Categories
Eco Tips

5 Green Gifts For The New Mom

Do you have a baby shower coming up and still don’t have a gift? Why not pick something cute, practical and green? New moms get enough adorable onesies that the baby will wear only once. Your friend or relative will be extremely grateful if you get her something practical. And the earth will be grateful if you pick something green as well.

wool-diaper-covers-green-baby-shower

1. Wool diaper covers

Most parents know of reusable diapers (and more and more young families are choosing to use them!), but most still use plastic diaper covers. Wool covers are made of natural fiber, which means that they will breathe better and are more gentle on sensitive skin. Besides, they are naturally anti-bacterial and they can absorb a lot of moisture, so they are perfect for heavy wetters. They are thick enough to double as shorts on warmer months and they can be extremely adorable. Since a family will need only 3-4 covers, you can gift them two and a bottle of wool wash and lanolin to keep the wool moisture-resistant.

2. Reusable wipes

This is such a useful gift, and you can make it yourself. You can buy a used wipe warmer in good condition pretty cheaply and gather cut-up squares of flannel or baby washcloths. Place in a box with some glass jars of scented washing solution and decorate with a cute bow. You can include a homemade card with instructions on how to use the warmer so the wipes are always ready for comfortable diaper changing.

3. Swaddle Blanket

The ideal swaddle blanket is the one that fits well, stretches and tightens up while still being breathable and gentle on the baby’s skin. Look for swaddles made out of light, natural fibers and breathable fabric like muslin. Bamboo fabric is naturally anti-bacterial, sustainable and breathable, while organic cotton is soft and gentle. Stick to light fabrics, as these are great for summer nights and can be paired up with more layers when the weather turns cold.

4. Hand-held baby food grinder

Most new parents are not aware of hand-held food grinders, and they will be so grateful when you introduce them to it. These tools are light, easy to clean, portable and green. They are perfect for parents that want to know exactly what they are feeding their children and want to avoid store-bough food. Besides, they don’t use electricity or batteries, which makes them easy on the environment as well.

5. Green toys

Nobody said you can’t give mom and baby something fun! However, you don’t need to fall back on cheap plastic that will end up in the trash in a month and can’t be recycled. Instead of contributing to our landfill problem, give green and sustainable toys. Keep an eye out for plushies made with organic cotton, bamboo wooden toys, plastic toys that are BPA-free, made with natural rubber or recycled.

Categories
Eco Tips Gadgets & Gear

Eco-Friendly Holiday Gift Solutions For The Entire Family

apple-tree-to-be-kit
http://goo.gl/EyzDni

If you are looking for a gift that is environmentally conscious, useful, durable and at the same time expensive looking then you have come to the right place. There are plenty of eco-friendly holiday gift options out there that you probably never considered buying for someone but you will love our suggestions.

When you think about an eco-friendly gift you probably do not imagine that this would apply to electronic gadgets but you would be wrong. There are some green options for the gadget geek in your family.

Would you ever spend $15 on a battery? Well how about a rechargeable battery that connects to a USB port. That way they can charge their USB Cell Battery while surfing the web, writing a report, or updating their blog. And they won’t have to spend so much money on conventional chemically toxic batteries, which ends up in landfills.

If you have a junior Stephen Spielberg in the house then they will love the Sun & Cloud Camera. It not only has a solar panel to charge itself but it also has a crank that they can turn to charge up the camera in case there’s no sun. If you’re worried that this camera does not compare to the standard ones, do not worry. The Sun & Cloud camera shoots digital quality videos and photo stills. But spoiler alert! Prepare to fork over $180 for this baby. So make sure you really love the person you’re buying this for.

sun-cloud-camera-solar
http://goo.gl/TcieEa

For those of you looking for an outdoorsy gift, try the Rydon Pixio bicycle light. It is solar-powered and designed to resist the weather elements. So if the bike rider in your family gets lost in the mountains or a park, they will be guaranteed to have up to 60 hours of light with the Rydon Pixio. At $39.99, this gift is cheap but looks expensive.

For that green thumb family member or friend you can buy them the Apple-Tree-To-Be Kit for just $22. Sure it is not much to look at when they get the gift but it has all the things they will need to plant their own apple tree.

If you have a teen who has rebelled against you by going wiccan, then do them and the environment a favor by buying them sox wax candles. They are scented but they will not release any of those harmful chemicals that a-typical candles release when burned.

Bamboo kitchenware like cutting boards and core bamboo bowls make an excellent gift for the chef in the house because the material is natural, sustainable and durable. Plus they will give the kitchen that tropical island feel as opposed to a sterile feel commonly caused by conventional plastic or metallic kitchenware.

You can also buy a couple of throw blankets for everyone in the family. That way everyone can sit close to each other by the couch while watching reruns of Christmas marathon specials like “A Christmas Story” without wasting energy from using a heater and releasing fumes into the environment.

throw-blanket-couch-warm
http://goo.gl/9ErcKE

Eco-friendly gifts for the holidays are available for every family member and every budget, but best of all, you’ll be contributing to keeping the environment safe.