Posts from — December 2008

Welcome to 2-0-0-9!! We wish all of our readers a very happy and healthy new year! Be sure to check out the “green” ball this year!

“The new Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball is a 12 foot geodesic sphere, double the size of previous Balls, and weighs 11,875 pounds. Covered in 2,668 Waterford Crystals and powered by 32,256 Philips Luxeon Rebel LEDS, the new Ball is capable of creating a palette of more than 16 million vibrant colors and billions of patterns producing a spectacular kaleidoscope effect atop One Times Square.” (http://www.timessquarenyc.org/nye/nye_ball.html)

–Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

How is your child your hero? Here’s how to tell them and the rest of the world. Nominate them for some of the good things they do…even little things like making their bed or taking out the trash or helping their brother or sister.

Win great prizes too…education savings bonds up to $500, subscriptions to KIWI magazine and lots of Yummi Bears!

Hurry, contest ends December 31, 2008. See our Official Rules for details.

–Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

My name is Brady Loomis; I am a junior in high school and conducting a research project for my U.S. History class. The assignment was to exercise our rights by taking an active role in our community. Similar to many of you, protecting our environment has become very important to me and so with this project I wish to ask questions that bring more eco-friendly ideas to the surface. I hope to encourage people of all ages to think about their carbon footprint all the time. Please take a few minutes to read the following questions and respond in the comment field below. Thank you so much for your time.

1. In the past few years, with global warming on the rise, do you feel your family has begun to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle to reduce your carbon footprint?
2. What changes have you made personally?
3. Are your children involved in a “greener” lifestyle as well? Do they seem excited about it?
4. How has the current state of the economy affected your family to maintain an eco-friendly household?

–Brady is the daughter of KIWI’s Midwest Director of Sales. We’re happy to help her with this class project and hope you wouldn’t mind responding to her questions! Thank you!

Don’t miss your chance to win DVDs this holiday season. Leave us a comment and you could own one of the follow classics from Warner Brothers: Classic Christmas Favorites including It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and A Charlie Brown Christmas, Looney Tunes Spotlight Collection, Jack Frost, Peanuts Deluxe Holiday Collection: Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, and more! (These DVDs are also in stores now.)

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

Wrap your gifts in the next best thing to love—not paper, but fabric wraps that can be used over and over again. Think origami using material instead of paper. Make your own with fabric scraps, silk scarves, even napkins. You no longer need tape or ribbon. The techniques are so simple, any child who can tie a knot can do them, yet the results are beautiful and sophisticated.

Download and learn the simple techniques from www.Furoshiki.com. No material at hand? You can purchase fabric made just for this purpose. Looking for something sophisticated? Check out www.Bobowrap.com. Genuine traditional patterns? Try www.Buy4AsianLife.com.

–Lynn and Corey Colwell, mother-daughter duo and co-authors of Celebrate Green! Creating Eco-Savvy Holidays, Celebrations and Traditions for the Whole Family, available at www.CelebrateGreen.net

This season, you can give a gift that has deeper meaning. Whether you want to save the planet or support a cause that has special meaning to you; a donation of any amount makes a BIG difference.

Here are some of our favorites:

Carbonfund.org is leading the fight against global climate change, making it easy and affordable for any individual, business or organization to eliminate their climate impact and hastening the transformation to a clean energy future.

Oceana is protecting the world’s oceans and seeks to make our oceans as rich, healthy and abundant as they were in our grandparents’ youth. Plus you can adopt-a-creature and take home the whole fuzzy ocean family!

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

Unsure about what to give teachers, babysitters and friends for the holidays? Say it with soy! In very little time you can create eco-friendly and recyclable candles that will spice up a room. And you’ll literally be giving the gift of light. We have helpful hints and instructions. To get started click here.

Feeling even more eco-crafty?

KIWI’s got your back. Our eco-crafts page will keep your family busy. http://www.kiwimagonline.com/ecocrafts/index.php

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

Thinking about helping a friend or teacher go green? Try this! Green Irene Green Gift Bags. They are filled with selected eco-friendly home products like toxic-free cleaners, stainless steel water bottles, energy-saving light bulbs, low-flow shower heads, soy candles and more. Their assortment of 9 Green Gift Bags are practical, green gifts, perfect for family, friends, party hosts and teachers. Each gift bag comes “wrapped” in a reusable nylon bag and can include a personal message. Green Irene Green Gift Bags range from $30-$285 and can be purchased at HaveAGreenHoliday.com.

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

Wanna be an apparel designer for a day?

At mom-owned company The Happy Tomato, you “Grow Your Own” design when you select one of their retro-cool hand-carved block designs–and put it on anything from a Fair Trade Playdress, to an Organic Happy T, to a Motherlode Shopping Tote. Each design is hand-printed to the fabric color of your choice in super-soft, non-toxic inks which are planet and skin-friendly. The combinations are endless! (Really, what’s more festive than oh-so-many choices?) You can upgrade any piece to an “Extra-Fancy” Grade Tomato with hand-sewn embellishment and/or embroidery, and best of all?–it’s 100% washable, dryable art that is totally custom, totally clever, functional and frugal. Enjoy some creative spending at The Happy Tomato! www.happytomatokids.com

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

My dad loves two things: when the family comes together and good food. I know he’ll love a gift certificate to our favorite local restaurant that serves organic and sustainable foods.

A great gift idea is what I like to call “an experience gift.” Give a gift certificate to a local restaurants that supports local farmers and serves organically grown foods. Your family will thank you later when you are sitting around the table in a beautiful restaurant that looks nothing like your kitchen.

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

We are all trying to raise our families the natural and organic way. Sometimes, we need a little inspiration to keep us going.

My cousins Liz and David have three kids ages 10 to 16. They try to buy organic foods and cooks most of their meals. Their family is constantly trying to find a good balance between juggling everyone’s schedules. A year subscription to KIWI Magazine will definitely spice up their eco-ability!

With the buy one, gift one offer KIWI is running for the holidays, I can also get a subscription for my best friend Nikki (her daughter Julie can thank me later).

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

If your child has food allergies, or special dietary needs, you can still visit friends and family and share the joy of the holiday season. But when food is involved (and when isn’t it?) it’s always best to come prepared. So here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Call ahead to explain your child’s allergies and offer to bring a safe dish.

• Ask to serve your child first to make sure that the utensils and foods are not cross contaminated.

• Remind loved ones not to fuss over what your child is eating. He or she wants to be part of the crowd and not singled out because of his differences.

• If the host seems not to “get it”, feed your child at home and bring dessert or a snack.

• Keep an eye out for candy dishes and nut bowls. If your child is very young, ask if they can be moved out of the little one’s reach.

• Desserts in particular are a common cause of allergic reactions as they are often cross contaminated with peanuts or nuts and most will contain some of the top nine allergens. So, make a special holiday dessert that your child will love and bring enough to share so that she feels part of the celebration.

–Gina Clowes is the Founder of AllergyMoms.com and author of One of the Gang: Nurturing the Souls of Children with Food Allergies

Yesterday my friend, Leigh, told me what she is buying her twin nephews for the holidays. “The perfect and fun gift for Matthew and Jacob to “Go Green!”

Deluxe Earth Kit For Kids

This earth friendly kit makes the perfect gift with the 16oz. BPA-Free Kids Go Green spill-proof water bottle by Camelbak, Kids Go Green 100% organic cotton t-shirt, Everything Kids Environment Book by Sheri Amsel, EarthKits seeded download card, Kids Go Green dog tag, Green at Heart wristband and a Kids Go Green recognition certificate. What kid wouldn’t love this kit!
$48 including shipping at earthkits.com

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

Have you ever thought about what happens to your pet’s waste after you dispose of it every day? If you answered no, that is probably a normal response. Let’s be honest, this is kind of a gross subject! However, our pets are important members of our families and it is important to do our best to minimize their “paw print” on our earth.

Using a plastic bag to clean up after your morning walk or your litter box might leave your yard clean and your house smelling a little more fresh, but that plastic bag has just become a part of your local landfill for a very long time, as plastic is very slow to biodegrade. If you are using more eco-friendly clean-up bags for your morning walks, the waste is still ending up in landfills and have the potential to reach our waterways. The same problem can occur with pet waste left in the yard or on the sidewalk. The rain carries it to our storm drains, which ultimately leads to our local lakes, rivers and waterways. In addition to harming the marine wildlife, dangerous bacteria and pathogens can end up in our drinking water.

If you are ready to handle the challenge, it is possible to compost your four-legged companion’s fecal material. This requires money, time and attention to detail. While I want to encourage any steps you can take to make the world a better place, you have to do the research and take precautions when doing this as you will be dealing with materials that are potentially dangerous. For more information on the dangerous pathogens, you can visit www.cdc.gov/healthypets.

Let’s start with an easy solution – flush it! The pet waste will be treated the same as human waste, which is much safer for your family and our environment. Make sure you buy products that are clearly labeled safe to flush. There are flushable poop bags for your daily walks and eco-friendly, flushable cat litter, too! You can also separate what your kitty left behind from the litter when flushing to ensure your pipes do not get clogged.
-Beth Swanson

Earthwise Kids gift sets from Nubius Organics make the perfect green gift! Each set includes a super-comfy organic t-shirt and eco-friendly book. All gift sets come wrapped and ready to give in our reusable jute bags (no wasteful wrapping). Sure to please any 2-6 year old.

Price: $32
Where to buy: nubiusorganics.com

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

My neighbor just had a baby boy. Infants and their security blankets are like peanut butter and jelly…they go perfectly together. I found a soft security blanket with assorted tags adorning all four sides called Little Taggies Naturals. These blankets are made with 100% certified organically grown cotton fibers, pure silk ribbons and safe dyes. For $28.95, you can buy one too at taggies.com or your local specialty gift shop.

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

Music is such a great gift to give to anyone for the holidays! The Laurie Berkner Band invites your kids to blast off! Their newest release, Rocketship Run, has twenty-four tracks sure to make you and your kids singing and dancing. You can rock out with Laurie Berkner at musicspacekids.com and anywhere music is sold for $18.98.

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

My 12-year old beagle, Scooby Doo, is the cutest dog in the world! Doesn’t everyone think their pet is the cutest? I believe that Scooby is so cute because we feed her (yes my Scooby Doo is a girl) a healthy, natural diet.

She’ll be extra loving when she opens her present of Wellness Natural Treats. To find Wellness near you starting at $7.49, visit wellnesspetfood.com.

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

My cousin Sam is very curious and super savvy with technology. I found the perfect gift for him! With EyeClops BioniCam, you can see the world around you like you have never seen before. You can zoom up to 400x, take a picture and show your friends on the digital video screen. I can’t wait to see what Sam finds!

Available at all major retail stores such as Toys “R” Us, Wal-Mart, Target for $79.99

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

Personalized books are such a great gift especially for toddlers. It adds a very personal touch. Frecklebox invites you to make the stories and artwork actually about the child you’re giving it to. It takes just seconds to create memories that last a lifetime.

Price: $19.95 (soft cover), $34.95 (hard cover)
Where to buy: frecklebox.com

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families

My mom cannot drink a hot beverage without sweetener. I have been trying to introduce her to fair trade organic honey for years. It’s the perfect addition for anyone’s warm cup of (fair trade organic) tea!

This year I think I can convert her with Wholesome Sweeteners. Their Fair Trade Organic Amber Honey is only $9.99 at Whole Foods Markets or a retailer near you. Even better, check their website for delicious recipes and other fun ways to use their products.

- Stephanie, KIWI staff and lover of families