What: Wrap-n-Mat

Features: A reusable sandwich wrap and a place mat, all in one—the Wrap-n-Mat is perfect for meals on the go. It’s easy to clean; simply hand wash and hang to dry. (Tip: Get two so you can use one while the other is drying).

Green Factor: The lining is made with a low-density polyethylene, which is free of phthalates, lead and BPA. It’s estimated that every school day, 20,000,000 plastic baggies are used and discarded—Wrap-n-Mats are a great alternative to disposable plastic packaging!

Bonus: Available in regular and large sizes. Check out the web site for colors, patterns and other reusable products

Find It Here: Wrap-n-Mat

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By Katherine, September 1, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: BPA-free, Eat, Kids, Made in USA
Tags: BPA-free, food, green, Lead-Free, lunches, plastic bags, reusable, Wrap-n-Mat
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What: Nimble Nester Stacking Arches

Features: From Little Sapling Toys, a lovely set of stacking arches that are simple in appearance, yet perfect for young, developing minds. Kids can hone their balancing, fine motor and pattern-making skills with this timeless wooden set that can be passed on for generations because hello? NOT made from junky plastic.

Green Factor: Made out of maple, cherry and walnut; the arches are finished with a light beeswax and organic jojoba oil.

Bonus: For every toy sold, Little Sapling Toys plants a tree.

Find It Here: Little Sapling Toys

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By Katherine, August 25, 2010  •  2 Comments  
Filed under: Kids, Made in USA, Play, Preschooler, Toddler, Toys
Tags: developmental toys, etsy, Little Sapling Toys, natural toys, Nimble Nester Stacking Arches, non-plastic toys, non-toxic toys, Organic, wooden toys
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What: Staple-free stapler

Features: This ingenious little tool stitches (up to five) pieces of paper together, eliminating the need for staples on packets containing five or less sheets. It’s cute, safe for smaller hands and it means that the days of having to pick staples out of page corners before recycling (or shredding) are over!

Green Factor: The staple-free stapler never needs to be refilled, makes paper recycling a bit easier.

Bonus: Greenraising offers eco-friendly fundraising items–check out their website for more information.

Find It Here: Greenraising

This Week’s Giveaway: LunchBots for Waste-Free Lunches

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• Funky Countertop Drying Rack
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By Katherine, August 23, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: Kids, Office, Sustainable
Tags: back to school, Greenraising, staple-free stapler
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What: Chopstick basket

Features: It’s a folding basket made entirely of recycled wooden chopsticks! After being thoroughly sanitized and dyed with tea, the chopsticks are fashioned in to a stylish little basket that folds almost completely flat when not in use.

Green Factor:  After spending several years in China, American designer Brian Parks saw the waste, as well as the potential, of single-use wooden chopsticks and put them to good use instead of in the trash.

Bonus: 10% of the sales from this item are donated to the Chesapeake Climate Action Network

Find It Here: Eco-artaware.com

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By Katherine, August 11, 2010  •  1 Comment  
Filed under: Gift, Home, Kitchen, Recycle, Reduce/Reuse
Tags: China, recycled chopsticks, wooden chopsticks
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What: Tie Tote from Rebagz

Features: Rebagz produces one-of-a-kind handbags, totes, backpacks, wrist wallets and more that range from fun and funky to sleek and glamorous.

Green Factor: Each bag is hand-woven using recycled juice packs and rice sacks, which means they’re all completely unique.

Bonus:  All of Rebagz’s products are made using recycled materials, under fair labor conditions. As well as donating proceeds from their Statement Makers line to various organizations, they also give $1 from every order to Global Exchange.

Find It Here: Rebagz

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By Katherine, July 20, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: Fair Trade, Gift, Mama, Recycle, Reduce/Reuse, Sustainable
Tags: backpacks, handbags, juice packs, Rebagz, Recycle, rice sack bags, totes
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What: Bamboo Veneerwear  by Bambu

Features: Available in sets of eight, these single-use plates come in three sizes (appetizer, salad and dinner plate) and are far sturdier (and more attractive!) than their disposable counterparts

Green Factor: While simply washing regular plates is the greenest option, if you require something disposable or less fragile, Veneerwear plates are made of 100% organically grown bamboo, peeled right from the stalk. They’re also compostable, biodegrading within four to six months, and FDA approved food-safe

Bonus: Veneerware was named Best Product Design by Fortune Magazine in 2004!

Find It Here: re:modern

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By Katherine, July 14, 2010  •  1 Comment  
Filed under: Bamboo, Biodegradable, Eat, Home, Kitchenware, Organic
Tags: Bamboo, disposable plates, Fortune Magazine, plates, Veneerware
Please see our Disclaimer regarding the content on this site.

What: Coconut Palm Bowls

Features: These brightly colored coconut shell bowls are absolutely delicious! Once the coconut meat and milk is harvested, the shells are cleaned, polished and coated with a food-safe lacquer. Each bowl is uniquely shaped; sets of four come in Mango, Cayenne, Basil Green and Spearmint Blue

Green Factor: Turning coconut shells from by-product waste to pretty dinnerware is a brilliant way to use what would otherwise be sent to the landfill

Bonus: These babies come from a totally renewable, sustainable resource and would make a fabulous wedding gift for your fave green couple!

Find It Here: re:modern

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By Katherine, July 3, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: Biodegradable, Gift, Home, Kitchenware, Recycle, Reduce/Reuse, Style
Tags: coconut bowls, sustainable dinnerware
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What: WrapWrap

Features: Finally, a solution for the annoying, yet necessary, cables that come with our beloved gadgets. Use the WrapWrap to keep wires from cell phone and iPod chargers, headphones and small USB cables discreetly contained.

Green Factor: This ingenious little device was created out of salvaged wood scraps from furniture manufacturers. Available in walnut and oak finish.

Bonus: Want to buy a WrapWrap as a gift? Have it delivered to you, already gift-wrapped, for an extra buck!

Find It Here: Merchant_4

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By Katherine, June 28, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: Gadgets, Home, Recycle, Tech
Tags: ipod, Merchant4, wires, WrapWrap
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There was a part of me that was afraid to read this book.

I totally wanted to read it, but I was nervous because I knew that I’d probably read things that would freak me out. I was right—much of the facts and statistics in it are disturbing—but Slow Death by Rubber Duck is a highly interesting and informative read. In it, Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie, two of Canada’s top environmentalists, target a handful of common toxic substances and detail the effects on both their own health and the environment. Read the rest of this entry »

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By Katherine, June 25, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: Home, Kids, Learn, Read, Resources
Tags: BPA, environment, phthalates, plastic, rubber duck, Slow Death by Rubber Duck, toxins
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What: Best Buy’s electronic recycling program

Features: Did you know that Best Buy will take pretty much any electronic item off of your hands for recycling? From cell phones and video game consoles to big screen TVs, Best Buy will accept it. The web site offers program variations for each state, as well as information on how to dispose of the few items the program doesn’t accept. All US stores, (and stores in Puerto Rico, too!) run the program.

Green Factor:  Last year, Best Buy repaired, refurbished or recycled over 60 million pounds of old electronics. Recycling electronics helps keep toxic waste out of our landfills and water supply.

Bonus: Best Buy has several recycling programs in place as well as an informative FAQ page on their electronics recycling program. Check their web site for information,

Find It Here: Best Buy

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By Katherine, June 21, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: Action Alerts, Do Good, Gadgets, Recycle, Resources, Tips
Tags: Best Buy, electronics, recycling, refurbished
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What: Nature Babycare disposable diapers

Features: Earth friendly, award winning, high performance disposable diapers.

Green Factor: Nature Babycare diapers are made from chlorine-free absorbent materials and they contain no plastic, latex, fragrance or TBT (tributyl tin). They feature a 100% natural, biodegradable back sheet and come packaged in 100% compostable consumer packaging. The top seller on the ‘green diaper’ market, they’re competitively priced with conventional diapers.

Bonus: ecomom offers free shipping on orders of $75 and more within the US. Check their web site for details

Find It Here: ecomom

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By Katherine, June 16, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: Baby, Baby Shower Gift, Biodegradable, Diapering, Toddler
Tags: Biodegradable, disposable diapers, eco diapers, green diapers, nappies, Nature Babycare
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What: Little Bites Storage Jars

Features: Packing a lunch ain’t what it used to be—on top of providing a nutritional meal, today’s parents also have to make sure that what they’re packing those lunches in isn’t full of harmful toxins or chemicals. These brightly colored Little Bites storage jars from Kinderville are the perfect solution—you can pack them in lunches or stack them in your freezer, worry-free.

Green Factor: The containers (and their lids) are made from a high-grade silicone, making them freezer, microwave and dishwasher safe. Like the rest of Kinderville’s wares, they’re BPA, phthalate and lead-free and bacteria resistant, too.

Bonus: The price is right—a set of four is less than $20!

Find It Here: Kinderville on Amazon

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By Katherine, June 10, 2010  •  No Comments  
Filed under: BPA-free, Eat, Home, Kids, Kitchen, Kitchenware, Preschooler
Tags: BPA-free, BPA-free containers, containers, Kinderville, silicone, storage jars
Please see our Disclaimer regarding the content on this site.