Made by women at a co-operative in New Delhi, these cell phone cases are fashioned out of antique saris that would normally be burned for their gold and silver. Each beautiful case is intricately detailed and completely unique. They’re equipped with a strap that can be hooked on to your purse, backpack or belt for safe keeping and are traded fairly from India. Choose from three colors – green, brown and turquoise.

Buying one of these cell phone cases is something you can feel good about. The women who create them earn the money they desperately need to raise their families and The Rainforest Site will preserve 1145.0 sq. ft. of land for each one purchased. So for just $16, you’re not only getting a one-of-a-kind case for your cell phone, you’re saving the lungs of our planet and putting gorgeous antique saris to good use.

Find It Here: The Rainforest Site Store

Here in our household, we’re gearing up for back to school. My kids hit the hallowed halls this week and I’ll be back to packing lunches and blowing my children curb side kisses within a few days. My kids are excited for school to start and I’m looking forward to the year that’s awaiting them, but with one exception: the fundraising.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m all for raising money for the school, but over the last couple of years I’ve often wished there was a fundraising campaign out there for schools that was a bit greener. I mean, I want to raise money for my kids’ as much as the next mom, but does it have to be by selling plastic bags or wrapping paper?

Enter Koru, a fundraising platform that not only benefits schools and their communities, but the environment as well. Koru offers natural, organic products that are fair trade and non-toxic. Their goal? To lead by example to inspire the leaders of tomorrow. Seventy-five per cent of Koru’s products – which range from bracelets and cosmetics to spices, household items and pet toys – are $10 or less, and all of them are green. They’re original items, too – you won’t find boxes of chocolate bars or packs of Christmas cards in Koru’s catalogue. What you will find, though, are unique products that you can actually USE. And that? Is reason enough to suggest greener fundraising with companies like Koru at your next PTA meeting.

Find It Here: Koru Fundraising

More:  EcoLabel Fundraising, Ecobags Fundraising

When I buy Basmati rice, I get it in the big, ten-pound bags that are outfitted with handles, a zippered top and a colourful, festive elephant on the front. When I get home, I dump the rice in a reusable container and save the bag – they’re sturdy and durable, and they’re great for lugging groceries around in.

With that in mind, I love the thinking behind these factory-reject rice bags that have been re-fashioned into fun and funky laptop bags! The Child Health Site has seen the potential these awesome bags have to offer and have come up with a great way to stop the duds from winding up in a landfill somewhere. Why carry your computer around in a dull black bag like everyone else when you can have a bag that’s not only unique and stylish but recycled, as well?

Each bag is hand-held and has two zippered compartments and compared to other options that I’ve seen elsewhere, are reasonably priced at $22.95. They’re made and fairly traded in Thailand, and not only that—with each purchase, The Child Health Site donates 20 cents to The Bamboo Watch Ring, an organization that benefits children who are infected or affected by the HIV virus.

Find It Here: The Child Health Site

Let’s talk about clothes, specifically those of the canine variety. I’ve long thought that doggie attire was kind of ridiculous—there is nothing sillier, in my opinion, than the sight of Aunt Mabel’s preshus little Shih Tzu prancing around town in a little blue novelty sweater. I had to suck that opinion up last year, however, once I realized that my German Short Haired Pointer, Foxy, was going to need a sweater. With a coat as short as hers, it became apparent very quickly that she required some extra protection for walks during the winter months. I had no other choice but to tuck my tail between my legs and admit defeat as I walked out the pet store with a thick, fuzzy winter coat for Foxy.

Since then, I’ve changed my opinion about clothing for dogs, because let’s face it: some dogs truly need an extra layer (like Iggy, my in-laws’ beloved hairless rat dog Chinese Crested). But when nine million tons of clothing winds up in landfills on a yearly basis, I have a hard time with the idea of buying a  sweater for Fido when the chances are it’s going to become a part of that staggering statistic, too.

Enter Scutte (pronounced ’scoot’), a new pet clothing company based out of San Francisco. The brainchild of Kira Stackhouse, Scutte creates unique sweaters, shirts and sweatshirts for dogs from vintage human clothing. Kira even recycles the leftover fabric, turning scraps in to cat toys and other accessories for our four-legged friends.

In addition to all of the aforementioned eco-friendly greatness, a portion of each purchase from Scutte goes to Muttville, a local senior dog rescue organization. So a purchase from Scutte not only helps prevent landfill waste, it benefits a rescue organization, too. Bow WOW!

Find It Here: Scutte

On Our Blog: Food, Inc ~ The Truth About What We Eat

When I was a teenager, my mother bought a bumper sticker for our car adorned with a cartoon Earth; across from it was the phrase LOVE YOUR MOTHER in big green letters. I loved that sticker – I thought it was such a clever play on words; a neat way to get such an important message across. I haven’t thought about it in years, but I was reminded of it while poring over the Smiling Planet’s web site earlier this week.

The Smiling Planet is a new green company that makes, among other things, the cutest earth-aware plates and placemats for kids I’ve ever seen. Not only are their plates are made from 100% recycled material, they’re completely recyclable, too. They’re toxin-free, dishwasher safe, stackable and scratch-free, and did I mention they’re really cute? Because they totally are. (They’re also priced right, which, as far as I’m concerned, is a real bonus these days.)

It’s not just plates and placemats that are available – the Smiling Planet boasts posters, books, t-shirts and onesies for children that send earth-friendly messages and are printed with water-based inks. All of the Smiling Planet’s merchandise is compliant with the Consumer Product Safety Information Act (CPSIA), and it’s all made in sunny California. The Smiling Planet is dedicated to reducing their carbon footprint while celebrating the world and her diversity, and that certainly shows in their (blissfully licensed character-free) designs.

Find It Here: Smiling Planet

Tonight (Saturday, March 28, 8:30pm your time) Earth Hour 2009 takes  place. My lights will be off for an hour while I read a few books by flashlight to my kids and then send them off to the Land of Nod. Why will my lights be off for an hour? Because all the cool kids are doing it! Oh, and to show that I support action against global warming. A symbolic gesture that started two years ago with the World Wildlife Foundation in Australia, Earth Hour has grown into a worldwide event with more than 100 US cities and towns agreeing to darken some of the nation’s most famous skylines in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Around the world cities like Beijing, Berlin, Copenhagen, Dubai, Hong Kong, London, Mexico City, Moscow, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, Toronto and Sydney will also be participating in this popular once-a-year event. There are also Youtube, Flickr and Twitter activities going on so that you can show your green spirit in other fun ways. Will you be participating? I hope so :)

According to the Breast Cancer Fund’s Pure Prevention Campaign, only 1 and 10 women with breast cancer have a genetic history of the disease, and science increasingly points to radiation and harmful chemicals in our everyday environment as factors for the high rates of breast cancer. Yet some people are still not aware of the environmental links to this terrible disease. During the month of October, The Breast Cancer Fund is focusing its breast cancer awareness efforts on the importance of prevention by asking a simple question: What do chemicals (like those in some of our food, make-up and cleaning products) have to do with breast cancer? Visit the Pure Prevention Campaign to find the research behind this link and why prevention is so important. Then check out their 5 Tips for Prevention and help spread the word by sending an e-card to share simple, everyday prevention steps with your loved ones.

Take Action! Send a Breast Cancer Prevention E-Card

Then action you shall have — earth-loving, socially responsible, conservation-minded action! The Sierra Club, one of America’s foremost environmental organizations has an Action Center that will satisfy your activist urges and it’s fabulous organizational style will allow you to peruse and act on an amazing number of important issues. Bookmark this one, let your fingers do the walking and talking and then give yourself a pat on the back for being so awesome!

Find It Here: Sierra Club Action Center

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If you have school-aged kids, then you’ve probably already experienced the joy of THE FUNDRAISER. Wrapping paper, books, candy, cookie dough and holiday cards are just a few of the typical items sold via school fundraisers and while the money is generally for a good cause (what school doesn’t need more money???) wouldn’t it be awesome if the products sold were organic, fair trade and sustainably-produced so as to help the school and do good in the world? Of course it would and that’s why we’re so psyched about Equal Exchange’s school fundraising program. Their eco-friendly program offers coffee, tea, powdered cocoa, hot chocolate, chocolate bars, nuts, dried fruit and more and all fundraising materials are printed on 100% post-consumer waste paper. Equal Exchange is a win-win for schools, farmers and the planet. Who could say no to that?!

Find It Here: Equal Exchange

The Breast Cancer Fund needs your help to urge House members to include a ban on phthalates in toys in the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act. Phthalates make plastic toys soft and flexible, but when kids put them in their mouths, phthalates can leach from toy to child. And since phthalates have been linked to birth defects, early puberty (a risk factor for breast cancer) and testicular cancer, they have no place in our kids’ toys, as far as these green moms are concerned! If you don’t like the idea of phthalates in your kids’ toys either, then please write to the four members of the committee who are currently undecided or blocking the inclusion of the ban on phthalates in the CPSC Reform Act, and urge them to protect the health of America’s kids by voting yes on this amendment.

Take Action: Support the Ban on Phthalates in Kids’ Toys

Looking for the perfect Father’s Day gift? If your father (or husband) is a book-lover, then check out the Eco-Libris Green Books Guide for Father’s Day. If you haven’t heard about them yet, Eco-Libris is an awesome company that helps people (like you and I!) balance out the paper waste of the books that we buy by planting trees. For just $5, they will plant 5 trees for you and send you an Eco-Libris sticker that says “one tree was planted for this book” for the sleeve of each book. Given their commitment to sustainable reading, it is no wonder that Eco-Libris has come up with a great list of book recommendations for people looking to give a book this Father’s Day. Whether your dad (or huz) is a green novice or a green guru, whether he’s into green home renovations, green parenting, or even green business strategies, they’ve got a book recommendation for almost any dad.

Find It Here: Eco-Libris Green Books Guide for Father’s Day

Take Action: Get a Sticker/Plant a Tree!

Congratulations to Terrie B., winner of 20 Eco-Libris stickers - the equivalent of planting 20 trees! 

At Green Mom Finds, we believe that buying less, in tandem with making eco-conscious shopping decisions, is one way to move towards a greener planet. However, we also believe that advocating for changes in government and corporate policy is critical to gaining the large-scale changes we want to see in product safety and sustainability.

So in a break from our regularly scheduled programming, we bring you a few key actions around issues that we think are particularly important to parents and families. With only a few clicks of the mouse, you can make your opinion heard. Remember, parents are a huge constituency — our voice matters!

• Support Research on Hormone Disruptors! The Environmental Hormone Disruption Research Act would establish a comprehensive research program to better understand the impact of hormone-disrupting pollutants in the environment on the health of women and children. Ask your representative to co-sponsor this critical bill!

• Ban Phthalates from Toys! Phthalates have been linked to a number of serious health problems including birth defects, early puberty (a risk factor for breast cancer) and testicular cancer. So why are they still in our kids toys?? Send a message to Congress to join the European Union and 14 countries around the world to ban phthalates from toys.

• No More BPA in Baby Bottles! Let’s get the BPA out of baby bottles and children’s products once and for all! Moms Rising is trying to get 20,000 petition signatures to call on the CEOs of the leading manufacturers of baby bottles to stop the use of the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Sign the petition and send the message that we won’t stand for toxic chemicals in our children’s products!

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