Valerie and the crew from Algalita Marine Research Institute now have less than 800 miles before they dock in Tokyo. They saw whales this week and had tuna following the boat and lots of birds feeding on fish. They found more trash, a lot of buoys, and an orange safety jacket. Valerie reported that they had seen a lot of trash floating around but it was hard to catch it all.  Crew members have been busy with trawls.  Catching plastic debris with every sample.

As many of you know, Valerie, owner of Zoe b Organic, has been studying plastic pollution in the Pacific Ocean.  She has had an amazing journey since she left a week ago.  Valerie traveled to the Marshall Islands and from there embarked with a crew of 14 adventurers.  The most recent message  states that they have not seen land for 8 days and have traveled about 1,000 miles.  Valerie has had the opportunity to steer the ship and navigate at night by the stars.  They have not yet reached the accumulation zone.  This is an exciting and an inspiring venture to learn more about the impact of  the plastic we continue to produce.  You can follow Valerie’s experience more closely on facebook.

Biscuits by Lambchop™ dog treats are free of gluten, soy, corn, rice, dairy, eggs, nuts, animal proteins, and preservatives. They’re also low in fat, sodium, and phosphorus–perfect for dogs with these dietary restrictions. Made with an all-natural blend of bean flours, fresh fruits, and local green-market ingredients, they’re handmade in New York by Annette Frey, whose own dog developed a myriad of medical issues, including kidney disease and food allergies. The dog’s name? Lambchop, of course.

Get 10% off with code zoeb at http://www.biscuitsbylambchop.com/.

With Citrus Lane, every month you get a box filled with cute and practical products recommended by real parents. It’s like having your own team of personal shoppers dedicated to finding the best products for your child. I think the concept is a great one: It makes for a great baby shower gift, and I love that a lot of their products are eco-friendly. In fact, our Natursutten all-natural rubber pacifiers will soon be part of one of their boxes. Each box costs $25, including shipping, and it’s tailored for the age of your child. You can check it out at Citrus Lane.

With all 3 of our kids, we tried swaddling—though not always successfully. We used the Miracle Blanket for our daughter Sophie and loved it (but even then, she escaped occasionally). So I’m happy to announce I just discovered a new, foolproof way to swaddle a baby: the Woombie. Invented by a mom and RN, it’s the perfect solution for keeping baby swaddled all night long. With its easy, stay-put zipper and its unique, 4-way stretch material, the Woombie looks like a must-have for new parents. Plus they have anorganic Woombie. Check out their website at Woombie.

I don’t know about you, but keeping up with changing our 3 kids’ toothbrushes every 3 months is quite a challenge. Take the guesswork out of the process and reduce your ongoing “To Do” list with Preserve’s subscription program. Every three months, a new Jr. Preserve Toothbrush is delivered to your door. Even better, you can send the old toothbrushes back with their “Gimme 5″ program so the toothbrushes can get recycled. Pretty neat. Visit Preserve for more details.

Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan just launched  The Honest Company, an eco-friendly line of family essentials offered through a monthly subscription service at Honest.com. Created for parents by parents, The Honest Company founders say they are committed to making safe, sustainable products more convenient, beautiful, and affordable. I think it is a great idea to have baby essentials like diapers, shampoo and cleaning products delivered right to your door. Their entire line is of course made with natural, organic and non-toxic ingredients. You can try it for free for 7 days ($4.95 shipping and handling fees)

Wall decals are a relatively new and innovative way to spruce up a room. Unfortunately, most decals are also made of vinyl, a plastic material that’s very toxic.  So, I began searching for an environmentally friendly alternative.  Love Mae has a wonderful line of wall decals made of cloth that are reusable–so you can take them down and move them, time and time again.  Their adorable designs use a water-based adhesive and contain no PVC, phthalates, or other harmful chemicals. Check out their line at Fawn and Forrest and add a whole new dimension to your child’s room.

It is 2012.  Time for a clean slate.  In our household we are starting off the year planning a few remodeling projects.  The kids rooms to be exact. Paint is the biggest issue.  We want to brighten the rooms without introducing harmful chemicals and VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in our home.  Purchasing paint with low to zero VOCs  is so important because paints release chemicals into the air as they dry.  This off-gassing can sometimes take place for years.

Fortunately, we now have many choices available to us.  There are a variety of natural paints; clay paint, milk paint, and lime wash.  These are certainly worth consideration and offer a variety of interesting affects.  Additionally, many paint companies have developed low VOC paints.   Mythic Paints offer non-toxic, low-oder products.  Metro Paints are made from 100% recycled latex paint and come in 18 fabulous colors.   MAB Enviro-Pure also offers quality paint with zero VOCs.   Each of these companies have a Green Seal certification.  So, no matter what color you pick for your walls, you too, can breathe easy knowing they are “green”.