Max's Mud Natural Sculpting Dough Review

My daughter loves anything artsy; paints, crayons, stencils, chalk, scissors, play-do. I'm not a big fan of play-do (for obvious reasons) so you can imagine how excited I was when I found some all natural sculpting dough for her to create with.

 

Natural Sculpting Dough: Max's Mud has been providing natural solutions for creative kids since 2004.

 

What's even more exciting is that it is made in my neck of the woods (the Pacific Northwest)

Here is some info about Max's Mud  from their web-site:

Max's Mud is the world's first certified organic and certified gluten-free sculpting dough!   Certified by ACMI conforming to non-toxic ASTM D-4236 standards. Fragrance free. Vegan. Tested by kids, not animals. Soy, dairy, casein, corn and sugar-free.   Use vegetable based colorants (with the exception of FDA approved blue & green).

Conforms to (CPSIA) Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act Standard Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth www.tilth.org  Certified Gluten-Free by www.gfco.org Naturally Anti-Microbial Compostable and naturally biodegradable Max's Mud containers are high-quality food grade,  recyclable, reusable LDPE #4 and PP #5 containers Max's Mud comes in the following colors:

Brown  White Yellow Red Orange Blue Green Purple (the color I bought my daughter) The Purple Mud is 92% Organic and made with: 100% organic rice flour, jojoba oil and natural blue color. My daughter loves the feel of the mud and how easy it is to use. She has had the same container for 5 months now and it is still as fresh and pliable as when she first played with it. She says that it is so much easier to make things with then play-do was. She also says that she likes the smell but I'm not sure what she is smelling because I don't think it has a smell (but maybe that is what she means. It doesn't smell) If you have kiddos that love to create with play-do I would highly recommend switching to Max's All Natural Sculpting Dough! Find some mud near you

More Glee Gum Info + Discount Code

In honor of Earth Day and Arbor Day, and in recognition of my blog-tastic support, Glee Gum is offering my readers a special discount! 

What: 15% OFF all Glee Gum products on the webstore, including NEW Sugar-Free Glee Gum! 

Where: Special link gleegum.com/blognetwork 

How: Visit the special link and enter the promo code: BLOG

When: Now through Arbor Day (April 29, 2011 at 11:59 pm EST). 

Or you could enter to win a case of their NEW Sugar-Free Glee Gum here!

Glee Gum Review & Give-A-Way

Glee Gum

When my 10 yr old son saw the packets of Sugar-Free gum that Glee Gum had sent me he excitedly said, "Mom, can I do the review for you"!

So here is what my son had to say about the new Glee Gum:

First I tried the Refresh-Mint:

• It doesn't taste any different than their sugar gum
• Not too minty so kids will like it
• The flavor is not long lasting
• Can't blow bubbles with it.

The next day I tried Lemon-Lime:

• Tastes so yummy that I didn't want to stop chewing it!
• Flavor lasts longer than the Refresh-Mint but still not as long as other gum.
• Kinda sweet but still good.

Glee Sugar-free gum

I tried both kinds too and what I found is that they are not as sticky as the other kinds of Glee Gum I have tried.

I liked the Refresh-Mint better than the Lemon-Lime. I thought the Lemon-Lime was a little too sweet. 

Even though the flavor goes away quickly it was not unpleasant to keep chewing the gum. It never really gets hard like other gum does. 

I keep the packet of Refresh-Mint in my desk drawer at work. I find its great for a quick breath freshener before meetings. 

I love that the packaging is recyclable but I do wish that it contained more that 15 pieces.

Here are a few facts about Glee Gum:

• All natural chewing gum
• Made with sustainably harvested rain-forest chicle
• No artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners (no aspartame)
• No preservatives
• Minimum processing with no chemical pesticides
• Made in the USA
• A 1% for the planet member
• Minimal packaging, which is made from biodegradable, recycled cardboard (no plastic over wrap like other gum)
• Child friendly size pieces 

Here is some information about their new Sugar-Free Glee Gum:

• All Natural Sugar-Free Glee Gum is sweetened with 100% xylitol, a sugar alcohol made from birch bark.
• Xylitol is found naturally in the fibers of fruits and veggies like corn, raspberries and plums.
• Xylitol  can help benefit dental health, fight cavities, reduce plaque, and even clear nasal passages.
• It contains no artificial colors, flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. 
• It's free of all major allergens, and it's their first product that's also corn-free**!
•  There's No Aspartame in Glee!

Sugar Free Glee Gum

Now you can try the new Sugar-Free Glee Gum for yourself thanks to the funny and kind folks at Glee Gum!
They are generously offering one lucky reader a case (12 boxes w/ 15 pieces per box) of their yummy Sugar-Free Glee Gum (Thanks Glee Guy!)  

To Enter: Tell me which flavor you would like (Refresh-Mint or Lemon-Lime) and why you would like to try Glee Gum.

Don't forget to include your e-mail address (if your profile does not have it listed) 
 
Giveaway Ends: Sunday April 24th.


Extra Entry: Blog about this giveaway and post the link here.

Good Luck!

I was given 2 packs of sugar free gum by Glee Gum to try out. I agreed to write a review of the product and host a give-a-way. The opinions written here are my honest opinions and not influenced by the company. 

Review: TerraCycle's All Purpose Cleaner

Prior to my blogging hiatus TerraCycle had sent me a bottle of their All Purpose Cleaner  to try out. Since using it the first time it has become my primary kitchen sink and microwave cleaner.
Sadly I never got around to writing my review (Sorry guys).
Better late than never I hope!

Let's start with what TerraCycle says about this All Purpose Cleaner:

TerraCycle’s cleaners are derived from organic essential oils and natural plant and mineral extract. Our All-Purpose Cleaner is certified non-toxic, biodegradable and hypo-allergenic making it safer for you, your pets, and the planet. But being responsibly formulated is not enough. TerraCycle cleaners are extremely effective against dirt, grease, fingerprints and grime. Both the bottle and the spray cap are rescued from industrial waste streams and used for packaging on this and other products created by TerraCycle. Like all our Cleaners, the All-Purpose Cleaner comes with the Eco-Logo, the strictest certification given by the Canadian Government.

My kitchen sink is stainless steel and this  All Purpose Cleaner is perfect for cleaning the food and grim off it without leaving a residue or streaks. It actually leaves the sink shiny again! That probably has something to do with the citrus in it. Which also gives it a pleasant smell and not that typical cleaner type smell.

Together with my Skoy cloth I found the perfect combination for cleaning my microwave.
It seems that I don't have to scrub as hard to remove the stuck on yucks from the microwave. And once again, the microwave door glass is streak-free.

I do have to invert the bottle a couple of time before I use it to mix up the solution again (probably because I have had it for a while).

Which is another plus, a little bit goes a long way so it lasts a long time.

I also love that it uses an upcycled bottle, which I can either recycle when I'm done or send it back to TerraCycle via their bottle brigade.

Over all, I would recommend this cleaner. 

I was given 1 bottle of all purpose cleaner by TerraCycle to try out. In return I agreed to write a review of the product. The opinions written here are my honest opinions and not influenced by the company..
Original post of Over Coffee-the green edition. Not to be used or copied in any way without written permission..

Life is a Picnic

Life is a Picnic

A group of amazing eco-friendly brands; Fabkins, Green Toys, LUNA, Plum Organics, and Cleanwell, have come together for a Earth Day promotion – “Life’s a Picnic” kit is being sold now on Diapers.com.  As part of this campaign, all proceeds from the sale of the kit will benefit the non-profit Healthy Child Healthy World.

The kits includes:

*(1) 40 ct CleanWell Hand Sanitizer Wipes Original Scent

*(1) Green Toys™ BPA-Free Snack Bowls (4 per pack)
*(1) Green Toys™ BPA-Free Feeding Spoons (8 per pack)
*(1) White Chocolate Macadamia Luna Bar
*(2) Fabkins Organic Cloth Napkins African Safari Design
* Plum Organics(1) Mish Mash (1) Super Puffs (flavors will vary)

Click on over to Diapers.com and help support Healthy Child Healthy World.

Method + TerraCycle = a grand idea

You can imagine how excited I was when I learned that two of my favorite Eco companies had joined forces:

TerraCycle is now upcycling Method's refill pouches.

How cool is that!?!


No surprise that I immediately signed up for the Method Refill brigade and so can you! There are still 200 slots open.

Here is what TerraCycle has to say about the Method brigade:

Each year, more than one million Method® refill pouches are needlessly discarded and end up in our landfills. TerraCycle is proud to partner with Method® to create a second life for these used refill pouches.
Every time you refill your soap dispenser, all you have to do is save the refill pouch and send it in. Then we’ll up-cycle the material into fun and innovative products.
For each approved item received, your Collection Location will be awarded two TerraCycle points which can be redeemed for a variety of charity gifts or for a payment of $0.02 to the non-profit organization or school of your choice. Please click here to learn more about the TerraCycle Points Program!
Participation in the Method® Refill Brigade is simple and totally FREE – all costs and shipping are covered by Method®. It’s as easy as this:

1. Sign-up to participate in the Method® Refill Brigade. (you can print out posters and other materials to help collections as well as pre-paid shipping labels online).
2. Collect at least 20 Method® refill pouches and put them into an empty box you have on hand.
3. Affix the pre–paid postage label and drop it off at a UPS location. We will check in the box once it arrives at TerraCycle, and then you can track your shipments online.
4. Affix the pre–paid postage label and drop it off at a UPS location. We will check in the box once it arrives at TerraCycle, and then you can track your shipments online.

Now I have 6  boxes lining my garage wall, one for each brigade I am a part of (drink pouches, breakfast bar wrappers, cookie wrappers, glue containers, coffee bags, & now Method refills!)

I highly recommend that you click on over and join the Brigade fun! There is sure to be a brigade that fits you.

Recycle your used tennis shoes

Post from the Past:

My son’s tennis shoes never last through the whole school year. Mid way through I always end up buying him a new pair. More times than not, those old shoes are way too trashed for anyone else to use so they end up in the garbage. I should say; they use to end up in the garbage. This year those stinky, smelly, worn out tennis shoes were deposited in the recycling bin at the Nike store.

Nike has a great program called Reuse-a-shoe:








“Where worn-out athletic shoes of any brand are collected, processed and recycled into material used in sports surfaces like basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, running tracks and playgrounds for young people around the world.”

So instead of adding to the landfill we can help build a playground! I don’t know about your kids but mine would much rather play on a structure surrounded by recycled rubber than by bark chips, sand, or even grass.

If your family has some old athletic shoes that you were thinking of throwing away, take them to Nike instead (Find a location near you) and let your shoes build a basketball court instead of becoming part of an already over crowded land fill. To make it even easier, Nike even accepts shoes through the mail!

When I first learned of the Reuse-a-shoe program I was so excited about it that I told everyone I knew, including my son's principle. She agreed to let me place an empty box at school to gather used shoes throughout the year. So far we are on box #4!

(Addition to original post: This recycle box has been at my son's school for 2 years now and I have deposited approximately 24 garbage bags full of shoes into the Nike Reuse-a-shoe bin!)

Go Green: Recycle your old tennis shoes. While you’re at it, recycle your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers shoes too!

Original post of Over Coffee-the green edition. Not to be used or copied in any way without written permission.. 

All Natural Easter Candy

It is that time of year again. Time for chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and marshmallow chicks; oh my. 

If you are looking for a candy store that offers yummy candy without all those colorings, dyes, and preservatives you may want to look at:

The Natural Candy Store is a family-owned & operated business (two sisters and their mom)that takes pride in the quality of the products they sell. The products they sell just happen to be the largest selection of natural and organic candy available anywhere!

• Organic
• Vegan
• Gluten-free
• Kosher
• Feingold
• Allergen-free

Jelly Beans
They have a long list of certified organic products to choose from that you will easily find something for every Easter basket: jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, caramels, gummy swirls marshmallows, fudge, licorice, baking decorations, and much much more!

The Natural Candy Store does not carry any products that contain synthetic dyes or artificial colors. All the colorings used in the candies they carry are derived from fruits, vegetables, and other plant sources.

Like the Gummy Swirls (Which happen to be my favorite) which uses black carrot juice concentrate for the coloring.

These sweet, chewy, fruity flavored organic yummies:

• Contain 100% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C & calcium
• Are made with organic sweeteners
• Are corn-syrup free
• Are manufactured in CA.

I feel good about feeding these treats to my children! (In small portions of course. They may be organic but they are still candy & at 22g of sugar per serving my kids will only get them as treats. Yes, I am one of "those" moms)

The Natural Candy Store seeks out recycled and biodegradable supplies, such as the home-compostable cellophane bags they use for bulk candy, they support fair-trade efforts, and encourage pick-up for those living in the SF Bay Area.

All the candy and gum that we have purchased from the Natural Candy Store we have found to be very tasty!

We did notice some differences between the organic candy and the non-organic candy;

• The organic candy tasted sweeter (so a little went a long way)
• Some of the candies (like the jelly beans) were a little grainier (maybe due to the organic sugarcane that was used)
• We could actually taste the fruitiness in the fruity candy.

I recommend stopping  by their website and having a look around. 

If you do happen to purchase some Easter goodies I would appreciate it if you let them know where you heard about them! 

Garbage Moguls

Last year I was honored to receive a DVD preview of Terracycle's TV series Garbage Moguls.

It was a great way to put faces to the names and learn a little bit more about the people behind this innovative company.

I am happy to report that the series is beginning this weekend!

When: Saturday, August 21st; 7pm for the re-airing of the pilot episode, 8-11pm for the new episodes

Where: The National Geographic Channel (check your local listings for exact channel and show times)

Extra: Join TerraCycle on Twitter (#GarbageMoguls) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TerraCycle) for their online premiere party, starting at 8pm EST

I highly encourage you to tune into this three-episode marathon of “Garbage Moguls, the
trash-tastic reality show about TerraCycle and get an inside look as the TerraCycle team faces new challenges and searches to find solutions for the world’s waste in this comically captivating reality show."

You can also ask questions and interact with the cast members, including Tom Szaky, during all three episodes as part of TerraCycle’s “Online Premiere Party”.

Follow and join the Garbage Moguls conversation live by tweeting with the #GarbageMoguls hash tag.

You can also participate in a live trivia game on Facebook that TerraCycle will be hosting.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 21st!

Save up to 60% at the Natural Candy Store

If you have a special diet but still have a sweet tooth that needs to be sweetened then might I suggest shopping here:

• Vegan Candy


• Gluten-Free Candy


• Allergen-Free Candy


• Feingold Candy


• Gluten-Free Casein-Free (GFCF) Candy


• Corn Syrup-Free Candy


• Kosher Candy
  
  Of course my favorites are any of their organic candies (especially the gummies....and their caramels....oh and their jelly beans are yummy too!)

If you would like to try some of their tasty candies now is an excellent time!

Hurry while supplies last and don't forget to mention that you heard about them here, at overcoffee the green edition!

Terracycle Candy Wrapper Brigade

One of my favorite green companies has to be Terracycle!

Terracycle is a small company that has found an innovative way to take items destined for the landfill and turn them into really cool usable products.

Case in point: unrecyclable candy wrappers that are upcycled into various kinds of bags.
Each year, millions of candy wrappers are needlessly discarded and end up in landfills. TerraCycle™ is proud to partner with Mars®/Wrigley® and Cadbury® to create a second life for used candy wrappers. Every time you enjoy a Mars®/Wrigley® or Cadbury® candy product, you can save the wrapper and send it in to TerraCycle™, an eco-friendly innovator, and we will upcycle the pre and post-consumer waste material into cool new products.

How easy is that!

The way that TerraCycle™ gathers the wrappers (and other waste items) is through something they call Brigades.

Participation in the Candy Wrapper Brigade is simple and it’s completely FREE – all costs and shipping are covered by Mars/Wrigley and Cadbury.

1. Once you sign–up to participate in the Candy Wrapper Brigade you will receive prepaid postage labels and collection materials from TerraCycle.

2. Collect enough wrappers to fill a collection bag

3. Affix the pre–paid postage label and drop it off at a UPS location

Sign–up today and join the effort to reduce the impact of our manufacturing plants on the planet each year.

1090 Candy Wrapper Slots Open

New line of muck-free reusable lunch gear from Citizenpip

A while back I reviewed a wonderful Reusable Lunch Kit line from Citizenpip called From Soup to Nuts and loved it!

I am excited to announce that Citizenpip has come out with some new gear just in time for back-to-school.

Whats new?

• 4 new cool lunch bag designs
• A roomier bag
• An easy sport top water bottle
• 4 fresh fun colors of airtight containers

These are features that my son is definitely happy about.

Let me share with you a little bit about this green company and their wonderful products:

Citizenpip is

• Muck-free! Which means their products do not contain lead, BPA, PVC, or phthalates.
• Makes it easy to go green with products that are designed to be fun and stylish for kids, and practical and convenient for parents.
• Dishwasher safe, recyclable, easy to clean, easy to open, reduces trash!

Some of the features that I/my kiddos really liked are:

• Easy to open and close containers!!! (this is a feature that we have had problems with in other lunch kits we have tried)
• The larger of the containers is microwave friendly. (another feature that we have had a hard time finding in the past and sometimes a kid wants Mac-N-Cheese for lunch)
• The opening on the water bottle. It is wide mouth but has a cover that leaves a smaller drinking opening which means no noise when you drink, less chance to spill on yourself or knock it over. (My son also liked that it did not have a smell like most new stainless steel bottles do. He likes the sport top feature better though)
• The kit is lead-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free, and BPA-free!
• Having a napkin for each school day.
• A cold water bottle does double-duty as an ice pack when placed inside the insulated bag!
• The bag is easy to wipe clean.

If you would like to learn more about Citizenpip check out this informative and helpful FAQ sheet on their website.

And while your there if you happen to see something you would like to purchase feel free to use code OVERCOFFEE10 to receive 10% off any size order.

Asgard calendar review and giveaway

Last year I discovered a great green company (Asgard Press) selling such a beautiful and unique product (Asgard calendars) that I had to reintroduce them to all of you.

I had never seen calendars like this before!

All Asgard calendars are produced with:

• 100% recycled heavy weight stock paper
• Soy-based inks

But what makes Asgard calendars stand out from others is that each page is perforated and can be removed easily to fit any standard 11 x 14 frame.

You may be asking yourself why you would want to frame calendar pictures. Well, if you are big college football fans like my family is then you would love to fill your room with these beautiful reproductions of actual souvenir game day program covers from more than 60 of the top football colleges across the country.

The quality of the pictures makes framing them a definite option (and one my son can’t wait to do with the OSU pictures from his calendar. Thanks Asgard for shipping me a beautiful calendar just in time for my son's birthday)

This is part of Asgard’s Green Mission: Sick of seeing all the waste from the millions of calendars produced, bought, and discarded each year, Asgard set a goal to create a series of calendars that people would think twice before throwing away at the end of the season.

I would say that they have succeeded!

If football is not "your thing" you may like Asgard’s

• Norma Jeane
• DC Comics
• Marvel Comics
• MAD Magazine
• Sci-Fi line

All of which are equally as “cool!"

Each of these calendars are 16 months (starting in Sept) which is also a nice feature.

Asgard’s oversized, eco-friendly calendars not only contain beautiful vintage pictures they are also filled with fun facts about the picture such as the score of the game and the history behind the comic book/magazine cover.

If you or someone you know is looking for a new calendar for 2010 (maybe a Christmas gift for that sports fan) I would highly recommend purchasing an Asgard calendar.

At $18.95, they are comparably priced to other calendars but with the added benefit of being "The Greenest Calendars on the Planet"

***Christmas shipping deadlines: Dec. 14: for standard ground shipments. Dec. 17: for 2nd day air. Dec. 21: for next day air.

Thanks to the generous folks at Asgard Press now you have the chance to win one of these beautiful, green, vintage calendars!

(Thanks guys!)

To Enter: Visit the Asgard Press Website, take a look around, then come back here and leave me a comment telling me something you learned and which calendar you would like to win.

Don't forget to include your e-mail address (if your profile does not have it listed)

Giveaway Ends: Sunday Dec 13th!

Extra Entry: Blog about this giveaway and post the link here. Already a follower? Let me know how you follow for another extra entry.

Good Luck!

GreenSmart Wine Bottle Carrier Review and Giveaway

Back in August I wrote a review for a new product from GreenSmart, a Neogreene Laptop Sleeve. The laptop sleeve was one of the first products made from neogreene:

• Neogreene has none of the toxins found in typical neoprene
• Is produced via a water based chemistry (replacing solvent adhesives with water based adhesives)
• Contains all of the positive physical attributes of neoprene (squishy and smooth material with a little bit of stretch)
• No chemical VOC smell
• Uses 25% less electricity and 25% less petroleum to produce

Now the next set of Neogreene products from GreenSmart are available!

The products in the Food & Bev Collection keep your foods and beverages warm or cold and protect them with their cushy walls.

• Wine Bottle Carriers
• Bottle Koozies
• Lunch Bags

My NeoGreene Wine Carrier arrived just in time to help transport wine to family and friends homes over the long holiday weekend. Was I glad it did because it was so handy! I just put the chilled wine in the carrier, picked up my pumpkin pie, and easily carried both.

The wine fits snug, sits flat, stays chilled, and has a little extra protection against accidental breakage. Very handy indeed!

These items will protect and transport your precious consumable cargo stylishly and daily. Whether you’re going out on a family picnic, off to school or work or need a gift for someone, the items in this collection will become indispensable in not time flat.

You can purchase carriers for one bottle or two.

Neogreene has twice the insulating value of neoprene, so your beverages will maintain their temperature longer. The easy load front means getting your bottles in and out is easy, too. We cinched the collar to accommodate different neck sizes and even cut the front a little low so you can interchange syrah for chardonnay and still have your bottles snugly fitted for safe travels.

This may be the perfect "gift wrap" for the perfect gift ;-)

Thanks to the kind folk at GreenSmart, you now have the chance to win a Neogreene wine bottle carrier for yourself! (Thanks guys!)

To Enter: Visit the GreenSmart website, take a look at their products, learn how bottles become bags, learn more about neogreene, then come back here and leave me a comment telling me something you learned and what color wine carrier you would like.

Don't forget to include your e-mail address (if your profile does not have it listed)

Giveaway Ends: Sunday Dec 6th!

Extra Entry: Blog about this giveaway and post the link here. Already a follower? Let me know how you follow for another extra entry.

Good Luck!

Citizenpip One Square Meal Kit Winner!

Congratulations to the winner of the Citizenpip One Square Meal kit!

The Gosfam said...
I would love the Square Meal Kit: Tasty Style. These kits are so cute.

Enjoy your very cute, very handy, lead-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free, BPA-free, airtight, leak-proof, and dishwasher safe reusable containers!

Thank you to everyone who entered and for Citizenpip for sponsoring such a useful giveaway!

I do have some good news for those that did not win the kit, now through Dec 31st Citizenpip is offering a free fork+spoon set with every order over $50 (before tax and shipping). Just add a fork+spoon to your shopping cart and use coupon code: OVERCOFFEEgives

Also, for every $10 spent Citizenpip will plant one tree in partnership with Trees for the Future

Lastly, Citizenpip will donate $300 on behalf of the blog/site with the most coupon codes redeemed between 11/1/09 and 12/31/09 to one of these green non-profit organizations:

• Trees for the Future
• Environmental Working Group
• Healthy Child Healthy World

Earth Love'n Wrapping Paper Review and Giveaway

This giveaway is now closed.

Last Christmas I discovered a wonderfully Green gift wrapping company called Earth Love'n and was excited about trying out their gift wrap paper(Click HERE to read my review from last year).
Meet Caren, the very nice owner of Earth Love'n and read how this wonderful company came about:
The idea for Earth Love'n Gift Wrap came to me while searching for a better product to sell at my daughter's elementary school fundraiser. I was tired of the usual candy and cookie dough fundraisers, and wanted something that would reflect the school's emphasis on being good stewards of the environment. Having worked as an environmental professional for 20 years, I wanted a useful, earth-friendly product. Recycled wrapping paper seemed like the perfect solution... except that I couldn't find the product. During my search, I learned that over 90% of printing and writing paper in the USA is made from virgin tree fiber. I also learned that making paper using recycled fiber instead of virgin fiber has enormous environmental benefits. No new trees are cut down, less energy and water are used, and less pollution is produced (including greenhouse gas emissions). So... I formed Earth Love'n Paper Products. I hope our playful designs bring a smile to your face.

Did you know that during the winter holidays, 4 million tons of wrapping paper and shopping bags are thrown away.

Gasp! I can't even comprehend that amount of waste!

During the first print-run of Earth Love’n Gift Wrap they used 4,000 lbs of post-consumer paper which means that approximately 118 trees were saved, over 2,000 lbs of emissions did not go into the atmosphere, and 4,000 lbs of solid waste was not generated! Yaa Earth Love'n!

• 100% post-consumer fiber
• Processed chlorine-free premium quality paper
• Vegetable-based ink
• Cut lines on reverse side(My favorite feature!)
• Lovingly packaged by adults with developmental challenges
• Made in the U.S.A.
• Environmental information on reverse side
• For every 10 PACKAGES/ROLLS of gift wrap sold, Earth Love'n will PLANT 1 TREE through their partnership with Trees for the Future
• Made with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper
• Certified chlorine-free by the Chlorine Free Products Association
• Paper is made with certified renewable energy by the Green-e organization

In addition to all the cute Christmas paper Earth Love'n sells, they also have:

• Birthday, Baby, Wedding, and All Occasion Wrapping Paper


• Thank you, Note, and Enclosure Cards


• Apparel Boxes (Recycled of course)
  
• Recycled Tissue Paper
  
• Natural Ribbon

Click here to learn more about the environmental impacts of paper products and how Earth Love'n is doing its part to help save trees, reduce paper waste, and reduce greenhouse gases!

Caren has graciously offered one lucky Over Coffee reader 1 roll of the Christmas Jazz and 1 roll of the Christmas Joy? Thanks Caren!

To Enter: Visit the Earth Love'n website, have a look around, then come back here and leave a comment letting me know what other product you would like to try or what interesting fact you learned!
Don't forget to include your e-mail address (if your profile does not have it listed)

Giveaway Ends: Sunday Nov. 29th!

Extra Entry: Blog or Twitter about this giveaway and post the links here.

Bonus Entry: If you are already a follower of Over Coffee – the green edition leave me a comment letting me know how you follow.

Good Luck!

Post from the past: Buying recycled paper towels

My family and I are not big paper towel users. About the only thing we use paper towels for is to soak up the grease from the tortillas when we make tacos. (That is seriously all we use them for)
So it was not at all difficult for us to switch from regular paper towels to recycled ones.
When we came to the end of the roll of our regular ones I purchased the jumbo roll of 2 ply brown, unbleached 100% recycled paper towels from Seventh Generation. They work just as well soaking up the tortilla grease as the other ones did except these ones save trees.

I am a girl who loves facts and lists so needless to say I spent a long time reading my paper towel wrapper (which BTW is recyclable) and here are a few of the things I learned:

• Seventh Generation paper towels are made from 100% recycled material; 90% post-consumer + 10% pre-consumer materials = 100%.
  
• The brown coloring is the natural color of recycled products. White paper towels are somehow treated (usually bleached or dyed) to be white (even Seventh Generation whitens theirs although they say they are whitened without chemicals containing chlorine which leads me to believe that they still use chemicals of some kind. I will have to look into this more)
  

Jumbo rolls reduce waste by:

• Utilizing less packaging per sheet
• Using fewer cores than regular rolls
• Enabling more product to be shipped on each truck = reduction in fuel consumption.

Also, untreated paper towels can be added to compost piles.

Seventh Generation periodically offers coupons for paper towels on their website (which is something I would suggest watching for since a roll of recycled paper towels is quite a bit more expensive than a regular roll).

When you are tempted to purchase the “cheaper” paper towels remember this:

Citizenpip Lunch Kit Review and Giveaway

This Giveaway is now closed.

I am always in search of the "perfect" lunch kit for my kiddos. I have found pieces that I/they like but never a complete set. Yet. So when Citizenpip asked me to try out their Soup to Nuts Kit I eagerly said yes!

The Soup to Nut Kit includes:

• 1 insulated lunch bag with nametag and carabiner that easily attaches to a backpack
• 1 stainless steel water bottle
• 1 stainless steel insulated food jar
• 4 BPA-free airtight food containers
• 1 stainless steel fork + spoon set
• 5 100% cotton napkins (one for each school day)
  

Everything that you would need to pack the perfect lunch!

Some of the features that I/my kiddos really liked are:

• Easy to open and close containers!!! (this is a feature that we have had problems with in the past)
• The larger of the containers is microwave friendly. (another feature that we have had a hard time finding in the past and sometimes a kid wants Mac-N-Cheese for lunch)
• The opening on the water bottle. It is wide mouth but has a cover that leaves a smaller drinking opening which means no noise when you drink, less chance to spill on yourself or knock it over. My son also liked that it did not have a smell like most new stainless steel bottles do.
• The kit is lead-free, PVC-free, phthalate-free, and BPA-free!
• Having a napkin for each school day.

The one feature that I did not like is that the lunch bag did not have an area for an ice pack but after reading I learned that the water bottle does double-duty as an ice pack. Which is true because the bag is insulated! The inside is also easy to wipe clean.

The lunch bag itself is kind of big. It perfectly fits all the items but my son rarely takes that much food for lunch. It is a nice feature that he can clip it to his backpack (less chance of leaving it behind)

Here is a little more info about Citizenpip:

• Citizenpip was inspired by the belief that making small changes in your daily habits can make a significant impact. (A belief that I completely understand!)
• Created by Christina, A mom and now company owner, "Feeling guilty about the four plastic baggies I was throwing out each day just from one kid's lunch, I started using reusable containers. But I couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. I wanted food-safe materials, something airtight and leak-proof, and something I could easily throw in the dishwasher. Figuring a lot of other people might switch to reusable if they could find an easy alternative, I decided to start Citizenpip."
• Citizenpip is muck-free: no lead, BPA, PVC, or phthalates.
• Citizenpip makes it easy to go green with products that are designed to be fun and stylish for kids, and practical and convenient for parents.
• Dishwasher safe, recyclable, easy to clean, easy to open, reduces trash!

While looking around their website I found that they have a very informative and helpful FAQ sheet filled with answers to about every question you could have.

Now you get the chance to try a A Square Meal Kit (a $42 value) for yourself thanks to the kind folks at Citizenpip!
THE SQUARE MEAL KIT INCLUDES:
• 1 insulated lunch bag with nametag and carabiner that easily attaches to a backpack
• 1 stainless steel water bottle
• 4 BPA-free airtight food containers
• 5 100% cotton napkins

To Enter: Visit the Citizenpip website, have a look around, then come back here and leave a comment letting me know what other product you would like to try or what interesting fact you learned!

Don't forget to include your e-mail address (if your profile does not have it listed)

Giveaway Ends: Sunday Nov. 22nd!

Extra Entry: Blog or Twitter about this giveaway and post the links here.

Bonus Entry: If you are already a follower of Over Coffee – the green edition leave a comment for a bonus entry.

Good Luck!

Post from the past: 7 Simple Tips for Packing a Waste-free Lunch from Fabkins

Fabkins is not just about selling really cute reusable napkins (although they do that very well) they are also about educating parents, teachers, and children about the importance of reducing lunch time waste.
One of the ways they are educating us is through posts such as this: 7 Simple Tips for Packing a Waste-free Lunch

1. Use Containers: Ideally, one container with multiple compartments that fits easily into your child’s lunchbox. Due to recent studies showing that plastics can leech toxins, some parents are turning to aluminum or glass containers. Any one you choose is better than a plastic bag that is estimated to take hundreds, if not more, years to breakdown in our landfills.

2. Add a Water Bottle: Stop buying juice boxes and single use plastic water bottles and invest in a few re-usable water bottles for your kids’ lunch. These days, there are many styles, designs and colors to choose from that you can find online and in many stores. There are now many popular options made from recycled steel, such as Klean Kanteen, or aluminum, such as SIGG.

3. Buy in Bulk: Cut down on packaging by replacing single serving items like boxed raisins, cheese sticks, and apple sauce cups, Instead, buy the same items in large containers and simply put what your child will eat into your lunch container. You’ll be amazed by the reduction in trash and food waste with this simple trade-off.

4. Pack Whole Fruits: Try packing a whole apple, banana, peach, peeled orange or other fruit that your kids can eat without packaging. You may find they eat more of it and you’ll feel good that you haven’t created unnecessary trash.

5. Clean with Cloth: Of course, this one is our favorite! Toss in your favorite Fabkins, or two (one for a placemat, one for cleaning messy faces and hands), and remind your child to bring it home with the lunchbox and containers. Cloth napkins greatly reduce the number of paper towels and napkins used and disposed and may even replace the sleeve for mouth wipes.

6. Wrap it Up: Swap out a container for a fabric, washable wrap for snacks and sandwiches. Those made by the company Wrap-n-Mats, come in different designs and colors and double as a place mat. Their tagline says it all: The convenient,environmentally friendly re-usable sandwich wrap and placemat in one!

7. Get Creative: Packing a trash-free lunch gives a parent more opportunities to be creative about not only how you pack your child’s lunch, but what you give your child to eat. Have fun selecting containers, napkins and water bottles that reflect your kids’ personality and interests, and feel good about doing your part to save the environment.

For other educational posts (such as A “Green Toolkit” for schools) or to pick up some very cute reusable napkins for your children's lunches, visit fabkins.com.

California Baby Bubble Bath Review

My daughter loves to take bubble baths but I refuse to let her sit in a bath filled with synthetic chemical fragrance filled bubbles. I just won’t do it. Especially since she is a little girl with sensitive little girl parts (you know what I mean).

I used Lush bath bombs a few times, which she totally loved, but they are too pricey to use on a regular basis. A while back I was at Target picking up some CA baby shampoo and body wash when I saw a bottle of bubbles displayed next to the shampoo. Of course I picked it up, read the label, gulped a little at the price ($14), and put it in my cart (much to my daughter’s surprise).

That night my daughter had a warm, fun-filled, chemical free bubble bath and she loved it!

Here is some info on California Baby® Calming™ Bubble Bath from their website:

• Special bubbling formula contains mild vegetable-derived bubbling agents, enriched with a nourishing herbal complex that works to protect delicate skin.
• Non-drying
• Extremely biodegradable bubble bath strictly avoids the use of synthetic fragrances and harsh bubbling agents.
• This product was developed to avoid irritation (I can vouch for this. My daughter has never had any redness, rash, itching, or dry skin from using these bubbles) never use Sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, or numbing agents.
• Non-irritating formula does not promote yeast or bladder infections
• Recommended for grownups too who need help winding down from another hectic day. A long soak in California Baby® Calming™ Bubble Bath is a great way to wash away stress - follow with a cup of chamomile tea, and you can look forward to a good night's sleep (I have never thought about using it myself but they make it sound very appealing!)
• Safe for spas and hot tubs

Benefits & Features:

• Contains organic and sustainably grown ingredients
• No tears
• No Sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, or numbing agents
• No synthetic fragrances
• Aromatherapy essential oils are tested for purity and guaranteed pesticide free
• Non-stripping of delicate mucous membranes, which can lead to yeast or bladder infections
• Bubbles with soapbark and yucca
  

Tip: Because this is not a synthetic bubble bath you must help the bubbling process along by shaking/agitating bubbles under vigorously running water at the start of tub filling. (I put a small cap full under the running water as I am filling the bath. This works perfectly!)

More Bubble Baths:Overtired & Cranky, Calendula , Chamomile & Herbs™, Colds & Flu™, I Love You™, Light & Happy™, Super Sensitive™

I did gulp at the price, but just like their shampoo, a little bit goes a long way so the price per use is very reasonable! We are still on our first bottle and my daughter uses it almost every time she takes a bath. Since a small amount in the cap is all I use (and more than enough for a tub full of bubbles) I can't see buying another bottle for a while.

My daughter also lends toward dry skin and she has not had any dry patches with these bubbles which is another huge plus!

Overall I would recommend trying these bubbles. I am pretty sure my daughter would second that recommendation!