Luscious Planet

Eco-Friendly Computer Bag by Baggu

2013-04-30T23:59:00.001-07:00

Recycled Canvas Duck Bag by Baggu - Perfect Size for Laptops

It was online love at first sight when I spotted the canvas Duck Bag by Baggu. At 16" high and 10" wide it is the perfect size for transporting a laptop, which is exactly what I was looking for. I'd had my share of ugly, synthetic briefcase-sytle computer bags. I wanted something that was hip and functional and perhaps did not make me look like a laptop toting dork all the time The gorgeous and eco-friendly Duck Bag filled the bill perfectly. It is made out of 100% recycled cotton canvas, comes in 17 fun colors and patterns, and is machine washable. I loved the Sea shade (see below) but in the end went with Red (above) as I knew it would hide dirt better. The Duck Bag has two easy grab-and-go handles (perfect for heavier loads - such as laptops) and a 40" adjustable strap (which is great for lighter loads or to strap across your chest as a purse).

Sea Colored Duck Bag by Baggu

The Duck Bag is thick but it is not padded - so it will not be my go-to computer bag for destinations where it might get bumped around. For daily use, however, when I am working at home and then suddenly need to fly out the door with computer in hand and deadlines looming - it is the perfect eco-friendly and dare I say stylish choice for lugging my work around town.

I contacted Baggu to find out where their bags are manufactured prior to making my purchase. Their canvas and nylon bags are ethically produced at a factory in China that adheres to fair wages, fair labor practices and regular inspections. All leather Baggu products, however, are made in the USA.

The Duck Bag currently retails for $27 and is available at Baggu.com and at other online and local stores. Click here to visit Baggu.com today to view all their adoreable eco-friendly bags, backpacks and purses.

How to Tell if Sugar is GMO-free and Vegan

2013-04-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

Organic Pure Cane Sugar - Guaranteed to Be GMO-Free and Vegan

Sugar is not good for anyone - plain and simple - but if you want to treat yourself or your family to something sweet, your healthiest route is to go organic, vegan and GMO-free. The simplest way to accomplish all three is to read the label and look for one simple ingredient: organic pure cane sugar. The "pure cane" aspect ensures that the sugar came from the sugar cane plant and not from a sugar beet, as sugar beet crops are highly genetically modified these days. The "organic" aspect ensures this as well but also guarantees that the sugar was not bleached with bone char, the secret tool used by many sugar companies to whiten to their sugar, even "pure cane sugar." That's right - most white sugar is not vegan. It requires the use of animal byproducts (bone) to make it that white-as-snow color we all associate with sugar. Sugar-in-the-raw and all organic sugars are the exception. Brown sugar, however, is simply refined sugar that has been flavored by molasses (and sometimes artificially colored as well) to dark it, moisten it and alter its flavor. In other words, unless your brown sugar comes from "organic pure cane" sugar crops, it it is likely genetically modified AND not vegan.

So, next time you're shopping for treats or setting out to make your own, don't waste money on special "vegan" or "GMO-free" packaging. Just look for "organic pure cane" - and you'll have accomplished both.

What $20 Can Buy at the Farmers' Market

2013-04-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

Organic Produce and Raw Dairy from a local Farmers' Market

A lot of folks complain that organic produce and dairy are simply too expensive for their weekly budget. In our family, it is the one thing we splurge on. We are lucky, mind you, because we live in Southern California where sun, produce and happy cows are plentiful. Yet still, even in so cal, many families just don't know how or where to get the most for their money when it comes to organics. Most of the time, it is NOT at your local Wholefoods Store but rather at your local food co-op, chain grocery or best-of-all your Farmers Market. The problem with Farmers' Markets, however, is that they are not always honest. Many of the stands will tell you they are "pesticide free" yet they can provide no evidence for this claim. Last month I decided to visit my local Farmers' Market to see just how much true, certified ORGANIC goods a twenty dollar bill would buy me and I have to say I was impressed. Check out my bounty:

* 1/2 Gallon Raw Whole Milk
* 3 Apples
* 1 head of Cauliflower
* 3 full branches of Broccoli
* 3 heads of Red Leaf Lettuce

Had I gone to a chain grocer and NOT shopped organic, it would have cost me about the same amount. And my food would contain harmful pesticides. And it would have been trucked in from far away. And it would be older and not last as long in the refrigerator. AND...it would simply not compare when it comes to flavor.

Healthiest Way to Make Popcorn

2013-03-31T20:34:00.000-07:00

Best Air Popper - the Orville Redenbacher Hot Air Popcorn Popper

Did you know that delicious smelling bag of microwave popcorn your co-worker makes every day just might be killing you? Yes you. Even if you are not the one eating the popcorn - you are the one breathing it and what you are breathing is a chemical used to coat the inside of the microwave bags that turns into perfluorooctinoic acid, a known carcinogen, when heated.

Cooking popcorn in a pot of oil is far less toxic but still creates a fried, high-fat food that is not terribly healthy for any one.

With these two options off the table - only one remains: the good ol' 1980's style electronic air popper. Instead of oil, air poppers use electricity and hot air to heat kernels of corns until they pop. The popcorn that results is healthy, light and fluffy - but virtually tasteless. That is until you add a small amount of heated butter (preferably organic and grass-fed) and salt. This simple combination is the easiest and healthiest way to make movie-style popcorn. Yes, the inside of an air popper is made of aluminum and plastic, both of which may cause health concerns when heated. But the exposure these elements have to the heated corn kernels is very brief and because I eat popcorn several times a week, I prefer to take that health risk over eating fried food or ingesting carcinogenic chemicals any day.

There are many air poppers on the market - and I've tried almost all of them. One of the best - as far as numbers of kernels popped and longevity of product lifespan is the the Orville Redenbacher Hot Air Popcorn Popper by Presto. Click here to buy one on Amazon.com today.

Best Cloth Diaper Covers for Prefolds

2013-03-30T18:11:00.000-07:00

Imse Vimse "Bumpy Cover" for Cloth Diapers

If you decided to bite the bullet and try cloth diapers - good for you! You will be keeping over 6,000 disposable diapers PER CHILD out of our overflowing landfills. That's 6,000 plus diapers that take over 200 years to decompose. This decision - which is obviously helping the planet - will also save you several hundreds of dollars with your first child and well over a thousand if you are diapering two or more in the course of your lifetime. There are many different types of cloth diapers on the market today but when it comes to covers there is only one standout: The Bumpy Wool Cover made by the Swedish company Imse Vimse. Don't be fooled by the name - there is nothing "bumpy" about the Bumpy cover. It is made of a thin, flannel-like, soft wool that wicks away wetness while simultaneously absorbing it. The snug, velcro fit makes the Bumpy cover perfect for prefold diapers - the most affordable cloth diaper option. Simply lay a prefold cloth inside a Bumpy cover and attach it to baby. The Imse Vimse Bumpy cover is perfect for all seasons, as it allows maximum air circulation while providing the best leak-proof protection of any cloth diaper cover I have yet to try.

Cleaning Bumpy Diaper Covers is a cinch, as they only need to be washed about once every week or two – unless they get poop on them (mine seldom did) or they start to smell like urine (which, miraculously – they rarely do). Imse Vimse recommends hand washing but here is my secret: I washed mine in the washer - in cold water - and they lasted over six years. I also was very lazy about re-lanolizing my Bumpy covers. I did it once ... in six years.

I recommend purchasing four to six Imse Vimse Bumpy diaper covers per stage (size) of diapering. It's a bit of an investment, but well worth it...and will save you plenty in the long run. Imse Vimse Bumpy covers are sold on Amazon.com. Click here to purchase the Imse Vimse Bumpy cover.

Benefits of Glass Food Storage Containers

2013-03-29T14:46:00.000-07:00

Glass Food Storage

As far as I'm concerned, one simply can not have enough glass food jars for storage. They can be used for everything you buy in bulk - but also for anything you buy in plastic (like cereal) that you wish to get OUT of plastic ASAP. Like rice, for example. I don't buy rice in bulk because I find the quality and taste goes down too much when its exposed to prolonged air. Instead, I buy rice in prepackaged plastic or paper bags and transport it to its designated "rice" jar.

By storing food in glass jars instead of plastic, you lessen your exposure to the the toxic hormone disruptors found in plastic. Food also tends to taste better when stored in glass, because unlike plastic, glass does not absorb the taste and smell of what was previously stored in it.

When buying items for your bulk jars, bring the jars themselves to the store. The store will happily weigh the jars for you (when you arrive) and not charge you for the weight of the glass when you check out. Remember, glass storage is NOT just for bulk items. You can use them in the meat and cheese departments as well. Of course, for meat and cheese, you'll want smaller, more rectangular glassware like those made by Pyrex (see below). Glass food storage jars are available in local super markets, Macy's, Bed, Bath and Beyond and Amazon.com.

Pyrex Glass Food Storage

How to Clean Wood Floors Naturally

2013-02-20T14:57:00.002-08:00

All-natural, hardwood floors are great for our health (because, unlike carpet, they hold no allergens) and are great for the planet (because they can last decades without needing to be replaced). Not to mention, they're downright gorgeous. A lot of folks are stumped, however, when it comes to how to clean wood floors. There are a lot of unnatural AND natural products on the market that claim to be excellent floor cleaners, but why waste your money (or health) on those when a bucket of water, some clean rags, and a little vinegar will do the job just as well - if not better - at a fraction of the cost?

How to Clean Wood Floors (Hardwood, Bamboo or Engineered):

In a bowl, bucket or sink combine FOUR parts water to ONE PART distilled white vinegar. Dampen a mop or soft rag with the 4:1 mixture and wipe across small areas of the floor. For example, start by cleaning a 4ft by 4ft section and before you move onto the next section, swirl the dampened section with a clean, dry rag until all moisture is alleviated. If you leave wetness on wood (like you can on tile or other surfaces) you will eventually ruin it. It will become watermarked and the wood will begin to slowly warp. Drying small sections of wood as you clean will avoid this disaster ... and will prevent unattractive streaks.

To clean sticky spots or occasional spills, make a small batch of the 4:1 water and vinegar mixture, then spot clean and immediately dry.

Another option that works well on food spills and sticky areas of wood flooring is natural orange cleaner. Simply spray some on the mess and wipe dry with a clean rag. Orange Plus by Earth Friendly Products is a good choice. Or, better yet, skip the extra plastic bottle purchase and make your own orange cleaner, which is also great for cleaning counter tops AND degreasing stove tops. Barbara H. Peterson shares a terrific recipe for homemade, all-natural orange cleaner on her self-sufficiency and sustainability blog "Surviving the Middle Class Crash". (Love that name!) To visit her blog and learn how to make her natural orange cleaner, click here.

Packaging-Free All-Natural Soap by One With Nature

2013-02-15T11:01:00.000-08:00

Package-Free, All-Natural Soap Bars by "One With Nature" at Whole Foods Market

In my on-going quest to live as package-free as possible, I came to discover the 100% unpackaged Dead Sea Mineral Soap display by the company One With Nature at our local Whole Foods Market (pictured above). I'm telling you, the display itself drew me in and won me over. I love that the company does not provide any paper or plastic bags to hold their soap and that the display is all wood and uses a chalkboard instead of a plastic sign for product information and pricing. And speaking of price, this all-natural soap is merely $1.99 per bar. My favorite is the Shea Butter bar, which contains a very mild scent. (I am not a fan of spicy or floral scented soaps - even those with 100% natural fragrance.) I find that the moisturizing shea butter and dead sea mineral ingredients make my skin feel extra soft.

The complete list of ingredients in the Shea Butter Bars by One With Nature are: Saponified Palm and Palm Kernel Oils, Shea Butter, Vegetable Glycerin, Natural Fragrance, Dead Sea Salt, Citric Acid, Salt, Vitamin E

If your local store doesn't carry a package-free soap bar display, contact One With Nature and ask them which stores in your area do: onewithnature.com

The Most Eco-Friendly and Affordable Laundry Product

2013-02-14T11:32:00.001-08:00

Eco Nuts - An Affordable, Green Alternative to Laundry Soap

For over a decade I've been researching the healthiest, most eco-friendly AND economical way to do laundry. As a result, I've switched brands every time something more pure and less packaged came along. My most were two companies that make highly concentrated, all-natural powders that require a mere tablespoon to clean a large load. While the small and easily recyclable cardboard packaging was great, I was always troubled by the plastic scoop these "natural" companies provided - and that I was collecting on a bi-monthly basis. This over-packaging (something I loath) sent me on a quest to finally give soap nuts a try.

Soap nuts are the reusable dried berries of the Chinese Soapberry Tree (Sapindus Mukorossi) which grows in the Himalayan foothills. Soap nuts contain saponin, an all-natural surfactant that breaks through the surface tension of water to more easily penetrate and clean fabric. There are several online retailers and companies that sell soap nuts to local health food stores and such, but I decided to try the relatively new brand Eco Nuts. Why I chose to go with Eco Nuts was primarily their minimalistic packaging - a small paper box with no plastic whatsoever. Each tiny Eco Nuts box comes with two small, unbleached 100% cotton sacks that hold the soap nuts when you do your wash. I immediately fell in love the fresh, natural smell of the dry berries and was very impressed with how well they cleaned my family's clothes in our front load HE washer.

Eco Nuts claims you can get 100 washes out of their $10 box. That translates to about 10 washes per grouping of 4-5 soap nuts. I believe this to be true - if you actually have the time to dry your soap nuts between washes. With a large family that does a lot of sports and dirt digging, however, I found that to be impossible. I tried rotating the soap nuts and drying one set while using another, but since I tend to do a whole week's worth of dirty laundry in one day, that was hard to do. I would say, in our family, we get about 70 washes per box, which is still an amazing deal.

Last week we ran out of Eco Nuts and I decided to pick up a box of all-natural powder. My 9 year saw that I was using powder again and exclaimed in horror "Mommy! Where are the Eco Nuts? I love Eco Nuts! They're so much better for the planet!" Her reaction resulted in me (a) immediately adding Eco Nuts to my shopping list for the week, and (b) taking a relaxed breath because clearly the future of our planet is in good hands with this very concerned and highly-informed generation of children at the helm.

Eco Nuts can be found at Whole Foods Market, Amazon.com, and many local healthfood store. To read more about Eco Nuts and all their cleaning products go to: econutssoap.com

Best Glass Water Bottles

2013-01-31T16:39:00.000-08:00

Plastic-Free, Metal-Free Water Bottles by Lifefactory

We've never used plastic water bottles for home, kids' school lunches, or for outings or sports activities. Until, recently, we were a stainless steel family when it came to taking water out of the house. We often found our water would taste a bit metallic by the end of the day, but we lived with it because we figured it was the best plastic-free option. Then came Lifefactory bottles - a super safe, colorful glass beverage bottle that changed our family's water-on-the-go habits forever.

Lifefactory's BPA-free, reusable beverage bottles are made from clear soda lime glass, the same glass used to make wine bottles. The glass is wrapped in a thick silicone sleeve that makes the bottle easy to grasp and helps prevent breakage. My kids love the rainbow of color choices. I love the purity and zero-added taste that comes with drinking (or eating) from glass plus the large mouth, which tends to make me drink more water (and who doesn't need that!).

Lifefactory beverage bottles come in two sizes and are available at Whole Foods Market, Amazon.com, and on our Recommended Eco Products page.

Most Eco-Friendly Christmas Tree - Real or Fake?

2012-12-13T23:11:00.001-08:00

If you're like most of us, you're wondering if it's better for the environment to go with a real Christmas tree or an artificial tree. The short answer is: Real. Fake Christmas trees are made from vinyl, which off-gasses harmful chemicals and produces toxic dust for the life of the tree. Not to mention, when you are dead and gone - that tree will still be here. Not a very merry thought. Real Christmas trees, on the other hand, produce fresh oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide and other gases.

So - now that I may have won you over to the side of "real" Christmas Trees, you still have some choices to make, and I've ordered then by way of environmental impact (most to least):

Buy a Fresh-Cut Tree from your local lot - most are grown on Pine Tree Farms, specifically designed for harvesting Christmas trees. Most neighborhoods now offer Christmas tree recycling - so your tree can become mulch and feed other trees after the holidays. The chemicals used to grow Christmas trees are minimal and highly regulated.
Buy an Organic Pine Tree from your local nursery - these are small and pretty hard to come by but lucky you if you find you that works for you.
Buy a potted Christmas Tree - and then replant it or keep it potted in your yard until next year.
Rent a potted Christmas Tree - and return it to the Forrest when you're done! This is a hot new trend and there is a fabulous little company offering this service in Southern California: The Living Christmas Tree. The best thing about the Living Christmas Tree is that (a) they deliver it to your door and (b) they pick it up and replant it when you're done. You can even request (for a fee of $25) to rent the same tree again the following year!

The Living Christmas Tree is looking to franchise their company - so if you love the idea of rented Christmas trees but don't have any near you, contact the company and start your own holiday tree rental biz today: www.livingchristmastree.com

Where to Buy Natural Toys for the Holidays

2012-11-30T00:43:00.001-08:00

Children's Play Silks sold at SimplyNaturalToys.com

Finding natural toys during the holiday season can be tough. Give yourself enough time though and you can hunt down some real treasures (and good deals too) online. Check out Simply Natural Toys - an online retailer that sells eco-friendly, fair-trade, heirloom quality toys. I love their silks, wooden cars, and natural playhouse toys the most. I've go my eye on this wooden play iron by Camden Rose - (only $11.99) and natural dollhouse furniture by Plan Toys (only $19.99 per set).

Natural Dollhouse Furniture by Plan Toys

Camden Rose Olden Days Iron

To check out all of their amazing toys go to: www.SimplyNaturalToys.com

Fresh Organic Corn Tortillas Now Sold at Supermarkets

2012-11-29T23:59:00.003-08:00

All-Natural, Organic Tortillas by Mi Rancho

I almost fainted when I walked into my local Vons market (part of the Safeway chain of supermarkets) and found a display carrying these fresh, all-natural, organic corn tortillas made by Mi Rancho, a California tortilla company. Having grown up in Los Angeles, I'm a sucker for real Mexican-style tortillas. I have been known to forgo frozen organic tortillas at health food stores just to experience the lush flavor of soft, fresh hand-crafted corn tortillas. Actually, I won't even buy frozen tortillas. There is no point. To me, they taste like wet cardboard. But thanks to Mi Rancho, I can now have both - fresh AND organic. Please..Powers-That-Be...may you keep these tortillas coming to my local supermarket! I have been seeing them in all the major chains lately (although, interestingly, NOT at Whole Foods). The reason organic is so important when it comes to corn tortillas these days is that most corn crops are now produced by genetically modified seeds. The only way to avoid GMOs when it comes to corn is to buy organic. So go to your local grocer today and demand that they carry Mi Rancho Organic Corn Tortillas today!

How to Reduce a Baby’s Expose to Chemicals, Toxins and Radiation

2012-11-05T15:30:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows - becoming a parent for the first time is completely overwhelming. There is so much to learn and take in. Add to that the desire to keep your new baby safe from harmful chemicals and radiation at every turn and a parent just might lose their marbles entirely. Certainly, we cannot protect our children from everything, but what we can do is start them off in the purest, most healthy environment possible by making simple, eco-conscious choices from day one. The Greener Baby Guide I put together below walks you through some of those choices:

Sheets and Linens: Go with organic 100% cotton crib sheets and/or family bed sheets because cotton crops use more pesticides than any other crop grown in America today.

Clothing and Sleepwear: Make sure all baby clothing is made from 100% cotton or 100% virgin wool – no polyester, modal or bamboo (which is chemically treated when it is mashed into fabric – even if it came from “organic” bamboo) and no fire retardant treated sleepwear, ever, as studies are continuously linking fire retardant chemicals in clothings, furniture and electronics to cancer and other health and development concerns.

Baby Shampoos, Washes and Lotions: Avoid anything with FRAGRANCE or PERFUME listed as an ingredient, as these will always contain phthalates, a known hormone disruptor associated with cancer. NO FRAGRANCE is best, but some all-natural fragrances are okay. This includes MANY popular baby washes, shampoos, soaps and lotions. Instead, buy only all-natural baby care products (available online or at Whole Foods or other health stores)

Natural Fragrances: Try to stick with natural citrus scents. Avoid the use of lavender and tea tree oil in soaps, detergents, lotions or anything that comes in contact with baby’s skin as these ingredients, while 100% natural, are hormone disruptors that have been linked to health issues.

Cradle Cap: To treat cradle cap (a totally normal baby scalp condition), massage a small amount of jojoba oil on the affected areas. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then comb thru the scalp with a baby comb. The flakes will lift right off. Follow with an ALL-NATURAL shampoo.

Laundry Detergents: Use only all-natural, FRAGRANCE-FREE laundry detergents to wash baby’s clothes, linens and diapers (if cloth diapering). Infant skin is super sensitive and avoiding fragrances will almost guarantee you an eczema-free and skin-allergy-free child.

Bleach: Stop using bleach completely. If you have something that needs to be bleached, soak in a powered hydrogen peroxide mixture (like fragrance-free OxyClean) which work just as well as bleach – without the highly toxic fumes and ingredients.

Sunscreen: avoid for the first 6 months, then only use an all-natural, zinc based, non-nano particle, fragrance-free brand such as BADGER (available online or at Whole Foods or other health stores)

Mattresses, Co-sleepers and Pack-n-Play pads: If you splurge on one thing – let it be this: an organic crib mattress (around $200) or family bed ($800 and up). Regular mattresses contain countless chemicals and fire retardants and take a long time to off-gas. If your baby will be sleeping at all in a co-sleeper or pack-n-play, then be sure to replace the vinyl, off-gassing mattress those products come with a natural latex alternative.

Mattress Pads: To keep baby’s crib or family bed dry (from pee, spit-up, etc.) invest in a wool mattress cover or puddle pad. Wool is 100% natural and wicks away ALL wetness so it never reaches the bed. (TIP: you can also just shrink an old woolen blanket for the same purpose)

Sugar: The only sugar babies should have during the first two years is whole fresh fruit. The longer you can hold off on giving a child refined sugar, the more you’ll develop their taste buds to desire and ENJOY real, unsweetened whole foods instead. Forgo the tradition of giving a baby cake on their first birthday. Wait for the 2^nd birthday – and let them have at it then!

Juice: Avoid all juice for the first 2 years. The body processes juice the same way it processes refined sugar. It is very harmful for baby’s teeth (more so than sugar, actually) and will spoil baby’s taste buds from desiring whole foods. Not to mention, several studies have recently found lead and arsenic in children’s grape and apple juice.

Baby Teeth and Cavities: Crackers, dry fruit, raisons and night nursing (or night bottle feeding) can all lead to cavities. It’s easy to eliminate the food, but not so easy to eliminate the night feeding. Once a baby's teeth are coming in, just be sure to them (front and back) with a wet wash cloth after each night feeding or as soon as they wake up. It’s not the milk that causes cavities, but rather the pooling of the milk behind the teeth as it mixes with other food and bacteria in the mouth.

Soy, Corn and Sugar: These ingredients, unless the label specifies as organic or GMO-free, are almost all grown in genetically modified crops these days. This includes the soy in formula, the soybean oil or corn (in baby food, bread, crackers, etc), and the sugar in all sweetened foods and drinks (one exception to the latter is Pure Cane Sugar. If the label just says “sugar” chances are it comes from genetically modified sugar beet crops).

Baby Bottles: Plastic baby bottles leach chemicals into warm milk. Use glass (when they are too young to hold a bottle themselves) and stainless steel after 5 months.

Sippy Cups: Use ONLY stainless steel with silicone straws (like the Funtainer by Thermos). Babies can drink from straws as early as 9 months of age. Don’t use plastic OR aluminum sippies and nothing with an epoxy lining.

Pacifiers: Use only 100% silicon or 100% latex – with NO plastic parts, including the handle (Soothie, Nuk Soft OrthoStar, and Natursutten are all 100% plastic-free)

Diapers: Cloth is best for baby, the planet, AND the pocket book. Disposables expose baby’s bottom to harmful chemicals – do some research before deciding cloth is too much work. (It really isn’t – and BONUS - kids potty train much earlier in cloth!)

Teething: Avoid all plastic teethers. Buy wooden teething rings or dip a big corner of an organic wash cloth in water, twist into a popsicle cone shape, and freeze. Babies love to chew on these! Or, tie large pieces of frozen mango in a fine piece of mesh fabric and allow baby to chew on it (as you hold the other end).

Newborn Hospital Procedures: Baby’s should not be given chemicals on their first day of life unless it is an emergency situation. If you know for a fact that you do not have gonorrhea or syphilis (which women are tested for when pregnant anyhow), then you may choose to say NO to having antibiotics applied to baby’s eyes immediately after being born. You may also choose to forgo the Vitamin K shot given within minutes of life to ensure proper blood clotting (unless baby suffered a traumatic, bruise-inducing birth). It is true that newborn blood does not clot as well as an adults, but Vitamin K can be given orally in its natural form a few days after birth (at your pediatrician's office). The vitamin shot given at the hospital is actually a synthetic vitamin that contains chemical preservatives and alcohol. Hepatitis B Vaccine is also given on day one in many states. Unless you have the disease yourself or your baby will be with a drug-addicted caregiver, I would postpone this vaccine as well.

Immunization Schedule: Just know you have a choice, and that nothing bad will happen to your baby if you decide to WAIT and DELAY the vaccine schedule. Otherwise – your baby will receive – starting at just 2 months – the exact same dosage for multiple vaccines that a 200 pound man receives. Many researchers believe that is too much for a tiny baby’s system to handle. Give the baby’s body time to develop before dosing it with vaccines (which contain aluminum, formaldehyde, monkey brains and other interesting ingredients. Read the published ingredients on the CDC website before making this call).

Fevers: Infant fevers are scary – especially before the age of 6 months. Past the age of 6 months they are actually helpful in healing the body and in building the immune system. Fevers are nature’s way of burning off a virus. Let it burn. In most cases, if you fight it with Infant Ibuprofen or other medications, the virus will live longer.

Toys: Avoid plastic for as long as possible, especially when babies and toddlers are small and putting everything in their mouths. Better to have a few quality wooden and natural rubber toys than a house full of toxic, lead and/or phthalate leaching plastic toys

Bath Toys: Avoid plastic toys and foam letters and numbers, which off gas harmful chemicals in the bath. Instead, go with cute washcloth puppets and cloth washcloth dolls and animals.

Bathtub Safety: Do NOT use an anti-slip vinyl bathmat in the tub. Vinyl off-gasses harmful chemicals its entire life. Instead, use removable fun removable rubber bathtub grippers which come in lots of fun kid designs and are super easy to clean. Likewise, do not use a vinyl spout protector. Instead, simply place a plastic cup over the spout when baby or child is bathing. Cute vinyl spout protectors off gas AND grow mold and mildew in every adorable crevice.

Shower Curtains: Never use a vinyl shower curtain in a bathroom where baby bathes, as the vinyl will off-gas heavily with every shower or bath. Go with hemp, cotton, nylon or pvc-free plastic.

Household Cleaners: Stop using ALL chemical household cleaners (i.e, anything you would buy at the grocery store). There are natural alternatives at any health food store that work just as well without poisoning the air quality in your home and the oceans and rivers that our cleaners bleed out to. Not to mention exposing baby to cancer-causing chemicals. Homemade products can save you a bundle. Almost anything in the home can be cleaned and disinfected if you own these 7 things: distilled vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, grain alcohol, tea tree oil, castile soap and lemon.

Smart Phones and Ipads: Do not give these to babies to sooth them or set them near them when sleeping as they emit constant radiation that is harmful to baby’s developing brain. In addition, when speaking on a cell phone, always use a corded head piece to reduce close radiation to the brain.

Cordless Phones: Cordless phones actually emit more radiation than cell phones. The base acts like a cell phone tower in your home – continuously communicating and sending radiation to the hand units. Do not keep these anywhere near where baby sleeps. Better yet, get a wired phone – and when you have to be cordless, use your cell instead with a corded headset.

Wireless Routers: Keep them on the other side of the house, away from where baby plays and sleeps. Shut off the router EVERY night and when not using for long periods during the day (as wireless routers emit constant radiation and radio signals).

Best Highchair: Stokke Wooden Highchair, which is made of solid wood and amazing quality. The chair is fully adjustable in height and will grow to become your child’s toddler chair and later their desk chair. Will fit them until they are 10 plus years old. And they look great too!

Cookware: To avoid exposure to aluminum (all stainless steel cookware pieces have aluminum bottoms), invest in a good iron set, such as Le Creuset. They are pricey, buy you can find deals at department stores, they will last you 30 plus years, AND they have a lifetime guarantee (so really – that is longer than 30 years). Avoid rice cookers, as those are usually 100% aluminum.

Food Storage: Glass only – no plastic. Buy in bulk sets from Costco or Bed, Bath and Beyond. Stainless steel is also great for salads and non-citrus storage. (Citrus can cause the nickel in the steel to leach into foods.)

Microwaves: Avoid if you possibly can. NEVER heat plastic in a microwave, EVER, not even in a “microwave safe” plastic container (as there is really no such thing – ALL plastic leaches into food when heated). Microwaves produce more radiation in the home than any other device.

Plates, Cups and Utensils: Use only ceramic, wood, glass or stainless steel. Babies can start holding a small juice GLASS by 12 months with your supervised help. Plastic leaches – so do not use plastic for any food or drink at home. Small pyrex bowls are perfect for babies to feed themselves with. They rarely break when dropped, and when they do, they break in large pieces, not tiny shards. Do not use plastic plates – especially with warm food. Again, plastic + heat = chemicals in your food.

Most Affordable All-Natural Shampoo on the Market

2012-10-31T23:59:00.003-07:00

Hugo Naturals Shampoo and Conditioner - 100% Natural

It's nearly impossible to find 100% natural shampoos in the U.S. Almost all shampoos sold at drug stores, grocery stores, department stores AND health food store contain toxic, cancer-causing ingredients. What a shocker, you say. Well, not really. Large companies sink a ton of money into cheap, lab-created ingredients that are then marketed to us as must-have, silken-producing, body-enhancing products we cannot possibly live without. What we can live without, however, are the chemicals required to produce said results. Last year, the always-amazing Environmental Working Group (ewg.org) created a list ranking almost all shampoos sold in the U.S. according to toxicity levels. Most of the "safest shampoos" on the list (with a toxicity score of ZERO), however, can only be found online by small companies who carry big price tags. After scouring the "zero" toxicity subgroup of 119 shampoos I found only one all-natural shampoo that stood out for being both affordable and readily available (at health food stores, drugstores, local groceries AND at amazon.com): Hugo Naturals Vanilla and Sweet Orange Volumizing Shampoo.

I've now been using Hugo Naturals Vanilla and Sweet Orange Volumizing Shampoo (which sells for about $8 a bottle) for over a year and I have found that it leaves my (naturally curly) hair very supple, full bodied and sweet smelling. My kids love when I use it on them because they think it smells like cake! Hard to beat a shampoo that is less than $10, smells like cake, and has zero cancer-causing ingredients.

To buy Hugo Naturals Vanilla and Sweet Orange Shampoo online go to: Amazon.com
To learn more about all Hugo Naturals products go to: HugoNaturals.com

All-Natural Halloween Treats that Kids Actually Like

2012-10-30T19:11:00.000-07:00

Halloween Pistachio Packs by Wonderful

If you love Halloween (like me) but want to avoid feeding the neighborhood genetically modified candy filled with artificial colors, fake flavors, and high-fructose corn syrup then don't fret. There are tons of affordable, all-natural, last-minute options within easy reach at your local grocery or health food store.

The following 15 all-natural Halloween goodies are guaranteed to delight all kids:

Snyder’s of Hanover Halloween Pretzel Snack Sacks
Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks – Halloween Pack
EnviroKidz Organic Peanut Choco Drizzle Crispy Rice Bars (Gluten Free)
Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Halloween Treats
Sunspire Dark Chocolate Earth Balls
Let's Do...Organic Gummi Bear Packs
YummyEarth Organic Gummy Bear Packs
YummyEarth Organic Lollipops
YummyEarth Organic Candy Drops
Wonderful Pistachios Halloween Bags (Pictured Above)
Raisin Boxes
Individual Packs of Train Mix
Fruit Leather
Boxes of Halloween Stickers
Halloween Pencils

All-Natural Affordable Goody Bags

2012-10-23T23:18:00.001-07:00

Affordable All-Natural Party Bags

Last year I blogged about the super cool reusable 100% cotton Waste-Free Goody Bags my daughter's 10 party guests designed and took home for her 6th birthday. (She is still using hers as a lunch bag.) This year, for her 7th birthday, I wanted to go with an eco-friendly goody bag again (of course) but since we were now having 25 guests I wanted to go with a more affordable route. Once again, I refused to fill the bags with plastic toys or high-fructose corn syrup soaked candies. I asked my 7-year-old if she could think of any healthier, more planet friendly options and what you see pictured is exactly what she came up with (on her own):

* Pencils
* Pads of Paper
* Organic lollipops
* Organic gummy bears
* All-Natural Pretzels
* Box of stickers

I bought a stack of old-fashion brown paper lunch bags ($1 for 50) and filled them with our all-natural booty. Total cost for 25 all-natural and 100% recyclable goody bags: $19 (Less than $1 per bag.)

Next year I hope to do a no-packaging, waste-free take-home gift. We'll probably bake the goodies ourselves and wrap them in reusable containers of some sort. We'll see. I have 11 more months to figure it out.

Make Your Own Waste-Free Yogurt Push Pops

2012-10-01T00:01:00.001-07:00

My kids love frozen yogurt tubes - but I hate the excess sugar and plastic waste. For years I dreamt of being able to make our own less sweetened, organic version that I could somehow freeze and transport to school in a reusable yet not messy container. Well, after years of searching I finally found the solution: It's the Norpro Silicone Ice Pop Maker. It's a 4-piece colorful silicon set that be can used to freeze any drink or yogurt concoction.

My personal favorite is a Grape Yogurt Push-Up.

How to make it:

In a mixing cup, stir together: 1 cup lowfat, organic yogurt (the runny type is best), 3 tablespoons organic grape and 2 table spoons maple syrup or raw agave. (Add more or less as desired)
Pour into each silicon tube and pop the cap on.
Place all 4 pops into a cup or bowl to keep upright and freeze.

Pack for school the next day and your yogurt tube will still be cold and semi-frozen by recess...the perfect time for a protein break!

Click here to learn more about or purchase the Norpro Silicone Ice Pop Sets are available on Amazon.com

Easiest Natural Sunscreen for Kids to Apply Themselves

2012-09-22T12:06:00.000-07:00

I've been a Badger Sunscreen user for years. They make some of the safest sunscreens on the market - 100% non toxic - and they consistently receives top honors on the coveted EWG.org Safe Sunscreen Guide list for their lack of harmful ingredients

What I love best about the Badger All Season Face Stick though is how easy it is for kids to apply themselves. The Face Stick - which is all-natural, has no nano particles and has anSPF of 30 plus -is our daily go-to sunscreen. On the ride to school in the morning I simply hand a stick to each child and they apply it themselves. (I watch in the rear view mirror to make sure they do an accurate job.) They then pop the stick in their backpacks and reapply later if it's a hot day.

The Badger Face Stick sells for about $8 and is available at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Markets everywhere. Click here to purchase The Badger Face Stick from Amazon.com

Grassmilk by Organic Valley - A Healthier Choice for Milk

2012-09-10T12:27:00.002-07:00

Grassmilk by Organic Valley - Milk from 100% Grass-Fed Cows

Finally - a highly reputable and humane California dairy farm and national milk supplier is selling 100% organic grass-fed milk. Grassmilk, a new product by Organic Valley, is by far the healthiest cow's milk available to the general public (other than raw, unpasteurized, organic grass-fed cow's milk which is highly regulated and harder to come by). I almost fell over when I came across it at my local Whole Foods market this summer. Grassmilk is pasteurized (aka, not raw) but because it is not homogenized it contains that ever-so-luscious cream at the top that makes milk extra delicious. And because the cows are grass-fed, the milk contains naturally occurring omega-3s, CLA and calcium. Most dairy cows (even on organic farms) are fed an unnatural diet of corn, soy, oats, alfalfa or other feed which lack the nutrients cows receive from grass. (Not to mention - said ingredients are usually are usually genetically modified). To make matters worse, because cow's stomachs are designed to eat grass - not oats or other feed - the cows often get sick, which leaves them in need of antibiotics, which then get transferred to us when we eat or drink dairy products.

Of course the truth is humans are simply not designed to drink any sort of cow's milk. If you happen to be like me, however, and you enjoy a bit in your daily coffee or tea each day, in cereal maybe once a week, and every now and then in a tall cold glass with a plate of cookies, then you might as well go for the best. So whether you are a daily drinker or an occasional user, organic grass-fed milk is simply the healthiest option available - and it tastes the best too.

DivaCup for Eco-Friendly Menstruation

2012-08-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

DivaCup - a Waste-free Tampon Alternative

I was never terribly fond of tampons to begin with. The cotton always felt so dry and uncomfortable, that I simply could never get a good fit. Not to mention the leakage factor. As I became more eco-aware, the waste factor of disposable tampons and pads bothered me as well. A few years ago I read a thread on a natural online forum I belong to that was discussing menstrual cups. The one that most women seemed to like best was the DivaCup, so I ordered one online to give it a go - and have not bought a single tampon ever since. The DivaCup is a small silicone cup that you bend into a small u-shape for easy insertion. You can leave it in for up to 10 hours - and literally feel nothing all day. I swear, when I use the DivaCup, even on my heaviest days, I often forget I am even on my period. I experience zero leaks and no discomfort whatsoever. Clean up is a cinch as well: after each use, you simply wash it out with water and (only if you wish to) a mild, fragrance-free soap. To sterilize your DivaCup, once a month you can give it a quick vinegar or alcohol rinse - just be follow rinse with water afterwards and always store it dry in a breathable cloth sack (like the one the company provides).

If you're looking for a comfortable, highly-economical, earth-smart way to save money when it comes to your monthly visitor (LOL) order your DivaCup today for less than $25.

To learn more about the DivaCup, go to: www.divacup.com

To order from Amazon now go to:

Where Does Your Milk Come From?

2012-08-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder where your cow milk comes from? Well, now there is a website that can tell you. It's called Where Does My Milk Come From and all you need is the code on the bottom of your bottle or carton to get the answer. If you buy milk from chain grocery stores, you may be surprised to find out that your milk is not local, or that the company that supplies it treats their cows inhumanely. Shockingly, many large organic companies - such as Horizon - have a horrible reputation for the purity of their product and the treatment of their animals. So - before you take that next sip, jot down the code on your milk carton and go to wheredoesmymilkcomefrom.com to determine just how earth-friendly your milk really is.

Packaging-Free All Natural Bath Salts by Hugo Naturals

2012-07-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

Hugo Naturals Bath Salts - Sold in Bulk at Whole Foods

The kids and I were shopping at Whole Foods recently when we came upon this great display: colorful all natural bath salts by Hugo Naturals sold in bulk. We were in heaven! My poor kids feel so deprived because I refuse to make them chemical-laden bubble baths at home (even most "natural" bubble bath brands contain questionable ingredients). So they've taken instead to the all-natural, much healthier alternative of effervesant bath salts - which they now love. Hugo Naturals - one of my favorite companies - did an incredible job with this display. The colors lured us in, but the packaging-free "fill your own jar or bag" aspect sold me right then and there.

Hugo Natural Bath Salts feature mineral-rich crystalline salts and natural herbal essences. The Rare Himalayan Pink Salt contains magnesium and potassium to soften skin, and the pure mineral-rich Dead Sea Salt helps soothe and reduce muscle achiness (perfect for a post soccer practice soak). Our personal favorite: Mango and Guava

As with ALL Hugo Naturals products, their bath salts are free of parabens, phenoxyethanol, sulfates, PEGs, propylene glycol, petroleum products, silicones, phthalates, synthetic surfactants, artificial colors or synthetic fragrances.

To learn more Hugo Naturals and their all-natural shampoos, soaps, salts and more visit: hugonaturals.com

All Natural Yeast Infection Cure

2012-07-28T11:36:00.000-07:00

Women get yeast infections - we just do. It comes with the territory. There is a whole industry created around providing pills and creams to deal with vaginal yeast infections, but they all involve chemicals that I personally do not feel safe using internally or externally. So, when I recently came down with a pretty intense yeast infection and my OBGYN recommended both a prescription medication and an over the counter cream, I decided to skip the meds (as usual) and try my own all-natural treatment that consisted of nothing more than plain yogurt, apple cider vinegar and a simple probiotic. Not only did this trifecta provide immediate relief, it actually completely cured the infection within days.

Here's all it takes:

1) Drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar twice a day (organic, if possible).
2) Take a probiotic twice a day (any type).
3) Eat plain yogurt once a day (organic, if possible).
4) Once a day, apply 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt to the vaginal area (externally and partially internally) This can be done several times a day to provide immediate relief of itching or burning, but it does get messy. I prefer to do it in the shower at night right before bed and then wear a cloth pad to bed.

Three-five days of this treatment and the yeast infection will be gone!

Packaging-Free Grocery Shopping - A Dream Coming True

2012-07-27T14:15:00.001-07:00

Packaging-Free Shopping

For a long time, I've had a dream - a simple dream: I want to buy all my groceries packaging-free.

I want to walk into a store and buy everything I need without contributing to any single-use plastic, paper or glass waste. Think about it: in the olden days people brought baskets, sacks, jars and bottles to the general store and filled them up with the items they needed. Then the Kellogg company invented sealed paper packaging in 1914 which later morphed into the sealed plastic packaging that dominates our marketplace today and our planet and landfills have never been the same.

Despite the ease of prepackaging, packaging-free and bulk shopping is actually making a come back. My local health food co-op Co-opportunity, for instance, offers several rows of bulk items: grains, flour, beans, cookies, dried fruit, candies, teas, coffee, soap, spices - you name it. They even sell affordable glass jars for storage. You could honestly buy all the food you need to live on at this store without ever having to buy something that comes in a box or a can.

If you're like me though and you are still dreaming of a grocery store that houses ZERO prepackaging waste, then that dream may finally come true. A collaborative group of business owners, community members and consumers in Austin, Texas is planning to open in.gredients in late summer, 2012. In.gredients will be the first packaging-free grocery store in the United States. If it does well, I could see a whole slew of such stores popping up around the globe. A few years ago, this would have been no more than a dream. Consumers, however, have become much more knowledgeable and concerned about the consequences of their purchases and that wisdom is going to drive grocery shopping to become a greener, less-wasteful industry. I believe! I believe!