Growing a Green Family » green holiday

Celebrate Buy Nothing Day 2011 Instead of Black Friday

Jennifer Chait — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 22:00:36 +0000

I’ve been celebrating Buy Nothing Day for years. This year, I’m even more encouraged to celebrate, because Buy Nothing Day falls on November 25th, my birthday. Buy Nothing Day was originally launched by the folks at Adbusters, and it’s pretty simple to participate. Buy Nothing Day encourages people to skip the Black Friday madness and choose other, better alternative activities instead.

Below is the awesome Buy Nothing Day video – it was made back in 2005, but it’s still relevant. By the way, when it first appeared, many media networks like MTV and ABC banned this commercial, deeming it too hard-core for American consumers. Lame.

Most people know about Black Friday. It happens every year, the Friday after Thanksgiving. Stores hold massive sales and people head out in droves to shop. There are some huge issues with a holiday that celebrates massive consumerism though, such as…

Black Friday is a huge time waster. You could spend the day with your family instead of spending it in a stressful, crowded store check-out line. It’s a holiday weekend for pete’s sake, don’t you have better stuff to do?

Black Friday encourages the gigantic “Buy more, buy bigger” mindset that’s already in place in this country.

Black Friday is not eco-friendly, because it’s a day focused on buying as much stuff as possible – not healthy for people or the earth. Plus, most retailers who participate in the Black Friday shenanigans don’t carry safe, green, non-toxic products, and because it occurs all on one day, you don’t have time to research before you buy.

Black Friday sets a terrible example for your kids. Kids are bombarded with consumer issues every single day. The last thing kids need is a holiday telling them how cool it is to buy, buy, buy.

Black Friday doesn’t help you make smart consumer choices because it happens so quickly. There’s no time to think through purchases. You have to buy right now.

Black Friday make people do incredibly greedy, money-minded and lame things. Seriously – read this.

Black Friday is not peaceful. No argument on earth will convince me that consumerism, mixed with long lines, mixed with stress, mixed with fighting over products and other nonsense connected with Black Friday is a healthy way to live. A peaceful living mindset is tied intrinsically to eco-living. When you buy less, live healthier and make positive choices, a certain sense of calm begins to take over your life , which can lead to a greener lifestyle as well. Less clutter, less competition, more peace, and more green.

People who are healthy and happy, and not stressed over stuff can stay more balanced and have more time to figure out how to invest in a greener world. You don’t have to shop, shop, shop on November 25th. You could make a statement by not shopping at all.

Stuff to do on Black Friday that in no way involves shopping.

Instead of shopping, use Black Friday as a day to go on a hike, play board games, hold a gathering for friends you missed over Thanksgiving, or whatever you like. If you REALLY must participate, consider a buy something responsible day instead.

2011 Green Family Holiday Gift Guide

Jennifer Chait — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 07:20:10 +0000

Whether you’re looking for homemade eco-gifts, affordable green gifts, zooming green gifts for kids, the perfect green book or a stunning green play kitchen or eco-friendly dollhouse – you’re 100% covered with this eco-friendly holiday gift guide. Keep this page bookmarked, as I’ll be adding some new treats to it throughout this holiday season.

Green holiday gifts for everyone on your list!

Green Holiday Gifts – General Tips

Ultimate Eco-Friendly Play Kitchen Guide

Green Play Kitchen Gift Guides

Eco-friendly Dollhouses

Wonderful Homemade & DIY Green Gift Ideas

Zooming Gifts for Kids

Mixed Green Gift Ideas for Kids

Eco-Gifts for Adults & Teens

Stocking Stuffers & Other Little Treats

Go Green with National Costume Swap Day

Jennifer Chait — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:00:40 +0000

Normally, eco-friendly Halloween costumes are hyper expensive. But, what if you could get one or more green Halloween costumes for FREE!? Yup, free. If you’d jump at that chance, then you’re in luck, because not only does National Costume Swap Day spare you from purchasing new and expensive costumes, but it’s a great way to celebrate an eco-friendly Halloween.

National Costume Swap Day officially falls on Saturday, October 8, but swap events will be happening all October. The entire event is jointly sponsored by Green Halloween, Swap.com and Kiwi Magazine.

During a costume swap, green families come together to swap out, or trade previous year’s Halloween costumes, in exchange for new-to-you costumes from another green family. A costume swap need only be a few families getting together or it can be as large as a citywide event. Big or small though, a costume swap saves resources. It takes a ton of materials, packaging and shipping emissions to create new costumes. A swap is more fun, less expensive (usually free) and totally green!

It’s very easy and 100% free to set up and host a Halloween Costume Swap in your community. Bonus - registering a Costume Swap is an excellent way to encourage media sources, both local and national, to support greener Halloween events. Head to Costume Swap Day to find local swaps you can attend or even register your own event. New swaps can register every single day right up to Halloween. To learn more you can also participate in the National Costume Swap Day Twitter party on Tuesday, September 27, 9 p.m. EST #CostumeSwap or join up with Costume Swap Day on Facebook.

Will you be doing a costume exchange this year?

Grinch & Angel Awards of the Week

Jennifer Chait — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:41:37 +0000

This week I’ve got a round up of Grinch-minded rants and also some people who deserve angel awards for their good holiday deeds.

The Grinch awards go to…

1. Parents who act like dopes and make the holidays all about money and stuff – I’ve seen a lot of lame parent behavior this season, but parents who focus on the money are my Grinch award winners of the week…

I know this little girl who wants a moderately priced gift for Christmas. Her mom has been bitching at her about how expensive the gift is, and how she’s not getting it, or if she does she’s only getting that one thing, and how it’s going to be way too hard on her to buy. I get not always being able to afford stuff you want, but dragging your child into this during the holidays is super lame in my opinion.

I think money and kids DO mix and it’s important for kids to understand what things cost. However, it’s not cool to make kids feel bad and stressed, especially because with some creativity, there’s no need. This mom could have simply talked – not raged at her child about the situation. Or how about helping her child to find another holiday wish list item? This child told me the other day (sadly, I might add), “I’m just too expensive, and shouldn’t have asked for anything” – massive holiday fail on the mom’s part.

On the flip side are parents who buy WAY too much for their kids (40+ gifts and so on) and fail to discuss any sort of meaning related to the holidays. Holidays shouldn’t be all about stuff. I’m not getting why parents aren’t teaching their kids this lesson.

2. Triclosan – in case you’re unaware, triclosan is a big bad, and its use goes up during the holiday season, due to cold and flu fears. Triclosan is a toxic germ killing chemical found in antibacterial products like soap (76% of liquid soaps and 29% of bar soaps) and it’s also found in toothpaste, cosmetics, face wash, and deodorant, as well as in household products, such as countertops, textiles, kitchenware, and children’s toys.

Triclosan also is very toxic to aquatic life and can cause antibiotic-resistant super germs! Go super germs! The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recently discovered that triclosan is one of the “highest priority toxic pollutants” in Oregon’s waterways. Right now, if you live in PDX, you can take the Love Your River challenge and STOP using antibacterial products. If you live anywhere else, I advise not using antibacterial products either. It’s nice to have clean rivers and less killer germs for Christmas.

3. Lame holiday cosmetics aimed at kids – so, even after all my rants about non-toxic body care, some of my pals STILL buy their kids lame toxic, chemical filled holiday body products. Why? Because they’re cute and freaking everywhere. For example, adorable tubes of cupcake and peppermint lip gloss or ruby red and evergreen nail polish packaged for kids sit at the checkout station in most stores. These products just beg parents “Buy me – I’m soooooo adorable!” but they’re filled with stuff your kids shouldn’t be exposed to.

For example, Bonne Bell Candy Lip Gloss for little girls contains chemicals known to cause developmental and reproductive toxicity, allergies and immunotoxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, organ system toxicity, irritation and more. But it’s not just Bonne Bell products – it’s also most of those cheap novelty body care products and cosmetics you see targeted at kids that pose a risk.

I’m not just blaming companies though. As a parent, it’s your job not to buy grossly chemical filled cosmetics for your child, no matter how darn adorable the packaging may be. Get educated. Read Teen Girls’ Body Burden of Hormone-Altering Cosmetics Chemicals for more information and search out safe, organic cosmetics for your child.

4. Non-browning fruit – seriously? Um, we already add food coloring to oranges to make them “more” orange and now we’ve got GMO fruit that never ages on the table. Can you say yum! I’m betting the USDA approves this one, just to be awesome.

5. The McDonald’s lawsuit – which I’m still fuming about.

Not everyone is Grinching out though – this week’s angel awards go to…

1. ecouterre for their 100% clever and sweet DIY tutorial about how to upcycle broken Christmas lights into sparkly holiday accessories. These are great last minute gifts for girls who have everything.

2. Free Range Kids for their hilarious 2010 “GOLDEN HELICOPTER PARENTING AWARDS.” They’ve got creepy mom locating devices, banned pencils, pornographic Barbies and lots of other stuff that will crack you up.

3. Marye over at Restless Chipotle for her Roast Chicken with Citrus and Aromatics post, which frankly came at a bad time since I just quit eating meat again, (you”ll see why when you see her delicious pictures). However, beyond this amazing looking dinner idea, she does this awesome side-by-side comparison of organic chicken vs. conventional, which is a lovely way to show the benefits of pesticide-free eating.

4. Mila’s Daydreams for an AMAZING idea for a DIY family tree photo.

5. And last, but not least these super cool Candy Wrappers from Twinkle Brands, made with 100% wool and ready to be filled with your favorite treats, gifts or messages. So clever and perfect for holidays and other fun occasions. I bet this would be a good DIY project too.

Grinch & Angel Goodies…

My Natural Dr. Seuss Grinch – Fair Trade Grinch doll made with cotton (not organic sadly) but also made with low impact reactive dyes, free of heavy metals and toxic substances.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! – it’s hard to beat the classics. Someone should make a recycled paper version. Although, if you buy used, that’s nice too.
Adorable Oeuf Angel Baby Sweater handmade with Fair Trade 100% baby alpaca (in gray or white) plus Angel Booties.

DIY Less Expensive & Eco-Friendly Day Before Gift Baskets

Jennifer Chait — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 22:18:08 +0000

Green gift baskets make excellent holiday gifts. I think it’s better to shop early (if you do give gifts) because early shoppers tend to be more savvy about green criteria and price. Anytime people are crunched for time and hit the stores, it seems like they buy more than they mean to. However, sometimes you simply run out of time. That said, day before gift baskets are a really good plan for major procrastinators who still want to give green gifts for the holiday.

TIPS

Make sure you take a list when you go to the store AND then only shop from said list.
Before you go to the store see what you already have. You may have some stuff for a gift basket already that a few extra items will round out.
Do not plan on a ready-made basket or gift box. Yeah, they’re easy, but I promise it’ll cost less to make up your own plus you can personalize it.

You’ll need a basket: By basket, I mean a recycled container of some sort. Most people have some around the house (old Easter gear and such) or you can pick some up at a thrift store for a song. You don’t have to use a basket either. A nice recycled bowl, well-cleaned paint canister, recycled colander, reusable picnic basket, large tin, recycled Christmas stocking, reusable grocery bag dressed up cardboard box or other container works too. You can paint or decorate your containers as you wish.

You’ll need a store: What’s key is to hit a store that will have everything you need. Driving from place to place sort of defies “day before.” I’d try a local natural food store first. For example, in my town I’d go to New Seasons Market or a co-op. You could also hit Whole Foods or another mainstream grocer with a decent amount of organic and natural products. Trader Joe’s is a possible choice, but still a last ditch store idea in my opinion because they carry few organics and you never know what you’ll find, which has its benefits, but not if you’re trying to save money.

Choose a gift basket theme:

Once you have your basket and store you’ll need a gift theme. Heading to the store without a theme is asking for trouble. You’ll go to the store, browse too long, ponder too much and very likely over-buy. Pick a theme, set a price limit and then make a list. Now it’s time to go to the store.

Here’s how to create a great inexpensive eco-friendly gift basket on the fly:

Following are some theme ideas, along with stuff that’s super easy to find at a decent natural grocery store. Everything on included on the lists below are things I’ve actually seen at my local natural food store. Note – while I included many ideas under each theme, they’re just ideas. You don’t need a basket filled with everything on the list. In my experience a perfectly great gift basket can be made for about $25-$40 depending on theme.

Healthy theme basket: A nice collection of organic fruit alone can make a great basket. You could also look for healthy green magazines and organic essential oils.

Relaxation theme basket: Organic washcloth or natural loofa, soy tea-light candles, natural handmade soaps or organic scrub, incense, organic essential oils, organic teas and a CD of nature sounds are items you might want to include in a peaceful relaxation gift basket.

Baby theme basket: For new parents or a baby look for Earth Mama Angel Baby products or other real organic products made for baby. There’s also BPA-free sippy cups, small organic teethers, organic baby crackers, biodegradable baby wipes or gourmet organic baby food.

Child-minded theme basket: organic fruit leather , organic animal crackers or other organic munchies, organic and natural candy, organic soaps, nature minded magazine, reusable water bottle, eco-friendly crayons, recycled coloring book or even a small stuff organic toy.

Food lover theme basket: Grab some organic pasta sauce, whole grain noodles, jarred garlic spread, organic crackers, nuts, jams, cookies or other treats to create a basket of yummy items for a foodie. Throw in a natural food magazine or small cookbook and you’re good to go. This sort of gift basket is especially nice for someone who doesn’t usually buy organic, because it’s a good introduction.

PB&J theme basket: Start with organic gourmet peanut butter and jam. Add a container of organic honey, some organic bananas and a loaf of very good organic bread or bagels. This is great for kids and adults.

Green cleaning theme basket: I like making homemade cleaners, but for a newbie, nice green cleaning supplies can be a great introduction to eco-friendly living. Grab some cleaners of your choice, a bottle of natural hand soap, some biodegradable cleaning towels and some natural air freshener or a soy candle. Most stores have Mrs. Meyer’s products, which aren’t, in my opinion extreme green, but they don’t tend to scare off people who are newer to green cleaning – I like the basil scented products best.

Brush green for kids theme basket: Preserve junior toothbrushes plus some Tom’s of Maine Natural Silly Strawberry toothpaste and natural dental floss. Honestly, I’d also throw in some little treats, since now of course they can brush in style, candy is fine. Try some organic apples and chocolate.

Fair Trade theme basket: Anything and everything Fair Trade. I suggest a nice mix of items like coffee, chocolate, shea butter, nuts to munch on and so fourth.

Beauty theme basket: Real organic soaps, essential oils, scrubs, lip gloss and so on, can all be found at a good natural grocers.

Coffee lover’s theme basket: Fair Trade, organic coffee, a reusable coffee filter, chocolate covered espresso beans, a reusable coffee mug and some biscotte or nice cookies. For an alternative do a Fair Trade tea basket theme.

Herb garden theme basket: Some little reusable pots, organic herb seeds (or flower seeds), a nice bunch of lavender, some garden gloves, eco-friendly less toxic sunscreen and hand salve.

Go green theme basket: A reusable water bottle, a reusable grocery bag or two, a CFL bulb or two, reusable produce bags, preserve products plus a green minded book or magazine.

Really, as you can see the sky’s the limit when thinking up themes. You could do a basket for a dog owner, a cheese and wine lover, a hiker, a baker, a basket for crafty people and so on. Just remember, there’s no reason to spend a lot. Don’t go into the store with too grand a plan. Simple is fine.

Can You Have a $250 Eco-Friendly Christmas?

Jennifer Chait — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:48:54 +0000

Currently I’m running an experiment here at Growing a Green Family. Can the average family of four save $50,000 in five years simply by living green? With this in mind, I decided to see how much you can save by celebrating a less consumer Christmas.

Can you really spend just $250 on Christmas?

That’s a good question. Technically yeah, you can even have a $0 Christmas. It all depends on what you want. A better question to start with is how much do American families REALLY spend on the holiday season?

Most resources and studies I’ve found only factor in the cost of gifts. For example, one source I found says, “In the United States the average American will spend about $750 dollars on gifts and accessories.” Another source says the average American will spend an average of $658 for gifts.

But that’s just gifts. People also spend cash on holiday decor, the tree, food and likely, I’m guessing, nonsense goods they wouldn’t buy in the first place, but do buy, because they happen to be at the store more often. Overall, if I had to take a stab, based on figures I’ve seen, I’d assume that on average, individual American adults spend about $700-$1000 for Christmas (figuring in everything).

There’s no way on earth I’m spending $700 on Christmas.

Spending less does mean planning:

If you celebrate Christmas, or another consumer driven winter holiday, you’ll need to do some planning to spend less. As noted before, I’m not all that on board with most holiday stuff, mostly because a lot of it seems super consumer driven to me. At my house, we tried, really hard to come up with an alternative holiday plan this year. We sat down and had a family meeting about Christmas. It didn’t go great, because people were at semi-odds. In my household, here’s where we ended up:

What I want – a Christmas that’s fun, eco-friendly and not focused on consumerism.

What Dave (the live-in boyfriend) wants – a Christmas that’s fun, not focused on consumerism and that has some focus on the real meaning of Christmas, which for Dave means religious stuff.

What our kids want – Our two youngest kids (aged 9 and 12) said they want a fun Christmas, want to see some family, don’t want to drive around and claim to not want too many gifts. I think they do want some gifts, but are playing it down because Dave and I are playing that aspect down. Still, overall they seem to be on board with fewer gifts and more family activity instead.

The oldest kid in the house is the only household member who wants a consumer Christmas. It’s a much longer story, but to sum up, the stuff aspect of Christmas is all she’s discussed with us and I’m guessing it’s because it’s always been that way for her. It’s habit.

With the above in mind, here’s what we’re doing for Christmas:

During Christmas break we’re having a cookie making day and will do other general hang-out stuff like playing game, going on walks, etc. We’re also getting together with some family for lunch. Nothing spectacular, but fun stuff. On Christmas day, we’re staying at home, some friends are coming over and we’ll likely make a meal of some sort. Maybe Dave will read something from the bible – or discuss it? I’m not very clear on this aspect yet.

As for gifts:

Since no one but the oldest kid in the house wanted a super consumer Christmas, we’re doing very few gifts. We talked to adult family and friends and said NO GIFTS PLEASE for adults. We’ve asked this before and had family agree to it, but they still get us gifts. I’m hoping this year everyone will follow through. We’re giving gifts to the kids, but we’re sort of doing our own planning on this one. For example, Cedar’s dad and I have our own ideas, while Dave and the girls mom have theirs.

MY CHRISTMAS SPENDING PLAN:

Because I wanted a less consumer holiday, and because we were unable to come up with a set ideal about gifts in this house, I made up my own set of ideals, which is…

I’ll get gifts for the kids in the family. I’m not getting a gift for any adult except Dave and we agreed on a very low price limit.

Everything I’m getting for folks (minus one gift) follows a reduce, reuse, recycle slant. Meaning, I decided to get gifts for people this year ONLY if they have the following qualities – you can get a lot of use out of the gift, the gift is eco-friendly plus safe and the gift can be either eventually recycled or totally used up.

I refuse to spend a lot of money on Christmas. The average (as noted above) is $700-$1,000, which in my opinion is 100% insane and doesn’t really equal the less consumer holiday I’m interested in.

Here’s my $250 plan:

The bulk of my money, no surprise, is going toward my son Cedar, who is the only person getting a non-eco gift. He really wanted a specific Lego set, which I did get him (don’t worry, he doesn’t read this blog, so it’ll still be a surprise).

So Cedar is getting one bigger gift, plus a couple smaller, eco-friendly items and some stocking stuffers. As for everyone else, I got eco-friendly gifts for Dave + gifts for six other kids. My total cost for all gifts was $178.

We’re also making a holiday meal, but splitting the costs, potluck style, with the folks who are coming over. So even though we’re getting organic food, my total costs should fall at $30 or less (a figure I’m basing on how much Thanksgiving food cost me). The last thing I’m buying this season are some organic baking goods. I’ve got some baking goods, but am running low, and wouldn’t be buying more right now if it wasn’t for cookie making day, so I’ll figure in about $20.

Gifts = $178

Food + baking goods = $50

Get together – we’re not getting together with all our family on Christmas day, so we’re meeting some for lunch before hand. I’m factoring this in at about $30 for gas and food, because we’re meeting for pizza (inexpensive) and splitting the costs.

Total = $258

OVERALL: Money saved over five years if you celebrate a less consumer holiday:

I’m getting gifts for one adult and 7 kids. I’m also feeding a houseful of people on Christmas day, holding a baking day and getting together with some other family before hand. My total costs will be about $258.

The average American spends $700-$1,000 on the holidays, which is an average of $850.

IF I can manage to spend around $258 each year for the holidays, I’ll save $592 per year or $2,960 over five years.

Of course this is VERY abstract thinking, and based on how many people are in your house. But the averages stay the same. If you plan to spend less, your average from the previous year will go down, no matter what you spent. If you work at it, you should be able to save thousands over five years.

What we’ve saved:

So far, in my quest to save $50,000 by living green we’ve saved a total of…

$1,000+ by switching from paper towels to cloth.
$1,354 by switching from paper napkins to cloth napkins.
$6,180 by switching to tap water vs. bottled.
$835 by switching to reusable baby wipes.
$2,960 by having a less consumer Christmas (or other winter holiday).

We’ve saved a total of $12,329 and have $37,671 left to save. Not too bad. Coming up some ideas that can help you save money on your holiday celebration and I’ll tell you how I spent under $200 for gifts. Cutting down that $850 average isn’t as hard as you might think.

Green holiday gifts with a bit more bling

Jennifer Chait — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:59:49 +0000

I think it’s insane to spend a lot of cash on green holiday gifts, mainly because you don’t have to. Also, it kind of takes away from the whole, buy less, spend time not money attitude I think families should embrace. With this in mind, I recently posted some gift guides with many very nice green gifts that are all $25 or less…

Now, although I think you should aim for less expensive, less gifts overall first, I have seen some pretty cool items this season, that would make great gifts, but that didn’t fit into my $25 or less plan. I think it’s okay to buy a child, or adult one nicer, and possibly more expensive green gift, but only if it’s something they’ll really adore or enjoy and hopefully use to death.

Oh, and by the way, my definition of expensive isn’t that expensive – it usually just means it cost more than $25 – but NOT hundreds more or anything. No matter how cool the item, you shouldn’t go bankrupt to afford it. If you’re looking for a very special green gift this holiday season, here are my more expensive picks. All of these, have green and safety value plus long-term use in my opinion, so they’re worth the cost. Oh, and if you want to see my number one pick for the best, more expensive green gift, go here.

FOR KIDS AND ADULTS:

$56.60 Thames and Kosmos Alternative Energy and Environmental Science Power House Green Essentials – we have this and my son has gotten a lot of use out of it. He’d get more, but we’re busy a lot. Still he’s always asking if we can do another experiment with it. Well, worth the price for all the time you and your child will spend with it. Learn more about the green power house.

You can get a general Keri Smith Boxed Set for $26.30, but I suggest creating your own set of Keri Smith books. These will please kids and adults alike. If you’re not familiar with Keri Smith, read my review of How to Be an Explorer of the World. The three Smith books I like best include the ones shown above (and linked below). Each is great as a stand alone, but all three together would make an excellent gift.

FOR THE GREEN GUY IN YOUR LIFE: Okay, as a disclaimer, I’m surrounded by guys who are 100% happy to have skateboards, music, LUSH products and chocolate, so when it comes to guy gifts I get a little stuck. But, to round out this post, I did choose three guy gifts.

$27.95 Christmas Tweets- via LUSH.
$119 WeWOOD Watch – 100% wood, hypo-allergenic and completely free of toxic chemicals. Plus awesome. Many designs available.
$34.99 Eco Soccer Ball – Eco-certified, active, certified Fair Trade and vegan.

FOR GIRLS WHO LIKE PRETTY GREEN THINGS: These picks were a snap, because they’re all items I’d actually want.

$44 Rosehip Necklace – I’ve wanted this for years. One day I will break down and get it. Bamboo wood contrasted with dark brown cut out rose hips.

$49-$55 Artecnica Starlightz – another item I want. This is more fun than useful, but I still really want some. I’d hang them in my bedroom – or maybe by my work desk. Each light is made with 100% wood-free & chlorine-free bleached paper which is then printed, punched, and glued by hand. These are available in many designs and colors, but I like the white shades best.

$49 Aurora Glow String Lights – I know more lights!? I like shiny stuff. These would look perfect on my porch. The lights are solar powered and hand-blown.

FOR LITTLE GREEN TOTS: Green kid gifts are easy to find. What’s hard is choosing the best of the best. Below are some of my top picks.

$35.67 Boon Frog Pod Deluxe with Bath Toys. I like this gift idea because it’s got long-term play value. There’s also the equally adorable Boon Bug Pod in pink or red, but it doesn’t come with the toys. You can get those separately though and the total cost for the Boon Bath Goods + Bug Pod would be about $37. Boon bath time products are BPA and other icky chemical-free. Plus these don’t absorb water and are easy to clean, which reduces mold and mildew and increases their lifespan.

Non-plastic marble run – when Cedar was younger he really wanted a marble run. I didn’t even know there were real wooden, non-toxic marble runs. Cedar ended up with a plastic one. While he did enjoy it, I hated all the plastic. Thus, I’m happy to now see that there are some more sustainable versions.

Or for the bling of all bling sets, the Haba Ball Track Master Building Set Marble Run Blocks is your best bet. At $215.95, it’s pricey, but way worth all the hours of fun.

$134.95 PlanToys Plan City Eco Town Building – for the price, this set includes an amazing array of rubberwood toys, including eco home, eco train station, eco charging station, eco street accessories and eco play mat. Plus it has added value as you can add other Plan Toy city pieces to it for other holidays and birthdays. I.e. add to the fun without buying a new set, just a piece or two.

$116.99 PlanToys Plan City Station Building – when my son was little he would have loved this. He had to make do with lame hot wheels, but now there’s this awesome rubberwood, non-toxic car play set for little drivers.

FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO DRINK STUFF:

$25 Tea Forte KATI Tea Steeping System – I really like this gift idea. It’s a reusable, double-wall ceramic tumbler and integrated stainless steel infuser that make brewing loose tea by the cup simple. The innovative construction keeps tea hot, plus the set comes with 24 certified organic Single Steep teas (some are Fair Trade too). It’s a great deal for a tea lover. Personally, I’m more of a coffee kind of girl. If I got the $57 Coffee Sampler Basket from Equal Exchange I would flip, and so would other coffee lovers.

RANDOM GREEN GIFT IDEAS I LIKE:

$59 Wool Felt Gingerbread House – This beautiful gift idea is handmade from 100% wool felt and will provide hours of pretend play fun. You get the felt house and over 60 felt decorations; enough to keep any crafty kid busy for a good long while.

$99.99 Citrus Scooter – So flipping cool! Made with sustainable wood – a solid birch deck, sturdy pine box, hand-carved willow handle and solid skate board trucks. Really fun and unique.

$45 Bowling Buddies Set (Organic Cotton) – my son had a little bowling set when he was a toddler and he used it non-stop. We used it at parties, for play dates and much more. Plus bowling sets allow for development of key skills like hand-eye coordination and social play. I think the play value with a good bowling set for tots is well worth it. This set is 100% certified organic and the pins have the added benefit of doubling as soft dolls your child can play with. It’s like two toys in one.

$55 Tegu Discovery Set – Natural – Magnetic Wooden Building Blocks – honestly, I’m torn on if these are worth it or not. They’re really cool and my kid testers loved playing with them, but $55, no matter how you cut it, is steep for eco-minded blocks. I must say this though, I LOVE the new Tinted Building Blocks. These new colored blocks are $60 but the colors are amazing. Read my Tegu review.

$149-$255 The Tree Fort Kit – This super magical kit is available with various components. The tree fort alone is fun galore and each is 100% unique as each fort is made with smaller salvage branches of hazelnut and alder wood trees. The Tree Fort Super Saver kit includes the Tree Fort Kit, a family of Woodland Friends, the complete Branch Furniture Collection and a set of Woodland Animals.

$74.95 Grimm’s Spiel & Holz Alphabet Magnets – This amazingly lovely magnet set include 77 wood pieces – 6 different shapes in 26 highly-vibrant and rich colors. Beyond alphabet play the pieces can be taken apart and used over and over to create endless unique designs. Child-safe and non-toxic.

$59-99-$64.21 Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug – Entirely non-toxic, handmade and contains no PVC. This is a great little ride-on toy for kids.

Shark 2-in-1 Vac-then-Steam – I normally wouldn’t suggest a household item as a gift, well, not a cleaning one anyhow, because that’s kind of lame. BUT I’ve been using my Shark 2-in-1 a ton and it’s really been handy. If someone hates sweeping as much as I do, they’d love this.

$39.99 Classic Wooden Tree Swing – This swing is handmade in the USA from local reclaimed Ash, Elm, or Maple. Once a seat is kiln dried and sanded a light coat of mineral oil is applied to bring out the natural beauty of the wood. Natural fiber rope is attached. I think swings are perfect year round and this one is classic, simple and lovely.

These are a few of my favorite things…

Jennifer Chait — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 22:54:38 +0000

I haven’t shared any links in a while and it’s due. Especially since my pal Linette just recently posted one of my favorite holiday treats of all time… The amazingly adorable, so cute you won’t believe your eyes, little Chocolate Covered Cherry Snowmen.

Your kids will absolutely flip if you make these together. If only I was as creative as Linette. Life would be sweet! If you want to make these little guys, remember to switch out conventional ingredients for organic when possible. P.S. As if it’s not enough that Linette is better at making cherry treats than I am, (seriously, I’ll post my recipe for chocolate covered cherries soon, then you’ll see) but she’s also crafty. Take a look at her Hand Print Christmas Tree and Pine Cone Peacock Ornament Craft, both of which can easily be made with natural and recycled materials.

More of my current favorite things…

Gingerbread Man Cupcakes and S’mores Snowman Treats – remember go organic though!

How to wrap gifts up nice, with fabric, not paper!

Recycle old ABC blocks into pretty Christmas ornaments.

This very sweet Gratitude Tree – which I think would be excellent year-round.

I hate, no let me rephrase, highly dislike almost every dog I’ve ever met. I’m just not a dog person. I’m more like a sea monkey, pet rock kind of girl. However, these dogs crack me up and besides that, this is my son’s favorite blog, so… here you go.

This holiday season, please THINK before you buy. Also keep in mind that green gifts don’t have to suck.

Click here. Scroll down. See Christmas tree. Be amazed.

Must have this dresser! The one at the top.

BEST salt dough ornaments EVER! Not a joke. Go see.

OMG these adorable baby shoes.

Hey, what’s my house doing here. JK… sigh.

And a non-eco laugh to end it all.

Affordable Green Gifts for Adults – 2010 Holiday Season

Jennifer Chait — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 22:44:25 +0000

Adults aren’t as much fun to shop for as kids, in my opinion, so I didn’t pull together too many adult gifts. Still, I figured it was fair to post some green gifts for adults. Two good green (and easy) ideas for an adult would be a subscription to a nice eco-friendly magazine or a fresh new 2011 eco-friendly calendar. Check out my other ideas below – all $25 or less.

Lifefactory 22-Ounce Reusable Beverage Bottle

Lush goodies for adults. Read about Lush green policies, Fair Trade purchasing and eco-packaging at the Lush website. See my picks below.

Organic & Natural Baked Apple Spice Salt Scrub
Lead Free Pewter Owl Ornament
Josh Jakus Winepocket
Fair Trade Elephant Potholders
Non-toxic Fred Cool Jazz Ice Cube Tray
Recycled Bike Chain Coat Hooks
FSC Certified Window Bird Feeder
Evergreen Candleworks Silky Soy Moisture Bar – I LOVE these. My favorite scents are Citrus Basil, Sandalwood, Patchouli & Amber and Vanilla Pear but all of the ones I’ve tried have been amazing.
FSC-certified Arroyo Candle Blocks

Affordable Green Gifts for Teens – 2010 Holiday Season

Jennifer Chait — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:08:47 +0000

Here’s a tip – if you have a green teen and a limited budget, you’re in some serious trouble.

I usually don’t do gift guides for teens, but this year we’ve got one teen in the house and two soon-to-be-tweens, so I decided, hey, what the heck. Well, that’s where the fun stopped.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – green-minded humans DO NOT come in two age groups only – babies and adults. Yup companies, there are green older kids and teens out there. Get on board already! Anyhow, I had a REALLY hard time finding green AND affordable gifts for teens, so I very much hope you enjoy this guide.

Fair Trade Music String Dolls – The Band

Lush goodies for teen girls and guys. Read about Lush green policies, Fair Trade purchasing and eco-packaging at the Lush website. See my picks below.

All the Better to Kiss You With Eco-Lip Balm – USDA certified organic – set of three
Vintage Record Sleeve Journal
Love Bottle
Heroes of the Environment: True Stories of People Who Are Helping to Protect Our Planet – More tween and younger teen appropriate IMO, although some older teens may like this too.

Sprout watches are made with materials like corn resin, organic cotton and bamboo. Plus have mercury-free batteries and recycled packaging. Learn more at Sprout.

Tri-fold 100% Hemp Wallet with Chain
Puppy Love Bracelets by Christina Howard – 50% of the sales from these bracelets will be donated to help local sick and homeless animals.
FlashFlight LED Flying Disc
Recycled skateboard bracelet
Hemp + Organic Flatline Beanie
A subscription to Boho Magazine – I cheated a bit here, because a subscription is $2 over the “affordable $25″ limit, but, your teen girl will get four awesome issues over the span of a year. She’ll love it – if you don’t steal it first. Read my Boho review.