Did you know that plastic does NOT breakdown and go away – EVER!!!

This past weekend I took my kids to the beach.  It was an unusually windy day (a storm was coming) and the trash cans couldn’t keep the trash contained inside them.  Combined with the people who think it’s ok to leave their plastic bottles in the sand this is what I saw while my kids were swinging on the swing.

In the short walk back to the car I picked up about 6 bottles and several broken pieces of unknown plastic.  They were probably part of a bucket or shovel.  I also picked up a lid from a coffee cup and a few cigarette butts.  We promptly placed this trash in the garbage can at the exit to the beach but it barely made a dent in the plastic that we saw that day.  This happens every time we go to the beach but this has to be one of the worst days I’ve seen in a long time.

I’ve followed Beth Terry’s journey to living a plastic free life for several years now and I’m impressed with her passion for advocating against plastic.  She’s even written a book, Plastic Free (affiliate link), that can help to inspire you to live plastic free (and I was interviewed in one of the chapters which makes it even cooler!!).  Here is a short commercial on her book – just be careful that you don’t get eaten by the Plastic Sea Monster in the video!

Another one of the companies that I love and admire is Zoe B Organics.  Valerie, the owner, has been on a expedition to study the plastic pollution in the Western Pacific Garbage Patch.  I’ve been following her journey on the Zoe B blog and Facebook page and can’t wait to hear her stories.  Zoe B makes anti-plastic (from corn) beach toys and dishware.

This brings me to the reason I’m writing this post today!  My friend Malena with “THE” Balm! is launching a 2 day challenge, Switch 2 in 2 Challenge, to help you make a change.  It can be overwhelming to try and change everything (ask Beth Terry) but it can be easy to start with just 2 things!

Pick 2 plastic items that you use in your house and pledge to switch to a more sustainable and non-plastic alternative.  When you sign up for Switch 2 in 2, you’ll be registered to win a $50 Gift Certificate from “THE” Balm!  “THE” Balm! produces a tropical line of products for mama’s and baby including a bottom balm, natural sunscreen, bug spray and nipple butter.  All of their products are made from natural, organic ingredients made locally in their home on the Big Island in Hawaii.  They are all packaged in glass bottles or recycled aluminum containers – no plastic!  You’ll hear me talk more about a few of my favorite products soon.

So what do you think?  Are you ready to start kicking the plastic addiction?  Do you think you can Switch 2 in 2?  What 2 products would you start with?   

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Bamboo is an eco-friendly and sustainable material that can grow up to 4 feet in just one day.  With every purchase you make at Paper Culture they will plant a tree in your honor.  The plaques are available in 4 different sizes and are ready to hang with their special keyhole on the back.

Place your order between now and June 1st and save 40% on Bamboo Wall art in time for Father’s Day.  Use coupon code BAMBOODAD at checkout (order must be placed and approved by June 1st).

I have one of the L O V E multi-colored wall plaques that I received from Paper Culture after BlogHer last year and it’s high quality and looks great hanging in my daughters room.  I’m trying to decide which photo to use to order a larger one for the family room.  Maybe a recent beach picture would be nice.

What are you planning on getting your dad or husband for Father’s Day?  

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Here are just a few of my favorites:

• Groovy Green Livin’
• The Eco-Friendly Family
• Dagmar*s momsense
• Green and Clean Mom
• Spit that Out
• Happy Mothering
• Green Gifts Guide
• Green Lifestyle Consulting
• Celebrate Green
• Mindful Momma
• The Soft Landing
• Kelly Wels
• and so many more!!!

There are currently 75 moms on the list and I’m sure more will be added.

VOTE NOW!  You can vote for your Top 25 once a day from now until June 13th so give my friends a “Thumbs Up” and while you’re at it…give me one too!  Thanks in advance for all the love!!

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Here’s a special coupon my friends at Kelly’s Closet are offering today only.  Enjoy!!

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Are you participating in the flats challenge this year?  Have you been following the great blogs posting their experiences?  What is the Flat’s Challenge?

Kim Rosas (Dirty Diaper Laundry blog) has organized an amazing event this year with over 490 participants signed up to use flat cloth diapers, covers, and hand wash for 7 days.

Each day there is a blog prompt to let bloggers who are participating share their thoughts.  Take some time and click through all the links because some of the tips are really great! Below is a list of these blog prompts and a link to Kim’s posts and link to the other blogs.

1. Monday- “What Do I Expect to Learn/ Why I’m Taking the Challenge”
2. Tuesday-“What Supplies I am Using”
3. Wednesday-“Favorite Way To Use Flats”
4. Thursday-“How I’m Doing- My Thoughts on Handwashing”
5. Friday-“What Tips I have Learned So Far”
6. Saturday- Open Topic Day
7. Sunday-“Final Post- Reflections on What You Learned.”

I’m actually sad that I don’t get to participate this year but Lil’ B is finally potty trained.  She’s doing so well that she’s be sleeping in her big girl undies for the past 4 nights without any accidents (please pray I didn’t just curse our streak by posting this).  Regardless…we don’t need our diapers any longer so a flats challenge would be rather…challenging!  But I’m here to support you all!  If you were closer I’d even stop by and help you hand wash.

Here are some of my favorite posts from last year’s flats challenge:

Scared of the Snappi – 2011

How to Cloth Diaper Your Baby for Only $50 – 2011

How to Hand Wash Flat Cloth Diapers – 2011 (video tutorial)

Q&A About Washing Cloth Diapers by Hand – 2011

Tips for using flats overnight or for heavy wetters – 2011

What I learned – 2011

And a few newer posts that you might enjoy:

Cloth Diaper Your Baby for Free – 2012

How to Prepare an Emergency Kit with Cloth Diapers – 2011

Are you participating?  How is it going for you?  Have you ran into any challenges?  Found any really fun ways to use flats?  Share some of your thoughts in the comments below.

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When:  Tuesday, June 19th @ 9-10pm ET

Hashtag: #SummerFluff

Host: @TheEcoChic

Co-Hosts: @AutumnBeck,  @TheCDReport, @BabyDickey, @BabyRabies, @KellyWels, @KimRosas, @ChgDiapers, @ClothDiaperNews, @PaddedTushStats

Sponsors: @DiaperShops, @EcoStoreUSA, @EarthMamaHQ, @MollysSuds, @ProjectPomona, @RockinGreenSoap, @ThirstiesInc, @GENYdiapers, @EcoNuts, @ThincTHEBalm, and more to be announced soon!

Would you like to be added to the list of sponsors?  Contact theecochic@gmail.com for more information.

Prizes:  You can see some of the prizes in the Rafflecopter below but more prizes will be added soon!!

To RSVP: The only mandatory step in the Rafflecopter application below (not visible on all mobile devices or some RSS feeds) is to leave a comment on this blog post telling me one way your family goes “green” over the summer.  All other steps in the Rafflecopter application are bonus entries and will increase your odds of winning.  Door prize winners will be selected at random from the list of entries who are actively tweeting during the party house using the #summerfluff hashtag.  Be sure to sign up for the Newsletter (right sidebar) to receive a reminder on the evening of the party.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Truth: I’m older than I look!  I know I’ve alluded to my ‘real’ age a few times but you’d never believe me if I told you that I’m only a few years shy of 40!  But that’s our little secret, OK?

I don’t really have any secrets to how I stay looking this young.  What does my routine look like? Sometimes I skip the evening face wash, I do wear a little bit of makeup (and not anything special…Cover Girl and Maybelline are my friends), and I almost always wear sunscreen.  As I get older I do see those tiny lines, spots, and sags appear but I try not to worry about them too much.  I will say that I’ve been looking for new items to use on my skin that may help keep it looking young longer.

I recently received the Green Apple Age Defying Gift Bag from Juice Beauty to review for you.  The gift bag arrived with a sample of their Age Defying Serum, Cleansing Gel, Age Defying Moisturizer, and Green Apple Peel all packed nicely in an apple green cosmetic bag.  Juice Beauty is a line of organic skin care products from California that was started by Karen Behnke.

Our mission is to bring high efficiency, authentically organic, and pleasurable beauty solutions to people worldwide.

Juice Beauty is made from 98% organic content and is free of all those nasty, harsh chemicals that will age your skin like; parabens, propylene or butylene glycols, petroleum, sulphates, PEGs, TEA, DEA, phthalates, GMO, silicones, pesticides, artificial dyes and fragrances.  Did you know that your skin absorbs 64% of what you place on it?  

What did I think of the Juice Beauty Green Apple line?  I loved that it smelled fresh and that my face felt clean at the end of the day.  I loved that the moisturizer was light enough to use both day and night without leaving a heavy feel on my face.  I loved that the cleansing gel lathered up nicely and removed my makeup.  I loved that my face felt firm after applying the age defying serum.  And I especially loved knowing that I wasn’t putting anything on my face that wasn’t organic.

Would you like to try Juice Beauty?  In addition to the Green Apple line they also carry SPF products, toners, blemish control serums, and even makeup.  You can find it online or at ULTA and Whole Food stores locally.

Win it!  One lucky reader will win a $50 gift certificate to try Juice Beauty themselves.  Complete the Rafflecopter entries below to enter (may not be visible in all mobile or RSS feeds).  Submit your entry no later than May 31st (midnight ET) to be entered to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Does your baby wear cloth diapers?  Do you have a hard time finding pants that fit over their fluffy bum?  Hate having to buy a size up only to have pants way too long?  Then you need Project Pomona!

Oh how I wish I still had a baby in cloth diapers to wear these adorable pants!

Pomona Pants are designed with just a little extra room in the trunk to accommodate a babies diapers (fits both disposable and cloth diapers in the same size).  They have a low rise in the front to make room for those little baby bellies and perhaps the most unique feature is the snapping waist and hip panel.  There are three snaps (similar to the snaps found on cloth diapers) on each waist/hip to adjust to fit your baby perfectly.

I honestly don’t know why the clothing industry hasn’t thought of this yet!  Ever since I can remember baby clothes have those hideous metal snaps that go up the inside of each leg (so you can change diapers easier – as if that’s possible) or elastic waist that may or may not fit your baby.  As they get older and enter the toddler age you may be lucky enough to find the adjustable waist elastic which all of my children have needed (I make skinny waisted babies).  But the snaps on the Pomona are so clean, neat, and pretty!

I did have a chance to view a pair of Pomona’s first hand before I shared them with a friend for her little girl.  They are nicely made and incredibly high quality.  I love that the ankle of each pant is lined with a stylish fabric that can be cuffed for shorter babies (or uncuffed for a little extra growing room).  Such a smart design for our babies that can grow so quickly!

New for Spring – the 100% Organic Solid Accent Pomona!

To learn more visit Project Pomona online, Facebook, Twitter, and my favorite…Pinterest! If you are interested in trying a pair of Pomona’s for your little one visit her Etsy store and use coupon code ECOCHIC for free shipping on your order.  Offer may expire at any time.

You can also thank Meghan, the owner of Project Pomona, who has offered up one pair of Pomona pants to one of my readers.  Complete the Rafflecopter steps below to enter between now and the end of May.  Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I have to admit it, I’m a tad bit addicted to Pinterest!  When Kim approached me and asked if I would help her design the perfect Pinterest contest I was super excited!  Are you ready to Rock Pinterest with Rockin’ Green?

To view the entire set of rules visit the Rockin’ Green blog post.  Then head over to Pinterest and start having fun with your favorite scent.  I picked Lavender Mint Revival because honestly the colors lavender and mint are so beautiful together!  You can see my sample board for a little inspiration – #LetsRock with Rockin’ Green Lavender Mint Revivial.  I’m trying to decide what my favorite pin is on the board; I think I’m going to have to go with the Rockin’ Outfit!  I mean seriously…isn’t it gorgeous?  If only I had some place to wear this.

Want to know what else is cool about the contest?  You could win a year’s worth of Rockin’ Green Laundry Detergent!  This is a cloth diapering mama’s dream come true, right?!

Don’t forget to share you finished board with Rockin’ Green on their blog and their Pinterest page.  Just copy the URL for your board and leave a comment in both places (not here though unless you just want to share for fun).

And just for fun…tell me…did you have fun?  

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Have you seen the Thirsties Thanking Moms Sweepstakes yet?  Have you entered?  I am so proud to be one of the featured blog sponsors for the Sweepstakes and just had to share it with you.  Did you know that all Thirsties products are USA-made by a group of very talented women, many of whom work in the comfort and convenience of their own homes. With your support, Thirsties is able to employ more staff each year, helping to support more families in our local community.

To celebrate the love of Moms they have teamed up with some wonderful sponsors to bring you and your baby a fabulous prize worth over $600. The sweepstakes prize includes many Thirsties cloth diapering items, Bamboobies Breastfeeding Supplies, Motherlove Herbal Products, and a Boba Carrier. They also have the support of some amazing cloth diapering bloggers who want to show you how much we appreciate you and your dedication to cloth diapering your baby.

To enter the Thirsties Thanking Moms Sweepstakes please visit their Facebook page and click on the“Thirsties Thanking Moms Sweepstakes” tab.  You can enter everyday, receive entries by “liking” sponsor pages, PLUS you can receive 3 extra entries for sharing the sweepstakes with your family and friends.  Enter today!

What are you waiting for?  Go enter – NOW!  Good luck!

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