Jasmin Malik Chua

Jasmin is a word wrangler and TreeHugger writer who lives just across the Hudson in Jersey City, where she indulges in her penchant for cupcakes, zombies, and her search for the perfect soy chai latte. A 12-year veteran of the publishing industry, she has a master of science in biomedical journalism from New York University and a PhD in poopy diapers. Follow Jasmin on Twitter @jasminchua.

Michelle Obama Paper Dolls by Jen Hewett

by Jasmin Malik Chua, 06/25/10

Michelle Obama is one classy lady—and don’t people know it. Not since Jackie O has a First Lady’s wardrobe been so scrutinized, pulled apart, and obsessed over. If your child loves playing dress-up with dolls, consider introducing her (or him!) to the thinking woman’s fashion icon. Made from recycled paper, this cut-and-color kit by illustrator Jen Hewett comes with a paper-doll version of Mrs. Obama. Your stylist-to-be can tinker with 13 of her most-photographed outfits, from the white one-shoulder chiffon gown she wore at the Inaugural Ball to her now-infamous canary-yellow J.Crew cardigan.

+ Michelle Obama Paper Doll $10 at Etsy

+ Jen Hewett

Highchair by Droog Can be Sawn Off to Adapt to Your Child’s Growing Size

by Jasmin Malik Chua, 06/23/10

Droog is one design studio whose concepts have always been more whimsical than practical. Not that it’s a bad thing, of course—life is too short not to take the mickey out of it now and then. This highchair, designed by Maartje Steenkamp, is a prime example of the Dutch collective’s shared sense of humor. Made from white birch, the one-size-fits-all seater doesn’t so much grow with your growing bairn but rather shrinks as your child gets bigger. Its secret? A set of notches in its legs that indicate how much you should saw off at each stage. Just don’t go all trigger-happy with the saw; the legs, once amputated, remain irreversibly so.

+ Highchair $460 at Unicahome

+ Droog

Vivienne Westwood, Melissa Shoes Introduce “Mini Melissa” for Babies

by Jasmin Malik Chua, 06/21/10

Here’s one small step for a baby, one giant leap for chic baby style! Vivienne Westwood has collaborated with Melissa Plastic Dreams to launch a collection of “Mini Melissa” baby shoes, based on two of the legendary British designer’s popular Anglomania designs. (Mommy and Me alert!) We usually consider plastic to be unfantastic, but Melissa uses Melflex, a form of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) that it says is nontoxic, breathable, and recyclable. Plus, they’re so much cuter than Crocs.

Josh Dorfman, the Lazy Environmentalist, Named Dad of the Year!

by Jasmin Malik Chua, 06/19/10

Congratulations to one of our favorite green dads, Josh Dorfman (better known as the Lazy Environmentalist), who was just named Dad of the Year by Polarn O. Pyret, one of our favorite green clothing labels. Dorfman wears many hats: He’s the owner of Vivavi, a sustainable furniture store; the author of two books; the host of his eponymous radio show; and the executive producer and star of The Lazy Environmentalist on the Sundance Channel. With the birth of his son, Shepherd Greyhawk, Dorfman can also add “father”—his biggest role yet—to his extensive resume.

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A Kid’s Car That Becomes a Rocking Chair When You Flip It Upside Down

This vintage German contraption is a work of sheer genius. Designed by Hans Brockhage and Erwin Andra in the 1950s, the “Schaukelwagen” can be flipped one way to use as a child-sized play car or tilted upside-down to become a rocking chair. Mini-modernists will go goo-goo-ga-ga over the sleek bent birch frame and the molded plywood seat, while their parents will rejoice …

“Rent Maternity Wear” Leases Out Designer Clothing for Pregnant Women

Unless you spend half your adult life knocked up—we’re looking at you, Michelle Duggar—it’s hard to justify dropping a huge wad of cash on everyday maternity clothing, not to mention fancy pregger duds you’ll have even less occasion to wear. Rent Maternity Wear is a new online rental service that gussies up bump-carrying women at an affordable rate, even high-end labels like Fierce Mamas by Christian Siriano.

“Creative Action for Forest” Bookcase by Greenpeace and Jamy Yang

From Shawn Soh’s bookshelf to April Hannah’s table set, tree-shaped decor appears to be having a moment. Another fan of the arboreal trend? Greenpeace China, which has been actively calling upon book publishers in the region to use ancient-forest-friendly paper. To help promote the environmental group’s “Book Lovers for Forests” campaign, award-winning designer Jamy Yang created a bookshelf that doubles as a promotional display for participating bookstores.

WIN IT WEDNESDAY! Win MoMa’s Lacing Shapes and String-Along Books!

Whoever came up with the concept of “edutainment” won’t find much of a challenge in the under-five set. Babies and toddlers have a natural knack for mixing business (i.e., learning) with pleasure (playing) so that one is virtually indistinguishable from the other. As parents ourselves, we’ve teamed up with Chronicle Books to give our readers a shot at winning a pair of multifunctional activity toys that will encourage both amusement and achievement. In addition to a set of MoMA String-Along Books, which can be read, piled as blocks, or strung as beads, one lucky winner will also receive a stack of Lacing Shapes, which teach shapes, colors, and textures while honing gross motor skills. Enter to win below!

Popsicle Sticks That Warn About Global Warming, Animal Extinction

We’ll admit, dessert isn’t the occasion for heavy contemplation. Neither should icy summer treats invoke an anxiety attack and/or visions of Al Gore. Still, the plight of our planet’s biodiversity calls for some bold, outrageous moves, even if that means sneaking rhetoric into the last place you’d expect to find it: popsicle sticks.

85% of Kids’ Drinks, Snacks Could Contain High Levels of Lead

Another day, another “uh oh.” The latest kerfuffle? Quantities of lead in bottled juice, juice boxes, and packaged fruit could exceed federal limits for the lunchbox-toting set, according to the Environmental Law Foundation. The Bay Area-based environmental nonprofit, which enlisted the aid of a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-certified lab in Berkeley, tested nearly 400 samples from 150 branded products marketed to children, including apple juice, grape juice, packaged pears and peaches (including baby food), and fruit cocktail mixes. The alarming results: 125 out of 146 products—or more than 85%—contained enough lead in a single serving to warrant a warning label under California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, better known as Prop. 65.

WIN IT FRIDAY! Win an Organic Cotton Onesie, Hat, Blanket From Soft!

It doesn’t take much to make a baby look adorable, but that doesn’t stop grownups from trying, anyway. We’ve partnered with Soft, a green baby clothing company, to offer one lucky reader a cutie-patootie trio of organic cotton goodies (worth $92 in total): a “Growl” onesie (up to 3 months), a hip faux-hawk hat (6 to 18 months), and a three-way baby blanket that can be worn as a hoodie, cocoon, or cape. Whether it’s for your own bairn or another tiny tot that you love, this gift set will shock and aww in the best possible way. Enter to win below!

Kick Off World Cup Season With Loomstate’s Organic Cotton Soccer Balls

With the World Cup kicking off tomorrow, these mini-soccer balls from Loomstate are the perfect way to give your kids a piece of the sweaty action. (They even come deflated, which means you can warm up before the lead pass.) Measuring 8 inches in diameter, the balls come …

FIRST LOOK: PVC-Free Inflatable Pool Toys by EverEarth

Now that the weather is finally heating up, it’s time to think of ways to cool down your playful pack of kids. One good green way to splash into summertime fun is with EverEarth’s upcoming range of inflatable pool toys. Made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) rather than toxic polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the colorful floats are free from poisonous phthalates that become air-bound under the intense …

Edible Crayons by Luxirare Look Good Enough to Eat

Try as you might, your budding Michelangelo is more interested in gnawing on, rather than drawing with, his art supplies. (Maybe you should consider shooting for the next Rocco DiSpirito, instead?) Luxirare’s edible crayons are the perfect blend of gastronomy and art. Although they’re not for sale, you can make your own using a crayon-shaped candy mold, some freeze-dried fruit, crushed nuts, dried pumpkin …

Cushy Eco-Modern Chairs by MiniBoom

With all the crawling, walking, and scampering around that kids do, we often forget that they sometimes need to rest their heinies and be still. The Modern Chair by MiniBoom (a subsidiary of Boom Studio) offers a pleasantly squishy surface for children to rest their derrieres. Produced using fair labor in Thailand, the chair comprises sustainably harvested wood, recycled …

Felt Alphabet Necklace by Tonky Designs For ABCs on the Go

When was the last time a stack of flash cards or an alphabet book made you feel purdy? Laser-cut from wool felt and strung up on a sterling-silver chain, the alphabet necklace by Tonky Designs offers all 26 letters in the fetching Gil Sans font. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to pack light without neglecting your toddler’s education. At least that’s …

DIY PROJECT: Make a Map of the USA With Old Cereal Boxes

Your little cereal munchers may be tearing through a forest’s worth of cardboard waste, but fear not – those colorful boxes can also make for a artistic diversion on a rainy day. For Inhabitat’s Spring Greening Design Contest, Chris Kaasman and his wife pieced together a map of the United States from their breakfast empties, then …

SNAX: An Adorable Snack-Serving Robot Made From Upcycled Junk

Who hasn’t longed for a robot butler of their very own to boss around? Reclaim2Fame’s snack-serving robot, a fierce contender in Inhabitat’s Spring Greening Design Competition, may not be giving Rosie from The Jetsons a run for her money, but he’s getting there. Cobbled together from discarded household objects and vintage bric-a-brac, “Snax” rolls around your living room doling out …