Green Gifts for Mom Giveaway: Krimson Klover Eco-Friendly Fine Merino Wool Clothing
We are super excited about Krimson Klover! Not only are these "knits with a twist" fashionable, the company takes their "commitment to environmental and social responsibility very seriously by using yarns from sources that respect their animals, employees and Mother Earth".
We were sent a luxurious Mrs. Rose sweater to try. This washable merino wool is super soft and comfortable. There is no itch at all giving you the freedom to wear whatever (or nothing at all) underneath it. The knitting is of high quality, and I love how the buttons do not go all the way to the bottom of the sweater giving it a more fashionable design. The bold design works beautifully giving the sweater an overall chic, graphic aesthetic. The Mrs. Rose would make a perfect gift for Mom!
Good news! We have a beautiful Krimson Klover Poppy Hat and Scarf to giveaway to one lucky winner! The Pippy Hat and Scarf are made with the same incredible "luxurious washable" merino wool as the Mrs. Rose sweater, plus the hat is lined with fleece for extra warmth.
Krimson Klover Pippy Hat and Scarf Set GIVEAWAY!
RULES
This contest is open to US residence only. No P.O.Boxes.
You have until 8:00 A.M. EST December 21st, 2011 to enter.
GIVEAWAY
One winner will receive one Pippy Hat and Scarf set of their choice (inventory availability dependent)
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Disclosure: The products described above were sent to us as free samples. Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given. No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews. The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.
This giveaway is running in conjunction with Eco Child's Play. Only one winner will be selected.
Eco Bags Wine and Gift Bags: Recycled, Fair Wage, Fair Labor
We get a lot of reusable shopping bags sent to us for review, and by far, my favorites are made by EcoBags. EcoBags motto is "Clean up the planet one bag at a time". Unlike many reusable bags made of synthetic materials, Eco Bags are made of recycled cotton. They wash easily and can be customized easily with silkscreens or paints.
We are really excited about the EcoBags wine bag and gift bags! They are a great alternative to paper bags. Given their solid construction, they are sure to be reused over and over again.
Looking for a thoughtful way to present a gift of organic wine? Our rustic wine tote is made of a 100% recycled cotton canvas with double-stitched seams and sturdy handles to make sure your carefully chosen spirit arrives safe, sound and spectacular-looking!
Our recycled cotton "Celebrate!" tote is the perfect alternative to disposable wrapping paper this holiday season. It adds a classy, eco-friendly flair to your gift and will live on for 100's of uses! This set contains three natural color bags embroidered with beautiful Silver, Ocean Blue and Forest Green thread and constructed with 100% recycled cotton and double-stitched seams for maximum durability.
I absolutely love these bags!
Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.
Before using reusable shopping bags was eco-etiquette, I knew a teacher who was a tote bag collector. She loved tote bags and would get so excited if we got a new one at a conference or workshop.
The Tote Bag by Jitesh Patel is an art book of tote bags! From Los Angeles to Japan, unique tote bags and their artists are featured.
This book showcases some of the most striking, inventive and subversive examples of the ubiquitous tote. From eco chic to style icon, the featured totes come from a wide range of illustrators and graphic designers around the world, with designs including floral prints, typography, illustrations, and characters. Each book will be beautifully packaged in an original and eye-catching tote bag.
There are some really amazing designs. Not only is using tote bags eco-friendly, it's also eco-chic!
Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.
Green Diamond Reusable Shopping Bags Feature AP-360 Anti-Bacterial Protection
Last year, the mainstream media reported reusable shopping bags were a hazard because they harbored bacteria. For many people, it was all they needed to hear to go back to single-use plastic or paper bags. Green Diamond Bags has a solution with their AP-360 protection.
As research continues to uncover the looming risks associated with reusable shopping bags, AP-360(tm), an all-natural, hypoallergenic renewable resource proves to be a lead-free and Triclosan-free solution. Environmentally-friendly and family-friendly are now synonymous with the introduction of AP-360(tm) treated shopping bags. AP-360(tm) naturally inhibits the growth of dangerous odor-causing bacteria on a treated article. Presently, the only shopping bags treated with AP-360(tm) are the Green Diamond Bag(tm) and AB Bag (a private label Green Diamond Bag used by Haggens).
"It's no secret that recyclable bags have the potential to host a multitude of bacteria," said Bret Schnitker, president of Stars Design Group, the exclusive U.S. supplier of AP-360(tm). "While making a diligent effort to go 'green,' many shoppers are growing increasingly concerned about the impact untreated bags may have on their families. I believe people are thinking twice about the purchase of recyclable bags in an effort to decrease any risk of cross-contaminating and spreading bacteria. Research shows that bags treated with AP-360(tm) reduce the possibility of contamination by creating a negative environment for harmful odor causing bacteria."
With our sample shopping bag, we were sent so much paperwork on the benefits of AP-360, that the paper saved by using the reusable shopping bag is null.
AP-360 appears to be safer than triclosan, and Green Diamond has done their homework in presenting the information. AP-360 is food grade, so it should be safe for grocery shopping.
I am not a fan of anti-bacterial products. I refuse to succumb to that fear tactic used to sell products, especially when it comes to reusable shopping bags. NPR's reporting on the subject was more sane than the phobia created by other reports:
Yes, a study funded by the American Chemistry Council, which by the way represents some disposable plastic bag makers, found there might be microbes hitchhiking in your reusable bags. But a few germs aren't likely to pose much of a health risk.
Academic researchers recently tested 84 reusable grocery bags from shoppers in California and Arizona: More than half the bags contained some sort of coliform bacteria, a category that includes Escherichia coli.
University of Arizona microbiologist Charles Gerba, lead author of the report, tells Shots the findings don't suggest there's going to be an outbreak of disease from the bags.
Instead, the plastics industry-sponsored work, which found 97 percent of the people interviewed never washed their bags, concludes the public should be educated about keeping them clean.
AP-360 may be perfectly safe, but I will stick to organic shopping bags that I wash between trips to the grocery store.
Green Diamond does support Project Eden supporting orphans in Ethiopia.
Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.
California may become the first state to ban plastic bags. Earlier this summer, the state assembly passed a bill banning single-use plastic bags. Now it is up to the senate and the governor to make it law. Treehugger reports:
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who in May eliminated offshore drilling in California, supports the bag ban, meaning that if the Senate passes the bill, it would almost definitely be signed into law. That would put California, which currently uses 19 billion plastic bags per year, well ahead of the rest of the country in the effort to go green.
Recycled Cotton Farmer's Market Tote by Olive & Myrtle
Spring time means the return of The Farmer's Market. Of course, you wouldn't want to shop the market with those horrible plastic bags from the supermarket, and hopefully you don't have any in your home anyways from using reusable bags. Olive & Myrtle makes the perfect bag for your farmer's market or any shopping excursion.
Product Description
Look fresh at the farmer's market with this large recycled cotton tote bag. Made from 100% post-industrial cotton scrap and printed with water-based inks. Exclusive design by San Francisco based Lab Partners
Features and Benefits
Made from 100% recycled cotton
Fair Wage and Fair Labor Certified
Printed with water-based inks
Durable construction, holds more than a full grocery bag.
I really love our Recycled Cotton Tote Bag and think recycled cotton is certainly an eco step above simply organically grown cotton.
Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.
Shopping Online Uses 40% Less Fuel than Going to the Mall
I sometimes wonder if shopping online is really more eco-friendly than running out to the store. Sure, you can often find more green products online than you can in your local stores, but what about the emissions of shipping? According to Reusablebags.com, e-commerce is earth-friendly:
"Shipping 10 pounds of packages by overnight air -- the most energy-intensive delivery mode -- uses 40 percent less fuel than driving roundtrip to the mall. Ground shipping by truck uses just one-tenth of the energy of driving yourself." - Center for Energy and Climate Solutions
All products, even the ones you find in your local store, come from a warehouse. When you shop online you cut out one trip the items you purchase have to make - rather than shipping from the manufacturer to the warehouse to the store they're shipped straight from the warehouse to you. Not only do you reduce the amount of energy and resources used in transporting the items, but you also cut out the need to light, heat, cool and run a brick and mortar store.
Think of it this way- shopping online is like carpooling, your package shares a ride with hundreds of other packages rather than hundreds of people driving to several different stores.
I think one exception to this information is if you are already going to a store for multiple items, then it only makes sense to buy what you need there instead of ordering online. For example, there are a lot of wonderful natural beauty products online, but I would rarely order them if I can find a comparable product at the coop where I am already buying my organic groceries.
Oh, it's Cyber Monday, the internet shopper's version of Black Friday. If you spent your Black Friday buying nothing, as many celebrate Buy Nothing Day, it may be time to get your responsible holiday shopping done. Shopping early ensures you get what want to give without settling for what is left, and it saves you money by not needing to pay pricey overnight shipping costs. Cyber Monday is often celebrated by online outlets with not only great deals, but free shipping. Here are five ideas to get the most out of your Cyber Monday:
2. Shop locally online: Even though you are shopping online, check your local stores' websites for great deals. You can still support local vendors and support your local economy on Cyber Monday. For example, the outdoor gear shops where I live have great online deals that allow me to shop from home but make returns in the store. Some local stores even sell via Amazon.
3. Shop with Social Responsibility: There are so many wonderful non-profit organizations you can support to give a gift to someone who has everything or is more concerned with the plight of humans around the world rather than getting a material possession. Heifer International allows you to purchase livestock to provide food sustainability to help end hunger and poverty around the world. Kiva allows you to make micro-loans to entrepreneurs around the world and actually becomes quite addicting as you are repaid and reloan money over and over again.
4. Give the gift of a CSA: This is always a great deal to invest in a local farm, and you can do it online via Local Harvest. Last year, I gave my father the gift of Community Supported Agriculture.
5. Don't sacrifice green values for a deal: It is tempting to abandon your principles of sustainability and earth-friendliness when you see a really good deal, but it is not needed. There are a lot of wonderful gift ideas, like the Green Toys Dump Truck, that are made out of recycled plastic.
Reusable Baggu X3 Shopping Bags Go With You Anywhere and Make Great Gift Wrap
One of the things I love about the Baggu X3 Reusable Shopping Bags, besides the tough ripstop nylon fabric, is the convenient pouch that contains three bags. This pouch makes it easy to throw your Baggu bags in any purse or bag and ensures you will never run out of bags when shopping. Sure, it is relatively easy to remember your shopping bags at the grocery store, but what about your other errands? Having a few bags in your purse, pocket, or backpack means you never use a plastic bag again. Each Baggu bag can hold up to 50 pounds of merchandise.
Another great use of Baggu X3 Reusable Shopping Bags is wrapping presents! With the holidays approaching, using a reusable shopping bag instead of gift wrap is like giving two gifts! It also gives a subtle hint to loved ones that it is time to break the plastic bag habit. With all of the bright colors and designs Baggu offers, your presents will look great.
Disclosure: Baggu provided me with X3 shopping bags in order to complete this review. No assurances were given in advance as to whether the review would be positive or negative.
For traditional retail, the largest contributors to energy consumption
and carbon dioxide emissions were from customer transport;
approximately 65% of total emissions generated stemmed from consumers'
travel to and from stores. Packaging and last mile delivery accounted
for the majority of emissions from e-commerce.
I finally remember to use reusable shopping bags at all stores, not just the grocery store. When I forget, I feel a strong pain of eco-guilt and usually walk out with my arms full of goods and no bag at all. I hate plastic bags, but many of the reusable bags sold in retail chains are made of synthetic fabrics that do not biodegrade. Sure, you are using them over and over again, but there is a better choice for the environment.
Plastic bags harm our environment. They harm our animals. They harm our lands and seas. They can suffocate our children and pets.
Plastic bags are comsumed by the trillions and only 1% are recycled.
Plastic bags are very costly to recycle and sell for very little on the market.
Today's latest answer to single-use plastic bags? The plastic fabric look-a-likes! They look like canvas, some are even the same color as real canvas. But guess what? They aren't cotton canvas! They are made from nonwoven polypropylene! Will they biodegrade? No. Will they photodegrade? Perhaps, with enough sunlight they will break down into tiny bits of toxins that could leach into our land and water supply. Reusable? Yes, for a year or so until the seams give way.
Barebags are sturdy and come in many sizes. The unbleached cotton fabric also gives you an opportunity to decorate the bags on your own, should you choose. These bags are great and will hold up to many years of use.
My background is in graphic design but I have recently begun designing jewelry as well. All of my pieces have an asian flair to them and are made from recycled papers and other jewelry findings. As a graphic artist, I'm drawn to beautiful bits of printed material and enjoy mixing them with other media. All pieces are hand crafted by me in my studio, in San Francisco, California.
Squishy Sushi's unique pieces have an Asian influence are made from items such as magazines, dominos, and Scrabble pieces. I recently purchased a Recycled Scrabble pendant:
This scrabble pendant is made from a bit of recycled magazine. The pendant has been coated with a heat and water resistant 2-part resin for a high gloss shine and durability. The bail is silver plated. This pendant measures 3/4" by 1" including the bail.
At only $7.50, this pendant is certainly affordable, and I feel good about supporting an artisan on Etsy.
Black Friday is the day retailers traditionally kick off the holiday shopping season with big sales. The overconsumerism of western culture is not sustainable nor good for the environment, therefore, Black Friday is Buy Nothing Day!
Suddenly, we ran out of money and, to avoid collapse, we quickly pumped liquidity back into the system. But behind our financial crisis a much more ominous crisis looms: we are running out of nature... fish, forests, fresh water, minerals, soil. What are we going to do when supplies of these vital resources run low?
There's only one way to avoid the collapse of this human experiment of ours on Planet Earth: we have to consume less.
It will take a massive mindshift. You can start the ball rolling by buying nothing on November 28th. Then celebrate Christmas differently this year, and make a New Year's resolution to change your lifestyle in 2009.
Green Gifts for Mom Giveaway: Krimson Klover Eco-Friendly Fine Merino Wool Clothing
Oh, it's Cyber Monday, the internet shopper's version of Black Friday. If you spent your 
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