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

Everyone in my household has sensitive skin to some degree and thus, I’m very picky about what kinds of soap I buy. The conventional deodorant soaps make my husband all itchy and both my kids will get little patches of eczema all over from anything that’s too harsh.

Aside from that, conventional soaps and body washes are typically heavily scented via phthalate-laden “fragrances” and contain a laundry list unpronounceable chemicals that have been linked to various health issues from cancer to hormone disruption to organ damage. You just don’t need all that junk to get clean. Read the rest of this entry »

What: A device that kills weeds

Features: Uses thermogenic heat to disrupt the weed’s normal function, causing it to shrivel up and die.

Green Factor: Uses NO herbicides or chemicals of any kind so your yard, gardens etc. remain blissfully untainted by toxic nastiness. This is safer for you, your children, your pets, wildlife, the groundwater and the overall environment. Also noteworthy, it’s a corded electric device so there are no noxious fumes or emissions.

Bonus: The temperature of the ceramic stone plateaus at a pre-defined set point of 400˚F so that it can safely be used around mulch and pine straw without the threat of instantaneous ignition or scorching.

Find It Here: CompostMania

I drink a billion glasses of water a day and live in a very humid climate but regardless, I’ve always had a tendency towards dry skin. That said, I have to depend on external things like lotions and oils to keep my skin looking not dry.

A long time ago, before I knew what baby oil was made from (mineral oil from petroleum—mmm sexy!—and synthetic phthalate-laden fragrance) I used it without a second thought but these days, I try to make more natural choices. I used to love Neutrogena’s sesame oil but again with the scent—it’s just not good to rub synthetic fragrances all over your body’s largest organ as it DOES get absorbed right into your system.

But alas, there are, thankfully, other options, one of which I use faithfully every day to keep from becoming too reptilian (full disclosure—I did receive a review sample of this product a while back). Nature’s Baby Organics makes an organic baby oil with nothing synthetic in it at all. It’s certified organic and comprised of olive oil, jojoba oil , tamanu oil and sunflower oil and naturally scented with mandarin orange and coconut oils. It’s thick and yummy and smells good enough to eat and believe me, if I had a baby, this is the oil I’d use on them, as opposed to that sketchy petroleum-derived stuff you’ll find in every baby products aisle in America.

Find It Here: Nature’s Baby Organics

What: Yoreganics

Features: The Yore Laundry Trio Sampler from Yoreganics consists of three all-natural, organic laundry products. First up are soap nuts – from the Soapberry tree, native to India and Nepal, the outer shells of the dried fruit berries create a natural soap when agitated in water. Paired with them are two organic stain-removal products – an organic spray to use on fresh stains, and a non-toxic powder, Brightens and Whitens, for marks that are harder to get out

Green Factor: Soap nuts are 100% natural – you won’t find chemicals or toxins in this kind of detergent. Brightens and Whitens is non-toxic, free of chlorine bleach, fragrances or phosphates and is environmentally safe; the stain remover spray is made with USDA certified organic materials.

Bonus: Yoreganics also has a line of bodycare items, as well – check the web site for the rest of their wares!

Find It Here: Yoreganics

Win It: We’ve partnered with Yoreganics to give away a prize package consisting of one Yore Laundry Trio Sampler (includes soap nuts, Brightens and Whitens, Stain Remover) and an organic Simplement flavored lip balm, an organic foaming soap and one organic silky shea facial bar to one lucky winner!

Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter YO05 as the giveaway name and tell us what product is pictured on the Yoreganics home page. Giveaway ends 05/28/10; $28 value. Open to US and Canadian residents. Official Rules

What: Surf Sweets organic gummy candy and jelly beans

Features: An all-natural, organic candy that provides 100% of your recommended daily Vitamin C intake and includes Fruity Bears, Gummy Bears & Worms, Gummy Swirls, Jelly Beans and more.

Green Factor: Surf Sweets candy is made with all-natural, organic ingredients and none of the bad stuff like trans fats, GMOs (genetically modified organisms), corn syrups, gluten and artificial colors and synthetic flavors.

Bonus: Surf Sweets are USDA certified organic, made in the USA and three products (Fruity Bears, Gummy Swirls, and Sour Worms) are vegan. Their candy is produced in a facility free of wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, nuts, fish, and shellfish.

Find It Here: Surf Sweets

Win It: We’ve partnered with Surf Sweets to give away a variety pack of Surf Sweets candy AND a Surf Sweets t-shirt to one lucky winner!

Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter SS05 as the giveaway name and tell us how many packages of Surf Sweet candy are pictured on the home page. Giveaway ends 05/19/10; $25 value. Open to US residents only. Official Rules Giveaway has ended.

What: SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue!

Features: Aviva Goldfarb’s new cookbook, SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue!, is packed with ideas for preparing meals for busy families, as well as ways to eat with the environment in mind. Aviva dishes up tips on efficient meal planning, buying in bulk and freezing/storing meals. Also helpful are suggestions for weekly plans and shopping lists that will make the most of your grocery trips.

Green Factor: Teaches readers how to lessen their environmental footprint by eating seasonally, cutting out waste, knowing when to buy organic and by moving toward a slightly more vegetarian menu.

Bonus: Subscribe to The Scramble to receive weekly menu plans, newsletters and nutritional information. Create your own Recipe Box, search the database to customize your weekly dinner plan and organize your meals, all in one place!

Find It Here: The Six O’Clock Scramble

Win It: We’ve partnered with The Six O’Clock Scramble to give away a copy of SOS! The Six O’Clock Scramble to the Rescue! PLUS a three-month subscription to The Scramble!

Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter SS04 as the giveaway name and tell us what magazine is giving the cookbook rave reviews. Giveaway ends 05/04/10; $37 value. Open to US & Canadian residents only. Official Rules. Giveaway has ended.

On our Blog: The Pollution INSIDE Your Home

Children’s developing bodies are especially vulnerable to toxins found in our food and environment. Switching to organic food has an immediate effect on the body. Within 36 hours, pesticides may no longer be detected in a child’s urine.

Pesticide Exposure Has Been Shown to:

• cause low birth weight and birth defects;
• interfere with child development and cognitive ability;
• cause neurological problems;
• disrupt hormone function;
• cause a variety of cancers, including leukemia, kidney cancer, brain cancer, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Read the rest of this entry »

What: Naturally Better

Features: From “The World of Beatrix Potter” comes Naturally Better, a line of products that are better for people and planet.

Green Factor: The timeless children’s classic The Tale of Peter Rabbit is back, printed in vegetable-based inks and sporting a fresh new cover design! Peter Rabbit™ Organic Spring Garden Baby Care Products are made of naturally derived and certified organic ingredients, making them perfect for infants, children and adults with sensitive skin. And for the wee ones, Rattle Sticks are phthalate-free, made of certified organic cotton and packaged in PVC-free materials

Bonus: A line of award-winning, organic, reasonably-priced baby care products? It doesn’t get much better than that!

Find It Here: Peter Rabbit Official Store

Win It: We’ve partnered with Penguin Young Reader’s Club to give away a great prize package: a copy of the newly designed classic, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, a bottle each of Organic Spring Garden Baby Shampoo and Lotion and one Peter Rabbit Rattle Stick! Click here to fill out our simple entry form. Just enter PR04 as the giveaway name and identify two of the ‘Main Characters’ listed on the web site. Giveaway ends 04/28/10; $37 value. Open to US residents only. Official Rules. Giveaway has ended.

Also Check Out: Win PicPocket iPhone Books for Kids

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What: YummyEarth Candy

Features: Gummy bears and sour gummy worms

Green Factor:  YummyEarth are the only gummies that are 100% USDA certified organic. YummyEarth candy is handcrafted with real fruit extracts, and contains no chemical colors, artificial flavors or corn syrup.

Bonus: In addition to being really super tasty (I’ve tasted the gummy bears), YummyEarth gummies are also gluten, peanut and tree nut-free and the lollipops and candy drops are kosher parve, as well.

Find It Here: Amazon.com

On Our Blog: Greener Organizing

What: VidaAire Lemongrass Sanitizer and Air Purifier

Features: Odor neutralizer and sanitizer made from natural essential oils. Can be used virtually anywhere to sanitize any surface because it leaves no residue. Lemongrass oil is a natural disinfectant and the essential oils in VidaAire have been clinically proven to help alleviate stress and anxiety and elevate mood.

Green Factor: Non-ozone depleting, non-toxic, organic, safe for people with allergies to harsh chemicals.

Bonus: VidaAire smells lemony fresh and clean naturally.

What: Dandelion Organic Teething Blanket

Features: The bear on this blanket has knotted appendages and wiggly ears for infants to touch, feel and teethe on; the soft material makes it the perfect bedtime companion (or anytime lovey!)

Green Factor: Made with the good stuff (100% certified organic cotton and natural dyes), not the bad stuff (pesticides and chemicals). Packaged in recycled materials.

Bonus: Baby Green Sprout only chooses products from companies that employ fair-trade and sweatshop-free standards.

Find It Here: Baby Green Sprout