Since we’re on the topic of BPA and baby products, I thought I’d bring your attention to the “Breastfeeding is Green” contest from Nursing Mother Supplies. Aside from the multitude of health benefits breastfeeding supplies to babies, think about all the resources that go into making artificial milk; the waste created from the production of formula bottles and cans; not to mention the energy and gas used to drive the formula around to markets nationwide. The environmental friendly impact of breastfeeding is something that can be truly called a natural part of life!

In a nutshell - come up with the wittiest, eco-encompassing phrase about why breastfeeding is green, and you can win a $300 breastfeeding gift basket, as well as your saying printed on a t-shirt sold by Nursing Mother Supplies. All profits from the sale of the t-shirts will go to charity - fifty percent to La Leche League International, and fifty percent to the environmental organization of the winner’s choice! The contest is open until April 30, 2008. Email your entries to contest@nursingmothersupplies.com, and must include the following info: your name, address, e-mail address, phone number, and “Breastfeeding is Green” catch phrase.

Nursing Mother Supplies also happens to be a beautiful, easy-to-navigate site for mothers and mothers-to-be. For those looking out for BPA-free products, Nursing Mother Supplies carries Medela breastpumps and the Milk Mate breastmilk storage bottles, which are both BPA free.

Photo courtesy of Nursing Mother Supplies.

If you’re not yet hooked on Z Recommends, run, don’t walk, and start reading - you may never stop. A true hands-on product testing site in true family fashion, husband and wife team Jeremiah and Jennifer McNichols, along with their daughter Z, tirelessly test, review, group, recommend (and don’t recommend), and share the newest, safest, and most innovative kid-friendly products on the market.

One ongoing and rigorous testing the Z Recs family should be particularly proud of is their comprehensive BPA report on a broad range of infant and child feeding products, from 42 companies whose products are available in the US. If you have not been on the BPA radar, here’s a quick tutorial: cans and plastic bottles contain the chemical compound called bisphenol-A (BPA). Recent findings have found that BPA can leak out of these linings into food, milk, or other liquids, right into babies and children’s mouths and bodies. BPA consumption has been linked to infertility, cancer, and disorders in children such as hyperactivity. The reaction to the bottle and feeding industry is to remove BPA from baby products, ensuring safety and security.

The Z Recs report is an amazingly thorough and well organized article. Organized in a readable directory format, the listings cover all bottles, cups, breast pumps, pacifiers, utensils, and tableware for a huge variety of brands. Z Recs has gone way beyond simply reading labels - they have questioned company representatives on company practices and commitments to getting BPA out of their products (and your children’s) mouth. Companies are assessed by overall product quality and their “commitment to avoiding the use of Bisphenol-A in their products, incorporating reviews and company profiles” Personally, I wish this was available five and even three years ago when my girls were infants and there were so many fewer healthy choices for bottles, nursing, and feeding. I feel better knowing, however, that this information can be passed on to new moms and dads looking to safeguard the littlest ones in their homes.

Tell us what you think of the Z Recs report! I was particularly surprised to see a company I used with both my kids, Avent, for pacifiers, that ranks “Poor” on the list. It goes to show you that pretty packaging and a seemingly high-quality product may not be as advanced as you think. What’s your favorite baby feeding, or nursing product, and where does it rank on the list? Most important, will you make a necessary switch?

Photo courtesy of Z Recs

Thinking about Spring yet? I can’t say that we in Florida dream about ‘better’ weather much, but my family up North are counting the days. With Easter coming a bit earlier this year, and Passover right in the middle of April showers, it’s never too early to dream about warmer days and playing outside. These sweet, handmade little dolls designed by Denise Mollison (and her children!) just look and feel like springtime to me. Fashioned in the tradition of the Matryoshka (Russian nesting dolls), and crafted from cotton socks and Japanese kawaii fabric, these dolls are perfect accompaniments for spring babies cribs or older girls’ afternoon carriage strolls in the park. Can’t you just feel the cuddling?

You can find all of Denise Mollison’s adorable “stuffie toys” in her Etsy shop or Quiet Hours Toys.

I truly believe that every kid being raised green forms an eco-obsession of some sort. My girls love to play water monitor - they’ll shut the water off on anyone they think is running it too long. Recycling is just as important, almost sacred, in my house. One friend of mine has a four year old who is on a mission to save the world, one napkin at a time. Eating became a battle of the paper goods, resulting in total messiness and face-wiping resentment. So, I turned her on to the cloth napkin company called Fabkins, and viola! Dinner was saved!

Created by two California moms on an eco-mission, Fabkins are truly as fab as their name. Fabkins are kiddie cloth napkins (that double as placemats) to stick in lunchboxes or meals at home (or, as my girls thought when they saw Fabkins, will be really great at tea parties!). Sold in packs of five, a school week’s worth of Fabkins can help save billions of pounds of paper waste from ending up in landfills - and hopefully teach a thing or two to about table manners. Fabkins come in six different themes, each with five distinct designs for boys and girls alike. They’re made of 100% (organic cotton coming any day now, I’m told), are machine washable, and totally lunchbox chic (or cool, depending on who’s looking).

This week, I’m so excited to giveaway one set of Fabkins each to two winners! Please leave a comment here with an answer to this question - what’s your favorite Fabkins style (we’re pretty partial to the “Prima Ballerina” style ourselves). This giveaway will be open until next Thursday, February 28th, 2008 at midnight PST. Good luck!

This contest is now closed!  Check back for the winners! 

This week is the annual Toy Fair at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. While I unfortunately wasn’t able to attend, I’ve been living vicariously through other bloggers, NPR coverage, and lots and lots of on-line research. I also found this interesting Q&A with the Toy Industry Association, who also organizes the Toy Fair, regarding the toy safety industry and what measures are being taken to keep toys (and kids!) safe. They use a lot of vague words like “rigorous testing” and “progress” that makes me hopeful in foggy sort of way that there will be strides in the way products enter the toy market. In fact, the TIA has announced a new “Toy Safety Assurance Program” that will be open for public review and comment for one month only - February 22 through March 22, 2008. I urge you to please check back HERE for the published report - read it and give feedback, pass it around, get involved! We don’t want another Thomas disaster like last summer!

As an aside, check out the winners of the Toy of The Year Awards. Notice there’s not a single wooden or natural toy in the bunch. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, but I do wonder if there will ever be a shift in sentiment about what makes a ‘great’ toy. I think this is the heart of why I started teensygreen. My girls love Moon Sand and Polly Pocket just as much as Kapla Blocks and soy crayons. I’m totally ok with that, and of course, there has been amazing progress with the natural toy industry - the choices and availability for ‘better’ toys has exploded. But, what do you think progress actually is? Obviously, there will always be recalls of some sort - it’s just the nature of products. Also obviously, last summer’s lead recall onslaught was incredibly eye-opening and scary, and led to many changes in the minds of toy consumers. Do you think the mainstream toy industry will ever catch up, standards-wise, to what parents are demanding for the toy industry? Or, do you think toys like Aqua Dots will forever sneak their way onto the market?

Here’s something fun for the short work and school week. Naming a baby is never easy, but when you’re a green blogger, at least you can ask your readers for help! Rebecca Carter, co-founder of Ecorazzi and greenerMIAMI, is pregnant, due in eight weeks, and needs assistance! Rebecca is asking you to help name her green baby boy, due right around Earth Day (April 22, how appropriate!).

Here are the basics - email Rebecca at NameOurGreenerBaby@gmail.com with the subject line “I’ve Got Your Name!” and the following information -

1. Proposed name for the Baby Boy

2. Why you chose that name

3. What you imagine his “eco-passion” will be

And, of course, there are prizes involved - First place winner will receive a funky, recycled handbag from Ecoist and a $25 gift certificate from Rag Trade: Happy Clothing Company; second and third place winners will each receive an Ecoist handbag. Submissions must be received by Friday, March 7, 2008. Check out the post for the rest of the rules and regulations. Rebecca is going to be posting the names sent in to help with duplicates, but enter away! Good luck - I know I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with!

We’re going through a “I don’t want to watch ‘baby’ movies anymore Mommy, can I watch Hannah Montana for the three hundredth time today???” phase in our house right now, and I end up staring at a few (dozen) DVDs that have fallen by the wayside. What to do? If your kids have finally outgrown the Wiggles and you need to unload the entire DVD collection, or if you’re wondering what to do with the Dora library you no longer have to read over and over again, Swaptree may be your new BFF. As its name implies, Swaptree creates a network of trades through ‘have’ and ‘want’ lists you compile, using a special algorithm that magically matches what you’re offering with books, CDs, DVDs, and videogames. The more popular the item you’re offering (meaning, the more ‘want’ lists the item is already on), the more choices you have to swap. Swapping is free, except for postage, which usually runs under $3 per trade.

What makes Swaptree even MORE awesome is you can import your Amazon wishlist, or any lists from other websites (I imported the Children’s Bestseller list from B&N) - all you need is the URL with ISBN numbers - to type right into Swaptree, saving you time retyping that ultimate bedtime books list you’ve been compiling. You can also print postage labels right from Swaptree, saving you time at the post office. Goodbye Baby Einstein, hello High School Musical!

Starting tomorrow, when you sign up with Swaptree, you’ll get your first trade postage-free!  The Swaptree links should give you the promo code automatically when you sign up, but if not, type in the code ‘teensy’ when you’re prompted for a promo code.  Happy swapping!

Freecycle is another free offering/taking service, right in your own community. Each group is monitored by a local resident, and has its own set of rules and regulations. I joined my local Freecycle group, which amazingly has over two thousand people participating! Everything under the sun has been offered and taken, all very quickly and discreetly, including books, dollhouses, children’s clothing, even birds and furniture! If you see something you want that is offered, you privately email the person - no money is exchanged, and there’s no mailing of items. You’re responsible for picking the item up.

The tricky part is to keep up with the updating, and to email the offerer quickly if you see something you want - I jumped on some books, but wasn’t so quick on the draw. If you find Craigslist a bit creepy, Freecycle might be the place for you. Either way, with Swaptree or Freecycle, you’re saving money, packaging, gas, and overall making a greener choice to recycle items in your home. I’m sure any one of the Presidents taking refuge in wallets across the country will be pleased…

It’s tough to keep up with the amazing array of eco-shops out there these days, catering to every lifestyle and wallet size. One thing they have in common (besides the commitment to being green, of course), is they all have a wonderful story behind them. That being said, Kai Kids is the result of a Toronto couple’s small changes that led to big ideas. Taking baby steps to becoming greener after the birth of their sons, Nancy DeHart and Peter Chin found that going green became a growing passion they wanted to share with others. Since the name ‘Kai’ is their first son’s name, and means ’sea’ in Hawaiian as well as ‘keeper of the earth’ in Greek, it seemed only fitting to share the earth-oriented name.

Featuring clothing, toys, and accessories from the highest-quality companies out there today, including infant wear from Babysoy, Bare Organics skin care products, Klean Kanteen sippies, and Jolie Maman nursing wear for new moms, Kai Kids’ motto, ‘gentle on your family, gentle on the earth,’ rings true from what you’re buying down to how it comes in your mailbox. One complaint I always have, even from eco-friendly companies, is how tough it is to find greener shipping options to the consumer. Kai Kids reuses boxes and envelopes to ship their products, eliminating extra packaging and encouraging others to do the same.

To celebrate the launch of their shop, Kai Kids is offering two winners one $35 gift certificate each towards a Kai Kids item! You’ll find that everything is well-priced and super practical, so we know you’ll be able to find something for the teensygreen-er in your family! To enter, leave a comment here with an answer to this question - what is your favorite Kai Kids item? This giveaway will be open through Thursday, February 21st, midnight PST. Good luck!

This contest is now closed!  Congrats to Tanja and Lori, enjoy your Kai Kids purchase! 

I’ve officially hit a meal rut. With a husband who travels often and a busy schedule, not to mention two grandparents who love to feed us, I’ve fallen into the same old foods over and over at home. While my girls don’t seem to complain, I definitely think a little kitchen shake-up is in order. So, I went digging and found some websites and services I hope will inspire you as well.

What’s Cooking Weekly is a newsletter and menu planning service from the San Francisco-based cooking school and education site. Check out their sample menu; the shopping lists and recipes are both practical and manageable - I’ve tried a couple of recipes that my girls actually enjoyed and asked for again! A subscription to What’s Cooking Weekly is $10 a month, $35 for six months, and $66 for the year (with one month free). You can also give a six or yearly gift subscription - great for mom friends, and totally paperless! Even if you don’t pay for a subscription, What’s Cooking offers a tremendous amount of resources about organic food and cooking, as well as a great green kid’s shop for a healthy lunchbox, birthday party ideas, cookbooks, and other occasions. Here’s an excellent article from Michelle Stern, founder of What’s Cooking, about how to incorporate kids into the kitchen for a truly rewarding, and nutritious, food experience for your family.

Spatulatta is an adorable website and cookbook companion, where kid-hosts (and sisters!) Belle and Liv teach kids via short and sweet videos about cooking meals, snacks, and special occasions. A James Beard-award winning webcast for 2006, Spatualatta’s recipes are healthy, simple, and feature a ton of vegetarian and vegan options. Check out their “Back 2 School” page for a good start for lunches! My five year-old especially loved the fact that Mom was behind the camera, and not helping the kids cook - seems she has her own ideas about who runs the kitchen! Note - You need the Quicktime Player to view videos.

Food Allergy Kitchen is also a great recipe resource for families who need to avoid certain ingredients. Search by category or food allergy for accurate substitutions. Food Allergy Kitchen also has an amazing list of allergy-related food links, including gluten-free diets, allergy and asthma, and celiac’s disease, and keeps a running update of food recalls due to allergens.

Moving back to the US has been a whirlwind to say the least, and thankfully (thankfully thankfully), we were able to sell the house we had lived in before the Panamanian adventure. I do miss my house, but looking back through ‘green’ eyes, it had a lot of unnecessary space. Since we’re renting a smaller townhouse now, my girls sharing a room, all of us sharing a bathroom, I’m finding it’s not how much space you think you need, but how you manage the space you have (although, I would LOVE some built-in bookcases, but you can’t have everything…)

That being said - I need storage! Rather, my kids need storage - their cloth baskets are overflowing with dolls, and the book piles look more like the leaning tower of Dora. This is one issue I don’t mess around with - since we’re still in a state of housing-flux, I want something that will move with us and stay put. I covet the Via Toy Box storage system on so many levels. In a world of MDF and particle board furniture, it’s a breath of fresh air to see a product that uses real wood…Via uses birch wood from Russia, using a process called ’selective cutting,’ a sustainable practice that only uses trees mature enough for production. Paints are water-based, non-toxic, and kid and time friendly, meant to last for years of use and abuse. The boxes come fully assembled, except for the box fronts, and use minimal hardware.

Basically, the Via system rocks. A true modular storage system, you can buy Via boxes individually, in sets of six, or in pre-designed complete sets that incorporates everything from bookshelves to cabinets. Your kids can put their junk inside without worry about lids closing on little fingers, and the awesome shape fronts helps little ones learn shapes and colors. Put feet on the bottom and make it a table…hang them from the wall for that floating box look. Or, set them up in endless configurations, with endless choices of interchangeable doors and cubby cut-outs. Did I mention endless? Choose from twelve colors - natural, white, blue, red, chocolate, lime, pink, hot pink, yellow, orange, green, and lavender - that matches any decor or color obsession of the moment. You can even change the fronts of the boxes as tastes as that fairy or pirate theme finally phases out…