Going Green This Holiday

December 16, 2009 By Anne

( picture from my aunt’s garden, thanks!)

There are so many ways to “be green” this holiday season, but will we?

Here’s a list of what I’m doing:

1. Use recycled wrapping paper or make your own. I am not buying any wrapping paper or tags this year. you can use your kids artwork, brown paper bags, comics or even cloth bags out of scrap material or clothing (see The Frugal Girl)

2. Buy eco-friendly products and share the knowledge. My Secret Santa at work wants grocery totes – yeah. I bought several from different stores.

3. Buy toys and books from thrift stores or from yard sales. I bought several gifts for Savannah this year from yard sales.

4. Make your own gift tags. Use Christmas cards from last year or kids artwork. I bought a stencil kit from Current several years ago and use it every year.

5. Make your own gifts. I usually make cookies and give to the neighbors ( I’m not sure if I’ll do that this year). I’m making cotton dish clothes this year to give to teachers – they’re eco-friendly (less paper towels).

6. Recycle your Christmas Tree! Take off all the tinsel and make sure to put your tree out for recycling.

What are you doing this yea to be more eco – friendly?

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Tiny Ducky Organic Clothing Review and Giveaway

December 11, 2009 By Anne

I have fallen in love with organic clothing. Our family has been lucky enough to review several organic t-shirts and we absolutely love them! If your looking for a gift for a little one – Tiny Ducky is the place to look.

Tiny Ducky sells natural and organic clothing for babies and toddlers sized preemie to 2T. Their clothing is 100% organic cotton and uses non-toxic Azo free dyes. Tiny Ducky is for the eco-conscious who don’t want to sacrifice comfort, style, or color for their baby.

Aside from clothing, Tiny Ducky has wonderful gift sets.

From the site:
Tiny Ducky was conceived by a mom soon after the arrival of her son. A frustratingly small selection of soft, eco-friendly baby attire (particularly for a baby boy) prompted her to begin designing colorful and subtly stylish baby apparel with a green conscience. “Being a new mom made me think of how things like laundry detergent and clothing dyes affected both my son and the world as a whole,” she says. It wasn’t long before Tiny Ducky was born—simple, stylish and ultra-comfortable baby wear created with respect for the environment from start to finish.

Tiny Ducky clothing is made eco-consciously in India from 100 percent SKAL-certified organic cotton — the most rigorous organic certification on the planet. Our adorable hats, tops, bottoms, zip hoodies, blankets and onesies are available in thirteen vibrant, non-impact AZO-free colors which maintain softness, color, and shape wash after wash. A portion of Tiny Ducky’s profits are donated to 1% For The Planet and WCFS. Feel free to use our Website as a resource in developing your own eco-consciousness. Thank you for caring. We care too.

Tiny Ducky sent my little one a t-shirt in eggplant. I was actually sent 2 one in 18 month and one in 2T. They were so nice and wanted to make sure it fit properly. I love the feel of the shirt, the organic clothing is so soft and it washes great. I’ve washed it several times already and it hasn’t shrunk or faded.

Tiny Ducky has offered one Mommy Has to Work reader their choice of a t-shirt or onsie.

To enter go to TinyDucky.com and tell me what you would pick if you win.

Bonus entries are follow Tiny Ducky on Facebook and/or Twitter

Additional entries are as follows:
2. Follow this blog.
3. Subscribe to my newsletter. ( you will need to activate your subscription in order for entry to be valid)
4. Grab my button and place on your blog.
5. Post this giveaway on your blog or website, or tweet about it. Please leave a link to post. You can tweet once a day, just leave a comment for each one.
6. Email a friend about this giveaway and CC mommyhastowork@aol.com
7. Follow me on www.twitter.com/mommyhastoworkand/or
become a fan on Facebook
8. Follow me through Networked Blogs.

Contest ends December 21st at 9:00pm EST. Winner will chosen by Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond. I was not paid to do this review, nor did I receive a any product.

Anne

Paloma Pottery – Recylced Glass Necklace Review and Giveaway

December 10, 2009 By Anne

There are so many products that are made out of recycled materials but they’re not always easy to find. I’m on a mission to find them.

I found a great website called Paloma Pottery. Nicole Whitney,owner, states:

“Always trying to find new uses for things that otherwise would be thrown away, I was inspired to recycle glass within my pottery. When I saw the results I knew I had found my niche,” says Whitney. “I believe that social responsibility in business is simply good practice and good business. I am committed to customer service, following through with my word, and dedicated to encouraging and following sustainable business.”

Paloma Pottery emerged in Jan of 2000 with a mission to run a socially responsible and sustainable business while providing unique recycled products at low affordable prices.

Each piece is made by collecting glass jars, beer and wine bottles, and other discarded glass which is then broken and fused into the pottery. The unique shapes and positioning of each fragment insures each piece to have a sparkle and depth that is truly unique. The crackle glass surface created is smooth to touch and sparkles with profound rich colors and textures.

There are many different items to choose from. Check out their website and see all the wonderful gifts!

I received the above necklace to review. It’s beautiful and well made. I love that it’s made with recycled glass. My only complaint is that I have to give it away. But that’s okay.

To enter, visit Paloma Pottery and tell me what else you like.

Contest ends December 21st at 9:00pm EST. Winner will chosen by Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond. I was not paid to do this review, nor did I receive a any product.

Anne

ReBinder Eco – Friendly Paper Products Review and Giveaway

December 3, 2009 By Anne

Are your children’s school supplies getting worn down. Mine are. I already need to replace folders and binders!

I found this great website Rebinder.com, that has recycled school and business supplies.

Rebinder was started in 2003 with a triumphant goal of creating an alternative to those nasty vinyl binders and CD jewel cases that cannot be recycled.

Today, Rebinder makes the world’s only FSC Certified line of binders (the ReBinder). In addition to being FSC Certified, the ReBinder is assembled by a local, AbilityOne certified disabled workforce. Our binders, CD sleeves, journals and presentation/event materials are all made from post-consumer recycled materials. Many companies and organizations have standardized on our products for internal use, as well as the products being used as branding tools, for conferences and events around the world. Additionally, designers and graphic artists use our products because many pieces can be customized with Rebinder’s in-house custom printing services using water-based inks.

As a privately owned business in Seattle, Washington, our philosophy embraces a balanced approach to providing great products at a great value to our customers and products that reduce the environmental footprint of our industry and our customers.

I was sent a Back to School sampler pack and love it! The folders are sturdy and very eco – friendly. The only downside was they are plain, so if your child is creative they can decorate them. My set included:

(1) 1.5” ReBinder recycled 3 ring binder
(2) ReBinder replacement covers
(6) RePouch recycled slash pocket dividers
(6) RePocket eco-friendly pocket folders
(2) ReWrite 8×10 recycled notebooks with lined paper
(2) ReWrite 8×10 recycled notebooks with graph paper
(2) ReWrite 5×8 Recycled notebooks with blank paper
(3) ReMark eco-pens
(6) ReSleeve recycled CD sleeves
(3) RePlay recycled CD cases
This retials for $39.99

Also included were the ReMark pens.

The true eco friendly pen – ReMark pens contain no petroleum plastic, they look and feel like plastic but they are made from plant resins from sustainably harvested wood and organic cotton. Send them back to us and we’ll “upcycle” them and make new pens.We hope to make the term “disposable pen” a thing of past. We’re asking our customers to save their old ReMark pens after they run out of ink. When your office has finished a box of them, send them back to us. We’ll grind them up and make new pens out of them.

Rebinder has offered one Mommy Has to Work reader a Back to School sampler pack, just like I received. (Only valid for the lower 48 states.)

To enter go to ReBinder and tell me what else you like.

Contest ends December 14th at 9:00pm EST. Winner will chosen by Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond. I was not paid to do this review, but did receive sampler pack metioned above and this did not affect my opinion.

Anne

The Last Wild Witch Review and Giveaway

October 24, 2009 By Anne

I have a cool giveaway – The Last Wild Witch by Starhawk.

We’Moon sent me a copy of The Last Wild Witch to review. What a great book! My son and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. When I was done reading, he said, “read it again please”. The story was a little long for my 21 month old, but she’ll definitely get into it soon. She doesn’t sit still for long like most toddlers.

The book is labeled as ‘an eco-fable for kids and other free spirits’. It’s a story about how the children of a perfect town let a little wildness get inside of them. The parents did not like this and tried to run the last wild witch out of town and burn down the forest. The children came together, found their courage and saved the witch. In the end the parents and towns people realized that a little wildness wasn’t so bad.

The author Starhawk is is one the most respected voices in modern earthbased spirituality.. The illustrations are by Lindy Kehoe who is a painter of magical realms and playful characters. The artwork is colorful and very beautiful.

We’Moon is a Co-op America certified green business, and printed with soy based ink on recycled paper. The Last Wild Witch is printed on recycled paper with soy-based ink.The book is 8″X10″ so it shows off the pictures so nicely.

We’Moon has offered one Mommy Has to Work reader their own copy of The Last Wild Witch book. Trust me, you’ll love it!
To enter visit We’Moon and learn something, then leave me a comment.

Additional entries are as follows:
2. Follow this blog.
3. Subscribe to my newsletter. ( you will need to activate your subscription in order for entry to be valid)
4. Grab my button and place on your blog.
5. Post this giveaway on your blog or website, or tweet about it. Please leave a link to post. You can tweet once a day, just leave a comment for each one.
6. Email a friend about this giveaway and CC mommyhastowork@aol.com
7. Follow me on www.twitter.com/mommyhastoworkand/or
become a friend on Facebook
8. Follow me through Networked Blogs.

Contest ends November 2nd at 9:00pm EST. Winner will chosen by Random.org and will have 48 hours to respond. I was not paid to do this review, however I did receive a free book.