…to Handmade! I did it - I took the Handmade Pledge yesterday, and I have to say, it feels great to support those amazingly creative, thoughtfully lead-free crafters who are making a big impact on this holiday season. As of last night, almost 5400 people have signed up! If you think buying handmade (and asking people to do the same for you) might be difficult, the “Handmade Consortium,” which includes such browsing/time-sucking favorites Etsy, indiepublic, Design*Sponge, and other organizations, offers many resources to find a gift for everyone on your list (yourself included). That’s not to say there won’t be gifting challenges. But, with the array of stuff out there, it’s much more rewarding than, say, waiting an hour on a big-box checkout line, only to find out your toys have been recalled for some lead/chemical/magnet/drug related incident. Enough said.

Now, what can I buy handmade for my 16-year-old, 6 foot 7 inch, basketball and football obsessed nephew? Ideas?

PS - Junior Society has a great post listing some upcoming events featuring crafters and handmade galore in Los Angeles.  Know of more handmade events?  Let me know and I’ll make a handmade listing page!

As a huge booknerd worm and former book publicist, I can honestly say that books are my life and always will be. The problem is lately, besides not being remotely close to a normal bookstore, I have felt a bit, well, guilty, about buying books. Notebooks, paper, you can find beautiful things in recycled form, but books published with post-consumer paper is tough. In fact, according to the organization Eco-Libris, 20 million trees are cut down each year to use as ‘virgin paper’ for new books published in the US alone, and book publishers print only a tiny amount - from 3% to 10% - of their titles on recycled paper. Ouch!

Eco-Libris is helping to solve this paper problem on many fronts. You can balance out your book buying through ‘buying’ trees to be replanted with one of three Eco-Libris partners - Sustainable Harvest in Central America, RIPPLE Africa, and The Alliance for International Reforestation, also in Central America. Each tree is only one dollar, and you can buy a minimum of five - that’s five trees for five bucks! I asked Raz Godelnik, co-founder of Eco-Libris, why plant in these areas? He explained, “these trees are planted in high ecological and sustainable standards in areas when deforestation is a crucial problem, and planting trees not only helps to fight climate change and conserve soil and water, but also benefits many local people. Latin America and Africa are two regions that are losing their forests at the highest rates.”

Eco-Libris is also becoming a strong voice for changing paper practices with book publishers. Just this month, Simon and Schuster announced it will increase the amount of recycled fibers within its book paper, and about 140 other publishing houses have also made this commitment. That sounds like a big number, but it’s only about .18% of US publishers! Eco-Libris will also help you green your Book Clubs!

Finally (these guys are really busy), Eco-Libris is putting together a “Holiday Green Book Gift Guide”. This week, yours truly is featured! Check out my pick, The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle. What are your favorite ‘green’ books for kids?

Sometimes ‘going green’ doesn’t always mean fair trade/organic/straight from the ground. I also love products that are made locally and handcrafted for your (or your kid’s) enjoyment. This is why I’m a big fan of Super Natural Baby, the San Francisco-based children’s bedding and accessories that take modern form and function to a whole new, multi-purpose level.

One of Super Natural Baby’s founders, Anna Rainer, explained to me that the emphasis for Super Natural Baby is “to make products that have an extended life - a diaper clutch becomes a make up bag for mom, a blanket turns into a poncho when the child grows and a crib bumper converts into a floor mat when not used in a crib anymore.” A gorgeous product that actually lasts more than babyhood? Sign me up! They also have some organic tee shirts and onesies I wish came in bigger sizes!

Super Natural Baby is generously giving away my favorite goodie, a blanket + poncho blend of your choice, just in time for the cold weather. What kid would love to be able to wear their favorite blankie! I wonder if they can make it in big versions, for those of us who walk around bundled up all winter (that one was for you, Mom!)…You know the drill. Leave a comment here by Thursday night, PST with an answer to this question - What’s the name of your favorite blanket + poncho design? Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed! Congrats to Christine W!

This is not a post defending McDonald’s, believe me. As a kosher woman trying-my-hand as a vegetarian AGAIN, the only time we set foot in McDonald’s is for ice cream cone with friends. And if you do frequent there, this is not a post about Mickey D’s artery clogging, waste-creating, plastic-toy peddling ways. It’s about bees. Turns out, Old McDonald had some bees, too…

This all started with a post I wrote this week for ecorazzi about “Bee Movie” being slapped with a trademark infringement suit by BeeCeuticals, an organic body care line made with holistic honey. I didn’t even write the word “McDonald’s” anywhere in the post. The article did, however, prompt a vehement tirade of comments (ok, one) by a woman who made the jump from “Bee Movie” to Jerry Seinfeld to Jessica Seinfeld to hidden vegetable book to hypocritical McDonald’s promos. How could Seinfeld bee be so heartless?

And here’s my point. I actually received an email from the Director of Corporate Communications and Marketing for Conservation International, a US-based non-profit organization which is committed to “conserve the Earth’s living heritage, our global biodiversity, and to demonstrate that human societies are able to live harmoniously with nature.” Bees are having a rough time right now. Over the spring and summer, reports of entire colonies of bees disappearing from farms were baffling bee farmers and scientists. Turns out, a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder was taking place, from stresses to the bees such as viruses, pests, and possibly pesticides. This has become a worldwide problem, one in which CI had been fighting for a while.

Conservation International was psyched when McDonald’s approached them about getting the word out about bee conservation. I mean, more kids can recognize the golden arches than most of the US Presidents, right? From a PR standpoint, Conservation International saw this as an amazing opportunity they couldn’t pass up.

Here’s the deal. There are three major components to the CI/McDonald’s partnership:

-A donation from McDonald’s to support two Conservation International projects in South Africa and Mexico to protect bee habitats;

-Direct environmental education through McDonald’s, including those pesky liners on the trays as well as an on-line presence through the “Bee Move” website;

-Promote the “Bee Good to the Planet” Pledge you can join through Conservation International’s very yellow bee website or through HappyMeal.com (did you know this even existed? Oh, and it’s yellow too).

Kids can go online to read about the plight of the honeybee, play some games, and find out valuable bee-themed information. Yes, there are toys, and yes, there is a movie tie-in. If you don’t feel that it’s appropriate for your kids to see something tied in with McDonald’s, The Daily Green has a wonderful article about what kids can do to help “Save the Bees,” including eating locally made honey, putting out water (bees need to drink too!), and being kind to bees, even if they think bees aren’t so kind to them.

Thanks to Jason for his wealth of information!

Although I haven’t written about Etsy very much, I am a HUGE fan - pretty obsessed, actually. When I was writing my first blog about letterpress, I used Etsy as an almost daily source. Unfortunately, I also feel that there’s almost too much to choose from, and it can be overwhelming. But that can’t stop me - the best part about Etsy is the many unique handmade, totally crafty, often eco-friendly products for everyone in your home.

Trunkt, or “The Buyer’s Guide to Independent Art and Design,” is the best of the best of Etsy, laid out in a simplified, sophisticated way. Categories include Clothing, Accessories, Wellness, Papergoods, and can’t forget the Jewelry (I’ve linked to the kids pages). When you click on an item, you’ll go to the designer’s Etsy page, saving you a lot of time searching. I’m ordering this Volta Air Guitar by fock space for my girls who love to rock out with their uncle! Handmade from vintage fabric, and hello, $20, it may not be like the giganto Hello Kitty guitar my five-year-old has been coveting, but it will probably be played with more than once and won’t hurt when she accidentally drops in on her my her sister’s foot.

As an added bonus, Trunkt is having a $500 holiday “WishList” Shopping Spree now. Create a free WishList, make it public, and put 21 items on it by November 15th, and they’ll choose a random winner on November 16th. Believe me, it will not be difficult to fill your list! And while you’re there, check out my wishlist! You’ll find not so subtle themes of stars, boxes, cuff bracelets, and soft, cuddly things for my girls. I’m thinking of secretly emailing (yeah, right) this to my husband before he goes out and gets Barbies and books for the holidays!

Thanksgiving is at hand, and before I go any further - Yes, they do celebrate Thanksgiving in Panama! On that note, no, we will not be able to find an organic turkey this year. But, with the help of Local Harvest, however, anyone in the US will be able to outfit their holidays with organic products from soup to nuts, turkeys to cranberries, and every ingredient in between.

Local Harvest is probably the most comprehensive site for ‘real food, real farmers, real community’. Local Harvest serves many purposes. You can find farms, farmer’s markets, and organic co-ops in your area; catch up on all the latest sustainable farming news around the globe; and the best part - shop for locally grown, organic food. The range of what’s available is amazing. Of course, there are the turkeys (and from what I’ve read, they’re going fast so you’d better order!); cranberries (fresh from the bogs!); and they top it off with desserts that look like they were all made by hand (which they probably were!). I could go on and on, linking to every category. Check out the shop for yourself and try not to do it hungry, ok? Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Local Harvest is a true testament to the belief that you should not only buy local foods because it supports local farmers, but to support oil and energy conservation. The less distance food has to travel, after all, the safer the food probably is, and the less we have to rely on airplanes or large ships. More important, it’s time to change our kids’ beliefs that everything on their plate and in their lunchboxes comes from a supermarket. Find a farm near you and see if they allow visitors - many of them have stores right on the premises, and it’s a good outing to show kids a hard-working, sustainable farm that needs local support. I think the more you can make your holiday table (or your table any time of year) organic and local is beneficial for your family and your community. Think about how amazed your kids will be when you tell your kids the Thanksgiving turkey came from a farm less than 100 miles away, rather than from the freezer!

Who doesn’t need a dose of inspiration and positivity, well, every day? Andreea, the founder of Tees for Change, desired to combat the negative and scary questions people asked while she was pregnant. She put her positive energy toward not only having the birth experience she wanted, but shared it with the world through her organic Tees for Change collection.

Tees for Change are made of either 100% cotton, or a 70% bamboo/30% cotton blend. Dyes used for the shirts are eco-friendly, and the type is hand-screened using non-toxic, water-based inks. But the best part is wearing positivity on your sleeve (or chest, in this case). Phrases such as “choose happiness,” “seek balance,” and”laugh often,” not only remind us of what’s most important, but, and Andreea puts it, “create beautiful connections between strangers and allow us to affirm our greatness together”! Tees are made for men and women, in short or new long sleeved styles. As an added bonus, for each shirt purchased, a tree will be planted through American Forests’ Global Releaf program, who have planted more than 25 million trees around the world.

Win a shirt of your choice from Tees for Change this week! Just leave a comment at this post with an answer to the following question - What is your favorite Tees for Change message? The giveaway is open through Thursday night, PST. Good luck!

This giveaway is now closed! Congrats to Dayna P for winning, and thanks so much for entering!

Monday Edition!

Happy 2nd Birthday to Nina and Tom Family Fashion! I know many of you, like me, are big fans of their vibrant, organic shirts. To celebrate, they’ve taken 22% off EVERYTHING in their shop through November 22nd, including the many crafty items they’ve added recently. No coupon codes are needed, so shop away without a math-care in the world!

Craftsbury Kids just launched their 2007 Gift Guide, with free shipping for orders over $40 through December 12th! Just enter the code HOLFS at checkout. These Tree Blocks, made from ‘retired’ hazelnut trees, are a safe and welcome addition to any home!

To celebrate their feature in Mothering Magazine, Natural Pod, a comprehensive natural toys shop from birth and up (including an impressive array of natural dolls), is offering 10% off the entire shop now through November 14th! Enter code NPMPOT071 at checkout.

Sign up with IdealBite’s weekday emails and tell a friend about them too by November 30th…you’ll be entered to win one of five $200 gift certificates from Wolavers, a Vermont-based organic ales company, perfect for the beer aficionado in your house!

Now that Halloween is over - the costumes are being recycled as dress-up, candy is put out of little hands reaches (in my house it was the back of the freezer) - you may have found some older kids leaving their Halloween mark around the neighborhood. No, this isn’t a “flaming bag of poo” post, but I have been saving this great product just for this day. SoyClean Graffiti Remover is a natural, soy-based, non-toxic, non-abrasive spray for effective removal of graffiti, and also ink, marker, lipstick, and paint, making it a handy year-round product. It works on virtually every surface in your home, and the website actually has great suggestions for uses in schools and neighborhoods. I especially like their reference to “gang graffiti” on municipal signs. Hopefully you’re just dealing with pranksters, but you get the point…

Soyclean has a wide range of products, including BBQ Grill cleaners, paint stripper, deck and driveway cleaner, even a dry-erase markerboard restorer. All products are non-toxic, meaning it’s safe for your family and the environment. Maybe it even has a product for removing crunched eggs from your car (a favorite prank from my ‘hood)…