Last minute Eco-Friendly Gifts for Tots!

Want to find a last minute gift for your baby or toddler and be Eco-Friendly?? There are options!! I have found several at Giggle.com I really like Giggle's options available for babies and toddlers that are non-toxic. Each item is rated by Giggle's own criteria system to help you choose what is best for your child. I had my baby registry at this store and found them to be above and beyond compared to other stores. Many products are made from Organic Cotton, Replenishable Rubberwood, or Recycled Materials.

Pictured above are 2 of Brooke's favorites!! The Baby Bjorn Babysitter Balance is a must!!! We found this to be so useful for going to the beach or by the pool because it folds flat and is made from organic cotton. The Jungle Playmat speaks for itself! It is the ONLY mat I have found on the market that is made from organic cotton. The monkey and elephant are also removable so I can use them on the stroller as well!! She loves this mat and I have been able to wash it on the gentle cycle.
Happy Shopping and Merry Christmas!!

Eco-Friendly Gifts Galore!!!

Looking for a unique gift this year??? Want to get something useful or thoughtful?? Why not find an Eco-Friendly gift this year instead of a tie or a sweater. There are several websites that can help you find just the right gift and have it in time for Christmas.

Try Gifts.com

The Ultimate Green Store.

There is also Green Depot.com They have recycled gift paper, ribbons, gift tags, packing materials and unique gifts.

If you want to send a food basket, Pristine Planet has great options!!

If you don't want to wait for shipping, I found Eco-Friendly Gift bags at Kmart!!! As well as an Ecosmart/PVC free computer bag and backpack!! If you look hard enough you can find an Earth Friendly gift. Or you can always bake someone cookies, fudge, or make a card.

If you are looking for a gift, try to find something made from Organic Cotton or Bamboo that is carried at Target. Most stores carry these types of items now. Even Walmart has options.

Happy Shopping!!!

LEED Certified/Eco-Friendly Hotel- Viana Hotel and Spa, near NYC

Over the past 2 months we have stayed at 4 hotels. Why you ask?? The first was business related. The other 3 hotel stays were because of a boiler replacement gone wrong. I have to say that finding an Eco-Friendly Hotel is becoming easier than I thought. My favorite hotel thus far was the Viana Hotel and Spa in Westbury, NY.

It is a new LEED Certified hotel. It doesn't have that offensive "New" smell due to the off-gasing of chemicals in carpet and paint because they have used Eco-Friendly materials in the hotel. Anyone who has chemical sensitivities will greatly appreciate this hotel. The towels are bamboo and the cups in the bathroom are GREENWARE biodegradable. The parking lot is made from recycled tires so the new black top smell isn't lingering. The hotel even has Feng Shui design.

We stayed in a suite with a kitchenette which makes life so much easier with a child. There was a whirlpool tub and a shower in the bathroom. There was also a great amount of storage space in the suite as well. I could have just moved in permanently! With 2 flat screens and a 3rd in the bathroom, I know my husband could have stayed longer!! When we stay at hotels, we always put the DO NOT DISTURB sign on the door to avoid the housekeeping crew. At the The Viana Hotel and Spa, we welcomed them because they use Earth Friendly Products, so no toxic fumes!!!!! I can't say enough of how impressed I was with this hotel's effort to be GREEN and ECO-FRIENDLY. My husband even spoke with the chef to check that they had Organic Eggs to feed our baby for breakfast!!! How rare is that??? If I only had a nanny I could have taken advantage of the Hotel Spa!

Next time you need to stay at a hotel, why not Google one that is Eco-Friendly? More and more are going GREEN. Maybe something else will force us to go to a hotel and we will stay the Viana Hotel and Spa again!

GA GA for Goat Yogurt and Goat Milk

With all of the food allergies that kids can have, you can never be too cautious when trying out a new food for your baby. My husband and I decided to go the Goat Milk route instead of giving our baby Cow's Milk products. The controversy over hormones in Cow's milk made me decide on Goat products since they contain nothing that causes me to worry. The brands we use, Redwood Hill Farm and Meyenberg are hormone and antibiotic free.

Goat Milk is the norm in most countries. Our baby has Goat yogurt for breakfast and also as a snack. She loves it mixed with applesauce, bananas or berries(all organic of course)or just plain. She also likes the Goat milk in her sippy cup, goat cheese and sheep cheese. She has never had an ear infection or bad cold either. It apparently causes less mucous than Cow's milk. Goat milk is easier to digest and more nutritious from the research I've done. More on Goat milk. Look for it next time you go to the market.

Even more on why the goat is good!!

BED BUGS RUN WILD IN NYC, ECO-SAFE KILLER!

In case you haven't heard....there is a major problem with BED BUGS in NYC!!! They have been at the Empire State Building, Nike Town and Bloomingdales according to the reports I've seen. My husband has overheard several people on the train talking about how they are in peoples offices as well. I have told him not to put his bag on the floor and be on the look-out not to bring any home with him as they may stow away in his bag!!! Usually you find them in hotels at the edge of mattresses. More info on BED BUGS.

I did happen to be looking at one of my favorite eco-friendly home improvement websites, GREENDEPOT.com and they carry a safe bug spray. I don't even want to know what they are using to kill the bugs in the city. Soon the city could be overrun by pesticides from getting rid of these bugs. I had roach problems in my NYC apartment years ago, (everyone who has lived in NYC has seen a roach or many, they even live on Park and Madison Ave!!) I used Boric acid and tried not to let the exterminator in if I could help it. In case you see bed bugs and happen to carry one home from a hotel, use a safe alternative. There is even a BED BUG REGISTRY to see where they have been spotted in the US. Travel carefully and keep your family free of bed bugs!!

Offset your travel with Carbonfund.org

Recently we traveled back to Los Angeles for business and pleasure! The thought of it made me feel a little guilty since its not the "Greenest" thing to be flying. While on the plane I read about Carbonfund.org

You can easily enter your travel info and it will calculate how much you can donate to offset your flight. For instance, we traveled from JFK airport in NY to Burbank, CA. It calculated that we should donate $8.91 per person. Sounds simple enough!! You can also choose how the money should be allocated. You can offset other things like SUV's, parties, homes, and gifts.

The goal is to be CARBON NEUTRAL, check out the definition on Wikepedia. Other things you can do are plan to run your errands at the same time. You can get your groceries, drug store, post office and other shopping done in one day if possible. The waste of gasoline and cost adds up if you don't plan accordingly. Or maybe it makes more sense to do your shopping online instead of driving far across town for just a few items?? Think about it. Offset your lifestyle NOW!!!

Clean your Reusable Bags to avoid germs!!

What a busy summer!! In case you have not heard, the CA ban on plastic bags did not go through. There is still hope though!!! This brings me to an important point, CLEAN YOUR REUSABLE GROCERY BAGS.


Since we have had such a busy summer, I can't remember the last time I had cleaned mine. My husband used one to gather tomatoes from the garden. A few got mashed so one day of rotten tomatoes in the bag smelled like it had been there for a year! Thus, I thought maybe it was time to wash ALL of our reusable bags. Somehow we have so many!!! Cold on the gentle cycle and air drying seems to work great!! Remember to keep them in your car or carry one in your purse or backpack....think of the fishes in the sea!!!