I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

Ho Ho Ho....the Christmas season has arrived! I am desperately in love with Christmas. My beautiful tree is already up (purchased from a local non-profit, more on that in my next post), my house is decorated, we've been making cookies and crafting...and listening non-stop to cheesy Christmas songs. Yep I'm an unabashed over-the-top Christmas junkie. So given that I have the Christmas bug, I've been thinking a lot about how to create a magical family moment without being a crazy over-consumer.

bit by the Christmas bug...the girls perform a Christmas play for us

With a little planning and creativity, I think that this Christmas will be more special than ever. Here's my family plan for a special Green Christmas:
1. Make gifts: the girls and I are sewing their grandparents Christmas pillows, Sienna is sewing her dad a cozy quilt, and we are making soap for gifts. We feel so connected and old-fashioned working on our gifts. You can get most supplies from local crafts stores, or there are a number of good resources online - here are a few:

• Teachsoap.com: An incredible site that provides tons of recipes and education on soapmaking. If you want to get fancy it also has tons of fun ideas like bath bombs, lotions, and lip balms which are all pretty simple.
• Natural soap supplies
• Organic soap supplies from Botanie
• Natural candle supplies
• Candletech.com: Ideas and instruction for candle-making

homemade natural soap makes a beautiful gift

2. Buy local: I am going to shop in my home town for anything I need to buy this year, with a special focus on local artisans and hand-crafted items.my little downtown where I plan to shop local

3. Buy sustainable: there are a number of fabulous green gift guides this year. Instead of going to your usual spots, have more fun being eco this year:

• Ecofabulous Holiday Gift Guide
• Yahoo Green Holiday Gift Guide
• Treehugger Holiday Gift Guide
• MSN Green Gift Guide

4. Buy hand-made: I LOVE Etsy.com. You can find such unique and beautiful gifts on Etsy, and help fuel a global phenomenon of creativity and entrepreneurship. Check out their stocking stuffer showcase - so fun! I found these inexpensive, festive pony tail holders from seller heatherknitz5. Make decorations: the girls and I have been making our tree decorations, and we are also going to make our table decorations for Christmas from our yard.
A few ways to reuse old stuff for decorations
Winter craft ideas

How to make Christmas ornaments and other crafts

Tessie's hand-made snowflake ornament

6. Eat local & organic: this tenant of sustainable living is an everyday part of our lifestyle. Organic, local, free-range, grass-fed, heritage, sustainable options have become much more prevalent. Shop at your local farmer's market, local farmers, or at a local store that offers organic sustainable choices. Check out localharvest.org to find solutions near you.

Most of all - enjoy your family this year and spread peace, love and sustainability!

Turning Garbage into Cash for Kids

Tessie's fabulous 3rd grade teacher is always finding new ways to enrich their classroom experience. A few weeks ago, she asked me to be in charge of their recycling for cash program, so that they can earn money to go to the Chabot Space Center in Oakland. I have never recycled for cash before, and am finding that it actually quickly adds up! It is a lovely way to be kind to the earth while making a few extra bucks. So far we've made over $140.00 in just 5 weeks - enough to significantly reduce the cost for each child for the field trip. Aluminum claims the highest price - at $1.20 per pound here in Windsor. It's super easy and fun - all you have to do is find a recycling center that pays you for bringing your bottles & cans....check out the Recycling Center website to find a location near you.

And, in other news....what the heck do these crazy hot sandals have to do with recycling?

In a great example of fashion dovetailing with environmental justice - I recently came across a novel idea - recycled aluminum shoes! check em out - from Georgina Goodman - I've never worn them or seen them in person - but they sure look hot in the photo, and what a great concept! (they are admittedly slightly out of my shoe budget, but hey a girl can dream)

Recycling...good for the planet, good for $$ and even good for fashion!

Eco-Husbands Are Hot

"Eco-Sneaks" from Simple

"Peace Tee" from Lost

A while back my husband picked up some sustainable bags for us. As he sauntered in and out of the house carrying these new harbingers of eco-ness in our home, I was surprised at how extra attractive he looked. I told him "why don't you walk around with those sustainable bags some more," and I said (in a shocked voice) "you know, you look hot with those bags!" So he took note of the positive appeal of going green, purchasing some super cute "eco-SNEAKS" from "Simple" made with eco-friendly materials, including recycled car tires, and a "Peace Tee", from "Lost" which is part of Lost's organic line. Yes, these are superficial changes, but they are part of a general trend. He is also starting to steal away my eco books off my bedside table. (Sneaky guy.) So if you wives need an incentive for your husbands, for them to become more green, tell them how attractive it is. You might be shocked at how quickly they are willing to make earth-friendly and sustainable changes to your lives.

Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild Soap

I have been a long-time fan of Dr.Bronner's liquid castile soaps. They are totally natural, totally amazing, and you can use them for just about anything, cleaning, bathing, laundry, etc. I have often used it in the past to clean my house, but had not purchased any in a while (due to an alternate, bad chemical cleaning product habit I am working to eliminate). :) So, as I was perusing the bath & body section at the local health store, I was delighted to find it comes in a "baby mild" formula. Hallelujah, I picked some up and now the little kiddies are bathing away in a chemical-free bath. The only "inconvenience" is that it must stay out of their eyes and I can handle that, no problem, in exchange for the chemical-free part. I tried it out on their hair, and washed it out with no tears, whatsoever. Don't be put off by the crazy label on the bottle which has a wild array of quotes and info, because when you finally find the list of ingredients you will see the briefest, most beautiful list of natural oils. Dr. Bronner's soaps are biodegradable, vegetable-based, made with Certified Fair Trade and Organic oils, and are ecological. I'm psyched! For use on kids, it is critical to buy only the baby mild, because some of the other soaps with fragrance, like peppermint, are much too strong for use in the bath. I purchased mine at the local health food store. The 16 ounce size can be bought online at Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps "All-One."

Graphic Designer by Trade, Mother at Heart

Lyndsay Johnson and her son

"Banners by Lyndsay," designer, Lyndsay Johnson, is a self-titled "graphic designer by trade, mother at heart." Isn't that endearing? Lyndsay, is also our marvelously talented graphic designer, who we feel quite fortunate to be working with. Lyndsay makes fantastic banners for the web, including ours, and also does a variety of graphic design work...she even has a blog , one adorable boy, another baby on the way, AND is making our logos for our clothing line. -Whew! We are so excited because these logos are truly a manifestation of what we have been dreaming of. You go, girl! It is really a joy to pair up and work with fellow WAHM's, work at home moms. We are all so phenomenal aren't we? Using our skills, we really can accomplish so much together, always knowing where our priorities lie...with our sweet little babes, of course!

Born on Earth Kids - Why Organic Cotton Matters

As Jules and I build our new organic kids line - Born on Earth Kids - I have been researching how clothing is typically created in the conventional world. What I have found has strengthened my conviction that organic, sustainable materials and processes are critical for human and environmental health. Cotton is the most pesticide-intensive crop on the planet, and is known to cause severe illness and even death related to pesticide poisoning.

And the harm is not contained to the farmers working with the toxic chemicals – the pesticides routinely seep into the groundwater, creating unsafe drinking water for entire communities.

Here are some deeply disturbing facts we collected from various sources including Clothes for Change and the Sustainable Cotton Project. The more we learn the more we are passionate about our mission for Born on Earth Kids! Here are the hard facts....

• Pesticide poisoning results in approximately 20,000 deaths and 3M injuries annually worldwide. Nearly half of these deaths and injuries are attributed to cotton pesticide use.
• Five of the top nine pesticides used in cotton production are known cancer-causing chemicals. (cyanazine, dicofol, naled, propargite and trifluralin).
• At least 50% of Cotton is GMO (Genetically Modified Organism)
• Conventional cotton uses 25% of total worldwide insecticides and 11% all pesticides, but only produces 2.4% of total agriculture – making it the most pesticide-intensive crop on the planet
• 1/3 lb of chemicals are used to produce one t-shirt
• Children exposed to 'cotton poison' methyl parathion, suffer memory loss and emotional swings
• Pesticides used on cotton cause acute poisonings and chronic illnesses to farm workers worldwide. Acute respiratory symptoms and other health effects in communities surrounding cotton farms are correlated with high use of defoliation chemicals.
  
• The pesticides used by farmers not only kill cotton pests but also decimate populations of beneficial insects such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps. Because their natural enemies have been eradicated, these target insects, which were once only minor nuisances for farmers, become greater problems and ever-increasing quantities of toxic chemicals must be sprayed to keep them in check. Farmers then become stuck on what is known as the 'pesticide treadmill'.
• In Egypt, more than 50% of cotton workers in the 1990s suffered symptoms of chronic pesticide poisoning, including neurological and vision disorders.
• In India, 91% of male cotton workers exposed to pesticides eight hours or more per day experienced some type of health disorder, including chromosomal aberrations, cell death and cell cycle delay.
• Over 10,000 people in the U.S. die each year from cancer related to pesticides.
• The pesticides and synthetic fertilizers used on cotton routinely contaminate groundwater, surface water and pollute the water we drink.
• Fish, birds and other wildlife are also affected by the movement of these chemicals through the ecosystem. In 1995, pesticide-contaminated runoff from cotton fields in Alabama killed 240,000 fish. It is estimated that pesticides unintentionally kill 67 million birds each year.
  

Enough said – it is time for a change! Buy organic clothing, wear organic clothing, support the organic cotton movement. For more information go to Clothes for Change, the source for most of the above data.

Goodbye Plastic, Hello Sigg

When reports came out recently in the news about toxins being found in plastic baby bottles I did not blink an eye. My kids are past the baby bottle stage. End of story. Move on. Yet, why did it not occur to me that my kid's sippy cups might fall into the same category, or my nalgene water bottles or a multitude of other household items. A vast number of children's products are made from polycarbonate plastic which is made from bisphenal A. Studies have shown this chemical along with PVC, also found in many plastics, to be a hormone disruptor. Children's products plus chemicals are just an unhealthy brew; there is a new ban going into effect this February 09 on these three phthalates, DEHP, DBP, AND BBP, which are found in children's toys and child care products (lotions and perfumes). Consumers should take matters into their own hands, however, because this ban may not go far enough. Read this article from ConsumerReports.org... I knew there was a reason all the plastics that have entered my life are cumulatively starting to make my skin crawl. It seems like it is everywhere in my life; drink cups, bath toys, kids toys, food packaging, kitchenware and utensils, and household items. The fact is, it is time to kick plastics to the curb. Yet, what does one use to replace these handy plastic items? I am going to work at it piece by piece. My first agenda is to start with our drinking containers. I have been hearing a lot of good things about Sigg water bottles. They are made from aluminum, are non-toxic, and come in all sorts of fab colors and designs. I am getting one for each member of the family and will store these water-ready in the fridge for a quick grab when we are on the go. Using these bottles will also cut down on our juice box use which eliminates extra trash from entering our landfills and helps my kids drink more water. Win-win.

Using Sustainable Bags

I am so proud of myself! Today I used two out of three sustainable bags while grocery shopping! This is progress. Up until now I have been using only one which is pathetic, but for some reason I only had one rotating back into my car. But that is all about to change. I am going to go get all my sustainable bags into the front seat of my car so I am all ready to go for my next shopping trip.

There! Just did it. This new habit might be on its way to being formed. I see that others at the grocery store are catching on as well, walking in with their hip little sustainable bags. Beyond helping the environment, there can be extra benefits for toting sustainable bags. The store I went to today contributes a nickel for each saved bag towards the store charity of choice. Vivi and I choose the local food shelter and the indigent animal shelter.

Green Girl-Power in LA

Jules and I spent a few super productive days in LA recently working on Born on Earth our organic, sustainable, fashion-forward kids line.

Jules the Diner Queen during our trip to LA

We met with two pioneering eco-fashion leaders who are going to help us with our line - Kelly and James from Kelly B Couture - a gorgeous eco-fashion line. They are not only super talented but are also very cool people - we are excited to work with them!
Later we met with Kiira, our brilliant designer. Check out her portfolio, she rocks. We also met with a hot new designer - Nathanial from Deeper Shade of Soul - who is starting a new line, and saw his factory floor - so much positive creative energy!

on the factory floor in LA

Later that night we had drinks with my lovely cousin Nancy and her close friend Laurie, who is the owner and designer of Pine IV jeans. They were in LA for Market - a fashion trade show. It was extraordinary to be surrounded by so much sustainable, Eco-passionate female inspiration, wisdom and skill. WOW!

Laurie (from Pine IV Jeans), Nancy & Jodi

At the end of our trip, we went to one of Kiira's clients to see her work in action - Fashionology LA. This place rocks! It is aimed at girls (tweens) and they can actually design and create their own clothes. Jules and I each made our daughters their own styles. Too bad it doesn't seem to be sustainable, but it is very fashionable and a lot of fun.

Traveling Green in LA

During our trip to LA, we made every effort to minimize our travel footprint. We found that it was actually pretty simple to minimize our footprint, by being selective about transportation and lodging. First, for my ride from LAX to San Diego, I chose TerraMoto , a fresh new car service that utilizes a fleet of Prius hybrids. The service was excellent, and the driver/founder was passionate about sustainability and his new company. Apparently, business is booming and the green wave is mounting. They operate in and around San Diego and LA.Next, we rode in Julie's Prius up to LA from San Diego. Smooth ride!For our LA lodging, we picked a sustainable hotel in Santa Monica called The Ambrose Hotel. They do a lot of little and big efforts to be sustainable (reuse, recycle, compost, clean with natural products, buy local, use organic food, use sustainable transportation and more). They have a LEED Silver certification and have been recognized with many other sustainability awards. We loved our luxurious room with balcony as well as our wholesome breakfast from Urth Cafe. They also had a sweet London taxi cab that was transitioned to a bio-diesel vehicle available to take us anywhere! Being green is fun:-)

The Ambrose Hotel

Vie: Eco fashion boutique in L.A.

Jodi and I took a business trip to L.A. recently. One of the highlights of our trip was getting a chance to go shopping at some Eco-boutiques. We were especially happy to visit Vie, a very chic Eco-boutique on West 3rd. We saw the owner of this boutique, Rachel Hurn-Maloney on an Eco-panel at a conference in Las Vegas last summer and we were totally inspired by her. Rachel was quite gracious and happy to meet a couple of the audience members (Jodi & I) who had viewed her on the panel. She was totally nice and let us take some fun pics to document our visit. Her boutique is extremely hip and stylish. Rachel has decorated it herself with fun thrift finds she likes to go scouting for on weekends. There are some lovely Eco-fashion finds in the store from Kelly B, Loomstate, California Rising and others. Vie is at 8032 W. Third St., Los Angeles. Go check it out and say hi to Rachel. She is extremely friendly and open and loves to make converts out of doubting fashionistas and will for sure get you jazzed on Eco-threads.

Why 'Born on Earth'?

Where are you from? A basic question that never requires much thought. Yet when you reflect on it, we are all from precisely the same place – this magnificent planet we call Earth.

This is our home! Our home is something we care about, keep clean, and cherish. Our larger home - the Earth is really no different. That is what Born on Earth Moms is all about....we believe that all moms have a vital role to play in nurturing our home, our Earth. Just as we create happy homes in our houses, we can extend our impact out to help sustain a happy planet.

We (Jode and Jules) are two sun-kissed moms living abundant lives with our families in the California bounty. We are both profoundly inspired by our boisterous children and the nature that surrounds us – green valleys, blue oceans, giant redwoods, pristine valley oaks, wetlands, farmlands, vineyards, deserts, beaches. We are writing this blog to share our journey – as we evolve our lifestyles to become fully eco. And while we are learning to become highly skilled eco-moms, we are also embarking on an exciting experiment – the two eco-moms are becoming mompreneurs…building a totally sustainable, eco-chic, kids clothing line called (guess...) "Born on Earth".☺ So join us on our journey – of becoming eco-mommies and eco-mompreneurs. Welcome to Born on Earth!☺

Go Green!

I know that green consciousness has entered the mainstream. How do I know this? A clerk at Target offered to sell me a sustainable bag, and Victoria Secret now has "go green" and peace symbols on their underwear (of course I bought some). It is life, post Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth." However, my "inconvenient truth" is, I've got some work to do to go green.

Look, my sustainable bags... just waiting to be used

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Plastic toys...my nemesis

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My recycle bin is always at overflow

So I thought I would begin this Eco-mama, going sustainable blog with a starter list of ten ways that I need to "go green" in my own life.

10 Ways I Need to Go Green:
1. Use sustainable bags!
2. Reduce Plastic Waste
3. Replace Light bulbs with energy efficient CFL's
4. Unplug electronics not in use (buy power strips)
5. Recycle & eliminate plastic toys (& don't buy anymore)
6. Find sustainable lunch packaging
7. Buy locally grown organic produce
8. Re-use more items like sandwich bags
9. Use non-toxic personal & household products
10. Reduce overall consumption & just be happy with what I have. :)