Modern Hippie Mag » Kids

The Very Best of Dining Etiquette – Fabkins

Jeanne Blaisdell — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 20:00:58 +0000

“Hey Mom, I’m eco-friendly!” my 10 year old says to me as he wipes his mouth off on his sleeve. “Very funny, now use your napkin!”, I retort.

Beach Bound

Though we haven’t used paper napkins in a while, my boys sometimes just seem to find their clothes an easier option. So now that I’ve discovered Fabkins, using a cloth napkin is a little more fun. These adorable, 100% certified organic cotton napkins come in bright colors with upbeat embroidered designs reflecting kids interests, making mealtime manners a possibility and of course, reducing unnecessary waste at the same time. Each of mine have their own Fabkin with a unique design from the Beach Bound and Extreme Sports collection and wouldn’t think of letting the other brother use it. Other styles include Prima Ballerina, Garden Friends and African Safari.

What I like most about Fabkins is the size – trimmed down a bit and perfect for smaller hands, mouths and laps. It’s also great for the lunchbox, traveling and for a place-setting-to-go. It can even double as a place mat and the tag has a line to write the child’s name. By simply adding a Fabkin to a waste-free school lunch, you can save around $250 and eliminate 67 pounds of waste every year. Now that’s something to smile about…so now…Use your Fabkin!

Jeanne

Jeanne Blaisdell publishes TheGreenSamaritan.com, her personal blog highlighting green living tips and information in order to help herself and others on their journey towards greater environmental awareness. She has also launched EcoAvenueLtd.com, an online shopping site featuring the latest deals and promotions from a collection of earth-friendly merchants. Jeanne lives in Greensboro, North Carolina with her husband Tom and two boys, Jack (10) and Ben (7). Find The Green Samaritan on Facebook, follow on Twitter @GreenSamaritan and @EcoAvenueltd.

The Very Best of Dining Etiquette – Fabkins is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

When baby goes eco – The Little Seed for Target

Guest Contributor — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:00:37 +0000

I’ve been on the hunt for eco friendly duds for my little man, but cheap and eco-friendly don’t always come hand in hand. And since babies grow so quickly I’m less likely to spend high dollar for something that will last for a few months, max. Thankfully Target decided it was time to do an eco and budget friendly designer collaboration for babies.

The Little Seed

The Little Seed was started by new moms Soleil Moon Frye (or as some of you might remember her as Punky Brewster) and Paige Tolmach when ‘finding stylish eco-friendly clothing wasn’t easy’. The all-exclusive line for Target is slightly limited to solid brightly colored organic onesies, pants, bibs, towels and blankets. Along with a few hat and bootie sets to spice things up in the cooler months.

The Little Seed

Prices range from $7.99 for onesies and pants to $12.99 for two swaddling blankets, making it easy to stock up on what you need now and later. All of the essentials are made with ’100% organic cotton fibers, and passes the Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certification process, meaning every item is rigorously tested for 100 substances that are harmful to health’. Meaning not only is it safe, it’s super soft and comfy just for baby and his needs .

The line will be available from July 4th until October 16th, so stock up on your baby’s essentials. It’s ‘never too early to sew the seeds of care and responsibility’.

Megan

Megan Zietz is the creator of the cheap chic fashion blog, The Frugalista Diaries. Megan has a passion for fashion, great deals, and refining personal style. It’s all about looking and feeling like a million bucks without spending it.

When baby goes eco – The Little Seed for Target is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Summertime Tips to Keep Practicing the 3 R’s

Jeanne Blaisdell — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 20:00:05 +0000

Already halfway through summer and our routine is out the window. And as I try and be creative with activities we can do to keep us busy during these long, hot, hazy days while we take a break from the traditional Three R’s of school – I don’t want to take a break from the 3 R’s concerning our environment. Here are a few ways to keep on practicing these important principles this summer.

Reduce:

With trips to the neighborhood pool and bigger trips to the beach or other vacation places, be aware of the additional waste that can be created. What can you bring along to avoid another juice pouch or water bottle being purchased and disposed of? Do we really need to buy all those trinkets in the gift shop that ultimately are lost or broken by the time we get home? Must we purchase another big plastic float that rips before we even get it in the water?

Photo by Meral Akbulut

Reuse:

As nice as it is to have new items to break out for the summer season, again is it necessary? What do we have that can be reused? While it was very tempting to discard last year’s bug box still containing what looked like the remnants of the final catch (yuck!), a quick rinse with water and white vinegar restored it to almost new condition. What can we pass on to a neighbor that we no longer use and where can we purchase pre-owned summer wear and gear to give it another chance. Local consignment shops, Ebay, Freecycle, and Goodwill are all great places to give and receive.

Recycle:

Traveling can often present challenges to recycling efforts especially when there seems to be no collection bin around. Remember to bring reusable mugs and cups to avoid the chance of a rogue aluminum can or plastic bottle hitching a ride. If traveling by car, have a recycle bag on hand to collect your own items and recycle the next time you see the opportunity, or as crazy as it may sound, save until you get home. With air travel, be prepared for the responsibility of properly recycling as well. For other quick tips when you are on the road, review Making Environmental Choices from the Environmental Protection Agency.

And for creative recycling craft ideas, check out AllFreeCrafts.com, KinderArt, and Kaboose to keep the 3 R’s going for indoor fun.

So even though we may be out of our routine for the carefree days of summer, if we fail to remember our 3 R’s – that plastic soda bottle and trinket will still be around long after the amusement park, pool, or museum closes….and that won’t be any fun at all.

Jeanne Blaisdell

Summertime Tips to Keep Practicing the 3 R’s is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

The Poop Scoop

Guest Contributor — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 14:00:50 +0000

The Poop Scoop by Sara Eiser

Catchy, huh?

Cloth diapers have become such a part of my life that I figured I’d share my experiences with all of you. There are so many different ways to cloth diaper, and all of them valid. When Toby was an infant, I religiously cloth diapered full-time, and I drove myself crazy trying to keep up. If we were out and had to do a diaper change, I stuffed the diaper into a plastic bag and back it went into the diaper bag. I had wonderful instances of reaching into my diaper bag and pulling out moldy old diapers from a week ago that had been tucked under the wipes.

Needless to say – I wasn’t having fun.

Finally, I realized that I was missing the point. Every cloth diaper I used was a diaper that stayed out of the landfill. Once I started to look at it as a positive when I did use cloth instead of a negative when I didn’t, my whole relationship with diapering changed.

So what do I use and why? First, here is a great diapering glossary. If I use a term you’re not familiar with, it will be in there.

When we started out, we were clueless. Someone pointed us in the direction of Sunshine Diapers’ Full-time Newborn Test-Drive Set. It was the best possible option for us – two parents who had never known anyone in real life who had cloth diapered, but were interested in trying. The test-drive set gives you almost every possible option so that you can try them all out and decide which you prefer.

Chinese Prefolds

For a newborn, we ended up going with flannel fitteds. These diapers were exactly like disposables, except that they had velcro at the waist and needed a waterproof cover to go over them. They were easy, and when you’ve got a newborn, easy is key. We decided on Thirsties for our waterproof cover, mostly because they seem to be the only brand with lovely, wide leg gussets for extra leak prevention.

Most of my friends use pocket diapers for the newborn stage, but I have to say that they were my least favorite type of diaper. I didn’t like having to stuff them, and frequently was left with all the inserts dirty but the outsides clean. You can, of course, judge for yourself if you get the test-drive set.

Once Toby started to grow out of the fitted, we wanted to reevaluate where we were on our journey. We had come to terms with the fact that we were not full-time cloth diaperers, and were looking for something that was easy to use, easy to clean (!!), and cheap. We decided to take the plunge and go with DSQ (diaper service quality) Chinese Prefolds.

Snappi fastener - no more pins!

Yes, these are your grandma’s cloth diapers – the ones she whined about, and the reason she ooed and aahed at your cute disposables at your baby shower. There is one huge difference, though. When you pair these with a Thirsties liner (just like we did with our fitteds), they are completely leak-proof. There is a thick middle layer in these prefolds that soaks all that wet up, solids don’t get stuck in velcro or in any little gussets in the diaper – they are amazing. We also don’t use pins any more, so you can reassure your grandmother of that as well.

You attach the diaper to your baby with the Snappi fastener, which is another big difference between how your grandmother diapered and how we do. Forgive me for being dramatic, but the Snappi fastener has revolutionized cloth diapering. No more fighting with pins, poking yourself, having them rust stains on your diapers. This fastener is both idiot-proof and secure. This is an absolute must for anyone planning on using prefolds. In fact, buy two. Or three. Just in case.

Want to see it in action? Here’s a video I yanked off YouTube.

So that’s where we are now. My new favorite vendor for cloth diapers is RG Natural Babies, a company run from home by a husband and wife team. Their service was prompt, they called us to confirm something in our order that didn’t seem to fit, and they added in some of their soap beads as a freebie to give our new toddler-sized prefolds their first washes. Their prices are also the most reasonable we’ve found, and they have frequent sales and good packages to help reduce the up-front cost of cloth diapering.

I’ll leave cleaning the diapers to a different post, if I can get Keith (the laundry guy) to guest post about it. Remember that cloth diapering doesn’t have to be a full-time commitment, and it doesn’t have to inconvenience you. Even one or two cloth diapers a day or only overnight saves you money and saves diapers from ending up in landfills.

Sara

Sara Eiser lives in Conestoga, PA with her husband Keith and two children, Tobias and Naomi. They are a Jewish family who practices attached, eco-conscious parenting. Sara works part time as the Cantorial Soloist at her synagogue and keeps busy the rest of the time with the kids, their remodel of a 200 year old farmhouse, and their garden. You can follow all of Sara’s posts at her blog, The Covered Wagon.

The Poop Scoop is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

What’s Big & Green & Sleeps 6?

Guest Contributor — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 20:00:36 +0000

“What’s Big & Green & Sleeps 6?”

If you guessed that old beater I drove in high school…you were right! Oh wait.

You were half right!

My car was small and red and barely fit me and “the girls” rollin’ on a Saturday night. But still. It was a car and it moved – making you somewhat correct in a weird sort of way. Sort of.

Okay never mind. What the million dollar answer really is (before I get completely caught up in reminiscing of the good old days)…..

a tent!

Oh the excitement right? The late night potty in the woods…the swarming insects…creepy noises all around? Oh pa-lease! Camping is so much more than the boogy-man – it is a journey of self-exploration and relaxtion! It is quiet time for soul, a place of serenity and beauty and a place to unwind. And yes, you may end up with a few bug bites on your buttsky from those peeing on a shrub moments, making you walk around for several days scratching your personal parts. But so what? It’s camping! *pumping you up with all kinds of excitement*

It does not matter whether you were a boy scout who could tame lions or a simple modest greenie from the burbs – camping out in a tent is for us all! You will first want to find a good tent that meets your needs. There are several styles and and sizes to choose from, and I highly encourage you to buy the pre-owned version! The cost of a tent does not need to be excessive, and you can find some really great deals at such places as Craigslist, Freecycle, Goodwill, or our fav – garage sales!! Just so you have an idea of the kinds of deals that you can find if you really look – I found a huge 6 person tent for 5 DOLLARS last week at a local garage sale! (and I even put it up all by myself)!! *patting my own back*

Here are some fun and informational sites to help you plan your camping trip:

gocampingamerica is a great resource for locating private parks and campgrounds nationwide! This site is a great source in helping you plan everything from where to camp, checklists of what to bring and tips for cooking along with some tasty recipes.

KOA is another fab site to assist you in planning a fun time in the woods! This site is full of many family friendly ideas for traveling such as games for the road, printable campfire stories, recipes and lots of tips to make help you with family camping preparation.

Checklists are always beneficial when trying to prepare for an outing. A few good camping checklists can be found at Coleman.com, lovetheoutdoors and REI camping and hiking!

Camping is a fabulous way to unwind and reconnect with your inner self and nature. It is a great stress-reliever, time to share and reconnect with your family/friends and can really make you feel at peace with Mother Earth. She has so many amazing places to explore and appreciate and I highly suggest a fun camping trip to discover all of her beauty! There’s so much “out there” just waiting to be discovered.

Lynn

Lynn Stone is the founder of the go-to green living blog for parents, SmilingGreenMom.com. Lynn’s goal is to help others “be the best green they can be” through her affordable tips and encouraging posts. A contributing writer for multiple blogs and websites, Lynn enjoys cooking, garage sale shopping, traveling, relaxing with her family and dreams of owning an eco-friendly log cabin one day! As a former competitive swimmer, she values wellness and living an active lifestyle and hopes to one day participate in a triathlon. Follow her on Twitter, @SmilingGreenMom and Facebook.

What’s Big & Green & Sleeps 6? is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Hip Hop Activism and Climate Education

Steve McAllister — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 17:00:31 +0000

When he co-founded Grind for the Green with Zakiya Harris, Ambessa Cantave wanted to move “youth of color from the margins to the epicenter of the environmental movement.” Building upon the socially relevant message of his musical group Fiyawata, Ambessa guided Grind for the Green to become what Van Jones calls “one of the most innovative and creative youth components of the green wave rising in America and globally… giving the green movement’s political agenda a cultural voice — and that voice is Hip Hop.”

Ambessa Cantave

Grind for the Green accomplishes its mission by:

Utilizing hip-hop culture as a vehicle to attract and engage youth of color in the green movement.
Creating green pathways to success, which include green careers, internships and educational opportunities.
Connecting our local work to national and international campaigns for eco-equity.

Now serving as on the G4G Board of Directors as the project has taken on a life of its own, Ambessa is also and Educator with the Alliance for Climate Education in the San Francisco Bay Area. With nine centers around the country, ACE is a non-profit “dedicated to educating America’s high school students about the science behind climate change and inspiring them to do something about it—while having fun along the way.” Beyond the classroom, the ACE website, www.acespace.com, offers a good amount of videos, a blog, and information about how to get ACE to come you a school in your area.

Ambessa took some time to talk to us about Grind for the Green, the Alliance for Climate Education, and bringing up urban youth to respect the environment.

An Interview with Ambessa Cantave

Modern Hippie Mag Podcast

To see Ambessa in action, watch the Alliance for Climate Education trailer…

ACE Assembly Trailer from ACE Space on Vimeo.

Hip Hop Activism and Climate Education is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Help me Make a List for Summer Fun – 4 Ideas to Get Started

Jeanne Blaisdell — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:00:14 +0000

I love summer and having the boys at home but there are times when I’m racking my brain on what creative new activities we can throw into the mix of our traditional summertime fun. After all, there are only so many museum visits, lemonade stands, movies and days at the pool we can deal with! And I refuse to go to the mall. So as the last day of school is quickly approaching, I’m making my list in advance to help me through those hot, muggy days when all else escapes.

Here are a few thoughts to keep the fun going and the boredom away:

Letterboxing – A real life treasure hunt may await you right in your own neighborhood or city. Letterboxing is an intriguing pastime combining navigational skills and rubber stamp artistry in a charming “treasure hunt” style outdoor quest. Check out this site for how to get started and to search for boxes in your area. We have not yet done this but really look forward to trying this out and making our own rubber stamp out of those used school erasers.

iStock image

Back Yard Camp Out- Here’s a last minute idea on a nice summer night. If you have one, set up a tent or get creative and make one out of sheets. Maybe even just sleep right under the stars and do a little gazing. My phone has the Google Sky Map application so when I hold the phone up to the sky, it show s and identifies the specific constellations. And on June 26th, it’s the National Wildlife Federation’s Great American Backyard Camp Out to encourage all of us to connect with family and friends i n the great outdoors. Register your family or group, get ideas and upload photos afterward.

Raindrop Collection Contest – Even though it’s rainy, get ‘em outside provided there is no lightning and it’s safe. Have your kids gather up as many containers or recylables as they can to collect rain. Then measure or by sight determine who collected the most. Of course, don’t toss the water but save for that dry, hot day to come. If you haven’t yet installed a rain barrel, this might be the way to start and the kids can help you fill up with their collected drops!

Shopping Spree at the Used Bookstore – With a few hard earned dollars or even with prize money from the above contest, let your kids have at it and pick out a few used books or games. With this handy directory, you can search for stores in your city and when you are traveling too. Better yet, visit your local library and get them their own card if they don’t have one yet. Rather than going straight home, stop by a park, nearby creek or any outdoor venue to enjoy and squeeze in some additional summer reading.

This is just to get me started. What green, outdoor and eco-friendly ideas do you have? Please share and I’ll continue this post giving “nods” to your creativity.

Jeanne Blaisdell

Help me Make a List for Summer Fun – 4 Ideas to Get Started is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Do you have “green” insurance?

Guest Contributor — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 17:00:43 +0000

iStock image

Homeowners insurance – check

Car insurance – check

Green Insurance – excuse me, say what, hello?

If you’re at all confused let me explain. The other night on CNN’s Toxic America, Dr. Sanjay Gupta ask some hard and point-blank questions to some “certain” individuals. One of these “certain” women pointed her accusing finger at greenies – suggesting that we are paranoid, over-the-top and unable to prioritize “real” concerns when it comes to our children’s health and safety.

I have to say, I was pretty impressed with the good ‘ole doc for staying calm and composed under what seemed to be a clear denial that chemicals pose any danger. WHAT? It is a good thing I have been practicing my breathing techniques because I could hardly believe that “this woman” could sit in front of America and deny health concerns in using products with toxins that are slowly killing us.

So here’s where it gets really good. She actually states that “we” paranoid folks need to better prioritize our safety concerns by focusing on real dangers like making sure our kids are wearing bike helmets, installing smoke detectors and buckling our kids up in the car. I do not believe that just because we are choosing organic non-toxic products for our families, that we are saying it’s okay for our kids to climb over seats in vehicles driving down the highway without a safety belt or giving them matches to experiment with. Sheeesh.

So why then are we portrayed as alarmists? There is no PROOF that chemicals will cause cancer or other health problems? Hmmm….

I guess that leads me then to wonder why any of us pay outrageous amounts of money towards health insurance policies? According to this woman’s theory, wouldn’t health insurance be a form of paranoia? There is no PROOF that we might get sick or hurt and need health insurance, right?

Wrong-O grumpy little teddy bear lady on CNN…this is not how we protect ourselves. It is not fear mongering to buy into the idea of health insurance….just as it is not fear mongering to refuse chemcial based products that MIGHT cause harm. If we can avoid them, why would we not? This to me is called, green insurance.

Green insurance is a policy that I am not willing to overlook. It’s a policy that I am willing to invest in to protect my children and my family – as I think many of us eco-parents want to do. It is not about PROOF or PRIORITIES dear friend, it is about PROTECTING. The facts are that we do NOT know what harm some of these chemicals might cause in the long-term.

So as for my family?

We will continue to do our best with the knowledge we have!
We will continue to wear our bike helmets…just in case.
We will buckle up in our vehicles…just in case.
We will check the batteries in our smoke detectors…just in case.

And guess what?

We will consciously choose non-toxic, chemical-free products that are made without risky ingredients such as mineral oil, petroleum, phthalates, BPA and preservatives from companies who use sustainable practices that benefit our planet and our bodies…

Why?

…just in case.

For more info on this special 2-part series – http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2010/toxic.america/

Lynn

Do you have “green” insurance? is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Respect Your Mother – Remember Your Manners with Ecominders

Jeanne Blaisdell — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:00:34 +0000

With so many different actions we can do to lessen our impact, EcoMinders can help us remember those various things. Ecominders are easy-to-use, removable and reusable stickers with three lines designed especially for home, school & kids and office use. Printed by a leading sustainable printing company and using eco-friendly inks and papers, a portion of profits also goes back to 1% for the Planet.

Kids & School

Though my kids are really good about placing items in the recycle bin and turning off the water when they brush their teeth, the lights seem to be off in their heads sometimes when leaving the room and well…turning off the lights so the “Grip it & flip it” sticker was especially useful to place above our switches.

I gave my husband the office pack to take to work to include “Be more green turn off your machine” and the “Save a tree use less of me!” for the bathroom stalls. That one obviously got some attention there.

Great idea by founder, Allison Shaewitz, who claims a “CFL light bulb” went on in her head after the birth of her first child. Concerned about all aspects of his new world, she felt that she needed to do everything possible to make sure it stayed in the best shape possible for him and future generations. Thus the birth of Ecominders to help us all, young or old, to incorporate the best choice possible. Ecominders makes it easy for everyone to Stick to Saving the Planet!

For your chance to win a set of Ecominders you must do one of the following:

Note: To be eligible you must be a Modern Hippie Mag subscriber receiving our updates via email, or RSS, Facebook fan, and/or Twitter follower (tell us your Twitter name in your comment below).

1. Visit Ecominders.com then leave a comment below telling us how Ecominders can make a difference in your life.

2. Follow Ecominders on Twitter, @ecominders.

3. Show that you like Ecominders on Facebook.

4. Tweet this: {Giveaway} Remember Your Manners with Ecominders http://ow.ly/1KRQe via @modernhippiemag @Ecominders

More details:

Open to U.S. entrants only.
Recipients chosen at random using Random.org.
Won something in the last thirty days? Last month’s winners are ineligible for this giveaway.
Giveaway ends 12 midnight on Thursday, May 20th, 2010. Winner will be announced on Friday, May 21st, 2010.
Winner will be contacted via email and/or Twitter. You will have 48 hours to respond at which time another winner will be randomly chosen.

Big thank you to Ecominders for sponsoring this giveaway!

Jeanne Blaisdell

Respect Your Mother – Remember Your Manners with Ecominders is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.

Water Activist, Lynn Hasselberger – I Count for myEarth

Jaszy McAllister — Fri, 14 May 2010 16:00:59 +0000

Lynn

Lynn Hasselberger is a mom and advocate of environmental awareness and water conservation education. In her efforts to help children and teachers understand the environmental impact of bottled water consumption, she created the I Count for myEarth campaign. “Inspiring children’s environmental awareness…one child, one small step at a time”, the I Count for myEarth campaign is a multi-faceted program designed to assist schools by providing them with environmental awareness materials and the opportunity to earn something back to support environmental education.

I first met Lynn on Twitter a few months ago, and though she stays quite busy with family, being an environmental activist, social networking and blogging, she made time to chat with me. Listen as I get to learn a more about Lynn Hasselberger.

I Count For My Earth

Modern Hippie Mag Podcast

Jaszy McAllister

Jaszy McAllister is the woman behind the curtain of Modern Hippie Mag. She is also the host for ModernHippieMag.com video and podcast interview profiles. She is a self-taught jewelry designer featuring her eco-conscious jewelry designs at www.Jaszy.com and several boutiques. She is also an A+ Blogger for WQ Mag Online and a Green Guru for TheGreenGirls.com. Find her on Twitter, @msjaszy. Read more articles by Jaszy.

Water Activist, Lynn Hasselberger – I Count for myEarth is a post from Modern Hippie Mag your online resource dedicated to hip, healthy conscious living & environmental sustainability.