Update: Reusable Bags
February 11th, 2008
I got a couple of comments on last week’s post on Reusable Bags, and more specifically the Wrap-N-Mat, so I thought I’d just post a quick update.
First, Jan over at Unique Baby Gear Ideas wondered if the bags were machine washable, and indeed, the website says that the bags are machine washable, with a food safe liner that also wipes clean.
Jan also wanted to know if the bag would hold the food snugly, and I thought perhaps a different photo might show off the closed version a bit better.
With the fold and the velcro closure, it looks to me like the sandwich inside is going to stay put!
Anyone out there with any personal experience with these bags, feel free to chime in!
Thanks for the comments, girls!
gDiapers: Happy Baby, Happy Planet
February 11th, 2008
As a soon-to-be new mom, I admit to being a little concerned about the whole diaper issue.
I know that disposable diapers can sit in landfills for over 500 years, but I just can’t bring myself to do cloth diapers. Even if I could, the chemical detergents used to wash the diapers can be almost as harmful, right?
Apparently there’s now a third option — has anyone besides Julia Roberts checked out gDiapers?
According to their website,
gDiapers are truly the Third Option – the first new diaper to come along in 40 years.
The Flushable can be flushed, home-composted, or tossed. Because gDiaper Flushables are made from natural cellulose and wood pulp, they readily break down when flushed and will not harm sewage treatment facilities.
Not only do they seem good for the planet, I love these great colors!
gDiapers promises no chlorine, no perfumes, no inks or dyes, no plastic layer, no latex and no garbage!
I may need to talk my husband into trying something new this time around…
Reusable Bags: Be Part of the Solution!
January 29th, 2008
Remember your brown bag school lunch? My mother always packed mine with a sandwich and an apple that ended up in the garbage. (Sorry, Mom!)
Brown bag lunches may be a great way to give your kids healthier food choices at school, but the brown bag part, especially with the plastic sandwich baggies, isn’t especially green.
The folks at I’m Organic have some really cute options for your eco-conscious student — how cute is this bag made out of 100% certified organic cotton?!
It also come in brown for boys.
And as far as the plastic ziplock bag problem is concerned, check out this clever solution from ReusableBags.com.
According to the website,
Simply fold around sandwiches, veggie sticks, cookies and other goodies, fold the cotton wrapper closed, secure with the Velcro closure, and they’re ready to go. To top it off, these smart reusable sandwich wrappers unfold into placemats! The FDA-approved, food-grade PEVA lining easily wipes clean after every use and is certified by the manufacturer to be totally lead-free.
Time to bring your brown bag lunch into the 21st century!
DonorsChoose.org
November 14th, 2007
As a thank you for purchasing some furniture, Crate and Barrel recently sent me a gift certificate for $25 to a group called DonorsChoose.org. Not knowing anything about them, I got online to check them out and was so impressed! Thank you Crate and Barrel!
With a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, DonorsChoose.org provides students in need with resources that public schools often lack.
Here’s how it works: Teachers from schools all over the country can submit project proposals for materials or experiences needed to help their students learn. Concerned individuals, who they call “Citizen Philanthropists,” can choose projects to fund, and once again we are reminded why we thought the Internet was a good idea in the first place.
From their website,
Proposals range from “Magical Math Centers” ($200) to “Big Book Bonanza” ($320), to “Cooking Across the Curriculum” ($1,100). Any individual can search such proposals by areas of interest, learn about classroom needs, and choose to fund the project(s) they find most compelling. In completing a project, donors receive a feedback package of student photos and thank-you notes, and a teacher impact letter.
Whether you fund a whole project or just contribute your small part, whether you choose a school in your own community or reach out across the country to a community far from home, you can make an impact in the educational life of a child.
For more ideas on how to help bring resources to students in struggling classrooms, read more!
speesees: Fall & Winter Collection
October 5th, 2007
You may have seen me post on speesees before, but if not, here’s the short version: super cute baby clothes, super socially conscious. The best of both worlds!
The new fall line, like all other speesees products, is made using all organic cotton manufactured under Fair Trade Practices and Principles and comes in beautiful fall colors like pumpkin, peacock, pollen, earth and eggplant.
I especially love this new bear jacket made out of 100% organic sherpa cotton — the perfect solution to a chilly Halloween night! It’s $46 and comes in sizes 0-3.
And if you order before October 31st, enter the code “together” and receive 15% off your fall order! speesees just wants to remind us that “we’re in this together.”