I was never a doll girl.  I leaned more towards trees, Matchbox and stuffed animals.  As Murphy's Law dictates, however, my oldest daughter crushed my dreams of a tom boy with her preferences for pink, lace and all things Barbie.  Not that I've got an issue with dolls.  I think they are wonderful.  It's the plastic, painted, mass marketing, conglomerant type dolls packaged in cyclophane with more tape and twisty ties than I can find in my junk drawer.  It's those dolls I've got an issue with. 

So imagine my relief when I met Sanda, owner and creator of Fergy's Friends Paper Dolls.  These are the most beautifully made paper dolls I have ever seen.  Using recycled paper and vegetable dyes - Sanda has opted to have her dolls professionally laminated so they will last for years to come instead of tearing within the first 5 minutes of use.  Fergy's Friends also come complete with velcro bras, panties and socks so her clothes easily adhere to her body and decrease the chance of them getting lost.  My favorite part of these beautiful dolls is that they come with a wardrobe (clever Sanda even put velcro hangers and shoe rack in there to easily store the dolls clothes) which the doll and clothes can all safetly be stored away in.  

Each doll in her line up has a different story and body type (just like real women) and clothes that go with just her.  Our favorite doll is Pearl - who is really a mermaid, but like to put on her street clothes to hang out with the rest of the girls.

Best of all, these dolls have completely captured my daughters attention - they are all the more special to her because they are so simple and require her imagination to be fully engaged.   

You can find Daisy, Kimi, Pearl and Ziraili at the CoolerChoices store. 

I've been a Sonicare toothbrush user for the past 6 years.  And unless you use one -you can't understand the addictive qualities of a battery operated toothbrush (think vibrator for your teeth... ).  Recently, the green part of me has been having internal dialogs about using my electricly recharged, battery operated bohemith of a toothbrush which is 7/8's un-recyclable plastic and just how 'green' a choice that is.  And as my toothbrush base got older and more feeble - I realized that instead of feeding my tooth brushing pleasures - I should probably look into another, more 'green' alternative.

My girlfriend Katie recently gave me a Preserve toothbrush she picked up from Trader Joe's.  Made by a company called Recycline, the handle of the Preserve toothbrush (as well as it's case which you can use for traveling) are made from 100% recycled plastic.  And check this out - they use the plastics no one else does - like #5 Stoneyfield farm yogurt cups.  They come in soft, medium and hard bristles which are made from virgin nylon and seem to brush as well as all of the other 'manual' toothbrushes I have ever used.  They also carry a line of razors (HECK YA), tableware, and kitchen gadgets - all from recycled plastic, dishwasher safe, and all recyclable. 

When you're done with your razors or toothbrush, you can send it back to Recycline in their postage paid envelope to be recycled into picnic benches, faux-lumber, and plastic decking.  Or you can toss it in your local recycle if they accept #5 plastics.  I've been using my Preserve Toothbrush for nearly two weeks, and although nothing can compare to the feeling I get when using a vibrating personal appliance  - it cleans my teeth just fine, I'm making one more positive change for our environment and I'm burning calories at the same time. 

 PS - be sure to remove the battery from inside your rechargeable toothbrush before tossing.  You can find local companies who will recycle your batteries at the website http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/. 

We just got our first shipment of bamboo baby clothes in from Sprout Kids Clothing and I must say, 'Bamboo freaking ROCKS'!!  Luxuriously soft with a sheen I swore only came in synthetics - bamboo has a fabulous stretch and drape.  It is a natural sun protectant,  helping you in shielding your wee ones from the suns harmful rays (please protect your little ones skin if out in the sun with a rockin sunblock regardless) and it contains a antibacterial agent to boot.  

Bamboo wicks moisture away from the skin, so it helps keep your little hotties cool and it layers amazingly well.  So stock up on short sleeves and dresses for the summer, then extend your kids wardrobe by simply layering a long sleeve Tee underneath.

I fell in love with the 'Save the Trees, Grow Bamboo' sun dress and had to get one for Gab.  My little munchkin has some serious junk in her trunk and the dress couldn't look cuter as it swings back and forth off that ample behind of hers.  Not to mention the ruffle panties that come with it are just too much - I can totally understand why mama animals eat their babies - I just want to munch on her!  Bamboo shrinks significantly - so don't be surprised if your bamboo clothes look way to big when they come to you (assuming your manufacturer didn't opt for pre-shrunk).  In the case of Sprout Kids - they will shrink up to their stated size after a wash and dry (except for the pants - they just seem to run big so get a size smaller than you usually would).  By the way - bamboo dries a hell of a lot faster than cotton - so you only need to toss it for a bit if you use a dryer, or better yet, hang it to dry.

Since embarking on my greener living journey - I am awe struck by how much garbage my 'Recycling and am trying to be greener' family still throws away.  We reuse everything we can, I have forced my husband to use sandwhich boxes instead of bags for his lunch and we have invested in reusable coffee filters.  But still - our trash can fills up faster than our laundry pile (which is stinking fast).  Whether it's the plastic bag inside the cardboard cereal box, the cap to the PETE plastic water bottle, or the #5 yogurt container from my organic dairy - there is still so much that we can't reuse and inevitably goes into the landfill. 

That's where TerraCycle, Inc. comes in.  The ingenious folks at TerraCycle.net spend their days devising new ways to use the stuff that traditionally goes into the trash.

Imagine your trend setting little one sporting a backpack, lunchbox or folder from recycled juice pouches, cleaning your house with non-toxic natural cleaners packaged in recycled pop bottles, and bringing life to your garden with TerraCycle's flagship product - Worm Poop.  They have come up with the most awesome ways to reuse the stuff we don't think twice about.  Yogurt containers become flower pots.  Cookie wrappers are turned to into chic woven totes.  All manufacturered on this continent.  All made from usuable trash.  These guys are taking the green thing to a whole new level.

Best part is that they are not only saving the world one bottle cap at a time, but they also have an amazing fundraising program for your school or organization to get you to think twice about just throwing it all away.  They pay you for every juice pouch, soda bottle, yogurt cup, and cookie wrapper you collect by joining their various brigades.  Clean up your town and raise money for your group - it don't get much greener than this!!!!

Why is it that our sweet little children have equisite skin, natural highlights and gorgeous locks?  I'm the one doing all the work here - why don't people ooooh and aaaaah over my chunky thighs?

With Suki Skincare's Lemongrass Facial Scrub, I just might be able to get that illuminating youthful glow back (even if my thighs will never again be considered adorable).  This amazing facial scrub increases cell turn over; aka - removes the dead stuff so the beautiful new skin can shine through.  And Suki does it with 100% all natural ingredients, nothing synthetic in this tub, baby!  You can change the courseness of the scrub from brillo course (that's how I like it) to tapioca soft just by adding a little water and rubbing it in your hands before applying.  I keep my tub in the shower where I can remember to use it everyday (if I don't make it easy - it just ain't happenin').  Did I mention that it smells like heaven and my skin now is at least as soft as my babies bottom?

You can find Suki's Lemongrass Cleanser at Makeup.com along with the rest of Suki Skincare's line.  You glow girl!

I recently read an article on http://www.safecosmetics.org/faqs/dioxane.cfm about a number of leading baby and kid shampoos (from trusted names like Johnson and Johnson, Disney and Lorel) containing a known carcinogen, 1,4-Dioxane.  The EPA released a report on this toxin, stating that absorption by either inhalation, drinking or skin contact may cause kidney or liver disease, cancer or even death.  Of course they stated that the effects of the damage is related to the length of use and concentration of the product, but HELLO?,  this is my helpless, innocent baby we're talking about here!  Before I go any further, I want to be certain that you understand that our skin is a porous membrane, and over 60 to 80% of what is put on it, enters into the bloodstream.  We have no idea what the long term affects of exposure to the slew of nasty substances in our childrens skin care, hair care, drinks, and food can cause.   While we're investigating the causes of the rise of childhood diseases, cancer and behavioral issues like ADD and autism - I'd like to encourage you to think about the impact these chemicals have that we are unknowingly slathering on our children.  All I know is that if it ain't found in nature - I sure as hell don't want it going into my baby's body.

While testing children's hair and body care products for a brand that we felt encompass the values we look for in any product we carry within the CoolerChoices.com store, we were introduced to a fabulous line by Lulu's American Baby called Rock Star Organics.  The safest and most environmentally correct way to wash your baby and child is with pure water, but for those of us who just need the suds and fluffy stuff - Lulu's got a fabulous product.  Truly all natural - there are zero chemicals or toxins added, and the majority of the ingredients are organic (96% of them).  They hand make their products in small batches weekly by a group of work at home moms and package them in recycled aluminum bottles. 

My smell snob, Lydia, loves the Paparazzi Lime Shampoo, and her hair comes out glossy and smooth after using.  It has a slightly watery consistency - but don't be fooled.  Just one squirt does her little head of hair just fine, and I used one squirt on a wash cloth to clean my little Gabby's entire rollie pollie body.  We are proud to offer this awesome line at the Coolerchoices.com store.

Organic, natural, recycled packaging, mom owned and operated AND made in the USA?  Can I hear a big ol 'Hellya!'?

Junk mail sucks.  I mean - it really sucks.  Somewhere around a 100 million trees are used every year in order to create the paper junk mail is written on, 250,000 homes could be heated with just one days supply of junk mail, and we, as Americans, are the lucky recipients of about 4 million tons of junk mail every year.  You can bet that the vast majority of that junk mail is not recycled, but sits rotting in our landfills.  Yep - junk mail just sucks.

Traditionally, in order to be removed from 'direct mailing' lists, you would first have to figure out who it's coming from (the company themselves or a direct mailing cooperation), hunt down the contact information, contact them personally and then request your name be removed (which you may be lucky enough to do by phone, but chances are they will require that you write in).  And according to my mailbox, I have hundreds of advertisers to track down..  A daunting and highly time consuming task to say the least.  

Enter the Junk Mail Avenger - Greendimes.com.  For a one time fee of $20, greendimes.com will do the tedious task of contacting all of those companies on your behalf to remove you from their junk mailing lists.  I recently signed up and have already seen a significant decrease in the bulk of my mailbox contents since doing so.  Not to mention that by decreasing the amount of mail sent to me, it's just one more way to decrease the amount of carbon being dumped in our atmosphere.  Stop junk, save the trees and fight global warming.  You go greendimes.

PS - If you can't part with the $20, then here's a great site listing out the steps you need to take to do the work yourself.  http://www.privacyrights.org/fs/fs4-junk.htm. 

I was just up on a pregnancy site reading entries from new mamas the world over.  One theme was common among them all - the green thing is on the move.  I was delighted to see so many women who, now faced with the future of their children's children, are thinking of the stability of our planet and societies.  So cool.  What was not cool was the guilt many admitted to having.  Not like being a mother in itself is a cesspool of guilt, now we get to lob on our inadequacies as a planetary stewards with our less than perfect parenting skills.  Sheeze.

I'm here to remind you that just by making conscious decisions you are on the road to a greener world.  Check out an article I wrote on 5 easy and super cheap ways to save money while going green. http://coolerchoices.com/page10779.asp.  In addition to those tips - pay attention to who you are buying from.  Choose companies who employ green business practiced like offsetting their carbon footprint and supporting other green businesses.  Buying a product from a company who donates portions of their sales to make a positive impact opposed to one that is just making a buck and possibly donating for the write off will make your green go farther (both monetary and environmentally).  So take a breath and relax.  You can totally do this. 

You Go Green Girl!!!!

I'm hyperactive.  This means that not only am I amped just about every second of every day (and the 4 cups of coffee I drink actually calms me down), but it also means that I have a lot of white noise going on in my head at any given moment.  My brain just doesn't shut up - and unfortunatley for my kids, elevated noise levels drive me freaking INSANE.  In our household, the life expectancy of the batteries in my children's toys is about one day. "Sorry honey - but the batteries must be dead."   And in my world - there are absolutely no children's CDs allowed.  None.  The high pitched shreaking of children's voices singing 'You are my Sunshine' or 'Yanky Doodle Dandy' may be cute for some, but it is just too much for my agitated brain to handle.

About a month ago I met Rob Wolfe from That Baby, LLC at the NW Kids Show.  He handed me a CD with a pitch that this CD, although for children, was made with parents in mind.  He said most parents actually enjoyd listening to this CD.  Uh-Huh.  Right.

I am absolutely delighted to say he wasn't kidding.  Tenderly referred to as 'The Happy CD' by my oldest, the music on this album is not only comprised of songs by the likes of Natalie Merchant and The Pretenders, but it is sang by the amazingly talented Stephanie Schneiderman who I would listen to regardless if I had kids.  When the baby is fussing, my oldest is having a dramtic meltdown and mommy is about to pull over the car and run out into oncoming traffic - this CD has magically made the sun come out and taken what was a wreck of a ride and turned it into a 'joy' ride.  I'm not kidding - it's that good.  Oh - did I mention they are manufactured out of recycled plastic and made in the US?

Don't believe me?  Pop onto their website and check out a sample. http://www.thatbabydvd.com/.  You'll be happy you did.

I'm big on giving.  And for me, it's not just about money.  I'm all about the doing, the helping, the hugging.  But there is only so much time in a day and sometimes it's hard enough to get dinner on the table let alone save the world.  So there's no better way for me to lend that hand than through monetary donations. 

The question I have is, how do I pick an organization that I know is utilizing my dollars to their best advantage instead of blowing them out the window due to some poorly designed and managed administration system or lining the pockets of an executive director?  After painstackingly searching the net for organizations in the US who CoolerChoices would want to partner with, I stumbled across this amazing site that has helped take the uncertainty out of selecting a charity.

Charity Navigator is an online evaluator with a comprehensive database of over 5000 charities.  Using IRS provided financial documents, they rate each charity based on their daily operation expenses, allocation of funds and their ability to continue to provide their services over time.  In addition to listing annual gross and net profits in addition to program and operating expenses, they also note the CEO's salary base; which when comparing a $500,000 salary for one CEO to a $57,000 salary for another - that little bit of information might just tip the scales in the decision making process.  The review section for each charity is also a good way to get different perspectives on a given charity.

Charity Navigator is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, offering this service free of charge to the users of the web.  You work hard for your money and I know have the best intentions to try to do right in this world.  It's nice to know there is a group watching out for your best interests when it comes to those hard earned donations.