Planning a birthday party for an eco-conscious tot can be tricky when you consider the wastefulness and toxicity of commercially available plastic wrapped games and favors—many of which do little to encourage creativity. Thankfully, there are incredible, imaginative and sustainable alternatives for birthday party fun. Inspired by Carolien Adriaansche, ‘Beasts of Waste’ involve a close-up visit with nature’s creatures, and a hands-on activity of beast-making from household waste. If you’re lucky enough to be in The Hague, Carolien can host an all-inclusive party for you, otherwise, follow these DIY Beast of Waste party instructions after the jump.

Japanese design studio FunFam makes remembering where to put the salad fork a cinch for eco-conscious kids. The Table Manners set (show above) is made of sustainable and durable bamboo, and fits together like a puzzle. Each utensil has its own special place designated with course icons that are sure to make your kid a grade-A place-setter in the future. No more “but I don’t know where it goes” excuses. The place settings were designed with families in mind, with the hopes of bringing a little bit of fun to the dining room table, or the picnic table with FunFam’s bagged set.

 

It’s no secret that access to clean water is one of the most fundamental requirements for healthy individuals and thriving communities. 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. A few hundred yards away, a spigot supplies fresh water for the whole community. The water is then used for drinking, cooking, sanitation and even growing vegetables.

Perfect for a kid’s room or nursery, the BugPlug is a small energy-saving creature that seeks out power-draining devices and shuts them off at the source. Simply attach it to an appliance (or a whole set of electric devices through power strip), and an infrared sensor will search for human presence by looking for body heat and motion. If none is detected, the Bugplug will turn off the unused devices. Conceived by Polish designer Kamil Jerzykowski, the kid-friendly energy saver is one of fifty finalists in the 2nd annual Greener Gadgets Design Competition.

 

Looking for a greener Christmas tree this year? Tired of the old Cut-Tree-Versus-Plastic-Tree debate? Critics of cut trees hate to see beautiful old pine trees get chopped down for a few mere weeks of decoration, but opponents of plastic trees have just as many green gripes about plastic trees: almost all plastic Christmas trees are made in China – and usually with lead, PVC, and other not-very-nice chemicals. That’s why we are super excited this year to discover a unique, eye-catching, eco-friendly alternative to the traditional holiday evergreen: Buro North’s stunning CNC-milled plywood tree.

 

Wondering what do you with your old stroller once your kid grows out of it? Kid Kustoms extends the life of the typical stroller with an ingenious design to convert a stroller into a tricycle for a growing little one. Kid Kustoms has been making racy, auto-inspired strollers for the hot to trot, and most recently added a tricycle conversion kit to their fabulous line. Using many of the same parts as their original stroller, a classic Roddler stroller can now convert into a low-riding tricycle for added years of fun after your baby has grown into a rambunctious tot. Reward your kid for walking by giving them the coolest set of wheels to roll around town. With no need to put the old pram in storage, you’ll be saving space, material and money.