Green Treehouse

Here’s yet another cool reason to love eco-friendly baby retailer BabyEarth (not that you needed another one!): Inc. Magazine ranks BabyEarth among the fastest growing companies in Texas and lists the company on its 5000 list as among the fastest growing companies in the United States.

Now, how cool is that news? Way to go BabyEarth! And, way to go moms, dads, aunties, uncles, friends, and grandmas, too, for making eco-conscious lifestyle and parenting decisions! Your little ones and their someday little ones will thank you.

Hey there, eco-conscious mamas (and daddies, too), guess what? Sassy hopes to inspire you and stimulate your baby with its new line of Earth Brights wooden baby products!

Earth Brights are handcrafted from quality hardwoods, select fabrics and water-based finishes with packaging made from 100% recycled paperboard.

If you’re looking for a toy for your little one or a “green” baby shower gift, think Sassy. Here’s a look at Sassy’s beautifully crafted Sassy Wooden Trio:

And the Sassy Simply Natural Rattle:

Click here for additional Sassy gift ideas.

Growing up, a childhood friend’s mom used to “reuse” plastic sandwich baggies. Rather than tossing a plastic bag after school lunch, she brought it home for her mother to wash, hang dry, and reuse again and again. I remember thinking, “why, on Earth does that mother bother?”

Now, years later with eco-consciousness on the brain, I find myself thinking, “why on Earth wouldn’t I bother?” I can’t believe how many plastic baggies I use in my household, especially for Goldfish and Cheerios on-the-go snacks.

Whether you bring your lunch to work, pack a lunch bag for your preschooler or use plastic baggies for toddler snacks, have you ever added up how many plastic sandwich baggies you throw out each month in your household?

Plastic baggies may be inexpensive at the register, but they add up to huge environmental costs, especially in landfills. If you’re looking for plastic alternatives, check out these eco-friendly sandwich bags: Happy-Sacks. They are lined with coated nylon so moms and dads can easily wipe off gooey peanut butter and jelly residue.

Hey, Green Treehouse fans, what are your tips for a “green” lunchbox? We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below.

Related Posts
Tips for Growing an Eco-Baby
Growing a Vegetarian Baby
Simple Snacks Kids Love

Recycle your used Baby Gear at BabyEarthRenew. Click here for details.

Everyone knows that driving has become more expensive lately, thanks to rising fuel costs. Driving less, carpooling, or using public transportation are helpful alternatives, but often there’s just no way around driving a vehicle. Like when the only way you can get your colicky baby to sleep is to drive toward the nearest bumpy road.

For the times you have to drive, here are five tips to make those drives “greener”:

1. Keep your tires inflated. Properly inflated tires actually save you money (fuel efficiency).
2. Avoid Rush Hour. Stop and go traffic lowers fuel economy and increases harmful emissions.
3. Plan trips. Lump errands together, so you’ll have to make fewer trips during the week.
4. Enjoy fresh air. When possible, skip the A/C. The Air Conditioner increases fuel consumption.
5. Change your oil. Oil and filter changes may seem like an added budget expense, but can actually help improve fuel economy.

Related Posts
How Green is Your Family Car?
Ditch that Grungy Car Seat Cover

Related Products
On the Go Vehicle Blocks, by Sassy
2008 Medela Pump In Style Vehicle Adapter

How green is your city? Green enough to raise your baby?

Check out this top ten green cities list to find out how your city stacks up. Among the list, BabyEarth’s very own backyard: Austin, TX.

Over the weekend I picked up a copy of Raising Baby Green by Alan Greene, M.D. As soon as I saw the book on the bookshelf, I knew I had to get it. If only I had a few uninterrupted minutes to sit down and read it today, beyond the quick skim….

Pack a Green Hospital Bag

What is really neat about this book is that it includes Earth-Friendly advice for pregnancy and labor and delivery. That’s pretty cool, don’t you think? For example, it features a “Going Green” Hospital Bag List that reminds expecting moms to pack high-energy organic snacks and filtered water in the hospital bag.

Here are some other “Green” items expecting moms can include in the hospital bag:

* organic or natural toiletries
* massage oil, like Maclaren Beginning’s Cocooning Massage Oil
* organic or natural lip moisturizer
* a digital camera - take lots of photos, print only the ones you want
* an organic onesie for baby

Related Posts
I Like Bugs!
Banish the Blues: Get Moving!

Related Products
Organic Hooded Kimono, by Under the Nile
Boppy Swaddle Happy

With more “green” products appearing on retailer shelves, you might think that as long as the product is stamped “green”, “natural” or “eco-friendly” on the label that the product is as good as it gets in terms of health and the environment.

But did you know that there are multiple shades of green? If you continue reading a label or product description past the “green” label, you might just discover that “green” isn’t created equally. For example, cleaners marked as “natural” might also contain synthetic ingredients, meaning they are possibly “less green” than a cleaner that doesn’t contain synthetics.

So, how do you distinguish between forest green and sea foam hues? BabyEarth has done the hard part for you, assembling information on hundreds of baby products and brands. BabyEarth wants to help you get to know manufacturers so you can make informed choices –because as a parent, you certainly have a lot of choices to make. Check out the BabyEarth brand guide to learn about your favorite brands…and discover new ones!

Related Products
Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Bottle
All Purpose Organic Cleaner by BabyGanics

Congrats to Jennifer, the random winner of the 1 year subscription to KIWI Magazine. Based on Jennifer’s comment, I’m guessing she’s going to be thrilled when KIWI shows up in her mailbox (”I’ve wanted this since I saw it in a dr’s office last year! We’re trying to “go green”, and this would be a great help!”).

I know it’s a bummer when you don’t win a contest–especially when the prize is something as cool as a subscription to KIWI–but you don’t have to miss out on all of the fun. Head over to KIWI and check out the goodies over there, including a sneak peak of what’s in the latest Jan/Feb 2008 edition (like the 2nd annual green baby shower gift guide!). While you’re there, you can always sign up for your very own subscription.

Thanks to everyone who played along. And, special thanks to Maxine Wolf, CEO/Publisher of KIWI. Please come back and visit the blog again sometime soon!