Inhabitots

Beth Shea

Beth is the writer and founder of Petite Planet, a blog which focuses on eco-friendly living for families and informs parents of the best “green” choices for their babies and our planet. The birth of her now one year old daughter was her inspiration to take baby steps toward changing the world and preserving it for future generations. A former travel and spa writer, Beth swapped airline miles and body wraps for long stroller walks and quick showers. She is living her dream by being a mother and freelance writer.
Beth Shea
November 14, 2008

LITTLE LARK: Eco Chic Kids Clothes

by Beth Shea

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Here’s a bird’s eye view into Little Lark, a company featuring adorable one-of-a-kind, eco-modern clothing for kids, and boasting environmentally conscious practices as well. At Inhabitots, we are birds of a feather who flock together with folks we believe are doing their part to create sustainable, compelling wares which both decorate and preserve our planet. Little Lark, based in Portland, Oregon, has us singing their praises for their beautifully designed, environmentally thoughtful kids clothing.

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November 5, 2008

Raise an Enlightened Yoga Baby

by Beth Shea

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The mind of a child is a busy place. Children are swarmed on a daily basis with a cacophony of songs, characters, shapes, sounds, colors, letters and endless input. As parents, we’re right to constantly engage our blossoming little geniuses, but ushering them into some Zen downtime on a regular basis is just as important as teaching them their ABC’s.

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October 30, 2008

Reverse Trick or Treating to Promote Fair Trade

by Beth Shea

When it comes to kids’ trick or treating bounty, it’s all about fairness. Every parent has stared at a kitchen table covered in chocolate treats only to hear from their caped crusader, “It’s not fair, he got more candy than me,” or “I was fair and only took one, but she grabbed five!” This Halloween, why not teach our trick or treating fiends about the true meaning of Fair Trade?

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October 29, 2008

GREEN HALLOWEEN IDEA: Eco-Friendly Halloween Decor

by Beth Shea

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The countdown to Halloween is on, and it’s time to transform your home into a festive, spirited, spooky dwelling. Leave the scary, giant footprints to Frankenstein’s creature, and tread lightly on the planet with these easy, eco-friendly tips for Halloween inspired decor.

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October 12, 2008

Periwinklebloom Organic Toddler Clothing

by Beth Shea

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Nothing captures and celebrates the timeless charm and enchanting spirit of little girls quite like Periwinklebloom clothing. Their 100% organic cotton toddler garments are homegrown and handcrafted in the U.S. Each piece has a ‘lovely little hand-me-down’ vibe reminiscent of a bygone era, due to the vintage bits of fabric strewn throughout their designs. Their use of vegetable based inks and clean energy rounds out the inspired, eco-conscious production of this simply lovely line.

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October 8, 2008

Under the Nile Organic Cotton Children’s Clothing

by Beth Shea

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Under the Nile has your little one covered from head to toe with their eco-friendly, fair trade fall and winter clothing made of 100% Egyptian organic cotton. When you purchase Under the Nile products, you make more than just a fashion statement. Under the Nile is a do good, feel good company, and their cute designs are as thoughtful as their earth and humanity loving practices.

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October 1, 2008

Think Pink and Shop Green for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

by Beth Shea

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The entire month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and several great companies are donating a portion of their proceeds to help raise awareness and find a cure for breast cancer. Here are some eco-friendly items that will enable you to ‘think pink’ while also shopping ‘green’ for your kids and loved ones.

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September 23, 2008

Hanna Andersson’s Organic Cotton Family Collections

by Beth Shea

Why should children be the only ones who get to wear super soft, warm and toasty, cozy, cuddly organic cotton apparel? The folks at Hanna Andersson think your whole clan is worthy of quality clothing and sleepwear, and they offer several family collections to dress dad, mom, son and daughter in coordinating duds. Dads, no need to run for the hills at the prospect of getting all matchy-matchy. You’ll really dig some of these eco-conscious threads…

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September 15, 2008

Eco-Friendly Art Supplies for Mini Finger Painters

by Beth Shea

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Chances are, your toddler has already left his “artistic” mark somewhere in your home. Whether he draws swirls in his oatmeal, or left an original on your wall, compliments of his red crayon, kids love to express themselves via art. There are many eco-savvy tools available which encourage your child’s instinctual desire to unleash his designs on the world. Here are some that will enable him to keep the planet “green,” while painting it with rainbows.

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September 9, 2008

Animal Attraction Pillows: Kiddie Decor Adults will Love

by Beth Shea

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Many a parent-to-be has been faced with the quandary of whether to sacrifice their personal design
taste to usher kid-friendly decor into their home with wild abandon. Ballet slipper mobiles and sailboat wallpaper aren’t up everyone’s alley, so why not find the stylish happy medium and liven up baby’s nursery and play areas with items suited to both of your tastes? Modern Dose’s Animal Attraction Pillows bridge the child/adult decor gap as the perfect compromise between cute and hip.

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September 6, 2008

Fair and Square: Sustainable Building Blocks for Kids

by Beth Shea

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Building blocks should be a staple item in every child’s repertoire. Aside from providing good, clean fun, playing with blocks helps develop hand-eye coordination, encourages an understanding of spatial awareness, and exercises the imagination as your child can reach towering new heights via endless block combinations. You don’t have to be square when it comes to selecting the best blocks for your child. There are many eco-savvy options available that will entertain your little ones while leaving a lighter footprint on the planet. Natural Pod’s Tree branch blocks, Craftsbury Kids Jingle blocks, and Sakol Velcro blocks are all artfully designed choices for building your child’s creativity.

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August 31, 2008

L.A.’s Little Seed Eco-Boutique

by Beth Shea

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We reap what we sow…so if we plant the seeds of eco-awareness in our little ones, there is a good chance that future generations will blossom into green-minded thinkers and doers. L.A.’s fabulously curated eco-boutique, The Little Seed, is a welcome patch of green and a breath of fresh air amidst the urban chaos of Los Angeles. It features all of the necessities and whimsy for our offspring to “grow up” amidst environmentally friendly wares, cool organic threads, and earth-loving philosophies.

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August 28, 2008

Milk Jugs Get a Second Life as Green Toys

by Beth Shea

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The old adage, “There’s no use crying over spilled milk,” really is true for the folks at Green Toys, who recycle plastic milk containers to create sleek, functional eco-toys for tots. Parents, this is an ideal way to teach your children about sorting the recyclables from the trash, explaining that Green Toys turns used milk jugs deposited into curbside recycling receptacles into fun, interactive toys!

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August 23, 2008

Little Chickie Wear’s Organic Cotton Collection

by Beth Shea

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What thoughts come to mind when you watch your baby sleep? “What a little angel?” “I have the cutest baby in the universe!” “He’s finally asleep!” Designer Gwen Gardner asked the question, “What’s inside of you?” while watching her daughter take a nap. Her answer came as a poem entitled, “Inside Me,” which she placed on a onesie. It reigns as the bestseller in her 100% organic cotton baby clothing line, Little Chickie Wear, which features fanciful designs and playful expressions.

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August 6, 2008

Simple Shoes Let Kids “Walk the Walk”

by Beth Shea

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Today’s green movement is definitely gaining ground, but sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between who’s just ‘talking the talk’, and who’s actually ‘walking the walk’ toward a sustainable lifestyle. As parents, it’s our privilege and our duty to instill eco-mindedness into our children. Green living needn’t be an alternative in their eyes if their first footsteps are taken on a genuine emerald path. Slip a pair of Simple Shoes onto their little feet, and they will stand firmly on the lifelong mission to save our precious planet.

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August 5, 2008

Tiny Revolutionary Eco-Tees

by Beth Shea

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One of the many reasons babies and toddlers are so precious and refreshing is the fact that they wear their hearts on their sleeves. Whether they are crying and stomping their feet, nuzzling into you for cuddles, or clapping with wild delight, they remind us to revel in and fully experience every moment. Clothing company, Tiny Revolutionary celebrates the authenticity of children and harnesses their powerful innocence by making them moving billboards of inspiration. Their line of Eco-Tees stylishly emblazons little tikes with messages of hope, equality, and environmentalism.

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July 26, 2008

Sculpted Twig Crayons Bring New Life to Drawings

by Beth Shea

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Move over Crayola - something fresher and greener has arrived! Thanks to some resourceful, eco-savvy design innovation from Inntrax Twig Crayons, children can now shelve their old boxes of petroleum-based crayons and wield an assortment of colorful stray twigs which have been given a second life as budding artist’s tools. It’s good to know that we are finally out of the woods when it comes to non-toxic and eco-friendly art supplies for our doodling little ones!

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July 22, 2008

Choosing Thinkbaby Bottles is a No Brainer

by Beth Shea

Think Baby Bottles

As a euphoric yet sleep deprived new parent, the last thing you will want to do is spend precious brainpower deciding which baby bottles are best for your little bundle of joy. Your head should be spinning in bliss over the new life you’ve created, not with worry over the toxins you need to avoid to keep your baby safe and pure. It’s a good thing that the great, eco-savvy and family-oriented minds behind thinkbaby have done all of the thinking for you!

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July 17, 2008

Healthy Green Maple Teether by Camden Rose

by Beth Shea

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I think my baby girl may have been a puppy in a past life. I find myself saying, “Don’t put that in your mouth,” and “Don’t chew on that,” at least a hundred times a day. Between her crib railing, the arms of the sofa, her now tattered book collection, and my neck, my daughter has left her mark on practically every surface of our household. Tiny tooth punctures and jagged tears betray her trail throughout our home. Looking for my baby? I just need to follow the remnants of the ravaged fashion magazine, or look under the dining chair with the gnawed leg. I had a tall order to fill to find a teething ring that would satiate my teething fiend, but the Maple Teether by Camden Rose ended up being the perfect safe, stylish & savory solution.

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