2011 April | Inhabitots

Celebrate Birthdays with Eco-Friendly Candle Holders

by Julie Seguss, 04/30/11

Looking for a cute way to celebrate Baby’s first birthday and beyond? Place a candle in one, two, or six of the wooden star house rainbow tweet birthday candle holders from Ura Star House. These little birds can be re-used year after year. Just add a new colorful little bird into the birthday mix each year, as your tot gets older. Kids will love choosing the different colored birds as they get older. You can use them for multiple kids or adults throughout the year as well. Made from sustainable local (to North Carolina) poplar wood, have been crafted by hand and painted with non-toxic water-based colors, and then finished with beeswax and jojoba oil.

+ Wooden Star House Rainbow Tweet Birthday Candle Holders, $56 for set of 6

+ Ura Star House

Peek a Green’s Gardening Kit Inspires Green Thumbs

by Marni Fogelson-Teel, 04/30/11

It’s been a looong winter, but it’s finally time to celebrate spring, so get those little green thumbs going with Peek a Green’s Organic Gardening Kit. In addition to an organic cotton apron (with plenty of pockets for holding toys or craft supplies as well as gardening tools) from Under the Nile, the kit includes Green Toys gear such as planting pots made from recycled milk jugs, three types of seeds, and soil. Your home won’t be the only place getting a green boost — when you buy this set, Peek a Green will plant two trees through Trees for the Future! P.S. All those cute veggies in the wagon can be found at Under the Nile.

+ Organic Gardening Kit $39

+ Peek a Green

NYC Art Gallery Now Pop Up Shop for Breast Milk Cheese

by Jessica Dailey, 04/29/11

First there was breast milk ice cream, now breast milk cheese? As part of her final work in NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, artist Miriam Simun has created “The Human Cheese Shop,” an interactive exhibit where she invites visitors to taste cheese made from breast milk. Starting this Thursday, Michael Mut Gallery in New York City’s Lower East Side will host Simun’s exhibit which shows visitors the original plan, the process, and the final product: cheese. Simun’s goal is to get us talking about our food and consumption habits and what we believe to be “natural.” Hit the jump for all the details.

US Department of Education Announces Green Ribbon Program for Sustainable Schools

by Julie Seguss, 04/29/11

Yesterday the U.S. Department of Education announced the creation of the Green Ribbon Schools program to recognize sustainable schools that boast green curricula, buildings, grounds, and overall operations. Beyond encouraging schools to manage their carbon footprints and help kids to graduate as “environmentally literate students” well-versed in science, technology and the environment, the Department of Education hopes this green school program will help the large number of schools hit with budget crunches.

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HOW TO: Keep your Child Safe at the Playground

Children love to play outside in the sunshine - especially when they're surrounded by other children on a playground, and since many schools fail to offer enough free-play time outdoors - getting your children to the playground after school each day is important for their health and overall well-being. Playing at the playground gives children the opportunity to use their gross motor, problem solving, communication and social skills. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 200,00 children ages 14 and younger are treated in the emergency room due to playground-related injuries. With that in mind, read on to learn how you can reduce the risk of injury and keep your children safe at the playground.

Bella Luna Toys’ Sustainable Wooden Treehouse Toy

Playtime will be taken to the next level, with this sustainable and imagination blowing wooden treehouse toy from Bella Luna Toys. Little fairies and gnomes alike will clamor at a chance to play in this beautiful, heirloom quality treehouse. Complete with a rope ladder, tree swings, stairs, and a pulley-driven bamboo basket, your children will spend countless hours in a treehouse daydream. This three-level tree dream house comes packaged flat and it’s easy puzzle design makes for super-easy, under-one-minute …

8 Questions to Ask Before Adopting a Dog

Springtime is a wonderful time to invite a new dog into your home. The weather is warm enough outside to easily potty train your new pet, take her for a walk and to play with your children in the yard. With countless dogs waiting for a second chance at life at your local animal shelters, the best option is to adopt your new pet. However, inviting a new pet into your home is serious business, there are many questions that you should ask yourself before adopting -- the last thing you want to do is find you need to return the dog a few days after adopting it. The more that you know from the start, the better chance you have of finding the perfect new best friend for your family. So before you adopt, ask yourself these eight questions about inviting a new pet into your home.

ducduc Cribs Recalled Due to Fall and Entrapment Hazards

About 330 ducduc fixed-side cribs have been voluntarily recalled by the CPSC in conjunction with ducduc. While no injuries have yet been reported, ducduc has received reports of separated rails. If the bottom rails on the crib sides separate from the sides when the mattress is in the lowest position, it may cause the spindles to separate and the mattress to drop. This in turn, can pose fall and entrapment hazards for young children.

6 Eco-Friendly Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Just as we feel Earth Day should be celebrated everyday, we think mothers should get a daily shout-out, too: Moms definitely deserve a little TLC after all that they give to others. So until the powers-that-be make every day Mother's Day, we thought we’d offer some ideas for the eco-friendly Mother's Day gift ideas for the official event, including some old favorites as well as new traditions. P.S. Feel free to pass this list on to fathers, partners, older kids, and anyone else who might need a nudge in the green gift-giving direction.

How to Start a Family Vegetable Garden this Spring

Starting your own family garden is easy, and it’s a wonderful way to time with your kids outside planning, planting, tending, and enjoying the benefits of your garden. Whether you have a big backyard, several containers on your apartment terrace or a plot in your community garden, the garden you grow together will yield more than fresh vegetables for dinner — you’ll reap lots of special moments and photo opportunities with your kids, too. As you decide what to plant and while you dig holes for the seeds, you can teach your kids lessons about why plants are important and how they grow. Your kids will love watching the garden grow from seeds and dirt into full, lush plants, and finally dinner for the whole family! Follow our five steps and you’ll have a garden worth showing off in no time.

HOW TO: DIY Recycled Parachute for Lego Mini Figures

You probably played with those little green parachute army men as children. Children find watching aerodynamics in action exciting, and parachute guys really fit the bill. Yesterday, my son and I made our own parachute guys using Lego mini figures and old plastic bags as the parachutes. This is a super fun activity that will keep your children entertained for hours as they find new and exciting heights to release their parachute guys from. The best part? These parachute guys are simple to make using recycled materials, and they'll have your children playing in just a few short minutes, read on to learn how.

7 Simple and Green Mother’s Day Surprises

Mother's Day is just around the corner, so now is the time to starting planning a few surprises for Mom. Surprising Mom alone is enough to excite most kids -- the combination of keeping a secret from Mom, creating surprise goodies in private and the anticipation of shouting Happy Mother's Day is just so much fun to them. This Mother's Day immerse your children in the process by giving them a selection of special ways that you can celebrate and surprise Mom together. Read on to learn seven sweet, yet simple, Mother's Day ideas that will get Mom almost as excited as your children.

Simon Says Let’s Stop Climate Change DVD Explains Global Warming to Kids

Climate change might not exactly be a hot conversation topic for your average 4 to 14 year old. But the new Hippo Works DVD Simon Says “Let’s Stop Climate Change” brings this serious topic down to a level that kids can relate to. Creator and cartoonist, Denis Thomopoulos employs the Hippo Works cast of animated characters, including Simon the red hippo to teach kids about the causes and effects of climate change using silly stories and catchy songs like “One by One, Ton by Ton” and “The Power of Poop!”

Pediatricians Tell Feds to Protect Kids from Chemicals

The American Academy of Pediatrics released a policy statement yesterday, urging the federal government to update the 35-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and to start protecting our kids from hazardous chemicals. It’s about time pediatricians stand up for their patients. The statement published in the journal Pediatrics states “that the chemical-management policy in the United States be revised to protect children and pregnant women and to better protect other populations.” Read on to find out what pediatricians want to change.

gDiapers Debuts New gPant Colors for Spring & Summer

Whether your Earth Day resolution was to ditch disposable diapers once and for all, or you’re a cloth diapering veteran, you’ll love the sweet new gPant hues that gDiapers is unveiling for spring and summer. Babies and tots can now don the fashionable, green diapers in bright and cheery “Good Morning …

Brazilian Kids Build World’s Tallest LEGO Tower – 102 ft!

A LEGO world record was broken in Sao Paulo, Brazil this month when 6,000 people -- most of whom were kids -- got together to build the tallest LEGO tower the world has ever known. They pushed Chile's previous world record out of the top spot by building a 102 foot, 3 inch tower out of individual LEGOs, with the help of a very tall crane.

Top Healthy and Organic Foods for the First Trimester

Good nutrition is key for a fit pregnancy and healthy baby development. A well-balanced, healthy and eco-friendly pregnancy diet includes USDA certified organic foods and beverages and/or locally grown food that's been minimally processed. Avoid artificial colors and flavors. Also try to avoid canned foods and processed foods; eating fresh when possible. At the very least avoid processed foods that contain ingredients you can't pronounce. Your first trimester is an excellent time to jump on board with healthy eating. Your baby makes some important developmental leaps during the first trimester, plus, the sooner you get into the habit of eating right, the better, for both you and your baby. Keep reading to see some organic power foods for the first trimester.

DwellStudio Century Dresser for the Nursery and Beyond

The new DwellStudio Century Dresser is a lovely piece that will work wonderfully in your baby’s nursery. Later, as your little one grows, this modern dresser will easily adapt to the needs of a toddler and older child. For the newborn, you can transform this dresser into a useful changing table with the DwellStudio Changing Station addition, or your favorite stay-put changing pad. Once your baby is diaper-free, the dresser’s clean lines will nicely accent any child’s bedroom.

Link Roundup: Lego Eggs, Pom Pom Bunnies & More

Experiencing a rainy Easter weekend? Keep kids busy with Small for Big’s Pom Pom Easter Bunny how-to.

If you hurry there’s still time to make a simple felt Easter egg hunt bag with help from The Purl Bee (via Cool Mom Picks).

Flickr user Rakka creates Lego lookalike Easter eggs by gluing on round mints. (via Geek.com)

Say YES! to Hoboken …

Pinkhouse Hand Crochets Beautiful Baby Teethers

Pinkhouse Handworks has a beautiful selection of Montessori baby toys perfect for early childhood development. Our favorite item from this lovely Etsy shop is the wintery blue soft circular rattler and teething ring. This beautiful teether makes a soft, lovely ring from the jingle bells securely crocheted inside. This …