GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for New Parents

by , 11/30/11

If you have any new parents on your holiday gift list this season, you know that they are whistling ‘Joy to the World’ over the arrival of their sweet little bundle — even though they’ve gotten nary a ‘silent night’ since his or her debut. But they’ll be singing your praises if you present them with any of the fabulous offerings from our green gift guide for new parents. From eco essentials: cloth diapers, baby bottles, and organic burp cloths, to the best reusable bottle that will keep moms and dads hydrated all the live long day (and night!) while caring for a wee one, to a priceless (yet inexpensive) gift that will rejuvenate and revitalize the whole family, it’s time to pamper and appreciate those new moms and dads in your circle!

+ GREEN GIFT GUIDE FOR NEW PARENTS

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PRODUCT REVIEW: Wawabots Personalized Photo Water Bottles

by , 11/30/11
 
 
Stainless steel water bottles have become a common sight these days - much to the joy of those of us who care about the environment, since reusable bottles save plastic, petroleum, and encourage better consumption habits. Because they are everywhere these days, however, the humble stainless steel water bottle is starting to take on a patina of ubiquity / disposability similar to its green product forebearer, the "eco tote" - and this is not a good thing. In order for people to treasure and take good care of their possessions, they need to form an emotional attachment to them - which means an object needs to feel special and unique to its owner. Just when I thought that the practical-but-ubiquitous stainless steel water bottle was perhaps starting to go the route of the eco tote (i.e. stuffed in the closet or collecting dust on the shelf), I discovered Wawabots customized water bottles! Wawabots is a new company that allows a buyer to customize their stainless steel water bottle with a photo of their near-and-dear or a personal graphic.
 

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Get a Good Night’s Sleep Naturally: Tips for Overtired Parents

by , 11/30/11
 
 
Bedtime routines are an important part of the day for kids. But few parents consider their own nighttime routine. And here’s a sad little fact that most non-parents can’t comprehend: you'll probably never sleep the way you did before you had kids. And it’s wreaking havoc on most of us. The New York Times recently published a piece, which included the staggering information that 3 in 10 women in America use a sleep aid at least a few nights a week (and then goes on to mention that such a stat doesn’t include women who go to sleep without trouble but then awaken at 3 in the morning). Another amazing fact: although the stresses keeping us up may be indirectly caused by the kids (their performance at school, their behavior, etc), it’s the mothers themselves who can’t calm down at night, running to do lists over and over in their exhausted and overworked brains. Call it the Mama Bear Complex, but it appears that mothers are the ones who are suffering the most. Constant worry over my first child’s erratic sleep habits resulted in several terrifying nights: despite only having slept 2-4 hours a night for several months and being so tired that forming sentences seemed like a Herculean task, I found I could not go to sleep. At all. I simply waited wide awake for Elijah to wake up, which he inevitably did. After taking a prescribed medication for a few nights, I began to look for more natural ways to invite a visit from Mr. Sandman. Keep reading to find seven sleep-inducing natural remedies to help get the rest you need. Note: for any of the herbs or pills recommended, consult your doctor before taking, especially if pregnant or breastfeeding.
 

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More U.S. Parents Becoming Vaccine Skeptics and Not Meeting School Requirements

by , 11/30/11

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An Associated Press analysis found that more and more parents are becoming skeptical of vaccine safety, either opting out of school required vaccines entirely or opting into an alternative vaccine schedule. According to the report, more than 1 in 20 public school kindergartners in eight different states are not getting all the vaccines required for attendance. For its review of kindergarten exemption rates, the AP used figures from state health departments along with other previously reported data to the federal government. The survey found that Alaska children had the highest vaccine exemption rates in 2010-11, at nearly 9%. Colorado followed closely behind, with an exemption rate of 7%. Other states with higher exemption rates included Minnesota (6.5%), Vermont and Washington (6%), with Michigan, Oregon and Illinois not far behind. The lowest vaccine exemption rate was Mississippi at about 0%.

Should parents be allowed to opt their children out of vaccines?

  • 87 Votes Yes - vaccines should always be a parent's choice.
  • 41 Votes No - vaccine non-compliance puts others at risk.
  • 6 Votes I'm not sure if I'm on board with vaccines or not.

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Heartwood Natural Toys Beautiful and Affordable All Wood Play Kitchen Sets

Heartwood Natural Toys Beautiful and Affordable All Wood Play Kitchen Sets

 
 
As we noted in our 6 scary home pollutants to avoid post, formaldehyde is a big bad. Formaldehyde, a colorless, but pungent-smelling gas is used in all sorts of toys, such as pressed wood or plywood dollhouses and play kitchen sets. Not cool since formaldehyde is linked to numerous health problems, including cancer. That said, if your child's dream gift is a play kitchen set, and you want to avoid formaldehyde, you're left with just a few expensive choices. Most solid wood kitchens cost an arm and a leg; often $500+. But, if they're not expensive, there's a good chance they contain formaldehyde. What to do? Luckily, the gorgeous play kitchen sets from Heartwood Natural Toys won't completely break the bank, yet are still ultra safe for your child.
 

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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Boys

GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Boys

Whether your little guy is a tough nut to crack or he wears his heart on his sleeve, we’ve got a gift that is sure to make him grin from ear to ear. Handymen in training will revel in receiving their very own set of real tools, superhero fans will be delighted to have a new …

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Rhode Island is the First State to Stop Giving Away Infant Formula to New Moms at Hospitals

Rhode Island is the First State to Stop Giving Away Infant Formula to New Moms at Hospitals

In an effort to encourage breastfeeding, Rhode Island’s seven state birthing hospitals recently stopped giving away goody bags of free formula to new mothers. While they aren’t the first hospitals to go “bag free” — 540 of the 3,300 birthing hospitals across the country have already done it — the new policy does make Rhode Island the first state to have all birthing hospitals agree to participate in the “Ban the Bags” campaign.

Should formula freebie bags be banned nationwide?

  • 75 Votes Yes, it would help breastfeeding rates
  • 24 Votes No, moms should be given the option of free formula

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6 Eco-friendly Ways to Survive Cold & Flu Season

6 Eco-friendly Ways to Survive Cold & Flu Season

 
 
Fall and winter can be hectic, with holidays galore, leaving your family more stressed and open to colds and the flu and other illnesses. First remember to take it easy. Becoming overly stressed won't help your family stay healthy. Practice calming rituals such as meditation and be sure that everyone is getting enough sleep. Beyond staying calm, you can also help prevent colds and the flu from attacking with some simple preventative techniques that won't wreak havoc on your eco-footprint. Keep reading to learn about some eco-friendly and easy ways to survive cold and flu season.
 

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7 Fun Fall Family Activities that Help Save the Planet

7 Fun Fall Family Activities that Help Save the Planet

 
 
Fall is one of my favorite times of year, the cool crisp air, falling leaves and shorter days call to me to spend time outside with my family. Every fall, I love to focus on seasonal family activities to fill our after school time, savoring as much of this wonderful weather as possible. This year, I wanted to incorporate planet saving activities to our schedule, so we took our favorite fall activities and added a green twist. Here you'll find 7 family activity ideas to fill an eco-friendly afternoon.
 

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HOW TO: Make a Simple Eco-Friendly Advent Calendar Using Books

HOW TO: Make a Simple Eco-Friendly Advent Calendar Using Books

 
 
Sometimes, we get so focused on the actual day of Christmas that we forget to enjoy the whole month of December. An advent calendar is a fun way to celebrate each day of the month, and also get children excited about the upcoming holiday. Right after Thanksgiving I unpack all of our holiday books and place them in a large stack on our coffee table. However, this year I want to make sure that every single one of those books gets read together as a family. So I made a simple advent calendar using these books along with a few others that I picked up from our local thrift store - all holiday themed. This way, we can celebrate each night in December with a new festive bedtime story. Read on to learn how to make this simple, eco-friendly advent calendar for your children.
 

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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Girls

GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Girls

Tea sets, dolls, gardens, jewelry and crafts — these things often come to mind when brainstorming gifts for girls, but don’t forget the building sets, science sets and sports gear! The collection of gifts we’ve compiled for your little lovelies goes above and beyond the pink frilly tried and true, by putting a fresh, …

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6 Fabulous Online Green Toy Shops for Holiday Gifts

6 Fabulous Online Green Toy Shops for Holiday Gifts

 
 
If you're looking for green toys for your child this holiday season, we suggest going local first. Not only does buying local support your own little part of the world, but there's no shipping emissions involved. However, we also know that many families like to shop online. Online shopping can save you money and more importantly, time, but wading through the immense web can be a hassle. How do you know if you're shopping at a worthwhile green toy online shop or not? And where can you get everything you need, all in one place? Luckily, there are some excellent green toy shops online, that do sell quality products for a fair price. Keep reading to see 6 of our favorite online green toy shops.
 

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A Rainbow of Christmas Lights – Handmade Felt Ornaments

A Rainbow of Christmas Lights – Handmade Felt Ornaments

These adorable Christmas lights are guaranteed never to burn out and won’t increase your energy costs one bit. They will however, enchant the whole family. Each of these slightly-larger-than-life-size old fashioned Christmas bulb ornaments are made with eco-felt by hand and each includes a pretty hanging ribbon. In a blaze of colors – red, hot pink, orange, gold, yellow, green, teal, blue, …

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Get Ready for The Lorax Movie with a Waldorf Inspired Wooden Lorax Toy Set

Get Ready for The Lorax Movie with a Waldorf Inspired Wooden Lorax Toy Set

What better way to celebrate the upcoming release of The Lorax Movie, then with an adorable Lorax block set! As The Lorax Movie release gets closer, we’re sure to see a bunch of plastic, novelty Lorax items released by lame companies. However, you can do better. Avoid the hype toys and go with …

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GIVEAWAY: Win a Free Download of the NEW Oddballz Circus Kids App – 15 Will Win!

GIVEAWAY: Win a Free Download of the NEW Oddballz Circus Kids App – 15 Will Win!

Looking for the next best app to keep your toddler occupied and entertained while you grocery shop, navigate the subway, or travel? Oddballz Circus, a fun new iPhone app based on the classic Surrealist drawing game “exquisite corpse” gives kids the opportunity to mix and match body parts of silly circus characters like the dancing bear, the strong man and the trapeze artist. Whether they construct cohesive characters or experiment with other silly alternative (half trapeze artist, half lion?), tots will get a kick out of the funny combinations they can create. Plus, as toddlers create more characters on Oddballz Circus, they will unlock games and new features such as new characters that pop into the game, and the ability to poke the different critters to hear them roar, chirp or tweet. Want to give this fun new app a try? In honor of the debut of this new up from our friend Sarah, we’re giving away 15 free download codes to download the app for free for your iPhone or iPad. It’s easy to enter this contest, just leave a comment below!


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Top Eco Advent Calendars for Green Families

Top Eco Advent Calendars for Green Families

 
 
December 1st will be here before you know it. Are you ready for the big countdown to the holidays? We found six sustainable, reusable advent calendars that will keep kids' excitement growing right on up to the big day event, many with pockets, pouches and boxes to hide little trinkets and treasures to be discovered each day. We even found an 8-day Hanukkah countdown calendar. See all of our favorite advent calendar finds after the jump.
 

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The Best Green Gifts for Boys, Girls, Tots, New Parents and More!

The Best Green Gifts for Boys, Girls, Tots, New Parents and More!

Ready to tick all of those gift purchases off your master list as stealthily as Santa Claus? You can get your eco shopping done in a swift, secretive and eco-conscious fashion with Inhabitat’s 2011 Green Holiday Gift Guide! Featuring an …

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GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Tots

GREEN GIFT GUIDE: Eco Gifts for Tots

When you see a toddler’s face light up in anticipation of opening his holiday gifts, it’s evident that the magic of the season is at its purest in the joy of a child. Inhabitat’s 2011 Green Gift Guide for Tots will help you choose the very best toys of the season for eager little ones to cherish for years to come. These eco-friendly, non-toxic gifts will stimulate, educate, entertain and delight. From art supplies, dolls and …

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Happy Thanksgiving 2011 from Inhabitots!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011 from Inhabitots!

Our Tofurkey is in the oven, the vegan pumpkin muffins have been baked, and we can’t wait to finish off the meal with little cupcake-sized apple pies made from local fruit. So now we’d like to take a moment to reflect on what we’re thankful for this Thanksgiving and we hope you do the same with your families. We’re grateful for you, our readers, of course, who keep coming back to read Inhabitots, but that’s not all. Read on to see what else we’re thankful for this year.


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5 Ways Children Can Connect with Out of Town Family During the Holidays

5 Ways Children Can Connect with Out of Town Family During the Holidays

 
 
The holidays are a wonderful time of year, usually full of friends and family. However, if you live far away from close friends and family, this time of year can be bittersweet. I know this first hand because a large portion of our extended family lives on the other side of the country and getting together on Thanksgiving doesn't happen often. Making sure that your children are able to connect and stay in touch with out of town friends and family now is important. Read on to learn my five favorite way to keep in touch and start planning for the upcoming holidays.
 

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