Toy trends may come and go, but wooden building blocks are a perennial favorite for the preschool set. Spark even more creative play with the Cheekeyes. These artistic wooden animals won the 2009 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award. Since the Cheekeyes are handmade from eco-friendly rubberwood, each set is unique. Adults will dig the sophisticated design and minimal […]
Go Vroom, Vroom with Natural Pod
Natural Pod is one of my favorite boutiques for children’s toys. All of the products are so lovely and I feel good knowing they are made from eco-friendly and child-safe materials, by fair-wage workers or independent craftsmen. My preschooler checked out the Wooden Van (CAD $25; about US $19.50), a charmingly simple wooden toy automobile. […]
Smarter Sipping from a Savvy Kidtrepreneur
When I was younger, I was convinced my generation would save the planet. These days, though, I’m also worried about saving money, saving time, and saving my sanity. But some of my idealism remains and I’m excited to see a new generation taking up the effort to reduce waste, reuse, and recycle–especially when it is […]
A Bright Idea: New Improved CFLs Pay for Themselves
Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) that screw in to regular bulb sockets consume less than a quarter of the energy of incandescent (tungsten) bulbs that produce the same amount of light. They cost a lot more than tungsten bulbs, but since they also last at least four times longer they easily pay for themselves. I tried […]
Clean Your Home Green in 30 Days
Confession: I want to be green but sometimes, between family and work, it is just not at the top of my list. I also want to keep my house cleaner, but I have little interest in tidying and even less time for it. So, when my organization and cleaning guru (and fellow Mamanista editor), Debbie, […]
Go Green for Halloween
October is a great month to consider our impact on Mother Earth because it is harvest time! One of the best things parents can do for the environment is to show their children the joy and beauty of our planet. Here are some ideas for a Green Halloween: Enjoy the Fruits of the Fields: Focus […]
Baby’s First Blocks
Baby Mwah received these soft organic blocks ($28) from NewBornMom, a hip eco-friendly baby store, a few months ago. The blocks match NewBornMom’s luxe organic elephant crib sheets($40), which I’d been drooling over since they would look so pretty in my animal-themed nursery. Initially Baby Mwah showed no interest in the blocks, so I used them as nursery […]
Love Mama Earth With EarthLust Stainless Steel Water Bottles
My family uses eco-friendly and chic stainless steel water bottles to reduce landfill and our exposure to the chemicals in plastics. EarthLust bottles are fantastically chic, manufactured from a slender, tapered custom mold and coated with non-toxic paints. Each delicately rendered design evokes a love of, or a deeply respectful lust for, nature. Some of […]
Eco-Chic Goodies
Want an eco-fabulous nursery like Jessica Alba? NewBornMom makes it easy to find elegant and eco-friendly baby goods at affordable prices. NewBornMom has a wide selection of organic cotton crib sheets in chic patterns like this cheeky monkey print by Kee-Ka ($40). Want It: Shop for wooden toys, recycled diaper bags, BPA free bottles, organic clothing, bamboo clothing, organic towels, organic crib bedding and more at […]
Eco-Chic Reusable Bags from Mimi the Sardine
Mimi the Sardine makes gorgeous children’s products manufactured in the USA from exuberantly playful eco-coated, soil and water resistant, cotton fabrics from Sweden. The cotton fabric is coated with acrylic, not PVC. I checked out Mimi the Sardine’s adorable Lunch Bug, a sweet little lunch bag with a carry handle. We like the idea of […]
