I have been on a MISSION - to find the perfect BPA-free sippy for my girls. And like many things green these days, it can be overwhelming! I need sippys mainly for camp and when we’re out (which is pretty much all day, every day, so you can see the importance). I’ve been using the Nuby soft sippys for a couple of years, and I do love them, but I’ve really wanted to try all the fun new stuff on the market. I also didn’t want to spend a ton of $$, but with two kids, it’s inevitable to have multiple cups.

We have some SIGGs, which have supercool designs. They can, however, be tough to clean. They also sweat terribly when you put cold liquid in them. This isn’t much fun when they’re bouncing around in a backpack or lunchbag, and can get everything else wet and slimy. But, they are leakproof, and the girls love popping the top open and taking a swig from their cool looking cups, so I’ll keep ‘em.

We’ve also tried the new Camelbak BPA-free water bottles. Actually, I’ve tried them, because they only come in Mommy sizes right now. But, they are great bottles - dishwasher safe, lightweight, and comes with or without a built-in straw. They also come in awesome colors! Get many of them for the gym or playground!

If you’ve been as BPA, PVC and Phthalate crazy as some people I know, then The Soft Landing is THE place for you. The Soft Landing is a one-stop shop for BPA, PVC, and Phthalate-free baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, bath toys, lunchboxes, even stainless cups for parents. It’s a great find for gifts, especially their line of “Go BPA Free Samplers,” an assembly of various products for you to try, including bottles, teethers, and first eaters.

I’m so thrilled that The Soft Landing is sponsoring this week’s giveaway with their Go BPA Free Sippy Sampler. This is a great way to test out four wonderful, all safe, sippy cups - right now, the sampler includes one Foogo insulated stainless cup; one Nuby easy-grip sippy with silicone spout; a Think Baby training cup with chunky handles; and a Klean Kanteen stainless sippy with two Avent spouts. All cups are for babies six months and up. The samplers sell out quick and are on-sale right now, so if you don’t win, grab one fast! The rules are the same - leave a comment here with an answer to this question - which Soft Landing product would you want to try the most? This giveaway will run until next Thursday, July 3rd at midnight PST. Good luck!

This contest is now closed! Thanks to everyone for entering! 

About ten months ago I wrote about the collaboration between Seventh Generation, Health Child Healthy World, the design firm IDEO, Rickshaw Bagworks and renowned architect William McDonough. Called Wee Generation, their goal was to create an ultimate green diaper bag, one that is upcycled and upcyclable; functional yet fashionable; and most important, created with parent’s needs (and feedback!) in mind. So, such as a child takes about ten months to be born, heeeeeeeeeeeere’s the Wee Generation Baby Bag!

The Wee Generation bag is made from PVC-free material, including post-consumer recycled beverage bottles. There’s a removable changing pad, as well as two removable interior totes for diapers and bottles, or toys and food, whatever you can fit in them. The bags are totally gender neutral, with a light interior so spills and dirt can’t hide from you. At $200, the bags don’t have the east price tag to swallow, but for the work put into them, it may be well worth it. It may also help to know 100% of the profits go to Healthy Child Healthy World, one of leading eco-education and advocacy groups for children. And, as a super special bonus, each bag is filled with goodies, such as a copy of the book Naturally Clean by Seventh Generation, a Wee Generation baby tee, Seventh Generation coupons, and more!

You can purchase the Wee Generation bag through Rickshaw Bagworks.

BPA and the use of it in children’s drinking products and pacifiers is still a hot topic in the news and with consumers. Thankfully, there’s a ton of information available now to help parents make informed decisions about how to safely feed their babies and toddlers. There are a lot of brands to choose from that have safer options, and the BornFree line is one of the top recommended BPA-free bottles and sippy cups recommended.

The BornFree system of bottles was created by a group of dads (go dads!) whose concern for their children’s health allowed them to take a big step to help change the way bottles and cups are made. BornFree’s signature honey colored bottles are made from a BPA-free polymer (plastic), and they even provide a line of glass bottles, which has become a big feeding trend in the wake of BPA. The bottles also contain a unique venting system to help reduce colic and ear infections. BornFree can be found at Whole Foods, Babies ‘R Us, Buy Buy Baby, and other retailers.

BornFree is celebrating Father’s Day in a very special way. If you or someone you know has a baby this Father’s Day (June 15th, 2008), you can win a year’s supply of BornFree bottles (up to 10 of them)! The first one thousand people who mail in a copy of the hospital proof of birth or baby’s birth certificate to the address provided are eligible. Click here for all the rules and regulations regarding this giveaway. Providing babies a safe feeding system (aside from breastfeeding, of course) without worry of chemicals is a great way to start their lives!

I love when large companies think outside the eco-box - it’s surprising and refreshing. I think the last time I wore Timberland boots were in the early 90s at sleepaway camp, when “Tims” waterproof boots (we had a different name for them, but this is a G-rated blog) were all the rage for the rain and mud. What a pleasant surprise when I found out they’ve launched an eco-line of shoes for men and women, called Earthkeepers, and take a strong stance of corporate responsibility towards the environment and human rights.

Timberland may feature a lot of leather items, but they’re making an effort to balance it out. Last October, when Earthkeepers was launched, an ad campaign with large billboards was featured around Boston and Providence. Now, the billboards have been recycled into reusable tote bags that are waterproof, sturdy, roomy, and all around awesome. I’ve been trying mine out with library books (and with my girls, that’s many, many books), the beach, and gymnastics gear. It’s a great bag, and I’m happy to be able to give away one bag each to five winners this week! These bags are only available at Timberland stores for $25, and they’re limited edition, so you can be sure that you’ll be carrying an eco-bag that most people won’t have.

Rules stay the same - leave a comment here with an answer to this question: what would you put into your Timberland billboard tote? This giveaway will be open until next Thursday, April 24th at midnight PST. Please remember that comments are moderated, so they won’t show up immediately, unless you enter while I’m glued to my computer (which is very likely). Good luck!

Thanks to Erica for all your help!

This contest is now closed!  Thanks to everyone for entering, winners will be announced soon! 

I’m always on a quest for the perfect sling, if not for me, than for my friends who are having first babies and NEED to know the joys and benefits of babywearing. With my first daughter, slings were rare and usually just loooooong bolts of heavy fabric with rings that I though for sure would unhook at any moment. With my second daughter, there were a few more options, but the sling I chose was stiff - it did the job, but I never could truly relax with her in the sling. It wasn’t until a brave friend let me carry her baby in her HugaMonkey sling that the heavens opened and I found - albiet very very past due - the sling I would have used if I needed one. Instead, it became the sling I send to people who I know will love it. Lightweight, versatile, in every style you and your better half will be proud to sling across your chests, not to mention totally within your budget - I mean, come on, you know spit-up and other fluids are going to end up on it, don’t you want something durable? - HugaMonkey delivers. Did I mention I love them?

How exciting to find out that HugaMonkey is adding a line of organic fabrics to their slings, and they’re enlisting you for help! Vote for your favorite fabric and styles, and then sign up for their newsletter - totally harmless, I swear. To celebrate, they’re giving away five organic slings. Choose from 100% bamboo, recycled plastic blend, bamboo/cotton blend, seaweed/organic cotton blend, linen, and 100% organic cotton. You only have until THIS THURSDAY, March 20th to enter! Good luck!

I love singing the praises about yoga - anyone can do it, and there’s never enough that can be said about the benefits to the body and mind. With information constantly being put out there about getting kids outdoors, turning TVs off, obesity, and alternative ways to get kids active, yoga may be the key to kid’s physical success. It’s an indoor or outdoor activity, that’s especially fun when it’s with a parent! It’s amazing to see my girls immediately mimic my yoga moves (that sometimes take a little more time for me to get right!).

One book that we love at our house is My Daddy is a Pretzel, written by Baron Baptiste and published by Barefoot Books. Giving simple visual aids to basic yoga poses, My Daddy is a Pretzel gives kids (and parents unfamiliar with yoga) a gentle start to yoga. It also helps kids see yoga in everyday life, as the poses reflect nature and animals around them. Paired with a PVC-free, non-toxic, and biodegradable kid’s sized yoga mat from Lotuspad, your kids will be pretzel-ing in no time! I’ve written about Lotuspad before, and can’t get enough of how durable and accessible these mats are - not only for yoga, but as a great protective activity mat.

We took a giveaway break last week, but this week we’ll celebrate with two winners - each will win one copy of My Daddy is a Pretzel along with a Lotuspad kid’s yoga mat to help your little yopi get a healthy start to a lifetime of healthy habits! As usual, please leave a comment here with an answer to this question - what’s your favorite Lotuspad yoga mat carry strap style? This giveaway will be open until next Thursday night at midnight PST. As an aside, please note that all comments are moderated, so there’s no need to leave comments over and over - they will be posted! Also, please limit your entry to one per household. Thanks, and good luck!

This contest is closed!  Thanks for entering, and check back for the winners! 

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

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! 

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! 

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!