Fifteen years ago, Melanie and Malcolm Rands made a commitment to their farm-based, eco-village in New Zealand. They developed ecostore, a line of plant-based and essential oil products, totally natural and biodegradable products that wouldn’t pollute their environment or the people who live there. Thankfully, they’ve expanded to the US with ecostore USA! From baby to bath to pet and your home, ecostore’s use and philosophy of “No Nasty Chemical” rings true with many parents these days. This month, ecostore USA wants to thank their loyal customers by holding a quick and easy video contest with a great prize - a $500 Visa card!

What you need to do:

• Make a 30 second clip of you using the lemon cream cleanser showing the effectiveness and how it is healthy and eco-friendly.
• Download your 30 second clip to any service such as YouTube, Google Video or Viddler.
• Link your video to the ecostore USA Facebook Fan page (you must also become a fan).
• One winner will be chosen by the ecostore USA team based on creativity, uniqueness, and effective use of the product.
• Video Contest begins June 16th and ends June 29th, 2009
• All Entries MUST Fill out our online entry form on their website.

What you get if you win:

• A $500 Visa Card
• A link to the ecostore USA website and blog to the winner’s blog, video or both.
• A link to the winner’s video, blog or both that will be used for a coupon at coupon.com to promote the lemon cream cleanser at Meijer stores.

Ok, so you don’t have a lot of time. BUT, a $500 Visa card to use for anything you want seems a pretty awesome incentive to get in front of a video camera. Can’t wait to see who wins! Good luck!

Ah, tweens, that fairly newly-coined phrase describing young women ages eight to thirteen - “too old for toys, too young for boys,” according to Urban Dictionary. Tween girls are a major market for product makers, but I have to say it’s been rare to find eco-stuff specific to the tween market. I really mean personal care products, like shampoos and face wash - the kiddie stuff is, well, kiddie, and are YOU ready for your tweens to invade your bathroom? Exactly.

That’s why I was psyched to learn about tweenBeauty products, made specifically with tweens in mind. tweenBeauty shampoo, conditioners, body wash and lip care are made from all-natural, organic herbal infusions and extracts. They’re also biodegradable and come in amazing scents like Grapefruit Mint, Vanilla Bean and Coconut Lime. See, not too cutesy but definitely not in the “Mom, meet my new boyfriend” stage yet. Phew!

When you think about it, this is the best age to introduce natural products to kids - it sets the tone for the rest of their lives, along with making healthy eating choices and taking care of their body through exercise. tweenBeauty also backs up their products with a site for parents only, discussing tween issues and taking steps to make this a less-stressful time in their lives.

This week, win some great goodies for the tween you love! tweenBeauty is sponsoring this giveaway with their Bath Gift Set - a hand-woven bag filled with a bottle of Orange Sherbert Shampoo, Vanilla Bean Conditioner and Pink Lemonade Body Wash! Please leave a comment here with an answer to this - what is your (or your closest tween’s) favorite tweenBeauty product flavor? This giveaway will be open until next Wednesday night, April 1st at midnight, PST. One entry per household, please, and this contest is only open in the US. The winner will be chosen at random. Good luck!

It’s happened. After hearing, seeing and reading about the flu and all sorts of awful illnesses going through homes this winter, my kids have come down with colds and ear infections. We’ve been stressing washing hands, not sharing cups and have been keeping the kids outside as much as possible (which we’re very lucky for in Florida!). Of course, this doesn’t mean any child is completely immune from germs. I’ve been trying to supplement my kids with extra vitamins, both through food and vitamins, to help get through this season.

There are many vitamin and supplement choices for kids, and I don’t like to recommend one over another. It’s tough to find a good vitamin for your kids. Many docs don’t even recommend vitamins, because food should be the primary source of nutrition, of course. This winter, we’ve been all about oranges in the morning, bananas in the afternoon and apples at night. I polled my Twitter friends, since many people I follow are both “greenies” and parents. Here’s a mix of what I’ve given my kids recently, and what people have told me they use via Twitter…

Emergen-C - I drink a packet of Emergen-C every morning, and I was happy to test out their new Kids Multi-Vitamin formula. Emergen-C Kids provides 500mg of Vitamin C, as well as vitamins A, B’s, D, E & K. I like how it mixes with water, so your kids get a glass of water in with the added vitamins. Emergen-C is recommended for kids 8-14. It has 7 grams of sugar (not so great, but WAY better than juice), and the sugar is pure crystalline fructose, which is a better source than white sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Coloring is from natural sources, such as beet juice. Here’s the FAQ page for the most information.

I’ve also tried products from Nutrition Now Children’s Rhino line of vitamins, minerals and calcium supplements from time to time. I’m not crazy about the candy-like look to the gummies, but that’s an unfortunate trick of the trade. Rhino has choices such as Chewable Gummies and Jellybeans, Veggie-Fruit Bears (a good supplement if your kids are going through a picky phase), Ester-C Vitamin C, and Calcium Chews.

New Chapter Organics EveryKid multivitamin powder pouches are a dietary supplement made from a whole-food complex of vitamins and organic ingredients. It has a super sweet taste, but thankfully made with no refined sugars (only 3g of sugar per serving, made from cane juice). EveryKid is gluten free, vegetarian, with no artificial colors or preservatives (it does contain fermented soy). Recommended for children four and up. Flavors include Goodness Grape, Awesome Apple and Brilliant Berries. This is my younger daughter’s favorite, which surprises me because she’s not into sweet tasting foods. And they come in individual packets, which isn’t so eco-friendly, but since it’s a crystalline powder, I can’t think of any other way to package it safely.

I’d like to hear from you! Do you give your kids vitamins or stick with food alone? If so, what kind?

I’ll admit, I’m a (semi-reformed) product junkie. I also love to write about all the great eco-products out there. But, I think I’m more in awe of the people who are displaying their eco-passion by setting up shop! I’m always recommending one place or another for either gift giving or special products for your own family.

Nayla Natural Care was founded by mom Gwen Leron from Ottowa, Canada, after working through a well-understood eco-frustration.  Instead of searching for quality organic and natural products for her family, she decided to bring them to her (and thankfully, share them with all of us). Just from speaking with Gwen, I can tell she truly cares about not only what products she sells, but that they work well with your family. In fact, she had friends and family test out potential products to sell, to make sure they’d be a hit in your home as well!

What I really love about Nayla Natural Care are the amount of eco-friendly Canadian products available that are hard to find in the US. Nayla Natural Care features amazing bath, skin care, feeding and teething items for kids of all ages, but goodies for moms-to-be as well. The brand All Things Jill features natural and handcrafted massage oil, balms and foot salts for moms; for infants, these organic sleep sacks from 3 Sprouts can be used in any season; and something I could use in my home, a kid’s toothbrush sanitizer by Green Beaver Company, to keep little mouths germ free.

This week, Nayla Natural Care is so kind to offer a $25 gift certificate good towards anything in the shop! Rules are the same: leave a comment here after visiting Nayla Natural Care and answering me this - what would you love to try from Gwen’s shop? You have until next Monday night at midnight, PST to enter. A winner will be chosen at random, and is open to US and Canadian residents only. Good luck!

Writing about chemicals, kids and the disregard of updating the Toxic Substances Control Act has brought a lot of concern to everyone I’ve spoken with. Even natural products have chemically sounding ingredients - how do you really know their true identity?

Seventh Generation has taken the term “full disclosure” to a whole new level. Their “Show What’s Inside” campaign is an interactive and eye-opening doorway to learning about chemical safety and products. On their website, SG discloses every ingredient for ALL their products, meaning you’ll always be fully aware of what’s cleaning your baby’s bottom or what’s scrubbing the pasta sauce off your dishes. Refreshing, right?

Do YOU know the difference between sodium LAUREL sulfate and sodium LAURETH sulfate? Seventh Generation has a handy Label Reading Guide you can access from your mobile phone! From Anionic surfactants (possibly non-biodegradable dirt remover) to Xanthan gum (biodegradable viscosity builder) and everything in between, this is a guide I’ll be going back to again and again when choosing cleaning and personal care products - right in the store.

Of course, education is only the first step. Demand disclosure of information so we don’t have to be in the dark anymore about what we’re giving our family! The first step is to sign this declaration supporting the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act. Next, spread the word, and support safe organizations that only have your family’s best health in mind!

Heads up, Boston-area parents! Seventh Generation and the Environmental Working Group are sponsoring an incredibly informative event on Tuesday, October 14th from 6:00-7:30 PM  at the Boston Children’s Museum regarding “A Conversation About Chemicals and Our Children”.

The EWG has been a consistent voice for children and consumers through education and their tireless work. Their Kid-Safe Chemicals Act Project highlights the need to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act, which was created in 1976 as has not been amended since. According to EWG, when the TSCA was orginially passed, 62,000 chemicals were declared safe. In the last 32 years, however, more than 20,000 chemicals have been introduced in various products in the US, with little or no data to support their safety. In this age of rampant autism and other learning and disabling issues with children, don’t we have a right to know what we’re putting in and on our bodies? In May, Senators Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Representatives Hilda Solis (D-CA) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) “would place the burden of proof on the chemical industry to show that chemicals are safe for children before they are added to consumer products”. It’s an uphill battle, but one with an important end in sight.

The discussion intends to help parents learn how to create a healthy home and how you can take action to ensure children’s safety from harmful chemicals. The first step is to learn how to become involved in speaking up to improve legislation for our smallest citizens!

The featured panel includes such distinguished eco-experts, authors and parents such as

Dr. Alan Greene, M.D. - Practicing pediatrician, renowned authority on family health and the author of Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Baby Care;

Jane Houlihan -  Vice-President of Research at the Environmental Working Group;

Courtney Loveman - “Brand Mother” at Seventh Generation; and

Simran Sethi - EMMY award winning journalist, focusing on social and environmental sustainability.

The event is free and children are welcome! I’d love to hear from someone who attends, and I’ll be getting a video of the webcast when it’s up. Whether you can make the event or not, I think it’s a worthwhile cause to educate ourselves and become our children’s best advocates!

Can we talk about something gross for a minute? BOTH my daughters, who attend different schools, came home from school with letters that a child in their class was sent home with lice. Aside from having to explain to them what lice is actually is - and then deal with them trying to come to terms with it (”You mean BUGS can live on your HEAD?”), I myself bugged out and had to check and recheck their heads. I still have nit-nightmares for the one time I had lice - my mom making me stand in the bathtub, pouring the foul-smelling, burning solution on my head and picking away until I almost passed out.

Thankfully, we have this Lice Good-bye kit from Fairy Tales Hair Care, just in case.  Before an outbreak occurs, the Rosemary Repel line of shampoo, conditioner, detangler and gel helps protect your child’s hair and scalp naturally. Pure oils such as rosemary, tea tree and lavender have antiseptic qualities that repel lice from settling in to little scalps. In case of an outbreak, their Lice Good-Bye mousse is an organic, pesticide-free shampoo that helps dissolve nits without the burning and, let’s face it, torture that comes with getting those suckers out! The kit also comes with a Terminator Metal Lice Comb, the leading nit-remover on the market. A worthwhile investment for anyone with kids!

One tip: Lice love clean hair, so make sure you DON’T wash your child’s hair every day. Sounds crazy, but if keeping your kid’s hair buggy-free means keeping it semi-dirty for a day, I’m all for it!

Between going to the beach, pool, and general hot and sweatiness of summer, I find myself doing more laundry than usual (blame it on the towels). As I’ve been using a great laundry detergent lately, I dropped everything (pun intended, wait for it) when I found dropps laundry detergent.

dropps is eco in many ways. First, they come in presized packs, so say goodbye to bulky plastic detergent bottles to recycle. This is great for college kids or city dwellers (or, moms and dads) who don’t want to lug around hefty bottles of detergent. Then, these little power packs of detergent completely dissolve in the water (like those Listerine mouthwash strips that disappear when they hit your tongue). dropps detergent claims to be 6x concentrated detergent, is biodegradable, phosphate-free, high efficiency washer compatible, chlorine-free, npe-free and safe for septic tanks. It comes in scented or unscented for those with more sensitive skin.

For a cool spin on dropps (the jokes are just so easy), check out their spin cycle blog, where their resident Stain Guru gives you tips on getting out everything from mustard and ketchup to watermelon (which is the leading cause of stains for my three year old!) They also post monthly listings of eco-events across the country, and keep you informed of dropps news as it unfolds. (I couldn’t help myself!)

Two caveats if you try dropps - keep them away from kids, since they look like candy in their pretty pouches (which you’ll do anyway since you’re all responsible adults), and be forewarned that they are more expensive than even brands at Whole Foods. The jury’s out on this one at my house. We’re in the testing phase at our house, and it’s tough to forsee buying a 60 load supply for $24 (eek!). However, you can find dropps cheaper at walmart.com, target.com, and amazon. What do you think?

For this weekend, and every weekend, keeping your kids safe from the sun and elements isn’t just about being environmentally friendly - it’s about keeping little ones healthy and happy as we celebrate our country’s birthday.

I’ve written about the Environmental Working Group a few times, and can’t stress enough the importance of their work testing and rating products you use on a daily basis. Will you be surprised to find the sunblock you use, with a high SPF and waterproof promise, didn’t make EWG’s cut? I wasn’t, although I’ll be making a switch this week! EWG has tested 952 name-brand sunscreens, only 15% of which has made their cut for UVA and UVB effectiveness, SPF stability and safe ingredients, among other criteria. You can read about their testing methodology and criteria, and search for your sunscreen. For kids, California Baby, Blue Lizard, and TruKids make the grade, while most of the supermarket brands, especially No-Ad and, would you believe, Neutrogena (!) should be tossed.

If you’re water bound, combining smart sunscreen with smart bathing suits makes a huge difference in your kid’s sun safety. The sunwear product Coolibar makes comfortable and fun UPF 50+ swimwear for the entire family. Find rash guard short and long-sleeved shirts and swimwear, chlorine-resistant sunhats for infants, eyewear and more. They also happen to be having a HUGE sale, so there’s plenty of time to stock up for the rest of the summer! They are also a recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.

Target and other big superstores also carry many products to help make the summer sun more friendly to you and your kids.  Have a safe and fabulous Fourth!

If I had to tally up what I’ve written about the most frequently (product-wise), Seventh Generation would probably be the winner - for their partnership in the Wee Generation sustainable diaper bag; their “Get Out of Hot Water” campaign, and just overall general love for their products and commitment to eco-education and natural products. Now that many SG products can be found in ‘regular’ supermarkets, it can be even easier to try out natural cleaning and baby care products that can not only help your home, but your family’s health as well.

This week I have an awesome Seventh Generation Natural Baby Starter Kit for one lucky winner! The Natural Baby Starter Kit includes two packages of size 1 chlorine-free diapers; one tub of chlorine-free baby wipe, plus one refill; and Natural Baby laundry detergent, all in a handy SG tote bag. This is a great gift for parents to be to try out some natural baby products! The rules are simple - leave a comment here with an answer to this question - what’s your favorite Seventh Generation product? (I’m a big fan of Wild Orange Kitchen Cleaner myself.) This giveaway will be open until next Thursday, June 26th at midnight, PST. Good luck!

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