Inhabitots

We’re thrilled to announce that Inhabitots is turning ONE today! Our baby blog is starting to grow up! We are so excited to be celebrating this milestone… we’re nostalgic about the journey we’ve taken thus far… and we look forward to many more fun filled years of bringing the latest and greatest in eco design for kids and babies. Please join us in taking a look back at Inhabitots’ TOP FIVE MOST POPULAR STORIES of all time… and find out what our biggest eco birthday wish is!

1. Play Pump: The Merry Go Round Water Pump

The PlayPump system is bringing clean water into the hardest hit regions of Sub-Saharan Africa. There’s only one catch–users have to take a spin on the merry-go-round! The PlayPump has been installed in rural villages and primary schools where kids can easily access the fun, all the while pumping clean, potable water from underground up into a 660 gallon water tower above.

2. TwistTogether LED Blocks Make Like a Tree

Just when we thought we could not be more enamored of Glide’s TwistTogether LED blocks, we spotted this window display the company created for the Museum of Modern Art’s Midtown Manhattan store. Using components from their technicolored “Candy” set, the designers pieced together a dazzling, psychedelic tree, complete with branches peeking from within its fluorescent yellow and green crown.

3. POWERleap Harnesses Energy from Little Feet

POWERleap has developed “a flooring system that converts wasted energy from human foot traffic into electricity.” The magic behind the work is “piezoelectric technology and advanced circuitry design,” which converts pitter-patter into power. “While each individual footstep does not produce a significant amount of power, multiplied by the stampede of 5th Avenue shoppers, [or students at recess] POWERleap can generate significant amounts of electricity.”

4. HOW TO: Make Your Own Eco, Kid-Safe Cleaning Supplies

Homemade cleaners smell better, work just as well, cut down on packaging, and save you money. Making eco-friendly cleaners is a very simple green step you can take at home, yet the rewards are huge – cleaner indoor air quality and a healthy, happy family.

5.Safe Co-sleeping With the Arm’s Reach Co-sleeper

We’ve raved about the benefits of co-sleeping here at Inhabitots, as it makes life easier and healthier for both mother and baby and is helpful for creating a special bond between parents and children. However, it is not a good idea to try to cosleep in a raised bed‘family bed’ without some sort of modification. For those of you who are interested in co-sleeping, but have a raised platform bed, don’t worry! Check out the Arm’s Reach Co-sleeper – a small bassinet-type device that attaches to the side of your bed so that your baby can sleep safely in his own bed, just an arm’s reach away from you.

And now for our birthday wish!

In true green birthday party fashion, our gift wish list is waste free and eco-friendly! As we blow out the candle on Inhabitots 1st birthday cake, we’re wishing for YOU to leave us a comment on what you’d like to see more of in the future when you log on to Inhabitots. What topics, products, subject matters, designs, quandaries, etc. would you like to see us cover? In the birthday spirit, we’re giving away 20 Inhabitots t-shirts (or onesies) to the first twenty commenters, so leave a comment today!

Thank you for reading Inhabitots and here’s to ‘many more’ years!