Natural Baby Basics

This has been and continues to be a massive search. This hunt for natural, organic, green baby gear is seemingly endless. There are some companies that offer natural and organic products for babies, yet many of these are expensive. Deciding to go organic in the following three areas will ensure you are not spending too much on purchasing organic products for all of your baby's needs.

When it comes to you newborn baby, keep in mind that she does not do much more than eat, sleep and poop. Therefore, there is no need to surround your baby or your home with a lot of "stuff." This is the first step to raising your baby more naturally. Keep it simple, minimize your purchases, and focus on quality time with your baby as the most naturally beneficial way to raise your baby.

For organic baby feeding, the most natural way to go is of course breastfeeding. Not only is this the healthiest food for your newborn, this is also free! For some mothers breastfeeding may not be an option, which means finding a healthy formula. In looking for a natural formula for your baby, keep an eye out for ingredients to avoid such as soy, fructose, maltodextrin, and other chemical names such as BHT. The healthier options will contain milk protein and organic brown rice syrup rather than soy and corn syrup. Be sure to avoid plastic bottles made with BPA as well.

To take care of the sleep needs for your baby, an organic mattress is best to ensure that she is not exposed to lead, chlorine or other harmful chemicals often found in the plastic covering and interior stuffing of a non-organic mattress. A GOTS certified mattress makes it easier to know that you are purchasing a healthy option for your child. In addition, organic cotton sheets made with non-toxic dyes will help to keep your baby breathing in clean air in the place she will spend most of her time. Since this is the one place that your baby will be exposed to the most, put your money saved from buying countless unnecessary toys toward a good organic crib mattress.

In looking for a natural organic wood crib and rocking chair, also helpful for sleeping and feeding needs, most are incredibly pricey. Thus, the best option is to at least find a crib that is made from wood without added sprays or chemicals.

The last category is one of the most important because your baby will be going through countless diapers. The first, and most economical option for going green in this area is to use cloth diapers. There are people who have run the numbers and feel that the use of water to wash all the diapers ends up in just as much cost to the environment as tossing diapers into landfills. Whether you choose to go cloth or traditional disposable diapers, the aim here is to be sure that the material does not have any chemicals or chlorine in it. Your baby's skin is snug up against her diapers all day long, so opting for diapers with no bleach or other toxic chemicals will result in a much healthier experience for your little one. Keep this in mind for your baby wipes as well to be sure to avoid chemicals in those.

Going green for your baby can mean focusing on purchasing only those organic and healthy products in the areas of eating, sleeping and pooping. Baby gear, such as a car seat, stroller, activity gym and swing/bouncer are the next items for research. Until that article, begin to stock up on the basics and remember that the most naturally healthy baby need is her parents' arms.

Going Green Back To School

We see children each and every Fall hunched over wearing backpacks larger than they are. We hear them worry that they won't have the clothes the popular kids are wearing. And, we wonder why teachers demand such a long list of school supplies. This school year can be different when we put our green caps on and brainstorm how to simplify and help the environment at the same time.

Those large backpacks are not necessary if children don't have so many school supplies to lug back and forth each day. One way to decrease supplies is to have one binder for notes for all of your child's subjects. Or, a larger notebook with three or five dividers can do the trick. Aurora Binders are totally recycled and recyclable and available at Sam's Club for $6.00. There is no need for your child to carry five binders or large notebooks back and forth each day. In addition to saving trees and your child's posture, you will save money by purchasing only one binder or notebook instead of five or more. If your have several children this can result in an even larger savings.

Envirosax, EcoGear, ebags.com, and other companies are investing more and becoming more successful in selling their all organic, non-toxic dyed bags and backpacks for kids. If your child takes good care of these bags she can use them for several years which will warrant the cost ranging from $25 to $60. If not, then, find a few neighbors whose children are about to graduate from school and ask if you might be able to buy their backpack for a fraction of the cost. Freecycle and Craigslist are great options for finding good items for less, of course exercising caution in how and who you buy from.

Clothing can be quite a difficult issue, especially as children get older and become more interested in their appearance and popularity. This is always a good opportunity not only to teach children about the environment and ideas such as reuse and recycle, but also about core self-esteem and self image. Consignment shops and neighborhood clothing swaps offer the best option for reusing and recycling good clothing for less. Be careful to look at the clothing to see if it is made of organic cotton and non-toxic dyes. New organic clothing can still be quite expensive, but more and more consignment shops are setting aside organic clothing sections to make finding these clothes easier. If you already belong to a local parenting group of like-minded tree-huggers such as the Holistic Moms Network, then swapping organic clothing will be much easier. Hopefully your children will enjoy the various clothing options offered to them and will be proud that they are helping the environment too.

Start this school year off with ease, simplicity, less pull on your pocketbook and more love for the environment. Just think, the money saved can be tucked away into a savings account for your children's college in the future, and Earth will still be beautiful by the time your children are ready to go to college!

Green Summer Vacation Ideas!

This summer brings a plethora of all natural vacation choices. Just when you thought life would be challenging once your children got out of school, it became much easier with this easy guide to fun and green vacations.

First, there is the beloved, ever so simple staycation. By staying at home you save the planet a plane trip or two which helps improve air quality. Your time is quality as well because it is put toward sharing activities together rather than running through airports, waiting in line, packing and unpacking, and getting cranky about all of the logistics. A staycation is also a huge money saver as long as you keep it planned and organized.

Some staycation activities that are great for the environment include a walk to your local park to picnic and play games such as frisbee. Your local farms welcome curious children for tours, and your backyard can be the start of your own mini-farm with some care and tending during your staycation. Don’t forget the homemade, organic meals and snacks you can make with your children simply because you will finally have the time to do so. If your children enjoy sewing, try tackling a project such as a new shirt or dress for the new school year, or a family quilt.

Second, to get the most out of your get up and go, head out to the wilderness for a camping adventure. Be sure to bring a sunscreen that is free of chemicals such as Badger sunscreen, and use Herbal Armor or another similar all-natural chemical free bug repellent. The greenest way to camp is to be sure that you leave no trace, meaning that you do not leave any trash behind. Camping is a great way to foster a love of nature and respect to the environment.

Lastly, ecotourism is a new and booming industry for good reason. Now, you can connect with like-minded people in some of the most eco-friendly and environmentally progressive areas. Imagine staying at a cottage at the US Virgin Islands campground where you will live a simple and green life on the shores. Or, getting a tour of the indigenous people and then the geothermal energy plants in Scandinavia. Check out International Ecotourism Society for more information and a full range of destination ideas.

Whether you stay at home, trek off to the mountains, or head out to another country, do it with green in mind and feel a sense of pride after this summer vacation!

A Green Father's Day!

Father’s Day is just about here, which means another chance to really share our love and gratitude with our dads and granddads. Luckily, our fathers are mostly already leading quite natural lives, from grilling outdoors to playing golf to enjoying other outdoor activities. It is simple to just add to these green activities with some quality time and gifts.

As far as gifts for basics go, did you know that you can find solar powered chargers for laptops, smartphones and other gadgets your dad uses? Also, solar powered razors have hit the scene and will add to the greening of your dad’s morning routine.

For all of his activities, your father needs a BPA free reusable water bottle to keep him hydrated. And, believe it or not, for those dads who love to tee off, there are recycled tees and golf balls available so he feels even more green when out on the greens. One of the most natural outdoor activities is gardening, so if your father enjoys planting and tending to flowers and vegetables outside, then be sure he has all the organic soil and seeds he needs.

When enjoying the summer barbeques remember to shop from those local farmer’s markets and go organic for produce so pops can feel even better about his grilled feast. A great idea is to give your father a homemade coupon for seven summer farmer’s markets trips and then join him to have fun treating him to whatever produce he wants to grill for his family and friends.

The most important part of Father’s Day is simply spending time together that day. Remember that time shared does not only have to be on Father’s Day. In addition to providing your dad with a time of undivided attention on this Father’s Day, give him the gift of time throughout the year. Gifts such as gift certificates to his favorite restaurants, movie theaters, and sporting events in town will create an opportunity for you and your family to be enjoy time and create memories all year long. Be sure to bring your camera for these events so that you can create a photo album of all of your memories with your father to treasure for a lifetime.

What are some ways you will celebrate your father this year?

Mission Summer Fun!

Your kids are almost out of school, dreams of summer fun dance in their heads! Perhaps you can't wait as well, yet are unsure as to how to fill the entire summer with green activities.

This week is the week to prepare. Start with the following easy steps:

1. Be sure you know where your local park is and gather up your children's favorite toys in a convenient storage basket to make it easy to transport to the park.

2. Check in with your local or nearby kids' museums to see what summer specials they have. Perhaps the kids' science museum is offering free showings of their movie about sharks. Or, the local aquarium is hosting a family fun week filled with activities.

3. If you live near a local farm check with them to see what types of activities they offer during the summer for families. Perhaps in addition to an educational tour they also have hands-on harvesting and fruit-picking events!

4. Ask your children what types of activities they would like to do this summer. Make a list and start to research those as well.

5. Once you know your area events and activities, it will be easy to plan each week around a theme. Don't forget built-in summer themes such as Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day. Those are great holidays to start tree planting traditions to honor our loved ones.

What types of green and fun activities do you plan to do this summer with your children?

My Hippy Side Came Out In Full Swing Today- While Surfing the Web

by Guest Blogger Granola Grizzly Mama




The winner of our guest blogger contest is Granola Grizzly Mama! With a fresh voice and a sharp green wit, she brings us tips from her point of view as one lean green Mama machine!
 
Once again my hippy side came out in full swing today as I was surfing other blogs written by moms.  For those of you who don’t know me check out the "About Me" at Granola Grizzly Mama and see what an oxymoron I really am. I basically battle between a hippy  and a conservative side, but these days, as a mother, the hippy side usually wins, unless it’s political.
 
I was searching the internet and reading interesting blogs when I came across a blog called: How Green Are You by Practically Green.   It is basically a five minute quiz that determines how green your life style is.  I’m happy to report I scored seven out of ten. It was kind of disappointing in some ways, but since we are still renting, I guess I will have to accept the house we live in “as is”.  My challenge to you is to take the quiz, figure out your score, and go from there. Let me know how you do.
 
After you take the quiz, think of ways that you could improve your lifestyle to make it greener for your and your family. These are not difficult or expensive ways… there is no need to re-do your entire house to make it as green friendly as possible. Below is a list of ten suggestions; try to implement as many as you can.
 
1.     Reusable bags. I always have about ten in the car and one in the stroller. They go wherever we go.
2.     We take our shoes off in the house to keeps our floors clean. This is important when little ones crawl on the floor.
3.     Make homemade items (check out my Granola Grizzly Mama Quick Sauce) in bulk and freeze for a later day. There is no need to waste a can of tomato sauce, when you can buy in bulk, make a batch of homemade sauce, and freeze it. This saves loads of waste and processing time and makes your food fresher.
4.     Buy organic whenever possible. I know sometimes it is hard, but in the long run, it is better for your health.
5.     Make your own baby food. Check out my recipes and ideas for that. I can do this for less than $10 a week and it takes under an hour to prepare.
6.     Walk whenever you can instead of driving. This is often fun with children and turns into adventures.
7.     Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.
8.     Don’t use the microwave.
9.     Buy local produce whenever you can.
10.  Donate used tennis shoes to local running stores (call first to make sure they have programs in place).
 
I also incorporate my 2 ½ year old in the following ways:

1.     We go over trash v. recycling and she decides where each thing goes.
2.     We color on both sides of the paper in order to not waste.
3.     We find sticks, leaves and flowers and glue them on paper creating our own crafts.
4.     We plant flowers and watch them grow.
5.     She knows we don’t use plastic bags and why.
6.     She knows we don’t buy strawberries at the grocery store because we support the local growers.
7.     The farmers market is her favorite place to shop.
8.     We purchased colored bracelets that have duel purposes. She uses them to play with but we also learn colors.
9.     She knows that lemons go in the compost or down the disposal, but not in the trash.
10.  We potty trained early to save on water.
 
Again, while all these things may not be incorporated right now, I suggest you try to work on a few and remember to teach your little ones also.
 
Those are ten ideas that are easy and inexpensive to implement to make for a greener lifestyle. Let me know your top ten.

A Green Mother's Day

The greenest, most natural Mother’s Day gifts are simply about being together. If you are a mother you have a deep appreciation for the most coveted gift - time together with family. If you have a mother, your best memories are of those with your mother. Our mothers are all different. Some of our mothers are biological, some are adoptive, and others came to us as a neighbor or Earth angel.

Our mothers, at the end of the day, have never asked for more than their kids’ happiness. Our mothers have always been thankful for the hand-painted crafts we gifted to them as children and the milestones we reached throughout our lives. Think about the smile and glow on your mother’s face as she saw you walk down the aisle toward your diploma or toward your husband - pride in her children is indeed the greatest gift of all.

The first gift of time together this Mother’s Day involves nothing more than laughter. My mother is the one person in the world that I laugh with more than anyone else. Even if your mother lives far away, as does mine, skype with her for free and spend all day laughing together if you have the time. Chat about anything and everything that brings you joy and smiles.

Another fabulously natural, and free gift, is the gift of food. Think about all of the meals your mother provided for you throughout your childhood years. It is estimated that by the time we reach the age of eighteen our mother has provided for us a total of twenty-thousand meals to ensure we grow healthy and strong. This total doesn’t even include snacks and treats such as fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. So, how difficult would it be for you to prepare a scrumptious meal for your mother? Even in the middle of your busy life, with kids and a job, it is possible and will be much appreciated. Invite your children to cook with you to create a uniquely tailored meal of all of your mother’s favorites. Imagine her surprise when you invite your mother over and she sees you and your children standing at a table of fresh-cut flowers and her favorite hot meal.

When was the last time you and your mother took a short or longer trip together? Does your mother love to walk or hike? Does she love to go birdwatching or to garden? Maybe your mother enjoys the ocean and the spa? Whatever her adventurous side loves, indulge her in that experience. A picnic and walk at a local park is not only fun but inexpensive. A trip to the spa may be costly so you can always create an at-home spa experience with candles, music and all-natural facial masks made from produce straight out of your refrigerator. No matter what she loves, it is the time together enjoying that experience that will make your trip with her memorable.

If your mother has physical or cognitive challenges, time together is even more important. Doing artwork together, writing a book together, or recording a duet of just the two of you singing her favorite song, will provide for you long-lasting treasures to cherish. If your mother is only able to sit with you, then simply sit with her. Enjoy that time, that precious time, where all that needs to be is gratitude for your mother.