now that's a wrap

A good friend from my Toronto days recently put me onto a little on-line shop north of the border. Thankfully, they ship to the U.S. as I have fallen for a couple of items. (Ok, yes this isn't shopping local, but I am Canadian afterall...) Honeybunch bills itself as "original + beautiful + useful things for kids". Say no more.

I am especially into this environmentally savvy gift wrap. Don't you love the idea of sewing your gift's packaging into something else instead of throwing it into the trash?


photo via Honeybunch

And how about some fun melamine instead of paper plates at your next party?

Owner Nicole Morrell prides herself of stocking items with a vintage pedigree; made by talented craftspeople; and from other "mompreneurs". You can also check out her lovely blog where her flair for good finds and her life as a mum combine.

I'm not a plastic bag

Tracy and I started this blog to share simple green ideas with each other and ultimately you. One of the easiest green ideas for me to get my head around and actually accomplish is giving up plastic bags. You can pick your statistic but we use a lot of plastic bags. Americans alone use 100 billion each year and when you consider they take nearly 1000 years to break down it becomes unconscionable not to give them up, especially when there are so many fab alternatives out there.

After the craziness surrounding the launch of I'm Not A Plastic Bag in the UK, Anya Hindmarch will be launching a limited edition blue version of the bag in the US on June 20th. At $15 a pop why not try and get one? Good luck.

Reusablebags.com has a wide selection, or you can just pick one up a couple in store next time you do you grocery shop. I’ve seen them at both Wholefoods and Trader Joes.



I've accumulated a lot of various canvas bags from conferences over the years. I keep them in the trunk of my car and use them for grocery shopping. Where I have a harder time is when I'm clothes shopping or at somewhere like Target. For these occasions I've made myself a fabric tote to roll up and have in my handbag so it's always with me.

Pixel-ated!

I have been searching for gifts for the many new babies that seem to be arriving this summer and came across Pixel Organics, cute, organic bedding for babes and kids! (The idea of a babe dreaming on an organic mattress snuggled in organic cotton is such a comforting one to me.)

Love their manifesto and the fact that they use an enviromentally friendly low-impact printing process (and the prints, especially the lions, tigers, and kitties... ohmy!) and that they are sustainably made in the USA. And a local business to boot! Hooray!

Other resources for eco-conscious nurseries and kids' rooms:
an interview with Amanda Moore at House & Garden
a new line of organic bedding for wees from Amenity Home coming next month (another l.a. company)
a post from a fave source, The Worsted Witch, over at ehow.com

Summertime Sun

I am in constant flux over the use of sunscreen on my babes. We spend a lot of time outdoors, and living in Southern California I am very aware of the importance of skin protection, but at the same time wonder about the long-term affect of all those chemicals found in sunscreen being absorbed through their skin. Skindeep, a "cosmetics and personal care safety guide", and touchstone when i am considering such things, reports that the most popular kids' sunscreen I know, can also lead to serious health concerns.

In our search for balance, we opt to use a chemical and fragrance free, mineral based sunscreen,such as this, with UVA and UVB broad-spectrum reflective protection through a physical barrier rather than a chemical one. We always (well at least we always try) to send them out with a good, wide-brimmed, or "flapped" hat, and we look for clothing that is cool, comfortable, but also provides another level of SPF protection. (While i am not sure about the enviro-sensitivity of the fibers used in sun-protective clothing, again, for me, it is all about balance...)



The pool is open!

A Greener Delivery

I love this tip over at TreeHugger. When you order something online include a note to reduce waste that goes something like this...

As a sometime Etsy seller I'm also mindful of how I package the goods I send out. Jiffylite® Mailers are the best I have come up with so far for the envelope. For the packing I found some vintage thread and a roll of paper from a local antique mall. I don't use tape so the buyer can reuse the paper if they choose to.

Klean Kanteen

Skip the plastic and expense and BYOW (water that is) in a stainless steel Klean Kanteen. They even have a sippy for the kids.

$23.95 (40oz) at Klean Kanteen