mythic Paint is zero VOC and far less toxic than traditional paint. Plus the new color line-up is amazing. There are dozens of shades to choose from – plenty to please any child. I like Naptime shown below…

Features of Mythic Paint:

• Non-toxic.
• Zero VOCs.
• Free from lead, mercury, formaldehyde, formaldehyde precursors and crystalline silica.
• Mythic Paints are formulated to minimize off-gassing.
• No solvents.
• Paint is stain resistant, easy to clean and paints on smooth
• Eggshell finish.
• Scrub resistant.
• Meets and exceeds independent green certifications

Below are some of colors I like, just to give you an idea of the range available. As noted above there are dozens of other colors to choose from though.

Learn more about Mythic Paint at The Land of Nod.

Green pieces for your child’s bedroom or playroom can be very costly, but luckily companies like Maple Shade Kids makes some super adorable and terribly affordable pieces that will add charm but no toxins.

Maple Shade Kids uses earth-friendly and kid-friendly methods to make their sweet bedroom pieces such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified poplar wood and rescued wood then hand cut to shape and sanded smooth. Their paper is a combination of recycled, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper, that’s printed with a soy-based ink and decorative paper. All papers used are adhered with non-toxic glue. To color the wood, soy based stain is used and pieces are finished with a non-toxic satin sealer for protection.

My favorite piece is the cute Woodland Friends Shelf shown above. Not only is this eco-friendly, but it’s an affordable accent – just $65. AND you get to choose the three friends which come in fun colors as shown below.You can use this for books, toys, or collectibles in the bedroom or playroom.

I also like their Woodland Friends on a Branch Peg Rack, shown above, which is perfect for coats and a steal at just $59.50. Maple Shade Kids also makes some super cute wooden collage pictures with sustainable birch and all of their products are so reasonably priced that you’ll faint. See the gallery below, for more examples of their work, then visit Maple Shade Kids to snag some woodland creatures for your child.

Swoon. This amazing sofa by Judy Hoysak almost makes me mutter things I shouldn’t; at least not here. It’s like shock, but in a good way:

This pretty little design is made with sustainable bamboo plywood frame, reclaimed pine legs, natural latex foam and organic cotton batting. I’m thinking that this is adorable and perfect playroom decor – can you see kids all spread out on this? I sure can. It’s sad that there’s not more cool stuff like this on the actual retail market. In fact, I think Hoysak’s Yummyland (below) is another revelation and I’m hoping it’ll one day be on all the toy shelves.

Yummyland is a100% cool interactive play set where children can design their own garden of edible plants and flowers. I love the multilevel factors in play here.

Judy Hoysak is so imaginative that it will blow your mind. Visit her profile page to see more. One day when she’s hyper famous you can say you knew about her way back when.

[originally posted by me at Little Slices of Green - Aug 2008]