As parents, we spend a lot of time trying to keep them safe. Who could have imagined that harmless toys would have ever presented a threat to the health and well being of our children? The North American scare over lead paint and imported children's toys and the new awareness about standards of production (or the lack thereof in foreign countries) was enough to start a revolution. Demand is consistently growing for eco... read more
My son is almost 2 and a half, and I am having a blast putting his Easter basket together. It's easy to fall into the trap of getting lots of cheap candy, plastic goodies from CVS, and stuffing the basket with Easter grass, but there are many tips for making an Easter basket just a little bit greener:
1. Skip the Peeps and find some sustainable alternatives. Grocery stores like Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's have lots of cute and festive candy - some organic, some fair tade - that work as a delicious addition to an Easter basket.
2. Forget about Easter grass. You don't need it! We usually just skip it entirely, but some alternatives are shredded newspaper or some green yarn.... read more
One of my favorite wintertime treats are clementines. The sweet satisfaction of eating candy with the nutrition of oranges. YUM!
Clementines often come in wooden crates. I hate to just throw out a nice wooden crate...it seems so wasteful, especially considering how many ways you can upcycle clementine crates! Make sure to remove any staples from the boxes, especially if your children are going to be using them. ... read more
Less than three weeks 'til Thanksgiving! If you're having Thanksgiving right now, you might be thinking about ways to make your Thanksgiving dinner a little greener.
Look into getting a local free range turkey. You may need to order one in advance, so start making calls now! Lower your Thanksgiving's carbon footprint, support small farms, and buy one that was humanely raised. (Skipping the turkey is the most eco-friendly option, but for big family get togethers, it's not terribly realistic)
Make as much at home as possible. Things like cranberry sauce often come in cans, creating more waste. Find some fresh cranberries and make your own sauce. (And if you're near cranberry bogs, get some yummy local ones!)
Use up the whole turkey. My husband loves those giblets, but I can't stomach them. You can always use them to cook things like gravy. As for the bones and stuff, consider making some soup the following day. My husband is half Chinese, so his tradition is to make jook (Chinese porridge) the next day with the turkey carcass. Check out this recipe.
Would you be shocked to hear that the greenest ways of getting your kids to school are also the safest ways? Chances are that many parents either use public transport or use a car to transport their kids to and from school. Getting your children to school safely on time everyday should be your first priority, but if you reply on transport which accounts for the second-biggest release of greenhouses gases you might be causing necessary damage to the environment.
The simple fact is that walking, biking, skateboarding or scooting to school every day will help you’re your child’s development. Obesity around the world is on the rise and if your children’s health can benefit from being more eco-friendly then why isn’t every parent that can do it not doing it?
One of the biggest influencers in the school transport system is the time management. Most parents do not have the time to create a healthy lunch for your child and have the time to walk to school before they start work. Parents should consider walking at least once a week if the feel that their job and lifestyle is applies unnecessary stress to do it every day.... read more
Deciding to live a green lifestyle is easy for adults – you make the decision and then you execute it. But when you add kids into the mix you can quickly find yourself becoming a broken record of, “Turn off that light!” and “Do NOT throw that paper into the trashcan!” Kids, especially young ones, don’t quite grasp the necessity of living an eco-friendly lifestyle, and can have a hard time understanding why they can’t just throw away things in the trashcan like normal and instead have to take the time to evaluate what it is they’re throwing away. Instead of spending your time yelling at them to do things differently, try these five tactics for getting kids to be more eco-friendly:
1. Make it easier. Instead of having a trashcan in the kitchen and keeping recycling bins in the garage, make it easier for kids by keeping recycling bins in the house. Consider buying a trashcan that has two compartments – one for trash and one for recyclables. Keep two small trashcans in bathrooms and bedrooms so that kids can put trash in one and paper products in the other. When it’s out in the open it’s much easier to remember to separate trash then it is when they have to walk out to the garage to toss recycling items into their appropriate bins. ... read more
Hey kids! Want to tell the world about the things you do to save energy, money, and protect the climate? Here's your opportunity!
Kids who submit an essay about saving energy to the Share Your Story ENERGY STAR page and click on the "DoSomething Team ENERGY STAR Challenge" immediately become eligible for a number of prizes, such as:
· The new Lorax DVD, which will go to the first 100 kids to submit essays
· 25 winners will receive ENERGY STAR qualified electronics products donated by LG Electronics, including computer monitors and televisions, smart phones, and mouse scanners
· Top winners will also be featured in New York's Times Square on the LG billboard.
· Some winners may have a chance to participate in ENERGY STAR Day in October with EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.... read more
Do you or your kids want the opportunity to be a part of something BIG? If you live in the Bay Area, here's their chance!
Be the Street, a non-profit organization dedicated to keeping the Bay Area clean and safe is offering an opportunity for youth to make a difference in the world by participating in an anti-litter campaign. ... read more
Say good-bye to brown-bagged lunches, Ziplocs, and other single-use lunchtime products and get on board with the Litter-Free Lunch Kit! The Litter-Free Lunch Kit contains an insulated lunch box, a beverage container, and 4 snack/sandwich containers. Your kid can go back to school KEEN and GREEN by winning this fantastic lunch kit.
3) Comment on New Wave Enviro's FB page telling them what your favorite product is on their website. Go to New Wave Enviro's website to see their products.
4) Email [email protected] to let us know that you've become a fan of both and commented on New Wave's FB page. ... read more
It's hard to think about this while still in summer mode, but yes, it is that time of year...it's time to get ready to go back to school.
How can you buy school supplies for your kids in the greenest way possible?
1) Avoid backpacks made of (PVC) vinyl. Vinyl has lots of toxins and chemicals. It is also has dioxins, which the EPA says is a leading cancer-causing agent. Soft vinyl sometimes has di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, which the U.S. National Toxicology Program has identified as a carcinogenic compound. Seek backpacks made of cotton, canvas, or even hemp or bamboo!
2) Buy a reusable lunchbox or bag instead of having your kids use paper lunch bags. Again, avoid PVC. We like this Litter-Free Lunch Kit.
As parents, we spend a lot of time trying to keep them safe. Who could have imagined that harmless toys would have ever presented a threat to the health and well being of our children? The North American scare over lead paint and imported children's toys and the new awareness about standards of production (or the lack thereof in foreign countries) was enough to start a revolution. Demand is consistently growing for eco
Would you be shocked to hear that the greenest ways of getting your kids to school are also the safest ways? Chances are that many parents either use public transport or use a car to transport their kids to and from school. Getting your children to school safely on time everyday should be your first priority, but if you reply on transport which accounts for the second-biggest release of greenhouses gases you might be causing necessary damage to the environment.
Deciding to live a green lifestyle is easy for adults – you make the decision and then you execute it. But when you add kids into the mix you can quickly find yourself becoming a broken record of, “Turn off that light!” and “Do NOT throw that paper into the trashcan!” Kids, especially young ones, don’t quite grasp the necessity of living an eco-friendly lifestyle, and can have a hard time understanding why they can’t just throw away things in the trashcan like normal and instead have to take the time to evaluate what it is they’re throwing away. Instead of spending your time yelling at them to do things differently, try these five tactics for getting kids to be more eco-friendly:
Do you or your kids want the opportunity to be a part of something BIG? If you live in the Bay Area, here's their chance! 
