Did you know that condoms and clotheslines actually have something in common? No? I didn’t either until I read Seven Wonders for a Cool Planet by Eric Sorensen. Well, to find out exactly what they have in common, you’ll have to read the book, but here’s a clue — small actions taken by large numbers of individuals just might be one of the keys to saving our planet. Each chapter in this short, 100-page book highlights one of seven ordinary things that will help us in the fight against global warming. What are those seven things? Tomatoes (the real kind), bicycles, ceiling fans, clotheslines, library books, microchips - and of course, condoms and clotheslines. Check out the book and find out how you can do your part to help save the planet one tomato, one bike ride, and yes, one condom at a time!

Find It Here: Sierra Club

Win It: We’re giving away a copy of to FIVE lucky winners! Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter “SW20” as the giveaway name and provide the answer to this question: What is one other book title offered by Sierra Club? Enter by 7/24/08.

By Cristina, July 17, 2008  
Filed under: Learn, Read, Win

Running along the same lines as Healthy Child, Healthy World, Alan Greene’s Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care covers everything from the time of conception to when your little one arrives and beyond. It offers tips on how to be green through several areas: The Womb, Labor and Delivery, the Nursery, the Kitchen, the Bathroom, the Garden and the Whole House. Other helpful tips include which plastics are safer, questions to ask when choosing a non-hospital birthing center, statistics on differences between home and hospital births, the effects of medicated vs. non-medicated birth and much more. At the back of the book, there is an excellent list of green resources: books, websites, organizations, etc., as well as a section that is termed as “Green Information”, a supplement to each of the chapters. As a gift for green-minded parents, this book rocks — and you can rest assured that it will still be around and used as a reference long after those receiving blankets and onesies are but a distant memory.

Find It Here: Raising Baby Green

By Kris, July 1, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Gift, Learn, Organic, Resources

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rebel. That’s the motto at Reform School, a Los Angeles store owned by two high school friends with a focus on sustainable art, design and crafts. Lucky for us non-Angelenos, these best friends realized that not everyone can’t make it to LA so they started a website (with a cool school theme, natch) featuring one-of-a-kind sustainable and handmade finds. And just to keep things interesting, each month at Reform School, different artist is featured as “student of the month.” Make sure you also take a look at their wide and creative selection of stationery, books, posters, house accessories and unique handmade wares for kids like the Mobilhome Recycled Cardboard Dollhouse or the nifty Optrixx Cameras made from recycled wood. This is one school where you definitely won’t mind staying after class!

Find it Here: Reform School

By Sarah, June 24, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, DIY, Home, Learn, Recycle, Reduce/Reuse, Sustainable

Did you know that genetically engineered food crops actually require more pesticides and herbicides than non-genetically modified food crops? This means we’re ingesting more toxic chemicals on genetically engineered (GE) foods, which, incidentally, have never been proven safe for the environment OR human consumption. It’s also not labeled as GE so we can’t even avoid it just by reading the ingredients. This is why the True Food Network’s Pocket Shopper’s Guide to Avoiding GE Foods was created — because you have the right to know what’s in your food! The list, compiled primarily from direct communications with food producers, focuses on foods made with ingredients that are commonly derived from GE crops — the most widely grown being corn, soy, canola and cotton. The list also contains companies that have made a concerted effort to avoid GE ingredients and have company policies asserting their position on avoiding GE foods. Download the list, print it out and keep it handy for when you’re grocery shopping. According to the New York Times, more than 70 percent of car buyers do some research before making a purchase. Shouldn’t we put at least that much effort into learning more about the food we eat?

Find It Here: The True Food Network

By Izzy, June 14, 2008  
Filed under: Eat, Learn, Resources

Did you know that conventional store-bought fingerpaints can contain toxic chemicals, like Toluene and Ethylene Glycol, that can get into your child’s body through their skin? How this is even legal we don’t know, but the good news is you can buy safe, natural finger paints or even better, make your own with ingredients you may already have around the house. Let the kids help if they’re old enough and make an afternoon of it. Then, after the kids go to bed and the mess is all cleaned up, go ahead and treat yourself to a nice long bath or a glass of wine. Or both!

Natural Fingerpaint Recipe

• 1 cup of cornstarch
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/3 cup of grated soap (choose your favorite plain organic bar soap)

1. Melt grated soap flakes into a half cup of boiling water.
2. Add cornstarch.
3. Blend well and put aside. Allow mixture to thicken.
4. Divide into small containers and add coloring.

Natural colorings can be derived from the juice of frozen berries, beet juice, tea, onion skins (boiled) or other natural sources. You can store your fingerpaints in the refrigerator. for about a week.

Thanks for the Tip: LovetoKnow.com

By Izzy, June 3, 2008  
Filed under: Kids, Learn, Preschooler, Tips

Use your consumer buying power to help shift the market away from making and selling PVC (polyvinyl chloride) products by learning how to identify them before buying them. Not only is PVC toxic on it’s own but it can also release dangerous phthalates when chewed on by children (think rubber duckies and teething toys) and has also been found to frequently contain lead. Thankfully, there are alternatives to PVC. Regarding packaging, one way to determine if it is made from PVC is to look for the number “3” inside or the letter “V” underneath the universal recycling symbol. In addition, soft flexible plastic products that are made with PVC often have a distinct chemical-type odor (think new shower curtains and lunch boxes). If you suspect a product or packaging is made of PVC but you’re not sure, contact the product manufacturer or retailer where you purchased the product to ask them about the materials used and be sure to let them know your concerns about PVC.

Find It Here: Center for Health, Environment and Justice

By Cristina, May 18, 2008  
Filed under: Learn, Resources

The Mother Earth News website, a companion to the print version, is a great resource for tips on DIY projects, renewable energy, organic gardening, sustainable farming and more. In the Fresh Content Daily section, there is always something new to read. Curious about how and when to plant potatoes or what is the best organic milk? You’ll find it there. You can also browse through the most popular articles, diverse blogs, even the current issue of Mother Earth News. Also handy is the 38-year archive completely available on-line which features an archived article every day on the main site.

Find It Here: Mother Earth News

By Kris, May 9, 2008  
Filed under: Gardening, Learn, Organic, Read, Resources, Tips

Though I love fruits and vegetables now, I’m pretty sure I didn’t eat a single vegetable when I was a kid without some sort of protest. Maybe if my parents had been able to send me to bed in New Jammies, I would have started enjoying my vegetables a lot sooner. Made of super soft 100% organic cotton, New Jammies fruit and vegetable print pajamas for kids and babies feature brightly colored images of bananas, blueberries, carrots, peas, tangerines and apples along with cute little phrases like “Apple of My Eye” and “Pretty Peas Please.” The icing on the cake carrots is the little book that comes with every pair. Filled with pictures of happy produce, counting games, rhymes and a short story, it really does make fruits and vegetables look fun; like something kids would enjoy instead of something yucky their parents insist they eat — and take it from a former world-class vegetable hater, getting little ones on the path to healthy eating in a positive way is half the battle in the veggie wars.

Find It Here: New Jammies

Congrats to Emily H., winner of a New Jammies pajama set!

By Izzy, May 5, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Kids, Learn, Organic, Toddler, Wear, Win

What month is it? What is the freshest produce available this month? Field To Plate offers seasonal guides to help you navigate the world of produce from the supermarket to your kitchen. A wide array of guides are available including The Produce Partner, The Berry Wheel, and Seasonal Produce Magnets. All guides are aimed to help you pick and prepare the freshest fruits and vegetables and eat in-season, which is always greenest option. By choosing the freshest produce grown by American farmers you are supporting their “growing craft.” Field To Plate is a food education company where the mission is to move food learning from ordinary to extraodinary because, in the words of famed chef Alice Waters — “Knowing where your food comes from can change your life.”

Find It Here: Field to Plate

By Sarah, May 4, 2008  
Filed under: Eat, Learn

If you’re serious about changing your lifestyle for the health of the planet but don’t know where to start, check out The Environmental Impact Calculator at Low Impact Living. In just a few minutes you can find out your carbon footprint along with how much energy and water your house uses and how much trash you produce. During the process you will start to feel the impact you’re leaving, but don’t worry — this calculator will also recommend projects specific to your home that will help you reduce your impact factor and save money, too. This is not your accountant’s boring old calculator!

Find It Here: Environmental Impact Calculator

By Sarah, April 30, 2008  
Filed under: Learn, Resources

Have you been to Unscrew America yet? It’s this amazingly interactive web site for a national campaign run by Lesley Chilcott, producer of An Inconvenient Truth, to encourage the switch from incandescent light bulbs to more energy-efficient ones like CFLs and LEDs. I know, I know. Light bulbs are kind of um, not real exciting, so how could this site be soooo amazing? Just take my word for it — this web site is way super cool and it has this happy, peppy little soundtrack that totally embeds itself in your brain. In a good way. You have to see it. (Hint: Pull the lever!)

Find It Here: Unscrew America

By Izzy, April 26, 2008  
Filed under: Learn, Watch

If I had limitless free time, I think I would spend at least a third of it in my favorite natural foods store - Whole Foods. I could easily spend hours perusing their aisles. So when I heard that Whole Foods has started a free podcast series that’s all about natural body care, I thought “Cool! Sign me up!” The Be Good to Your Whole Body podcast features experts who discuss topics like healing herbs, natural personal care, and homeopathic remedies for colds and flus. Their latest podcast focuses on natural approaches to dealing with allergies, a very timely topic now that Spring has sprung. Each podcast is under 10 minutes long, which is the perfect amount of information for busy parents looking for some quick and helpful tips from experts in natural health. So do your body a favor and check it out!

Find It Here: Be Good To Your Whole Body Podcast

By Cristina, April 14, 2008  
Filed under: Learn, Watch