Mindful Momma

Hip and Eco T-Shirt Gifts

2009-12-14T14:01:34-08:00

Looking for an original gift that is also practical and affordable? Can't figure out what to get that man in your life...father, brother, boyfriend? How about a T-shirt? No, not something generic from Old Navy - something hip, original and planet-friendly like these:

Xenotees - I've started a tradition of buying my husband a funky t-shirt for Father's Day. Last year I bought him this super fun "Collective Names of Animals"shirt from Xenotees. It lists the names of animals in groups like a "tower of giraffes", a "bloat of hippos", "cloud of grasshoppers", a "bale of turtles", a "crash of rhinoceros" etc... The photo doesn't do it justice but it's very cool!! The shirt stock comes from American Apparel, which is sweatshop free and made in the USA.

Harrilu
- These nature-inspired, hand-screened designs printed using water-based inks are absolutely beautiful!! I discovered them at the local No Coast Craft-o-Rama show - but they hail from Texas, where designer Megan Mucci creates and prints her lovely designs. Some shirts, like this Branches design, are printed on organic cotton. Shhhhhh....I picked up a shirt for a gift but I can't tell you who its for. :)

Threadless- This company has a very cool concept that I only recently learned about. Here's how it works: Anyone can submit a t-shirt design. Each week the Threadless community (that's you and me!) votes and comments on the submitted designs. One design is chosen and printed (and the winner gets cash and free t-shirts!) It's social shopping at its finest!! The shirts are printed on human-friendly American Apparel stock and they've got a whole line of nature/eco-inspired designs. The company sent me a free Permafrost Pollution shirt to introduce me to the line. I dig it and now I'm hooked on rating designs! This week all tees are only 10 bucks - so head on over there and start shopping!

Oliver Lane - I ordered this super groovy shirt for my youngest son for Christmas. I sure hope he likes it! Oliver Lane specializes in modern baby & kids clothing. No organic cotton here (at least not at this time), but I still feel better buying from a small business owner rather than a large corporation. Don't you?

Little Lark - Here's another shirt I bought my husband for Father's Day. He's a biker so this was perfect! Little Lark is an Oregon-based small business that started by selling baby clothes and letterpressed cards. But now they've branched out to adult shirts too. Thank goodness because they're darned cool!

Etsy- A post about hip and handmade t-shirts wouldn't be complete without mentioning Etsy. They've got thousands. Maybe millions. Search by type, color, brand...there are so many great choices. Like this. And this. And this. I could go on and on...but you really should go search for yourself. Have fun!

Getting People to Care About Climate Change

2009-12-10T09:03:58-08:00

What's the best way to get people to give a darn about climate change? Have them compete with their neighbors.

That's according to a small study done on ways to encourage homeowners to conserve energy. Apparently the idea of helping the environment or being socially responsible is not enough to garner much action from homeowners, but when it comes to "keeping up with the Jones" - well that seems to light a fire under people's butts.

David Fahrenthold's article about climate change in the Washington Post this week brought this fact to light, along with some other intriguing/depressing tidbits like the fact that "To a psychologist, climate change looks as if it was designed to be ignored" - because its worst effects will probably happen to someone else at some other time. It turns out that "warnings about climate change kick at emotional dead spots in all human brains - but especially in American brains." The United Nations climate talks are going on NOW but instead of following that dialog and thinking about the long-term, most Americans are googling Tiger Woods or at the mall looking for the best deal on a high-def TV.

Knowing this, what can we do to get more people to ACT? If pitting neighbor against neighbor is what it takes, then lets find a way to capitalize on that. Maybe we should be hosting neighborhood competitions. Who has the most compact fluorescent light bulbs in their home? The best rain garden? The least amount of trash? Grants for homeowners who make energy efficient improvements could be a way for homeowners to earn bragging rights. "I can't believe you didn't take advantage of that super low-interest loan for new windows!!" Looking like an idiot - maybe that'll get 'em going.

What do you think? Do you agree with this dour outlook on personal responsibility for the environment? What have you seen that really works as a call to action? Has your neighborhood done anything to try to rally the cause?

This is my post for the Green Moms Carnival on the topic of Climate Change. Diane at Big Green Purse is hosting so be sure to visit her site next Monday, Dec. 14th to find out what other smart Moms (and mothers of the earth) are saying on this important topic.

{image: CO2 cube in Copenhagen via visitcopenhagen.com}

Green Discoveries - Toilet Paper Holiday and Home Decor

2009-12-09T11:41:23-08:00

Who would have thunk it? Home decor from, yep, old toilet paper tubes! We're not talking preschool craft time here. These are nice looking pieces that will look fine and dandy in your home for the holidays or any old time of year.

Advent Calendar - This detailed tutorial will show you everything you need to make a lovely advent calendar out of recycled toilet paper tubes. Fill it up with candies and tiny trinkets and let the kids 'discover' something fun every day! It may be a bit late for this December but if you start saving up tubes now, you'll have plenty for next year's advent. {discovered via Maya Made}

Heart Wreath - This pretty wreath, worthy of any home's wall, is made from 8 empty TP rolls, cut into 6 parts each. Use paper clips to temporarily hold the pieces together, then glue in place. Add some dried flowers or seasonal berries and it's ready to go! {discovered via Urban Homesteader}

Wall Art- Create your own meandering wall art out of discarded tubes. I just love the organic, floral design! Similar in construction to the wreath, but this time, any shape goes and you can keep adding on when you accumulate more tubes. {discovered via ohdeedoh}

Photo Rings- Capture your favorite photos in toilet paper rings! Sounds crazy and admittedly is not a very glamorous way to showcase your fine photos but it gets the job done, just like a good roll should. {discovered via ShelterPop}

Toilet Roll Forest- OK, this isn't something I would expect the average joe to be able to pull off - but isn't it beautiful? Exquisitely detailed branches are expertly cut and then pulled out of the tube for a wonderful visual display of shadow and light. {discovered via Whip Up}

Fair Trade Gift Ideas + $165 Worth of Giveaways!!

2009-12-07T10:41:45-08:00

As you rack your brain trying to come up with the 'perfect' gift for Grandma or that little something for your favorite babysitter, it's important to remember that there is more to gift giving than the gift itself. There are people behind the gift. People who work in the fields, operate machines, package it up and send it on its merry way.

So when you make a purchase, you're really making 2 decisions. One for the gift itself and the other for the manner in which it was made. When you buy Fair Trade you can be assured that the people who made the product were treated fairly and the process was an equitable one. Some of the benefits for buying Fair Trade include:

Fair wages for workers
Safe and healthy working conditions
Equitable partnerships between producers and marketers
Long-term working relationships
Environmentally sustainable practices followed

To create a little excitement about buying Fair Trade, I contacted some of my favorite Fair Trade vendors about doing a giveaway. And WOW did they ever come through with some wonderful prizes!! Read on to learn out about these terrific companies and some of the really great Fair Trade products they have to offer.

Wedge Worldwide- This online marketplace for earth-friendly and Fair Trade goods is offering a $50 gift certificate so you can pick out whatever Fair Trade items you want! Choose from earrings like these from Robin Rife, durable market bags made from recycled rice and feed bags, or an adorable Fair Trade poncho for the kids. Buying Fair Trade is a win-win for everyone involved!

Fair Indigo - Look Good. Feel Good. Do Good. That is the motto of Fair Indigo, a clothing and accessories company that specializes in Fair Trade partnerships. They do a great job with basics like t-shirts and pants but be sure to check out their cute skirts, stunning jewelry and fun toys for kids too. Fair Indigo is giving away an adorable Fair Bear made in Peru from 100% dye-free organic cotton - a perfect gift for the little one in your life!

Equal Exchange - If you love chocolate, but don't dig supporting the practice of forced child labor (quite common in the West African cocoa trade - where 70% of the world's cocoa comes from), then you'll be happy to discover Equal Exchange. Their cocoa comes from small-scale, farmer co-ops in the Dominican Republic, Panama and Peru and is Fair Trade Certified. As a frequent consumer of Equal Exchange chocolate bars I have to say...YUM!!! You can try it for yourself if you are the winner of the Sweet & Spicy Chocolate Sampler...including a can of Organic Spicy Hot Chocolate, an Equal Exchange ceramic mug and 3 delicious chocolate bars.

Ten Thousand Villages - One of the world's largest Fair Trade organizations, Ten Thousand Villages works with disadvantaged artisans in 38 countries. Products range from home decor to jewelry to baskets as well as lovely toys and gifts for children. One lucky Mindful Momma reader will win this precious Twin Doll with a very special story to tell. Two identical, handmade dolls are produced by artisans working for the Batsiranai Craft Project in Zimbabwe. One doll is sold by Ten Thousand Villages and the other, its 'twin' is given to a family affected by HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. Many of these children have never had a doll before - so giving a gift like this goes far beyond the gift itself!!

The Andean Collection- While working on her masters degree in Ecuador, Amanda, the owner of The Andean Collection, realized that she could help bring women out of poverty by starting a business that trained artisans and paid them fair and honest wages. And so her jewelry business was born with a mission to produce socially conscious fashion! All of the jewelry is made using natural, native South American materials including the tagua nut, the acai seed, coconut palm, the huayruro seed, jabon seeds and pambil seeds. All materials are harvested in a sustainable manner that does not involve cutting down trees. Having won a tagua bracelet from Siel's Green LA Girl blog this summer, I can personally attest to how nice this jewelry really is! And now I've got this gorgeous acai wrap bracelet up for grabs!! Be sure to check out the rest of the collection of irresistible and very reasonably priced jewelry.

OK then - are you ready to win? Poke around these wonderful websites for awhile and let me know a few of your favorite things. There will be 5 separate winners - one from each company. The contest will run through midnight, central time on Monday, December 14th. (only one entry per person and you must have a US shipping address.)

Send a Green Mom to Copenhagen!!

2009-12-03T12:10:12-08:00

Hey green friends - I could use your help!!

Diane MacEachern, one of the members of the Green Moms Carnival that I am part of, is a FINALIST for the Hopenhagen Ambassador Contest put on by the Huffington Post. If she wins, she will be sent to Copenhagen as a citizen journalist, covering the important climate change talks with the perspective of A REAL MOM who cares deeply about the environment and social change.

I met Diane this past summer at BlogHer and I can tell you that she is super passionate about the environment, very well spoken and an incredible activist. She's also a best selling author of the book Big Green Purse, one of my favorite green resources! I think she would be the perfect representative to bring the message of hope to Copenhagen!

Please vote for Diane by giving her a 10 star rating right here on the Huffington Post site. The voting ends Friday, December 4th at midnight - that's tomorrow!! (you do have to register with Huff Post to vote but it is a quick process and you can opt out of all email notifications if you would like)

Thanks for your help and keep your fingers crossed that Diane wins!!

Heirloom Holiday Decorations

2009-12-03T07:51:33-08:00

Last week while I was in Madison, I had a chance to duck into an antique store for awhile ALL BY MYSELF!! As I wandered through the store (it was one of those places with lots of different vendors), I was so inspired by all the lovely holiday ornaments and decorations for sale. Vintage glass ornaments, classic Santa figurines, sweet ceramic cookie plates, handmade paper houses...really beautiful stuff!! It made me wonder why anyone would want to buy the 'made in China' crapola that's available in so many stores.

Decorating the house for the holidays is a wonderful tradition. As a child, I looked forward to unwrapping all the special ornaments and placing our vintage Santa on the fireplace mantel. Sometimes my sisters and I would argue about who got to put up what....but regardless of sisterly spats, it was always a special evening where the whole family came together to decorate the tree.

And now that tradition continues on in my own home - except that I'm no longer the one who fights over the ornaments. We have a wonderful collection of ornaments including a whole bunch of vintage glass ornaments from my husband's family, wonderful handmade ornaments from my family and lots of painted, wooden ornaments and other special pieces that I have collected over the years.

Whether you are just starting out or simply want to add to your holiday decor, here are a few suggestions:

Raid Grandma's attic. There could be a treasure trove of vintage decorations just waiting to be discovered! You may not think of ornaments as family heirlooms but I'm a believer that everything special should be passed along to the next generation.
Go antiquing. Why buy brand new when when there are so many beautiful holiday decorations already out there just waiting to find a new home? I picked up a couple of gorgeous glass teardrop ornaments from the 1950's on my latest antique store visit.
Buy quality over quantity. My rule of thumb is to buy 1 nice ornament each year. By nice, I don't mean expensive, but rather something well made that just jumps out at me as being special. I plan to pass them down to my boys for their own Christmas trees someday!
Make your own. Homemade ornaments are THE BEST!!! Especially when your kids make them. My boys are not especially crafty, but I'm hoping to get them in on a special photo ornament idea that I've got brewing...
Let nature inspire you. Skip the cheap plastic holiday decorations and decorate with seasonal greens, pine cones, flowers....and fresh mistletoe of course!

This is my post for the Green Moms Carnival which is being hosted this month at the Green Phone Boothon December 10th. Please stop by to read what all the other green Moms have to say on the topic of Greener Traditions.

{image from moxie-girl's photostream via flickr}

Eco-Parents Event in Linden Hills this Wednesday!!

2009-11-30T14:33:23-08:00

Calling all Twin Citians (Minneapolitans, St. Paulites, Suburbanites, alike)!! Here's your chance to come out and have a little eco-friendly fun this week!! The Linden Hills Equipment's group is hosting a party at a brand new art gallery in Linden Hills.

I will be there doing a fun little make-n-take project from the book and signing copies of my book, Practically Green!!

Healthy snacks will be provided by Linden Hills Co-op and it wouldn't be a party without some sustainably produced wine!! And don't worry, you don't have to be a member of the group or even a parent to come. This party is open to everyone!

Wednesday, December 2nd

7:00 - 9:00 pm

Galleri M

4404 Abbott Avenue, S

Minneapolis

Hope to see you there!

Sharing

2009-11-30T08:59:44-08:00

Hi! I'm back!! I really didn't plan to drop off the face of the blogosphere for 10 days, but apparently that's what happened. We were in Madison, WI for an action-packed week that included a book signing at Orange Tree Imports, a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner (I was in charge of the desserts and they were delicious but not particularly green OR healthy!), plenty of exercise - running, walking the dog, throwing the football, swimming...and a couple of games of Parcheesi. Every time I thought about writing a blog post....well, I think I just needed a break.

Thanks again for all the love and support for my book launch! The virtual book launch party was a scream! I'm actually kind of happy that it ended up happening on my blog instead of on Facebook - I think more people were able to participate. All the winners have been contacted and I just sent a batch of prizes out myself today...so keep an eye on the mailbox if you won something!

There were so many interesting and creative 'Practically Green' tips from the party - I want to share a few of them with you. This is the season for sharing, right?

In our neighborhood, we have created an e-mail list of moms and a wikispaces page so that we can pass along clothing. This has saved us all a ton of money on kids clothes, coats and costumes. (Eliza @ Urban Homesteader)
For my kids I have: Turned onesies into T-shirts - Pulled elastic out of pants to make the waist larger and turn into capri's (for my daughter, not my son!) - Covered flowers on my daughter's old shirts with abstract squares (scraps of fabric sewn on) for my son. (Andrea @ Bringing Basics Back)
I haven't bought a disposable coffee filter - ever and I'm a serious coffee drinker. When I was given a larger automatic coffee maker I bought a reusable gold coffee filter for it. The coffee grounds are composted or sprinkled in my potted plants or directly in my garden. (Lisa @ Condo Blues)
I have a "birthday party box" of re-usable plates, cups, and utensilsthat I bring out for each kid's birthday. It all goes into a rubbermaid container so it's easy to clean and store away for the next birthday that rolls around. (jj24)
One of our latest green stints was the birthday party we threw for my 8 yr-old daughter. We hired a naturalist to take us (kids and parents too!) on a tour of wild edibles and medicinal plants in a local park. It was very educational and entertaining. We gave out clay pots and organic mint plants, among other eco-friendly items as favors (no plastic trinkets or baggies).(Laureen)
My favorite green cleaning tip is to mix baking soda and castile soap in an old squirt bottle(like catsup), and then squirt that under the toilet rim. After 5 minutes, follow with squirts of white vinegar - it makes the remaining baking soda fizz and remove grime. Then flush. (Jennifer @ The Smart Mama)
Like pretty much everyone else, I use a lot of vinegar and baking soda. But most of all? I just under-clean. A little dirt is good for the soul. (The Raven)
I use baking soda for my kids' shampoo lately and made a huge effort to use less sunscreen this summer and use coconut oil instead when I could. (Katie @ Kitchen Stewardship)
I make homemade chicken soup in large batches, freeze them in reusable containers, and take those to work instead of using individual containers of soup. (Melissa)
My husband started spooning out his yogurt from a large (2 lb) container each morning into a smaller reusable container to bring to work. (Shanna @ Devarim)
Eucalyptus works great if you have animals to keep fleas and ticks off. (Amalia)
I'm a big fan of opening windows (when it's not allergy season for us) to air out rooms and the house, periodically. (Pop and Ice)

{image from meg l's photostream via flickr}

Practically Green Book Launch Party Day #5: Wearing Green

2009-11-19T22:01:00-08:00

Boy this week went fast - I can't believe it's the last day of the party! Thanks so much for all the practically green tips you've shared. I'm mighty impressed with what some of you have been up to!!

For the final day of the party, I thought we should talk clothes. I'm not what you would call a clothes-horse but I do love using clothes to express my personal style. And if money were no object, I'd be buying sweaters from Edun, Loomstate jeans and fashion-forward tops from Loyale. But I don't own any of that stuff. Much of my clothing comes from consignment shops, with an occasional splurge on a pretty organic cotton dress from Birch Clothing like this one that I wore to my local book signing party:

Practically Green has a whole chapter on low impact clothing but it's not all about buying new. There are so many ways to green your wardrobe without spending a bundle. If you didn't already catch it, check out my recent post about 5 Fun & Affordable Ways to Green Your Wardrobe.

But let's admit, getting your hands on some hip, eco-fashion would be kinda fun, wouldn't it? How 'bout a little something for the kids? Baby Star, a design-savvy, eco-minded company based in Portland, is offering up a piece from their new organic denim collection to one Mindful Momma reader. Choose from the boys jeans, the flared girls jeans or the adorable jean skirt. Makes me wish I had a little one again.

Last, but not least, I've got 2 copies of my book, Practically Green: Your Guide to Ecofriendly Decision-Making to give away! From all the smart, practically green tips that have been coming in this week I think that some of you could have written your own books about green living. But for anyone who does get their hands on a copy, I hope it inspires you to try something new!

For a chance to win please share a practically green tip about greening your wardrobe. The contest is for one day only, ending at midnight, central time on Friday, November 20th. (only one entry per person please and you must have a US shipping address.)

Thanks SO much for making my virtual book launch party so much fun!!

Miss Muffet was the lucky winner of organic denim from Baby Star!! And Andrea & Kim each won a copy of Practically Green!

Practically Green Book Launch Party Day #4: Ditch the Disposables

2009-11-18T22:01:00-08:00

Paper towels, wet wipes, disposable razors, plastic baggies, throw away cameras, even disposable toothbrushes....disposable products seem to have really hit their peak. Sure disposables are convenient, but at what price?

Switching from disposables to reusables is an easy way to have a positive impact on the environment. And it will probably save you money too. My book, Practically Green, has a ton of ideas for ways to reuse instead of dispose. One of them is switching to cloth napkins instead of paper. It's easy to get into the habit of using paper when you have small kids....but I say, ditch the paper and use pretty, cloth napkins instead. A few more items in the wash isn't going to kill you. The book includes instructions for how to make your own cloth napkins, using fabric scraps or quilters quarters (also known as fat quarters) from the fabric store.

But if sewing is not your thing, check out these gorgeous organic cotton napkins from Mika & Bu. They are embroidered with adorable little designs and are perfect for home or lunchbox. I've got 2 sets of 5 napkins to give away - one set of Twig and one set of Jet- to 2 lucky Mindful Momma readers! The company is also offering a discount - buy one set of 5 napkins, get one set free! Just use the code MINDFUL at checkout to receive the discount. (good thru 11/30/09)

Another impactful way to reduce waste is to stop using plastic baggies for snacks. I know all too well how hard it can be to go anywhere without snacks in hand when you have little kids! But it need not be a wasteful affair. Using a durable, reusable snack bag instead of plastic bags is just the ticket. My book shows you how to make your own snack bag out of a napkin and a pretty ribbon but I've also got a snack bag giveaway for those of you who are not the crafty types.

Back when I did a review of Graze Organic, they sent me a very generous package of products to try out. I'd like to share the wealth by giving away a couple of the items that I did not use....A snack bag labeled surprise? (guess you could put anything you want in it!) and an extra large sandwich bag that says "because every bag matters", as well as 2 cute organic cotton napkins. You'll love 'em!!

Would you like to win? Just leave a comment sharing a practically green tip or two about ways that you ditch the disposables in your life! The contest will run for today only (ending at midnight, central time on Thursday, November 19th) and I will use a random number generator to pick the winners. (Note: only one entry per person and you must have a US shipping address!)

Catherine and Shanna are the lucky winners of the set/5 organic cotton napkins. Lisa from Condo Blues won the goodies from Graze Organic!