First there were wire hangers. Then came the plastic hangers. And now? We have wheat hangers. No, seriously. They’re called Wheatwear and they’re made mostly from wheat. Though they do contain a small percentage of plastic, the great thing about them is that they are biodegradable, compostable, and non-toxic. Now, we’re not recommending that you go throw out all your plastic hangers and replace them with these because that wouldn’t be very green, now would it? But if you do need to buy new hangers, you now have another option. And? They’ve got those coveted little notches to hold spaghetti strap tops and dresses, too, which is always nice for the ladies. Hangers have never been so exciting! Someone pinch me!

Find It Here: Wheatware

By Liz, April 6, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Home

Tired of lugging around those plastic behemoths of detergent? Hate dealing with the messy powdered stuff? Then you’re going to love these tidy little detergent packets called Dropps that aren’t just amazingly convenient but earth-friendly, as well. Simply drop the pre-measured packet of liquid detergent right into the washer — one for small loads and two for large loads. No measuring, no mess and best of all they’re free of chlorine, phosphates, NPE’s and completely biodegradable. Additionally, thanks to their 6x concentrated form, they will help save tons of water every year, as compared to liquid detergents. And hello? No more ginormous plastic bottles!

My laundry is now fabulous — light, fresh and clean. And guess what? You, too, can share in the Dropps experience because they’re giving away samples! For free!

Find It Here: Dropps

Congratulations Kevin K, lucky winner of a year supply of Dropps Laundry Detergent!

By Debbie, March 17, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Clean, Home, Reduce/Reuse, Win

When it comes to chocolate, I don’t usually need an excuse to eat some but now I have even more reason to indulge because I’ve found a green mom’s dream cookie company - Liz Lovely’s Online Bakery and Chocolate Shop. This socially responsible company specializes in fair-trade, non-GMO, organic, vegan chocolates, cookies, fruits, nuts and all kinds of other yummy and totally guiltless goodies. Almost every product is made from scratch in their very own bakery in Vermont. These are true artisan goods, made by real people instead of machines and free of preservatives and artificial flavorings. Their packaging is pretty darn eco-conscious, too, right down to the biodegradable ribbon and the compostable, “corn-tainers”, which biodegrade within 90 days. Check out their gift samplers, which give you a little taste of everything. As for myself, I think I see an Easter Treat-ster sampler with my name my kids’ names on it.

Find It Here: Liz Lovely

Congratulations to Julianne, winner of a $40 “Easter Treat-ster” sampler from Liz Lovely! 

By Cristina, March 14, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Eat, Fair Trade, Gift, Indulge, Organic, Win

When you’re hauling your trash to the curb, do you ever find yourself feeling lousy about sending yet another totally not-biodegradable-ever bag to the landfill? Yeah, me too. But now we don’t have to because BioBag has developed an alternative to the standard polyethylene/polypropylene plastic bags most of us use. You see, BioBag products are 100% biodegradable, compostible and “shelf stable.” This means you don’t have to worry that BioBags will start to break down before you use them or while you’re using them. In fact, they don’t actually decompose until they are introduced to the earth’s elements or micro-organisms in the soil. Oh, and for all you considerate poop scoopers out there, they make biodegradable dog waste bags, too, which means you no longer have to use those not-so-green plastic bags from the grocery store. Bow WOW!

Find It Here: BioBag

By Liz, March 12, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Home, Recycle

A natural and non-toxic dishwashing liquid that actually works on grease, Dishmate by Earth Friendly Products contains no dyes, no artificial scents, no petroleum-based chemicals and it biodegrades quickly and completely so it’s as easy on the environment as it is on your hands. Just a small squirt of this highly concentrated dishwashing liquid is all you need to wash your dishes and, as a total bonus…it can be used to gently clean hand-washable clothes, too. Earth Friendly Products is a family-owned company that sources it’s ingredients locally, does not test on animals and won the 2003 Socially Responsible Business Award for their ethical business practices. Can the multinational conglomerates that make those heavily perfumed and synthetically colored dishwashing soaps make such a claim? We’re thinking not.

Find It Here: Earth Friendly Products

By Kris, March 8, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Clean, Home

Trying to make lifestyle changes to lessen your impact on the environment may seem daunting at first, especially when you’re not sure where to begin. For the person in your life who wants to start on the path to a greener lifestyle and needs a little help getting started, consider giving them a boost with the Get Started Toolkit from Green Lemonaide. This environmentally friendly kit includes a Reusable Tote, a Smart Strip Surge Protector, a Tire Pressure Gauge, two Sink Aerators, two Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs, a Shorter Shower Timer, and some biodegradable doggie “business” bags. With all of this, your giftee will be on the road to saving energy, natural resources and reducing carbon emissions in no time. You can’t say that about a fruit basket!

Find It Here: Green Lemonaide

Win It: Subscribe to Green Moms Monthly, our free e-newsletter and you will automatically be entered to win this gift basket. Current subscribers and new subscribers living in the U.S. are eligible.

By Cristina, March 6, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Gift, Pet, Win

Living in a multi-cat household, I was happy to learn that pet lovers like myself can now choose a biodegradable alternative in cat litter. Awarded “Best of the Best 2008″ by the SPCA, Pet Ecology Perfect Litter is up to 70% lighter than regular litter and has a unique enzyme-based system of destroying odors instead of using irritating chemical-based fragrances. Perfect Litter’s key ingredients (vermiculite and perlite) are used in hydroponic gardening and safe enough for use in flower beds. Unlike clay litter, it’s also totally flushable, sewer-friendly and dissolves without impact to plumbing. Additionally, Perfect Litter helps monitor your cat’s urinary tract health and offers an early warning system for FLUTD (a common and potentially fatal disease) by turning different shades of pink as a sign of possible infection. You can join their mail order program or start practicing perfect pet ecology in March, when the company starts selling Perfect Litter in major pet stores.

Find It Here: Perfectlitter.com

By Liz, February 23, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Home, Pet

Recently featured as one of Oprah’s favorite things, Shaklee’s Basic H Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate was one of the very first biodegradable cleaners to hit the market back in 1960. It’s non-toxic, phosphate-free and can be used indoors and out on any washable surface and in virtually hundreds of ways. According to Shaklee, just two ounces of this super-concentrated formula is equal to 728 bottles of Windex (26 oz size). Yowza! At less than $20 for a 16 oz. bottle of Basic H, that’s the best deal I’ve heard of all year!

Find It Here: Shaklee

Congratulations Stephanie O., winner of a 16 oz. bottle of Shaklee Basic H Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate and a Get Clean 16 oz. Spray Bottle 3-pack!

By Cristina, January 28, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Clean, Win

After years of using a conventional “free and clear” laundry soap, which was neither “free” nor “clear” (of chemicals anyway), I began looking for a natural alternative. I came across Charlie’s Soap, gave it a try, and never looked back.

Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder “is made with a unique blend of biodegradable coconut-based detergents and high-grade, completely soluble, Green River washing soda.” It’s also hypoallergenic and leaves no residue, making it perfect for babies and people with sensitive skin.

Charlie’s worked really well on all of our clothes, including my son’s diapers and I love that the clothes come out smelling like clothes instead of heavy perfumes. As their saying goes, “Leaves nothing but the good old-fashioned sweet smell of clean. If you want flowers, go pick some.”

Charlie’s Soap also sells a liquid version of their laundry soap.

Find It Here: Charlie’s Soap

By Amy, January 24, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Biodegradable, Clean, Home

If you’re looking for a fun way to announce the birth of your new baby, check out these recycled baby birth announcements by Green Field Paper Company. Each card is crafted one sheet at a time in California and made of handmade paper using only recycled post-consumer pulp and cotton. But the coolest part? The paper is embedded with wildflower seeds so it can be planted instead of thrown away. Yep, these cards will literally transform into flowers when they are naturally recycled into the soil. How many people do you know who can say that about their birth announcements?

Find It Here: Green Field Paper Company

By Cristina, January 19, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Biodegradable, Recycle

I recently found these awesome dryer sheets from Sun & Earth but unlike those standard dryer sheets, these are hypoallergenic, non-toxic, biodegradable and safe to use. Available in “Fresh Citrus” and unscented varieties, these dryer sheets help fight static cling just like the other kind but are much friendlier to the environment and your body.

Find it Here: Sun and Earth Products

By Dana, January 18, 2008  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Clean, Home