Born on Earth Moms

Panda Hero - the first iPhone/iPod game that plants real live trees

2010-05-10T09:32:00.001-07:00

Hello! I wanted to introduce all you wonderful eco-mommies to a new concept in iPhone/iPod gaming for kids. I am involved in another eco-company called Barefoot Explorers, and we create 'Games for Good'...our mission is to create a movement to reforest the world through games! For each game we sell, we plant 3 live trees on Earth in honor of the player. We are inspired to excite kids about the impact they can have on the world, and to teach them about conservation and the environment through really fun games!Our first game launched a few weeks ago and has had tremendous press and customer reception. It is called Panda Hero - check it out at pandahero.com. We have received great reviews and write-ups in Wired, Appcraver, iphonemom.com, gamepro, theiphoneblog and more. Gamepro said Panda Hero is "extremely enjoyable."During the game, players roll, tilt and jump their way through the beautiful Chinese wilderness as they work to rescue endangered pandas. They tilt their way through bamboo forests, rushing rivers, ancient villages, snow fields, mountain cliffs, hanging bridges and more, all the while avoiding dangers like poisonous mushrooms, spiders, snakes, poachers, traps, broken bridges and more. And once they rescue the pandas, they get to relocate the pandas to a sanctuary where they take care of virtual 3d pandas.Please try us out and tell your friends about Panda Hero - you can help us create a movement to reforest the world through games! Get Panda Hero on the App Store today!Also, check out this inspiring video from our tree planting partners, Trees for the Future. We work with Trees for the Future for both Born on Earth kidswear (we plant 1 live tree per tee sold) as well as Barefoot Explorers. They are so amazing and we are proud to work with them.

Happy Earthday!

2010-04-22T10:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Earthday!!! Our adorable, 100% cotton and made-in-the-USA tees are being featured today at Noodle Soup in Corte Madeira (Northern California)!

Come stop by and say hello if you are in the area!

Avatar's James Cameron Inspires at Earth Day Fest

2010-04-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

"What kind of ancestor do you want to be?" This is the question James Cameron says we need to be asking ourselves.

Academy Award winning director, James Cameron, made an appearance at the Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival on Sunday, speaking to the sun-drenched crowd of his life-long concern for the environment.

The Community Environmental Council, who hosted the event, honored him with their Environmental Hero Award for bringing environmental awareness to millions thru his eco-inspired film AVATAR.

Cameron said that his concern for the environment was awakened by the devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969. He hopes to awaken in others a similar concern for the environment and a deeper connection to the beauty of nature through his film work and environmental activism.

Cameron spoke passionately about how we as a society must awaken to the reality of global warming, that this is the problem of this century and that there is a fundamental disconnect. He said its "the big disconnect that we as a society don't believe what the scientists tell us," that we must become 'science-literate' and that education is the key.

Cameron, who had just returned from a trip to Brazil to stop the third largest damn in the world from being built and dislocating thousands of indigenous people, ended with an inspiring quote he was given from the indigenous North American leaders there, "walk lightly upon the earth for the faces of future generations gaze up at us." Coincidentally in the photo here, captured by photographer Sarah Fretwell, the face of a future generation gazes up at a man who is walking lightly.

Photo provided by Sarah Fretwell

Its 'Summer For Kids' in Montecito, CA

2010-03-25T20:07:00.000-07:00

Owner Adriana, and her baby, Summer - Summer For Kids

Summer For Kids, a unique children's store in Montecito, California, is a treasure trove of environmentally friendly and organic children's toys, products and clothing. We're excited about them of course because they're currently selling our tees :) - but also because their commitment to having only the very best products for children clearly shines thru. All one needs to do is take a peek inside the store. I found (with the help of their able staff) some

chic bamboo threads for a friend's baby boy, and I hear he and mama are loving the soft yummy organic fabric... If you are in the local Santa Barbara area and you are seeking must-have organic items for children, you should come on by and discover this 'green' emerald gem in Montecito. As if any additional encouragement is needed to shop this store, ALL store

profits go to local children's charities. Wow!

Summer For Kids is at:

1235 Coast Village Road, Montecito, CA 93108

Born on Earth launches on GreenEdgeKids

2009-11-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

We are thrilled to be the latest designer eco brand to launch on GreenEdgeKids! Annie Kinkaid, GreenEdge's owner, is a passionate eco-mom committed to finding the most fashionable, eco-friendly designers for kids. GreenEdgeKids has the most adorable selection of kids eco-wear I have ever come accross, and Annie does an incredible job of finding unique high-end style for kids from age 2-14. We are excited to be in the GreenEdgeKids family!

We also spent last weekend with Annie and her husband Jim at the SF Greenfest where Born on Earth showcased our hip eco-tees for kids in GreenEdgeKids' booth. It was so much fun seeing parents and kids get excited about our sustainable tees, and really understand the importance of made in the USA, organic cotton, water-based inks and the fact that we plant a tree for each purchase.

Born on Earth tees paired with GreenEdge Denim in the GreenEdge Kids Booth at SF Greenfest

GreenEdge Kids SF Greenfest Booth

Julie, Annie and Jodi at SF GreenfestTa Da!

Annie and Jim have also just launched an incredible line of premium eco-denim for kids...think True Religion for kids but 100% sustainable! They are the first to do this and there jeans should hit stores in the next few months - check them out at GreenEdge Denim.

NEW: Product Reviews on Born on Earth and giveways!

2009-08-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm excited to share that Born on Earth organic kids tees have been very positively reviewed on DK Mommy blog, check it out here: http://dkmommyspot.com/born-on-earth-nature-rocks-kids-tee-giveaway/

Also, we are currently being profiled on Ecobunga as well:-)

Born on Earth Website Goes Live

2009-08-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

I am excited to announce this morning that our Born on Earth website has gone live! Just in time for back to school, we are launching our brand new website with our first line of limited edition eco-chic kids tees. Please come find us at http://www.bornonearthkids.com/ , and check out our unique line of eco-friendly tees for kids.

L.A. Baby - Where It Happens

2009-07-01T17:34:00.000-07:00

L.A. is where the magic happens they say, (I think - or is that Hollywood?) and for our business, Born on Earth, this is the truth. Jodi and I made an important visit to Los Angeles last week to visit our manufacturing contractors, get a close up look behind the scenes while our organic tees are in production, and to take pics and video (more to come) of where 'the magic' happens. Jode with Danny, owner of the print and dye house

Zoila at work on our girls tees, at her sewing shop

Zoila, hand-crafting our tees

Jodi with Zoila at the sew shop...so exciting to see OUR shirts being sewn!

Jules with Danny - proudly holding up our finished product

While there is a glitzier side to the fashion industry, the behind-the-scenes, of where it gets made, stands in bare-boned, stark contrast. There is nothing glamin' up these manufacturing businesses, like the lovely specialty shops where the finished product gets sold...and its not needed either, its just people at work 'gettin it done.' There is a lot that goes into the making of a tee - many people hard at work before it gets to that specialty clerk, and many stops on their journey to completion. Sharing this journey seems important and of interest, because in a world of mass consumption, where cheap and disposable fashion is desired, it is often lost upon the consumer what all goes into the making of a single clothing item. And let me tell you people, there is a lot! We hope to share more of what goes into the making of our tees, their journey, and to share as well the people behind that journey, because what they do has a lot of value, and they are the ones hard at work making it happen.

Photo Shoot!

2009-07-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

Voila! A few candid shots from a magical photo shoot in Santa Barbara....enjoy! Our ecommerce website will launch in about 2 weeks - we'll keep you updated and the site will have all the gorgeous professional shots on it.

Photo Shoot and Other Updates

2009-06-21T06:30:00.000-07:00

There has been so much going on with Born on Earth these last few weeks as we near our launch date...I wanted to share a little update:

beautiful Santa Barbara

Tomorrow the girls, Jacques (my hubby) and I are headed down to Santa Barbara - our photo shoot location. We are very excited to be working with Sara Fretwell Photography who is a total pro and a great artist. And the two locations in SB are just gorgeous. We hope to create a fun, untamed, spirited shoot with amazing kids, to embody the Born on Earth brand.

While Jules and I are there, we are also going to catch up with Kelly from Kelly B Couture (our amazing advisor who has helped us newbies along our journey), and go visit our manufacturing partners in LA. We are working hard to keep all parts of our manufacturing local - cutting, sewing, dying, washing, printing, applique-ing, tagging, etc. - and we are working with a number of great small shops and artisans. We will post some photos / videos on the blog after we meet with our LA team.

We are blessed to be surrounded by so many skilled artists, artisans and business people!

Born on Earth 2009 line officially launches on July 7th! We will be at www.bornonearthkids.com. It has been an incredible journey and I can't wait to see us actually online with amazing clothing to sell to other eco-moms! We are also going to be rolling out a really fun promotion on July 7th (that is also for a good cause!) - stay tuned for more info soon.

Finally, Jules and I are also SUPER excited about our 2010 line which is in progress right now. While we are in LA, we will also be working with our manufacturing partners for this line to get samples done by August. We have learned that the fashion business never sleeps - we are literally always in the midst of juggling three balls - future line design, manufacturing of next line, and marketing of current line.

White House Veggie Garden

2009-06-08T14:10:00.000-07:00

Check out this fun video on the White House's vegetable garden - organic, healthy food for the first family and staff! Love it!

Born on Earth: our new clothing line samples!

2009-05-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

4 out of 5 of our design samples basking in the sunshine

Well everybody, we are almost there! Today feels like Christmas! After working for many months and finalizing countless details and decisions, we finally got our 'close-to-final' eco-clothing samples today for Born on Earth. We have one more design that we are waiting for and then we can move forward manufacturing our unique, fun and fresh, limited-edition totally eco kids line!

We are nearing the finish line to go to manufacturing (which by the way we will video for everyone to see).

The almost official unveiling...

Introducing 'The Bluebird T'

Introducing 'The Birdwatcher T'

Introducing 'The Everest T'

Introducing "The Breathe Free T"

Born on Earth Ts are designed to be unique, hip and artistic and to have a hand-made feel to them. We make them extra special with fun, fresh graphics, creative embellishments, appliques, embroidery and little rhinestones (for girls only of course!). They are made with 100% organic cotton that is buttery soft, and are cut, sewn, dyed, manufactured, embroidered, printed and finished all in the USA right in LA. They were designed by a couple of hot LA designers, and manufactured by people who share our passion for the environment.

Some of the fun details

The samples you see above are not final yet - they are missing some elements like rhinestones on The Birdwatcher T, and we will be tweaking some of the art pieces a bit, but they are close. We are on our way! They should be through production by early June and available mid-June. Please let us know what you think!

Blessings,
Jodi & Julie

Little Green Star

2009-05-08T21:18:00.000-07:00

Today I found a fresh fun line for eco-babes...'little green star' - this company makes cute little onesies and Ts for eco-babies. Started by two environmental consultants turned mommies, their goal is to create a line of organic baby clothes that promotes green living. Their designs are fun and fresh, and they are available online and in many retail outlets. One of my favs is 'Nature Lover'...enjoy!

Also FYI I found this fun company through a neat new tool - GenGreenLife.com - a company focused on connecting people with local, green resources.

Happy Earth Day!

2009-04-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

Earth Day 2009 :-)
It is estimated that 1 billion people will celebrate Earth Day today, in 175 countries. Earth Day events are happening all over the world - you can find an event near you with the Earth Day Network's event finder.

On Earth Day 2009, as I listen to the many chirping birds outside my window, I feel inspired to be a citizen of this Earth. We are moving towards an new era of consciousness, and I believe that we will come together as global citizens to work towards environmental solutions. I believe in the passion, creativity, ingenuity and hard work of humankind, which I think will help bring forth an exciting era of new thinking and innovative green technology - all spurred by the environmental crisis we are facing and the resulting critical need to think differently.

I am also very excited by the progress we are making with Born on Earth kids clothing. We will launch our new line in about a month, and have carefully figured out how to do just about everything sustainably...from the materials and processes we use, to the way we package, to our hang tags, to creating the clothing from scratch in the USA. It is very fulfilling to be able to create environmentally sustainable, socially just products while enabling green jobs and partners.

Today I also feel very excited about the opportunity for green innovation. Just as we have rethought and innovated through the entire process of creating t-shirts with Born on Earth, there is a vast opportunity to innovate in all aspects of society. In order to become a truly environmentally sustainable society, we need to rethink everything that we do...the way we manufacture, create, consume, eat, transport, build, work, educate, & dispose...we need to rebuild the way the entire system works. This simple fact makes me bullish that we are going to see an enormous amount of green innovation in the coming decade. Organizations like the EPA are working to ignite green innovation, check out what the Director has to say about green technology and innovation.

Grassroots organizations are also organizing people to make a difference. The Earth Day Network (the people who organize Earth Day) launched a new campaign today, called the "Green Generation", which is a two-year initiative that will launch in 2009 and culminate on the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. The core philosophy behind this campaign focuses on civic participation and meaningful action. The Green Generation core principles include: a carbon-free future ending our dependency on fossil fuels and based on renewable energy sources; an individual commitment to sustainable and responsible consumption; and the creation of a green economy that helps lift people everywhere from poverty, by transforming the education system around the world and creating millions of green jobs.

According to Earth Day Network,

"the Green Generation includes ordinary people who are engaged in individual and collective activities to improve their health, to improve their schools, to participate in building a solution to urgent national and global issues, such as climate change or the world’s water crises. The Green Generation is open to everyone: people of all ages and all nationalities, consumers who are committed to buying green; community leaders who are focused on greening their communities; parents and teachers who work to provide healthy foods and green schools for their children; those who work in green jobs; academics whose research is focused on innovative products and services; scientists and engineers who develop new green technologies; and governments that seek to implement policies and support research that will build a green economy and healthy population, and the religious community who are committed to a vision of a just, sustainable, green planet. Corporations will play a key leadership role in the Green Generation campaign, particularly those that recognize that their future success is tied to sustainable products and socially just endeavors."

You can join the Green Generation here.

I love being a part of Born on Earth because we are creating consumer products and jobs that are both environmentally sustainable and socially just. Hooray for the Green Generation!!!

Preserve Everyday

2009-04-21T14:32:00.001-07:00

Today I found a very cool company who fuses hot design with sustainability....they are called Preserve, and they make everyday stuff that works great, looks cool and is from 100% recycled materials. They also manufacture all of their products in the USA and the products are designed to stay out of landfills when they are finished.

I am a particular fan of the Preserve Jr. toothbrush, a great option for kids age 2-8. Each toothbrush supports the National Wildlife Federation's mission to protect our wildlife, and each toothbrush highlights different endangered species.

They also have great tableware and other kitchen items (mixing bowls, cutting boards, food storage, colanders, measuring cups, etc.)...all BPA free and 100% recycled.

EcoMom - Sustain Yourself with this Website

2009-04-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

There is a great website out there for eco-moms to connect, shop, think green and take action, called aptly, EcoMom. This site, is several things in one - a social networking site for 'ecomoms,' an eco lifestyle brand, a green news media channel, and a website promoting sustainable living - all inspired by the power of women! It's really chock full of all kinds of eco-info and is worth checking out. The creator of EcoMom, Kimberly Danek Pinkson, founded in conjunction the Eco-Mom Alliance, a not for profit organization, with the belief that women as a network, possess the ability to instigate change in the world and to help create a shift towards sustainability. I am totally inspired by this belief; one of the core foundations and inspirations for our company, Born on Earth, is to help create positive change for the environment as working eco-mamas, or what we have dubbed, 'Ecomomprenuers,' by creating a sustainable and environmentally friendly business.

By the way, not only does EcoMom have an inspiring raison d'etre, they also (on the fluffier side) :) are selling some cute Eco duds. EcoMom is selling these really sweet-lookin' jeans in their EcoMom Market, and I think I need a pair:

J Brand Green Label Low Rise Pencil Leg in Woodstock

How cute are those! Really, something for all the aspiring eco-moms out there. Check it out!

Eco-Mowing for a healthy you and a healthy planet

2009-04-07T22:16:00.000-07:00

Today I learned a new term: ecomow. According to ecomowers.com, the term 'ecomow' means: 'to mow without gas, and without noise, just a naturally clean cut.' I became intrigued...as I read more, I was horrified to realize that today's gas mowers emit as much hourly pollution as 11 cars! And the riding mower is even worse - 34 cars! YIKES.Never fear! Ecomowers.com is here! They provide a simple solution - they offer a number of modern push mowers you can chose from like the RazorCut pictured below (not your grandmother's old mower). And to top it all off - by using an ecomower, you burn over 400 calories each time you mow your lawn. I'm going to have to think hard about switching to ecomowing...beautifying my lawn while getting fit using a safe, quiet and eco-friendly ecomower. Win, win, win.

Desert Escape - Girls Weekend in Palm Springs

2009-03-24T17:25:00.000-07:00

Poolside view from the new Ace Hotel in Palm Springs

Jodi and I and our best pal escaped to the desert last weekend, for a much needed girls weekend to Palm Springs! It was nice to get away from our busy day-to day lives and find time for inspiration, to relax by the pool - with nothing to do!, and share some laughs you can only have with your best girl pals.

We stayed at the brand new Ace Hotel, a hotel chain originating in Seattle, which is charmingly offbeat and hip, staffed by a most boisterous and happy crew. (Shout out to Rachel, Mo and Alex - you guys are the best!)

The Girls hanging by the pool, in distinct colors of black, red and white:

Jules

Mel - our dear friend and inspiration...three is a charm.

Some things of note:

The unique sun shades used by the ultra cool Ace Hotel

Organic red wine , brought by Jules, is rumored to have less of an 'impact,' yet remained only one out of many drink options! :)

The organic fare served by the Ace was a serious bonus, as well as their use of 'eco-friendly packaging.'

Cute feet are a must on vaca. This is Mel's - lookin' good!

Jules & Jode jaunt around town on cute cruisers courtesy of the fabulous Ace.

Jode & Jules capture a playful moment in a self-portrait. Girls weekend = fun and smiles.

Born on Earth Kids - our mompreneur journey part 2

2009-03-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

Our new Hang-Tags

In addition to finalizing our brand, logo, hang-tags, etc., over the last few months it has also been really inspiring to finalize the actual products. There is quite a degree of complexity involved in creating a T-Shirt from scratch...you have to create a design, make a pattern, make a sample, fit the sample, change the pattern, dye/wash the sample, approve the final sample, source the material, design and product hang-tags, and then you move into production (which involves many pieces too...dying, cutting, sewing, printing, embellishing, washing, etc.). We are learning so much, and have found apparel creation to be a wonderfully creative and expressive process. Here are a few things we've been working on recently:
Finalized Patterns and Completed Samples: Working with Kelly from KellyB couture, finalized our fits, patterns and samples. My daughter Tessie and Julie's son Jake were our adorable if slightly reluctant fit models.

our fit model Mr. Everest

Picked the Color Palette for our line: We are going with a beautiful palette of pink, lavender, light blue and slate grey for our Spring/Summer line...so many beautiful colors to chose from...Finalized our Dye/Wash Technique: We looked at a bunch of different techniques to acheive a unique, vintage-esque style. Everything from tye-die (too 70s for us), to dip-dye, to mineral wash, to brush dye.

Evaluating different dye and wash techniques

Sourced our Organic Materials: We were able to source luxurious, super soft 100% organic cotton right in LA. All of our work will be 100% based in USA, and 100% organic. I love the feel of our cotton.organic cotton plant

Designed our Hang Tags: Hang-tags are an important part in expressing your brand in the apparel world. We love our new hang-tags (the top of this post). Hope you do too!

Born on Earth Kids - our mompreneur journey

2009-02-24T15:16:00.001-08:00

I promised that I'd periodically share our journey of becoming mompreneur kids fashion designers. So far this journey has been wonderfully creative, inspiring and exciting. jules and I are also finding that we love to work together and compliment each other very well (lucky us), and most importantly that we both love being fashion designers! So far so good.

Over the next few posts I'll share with you what we've been up to for the past few months, starting today...here's what we've been up to:
1. Created our new brand!

We are so excited to unveil our new brand. We worked with our wonderful designer Lyndsay to create a distinctive mark that blends nature and couture. We wanted something that is free and expressive, fun and playful. We are very happy with our new Born on Earth brand and hope you love it as much as we do - please share your thoughts with us.

2. Finished our Spring/Summer 2009 collection! we worked long and hard with our miraculous apparel designer Kiira to end up with a collection for Spring/Summer 2009 that we are really proud of. I'm not going to spoil the surprise yet by posting the finished photos , but I'll give you a sneak peak of one of the appliques on one of the girls shirts...hope you like it!

detail of one Spring/Summer 2009 girls shirt

Lots more has been happening and I'll share what we've been working on with patterns, samples, manufacturing, material sourcing, and hang-tag creation in my next few posts. Stay tuned!

oliver.handmade: Hand Made Organic Onesies

2009-02-23T16:02:00.000-08:00

I always find it inspiring to stumble across eco-mommas who are building new businesses using sustainable materials and personal creativity combined with great technology like blogs and etsy stores.
i stumbled across Erin from oliver.handmade the other day, and thought her onsesies were super cute. They are all handmade, and use organic and sustainable (and sometimes recycled) materials. Check her out on her Etsy shop. Way to go Erin!

Electifying MINI!

2009-02-03T10:39:00.000-08:00

sassy and electric - the new Mini E

Throughout my life, I have really cared less about cars. I never understood how some people can be so 'into' cars. However, ever since i got my first Mini, I have become a true Mini-lover. Each day when I see my tiny little Mini, it still makes me smile. Minis are fun, happy cars to drive and to look at. I have always loved Minis for both their efficiency/small size as well as their performance and style. Mini (BMW) has done a superb job of creating a more sustainable solution without sacrificing style or performance. However, even though the gas-fueled version is pretty fuel efficient (37MPG highway), it still utilizes fossil fuel and emits pollution. Happily, yesterday ushered in a new era of the electric Mini when BMW officially released their new Mini E - a zero emissions, 100% electric vehicle. I can't wait to get mine when they go mainstream...right now there are only about 500 of them, and they cost over $60k. Check it out at Mini USA.

sweet ride - the Mini E

The Mini E goes 150 miles on one charge, and is just as cute as it's gas-powered sister. Only challenge is that there are only 2 seats (in order to have room for the battery). I'm hoping they electrify the Mini Clubman and keep its 4 seats. It's exciting to see products like Mini delivering sustainable, high performance, stylish solutions with great creativity and innovation.

The time is now for NAU

2009-01-18T15:54:00.000-08:00

My husband has been in need of some new clothes for a while. While he's a fashionable guy, he's not a big shopper and often complains about the lack of sustainable options around the stores. Today, I remembered a brand I had heard of in the past - nau.

NAU creates sustainable, stylish, unique and functional clothing for men & women. Additionally, they donate 3% of every purchase to a philanthropy of your choice. They have scrumptious clothing for men - I especially love their 'bunny goat hoodie' and all of their coats. Also the clothing is designed to last which means I can buy a few signature items that will wear for years. And the women's clothing is super cute too. NAU shares our design philosophy for Born on Earth Kids - embrace sustainability without sacrificing style and functionality. You can check them out at nau.com. Enjoy!

Organic Bubbly for the New Year

2008-12-31T16:30:00.000-08:00

Its time to ring in the new year, and why not ring it in green with a little organic bubbly? Organic wines are a great way to both celebrate and support the environment. Organic wine is made without the use of insecticides, fumigants or herbicides. Organic farming promotes biodiversity allowing plants other than vines to grow, and works in conjunction with insects, mites and spiders. Treehugger has a great list of recommendations for organic champagne and sparkling wine, as does the Organic Wine Journal. I recommend checking out some California sparklers from Domaine Carneros, a leading organic winery based in Sonoma and Napa. The winery was the first sparkling winery in the United States to become organic certified with all estate vineyards certified. They produce a Brut Rose called Cuvee de la Pompadour (named after Madame de la Pompadour, a great courtesan and mistress of Louis VX...ooh la la!) and a premium vintage Brut, the Brut Cuvee. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Christmas Tree Recycling

2008-12-29T15:17:00.000-08:00

Now that Christmas has come and gone, its time to dispose of your real tree in a positive way by recycling it properly. For those of us who have opted for a cut tree, it is really the right thing to do.

No need to toss that real tree into the trash and landfill; here they only take up space as they are unable to decompose properly. Real Christmas trees are being recycled and reused in great programs nationwide, for things as common as mulch, and as fantastic as wildlife habitat creation.

Earth 911 has made it easy; by entering your zip code on their website you can find local treecycling options in your area. My community in San Diego has both a curbside program and is hosting a treecycling event. One way I can be a slouch, they other, a go-getter. Either way, its nice to know I'm doing the right thing and ending the holiday season on one final eco-friendly note.

Shop Local & Homemade

2008-12-22T10:46:00.000-08:00

Etsy.com - the place to buy & sell handmade things - has a Shop Local feature that allows you to search for handmade sellers near you. Buying goods that are both local & handmade is a highly sustainable way of shopping. Local goods mean that you are not transporting the items far, which reduces the 'carbon footprint' of your purchase (versus buying something that was shipped in from China for example). Additionally, you support your local economy by keeping your dollars in your neighborhood. Finally, most handmade processes are environmentally friendly and non-toxic.

I found a few great sellers near me:
Megan Rhodes Photography LuLuBug Jewelry Bette's Cache of Jewells

Vintage Box 1947 Rtisan's Shop
Pick up some unique, handmade, local items near you. Enjoy!

Green Toys for Christmas - Safe, Recycled Tea Sets

2008-12-18T09:32:00.000-08:00

Today I was listening to NPR and heard Robert van Goeben, the entreprenuer behind Green Toys, speaking. His sustainable toy company is based in San Francisco, and utilizes 100% recycled milk jugs to make their toys. The plastic used in milk jugs - high-density polyethylene (or HDPE) - is considered one of the safest, cleanest plastics around. You can't go wrong with these toys - they are recycled from California milk bottles, manufactured locally in San Francisco, and utilize the safest plastic around for the health of your kids. And they are so cute! They also have a variety of other toys - check them out here. You can use their store finder to find a retail outlet near you.

Gorgeous Eco-Toys for Babies

2008-12-15T21:30:00.000-08:00

This year there are many wonderful options for safe, beautiful eco-friendly toys. Check out these adorable textured blocks and organic rabbit rattle - so much better than having your little guys chew on toxic plastics.

soft, organic blocksOrganic Rabbit Rattle

You can find these sweet toys at Natural Pod. Ban the plastics and bring imagination, fun and health into your daily lives. They also have toys for bigger kids, like this cute natural baby stroller.

The Truly Sustainable Gift: Non-Giving

2008-12-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

Wow! My family has made the unthinkable shift this year, to cut back on gift-giving between family members. It feels emotional for me to witness this change in tradition come to pass...a tradition of gift-giving which was years in the making, a tradition which goes back years-deep into my childhood between my siblings. We mustered up the jubilant courage, however, and it is now a new beginning. I talked over the phone today to my brother and sister about this idea. It felt like sacrilege to bring it up, but once spoken it just seemed like common sense, and we all immediately agreed to the change. Between my siblings and I there are now multiple nieces and nephews, and also additional extended families-in-law. That's a lot of gift-giving to be done! And stress - to find just the appropriate special item for each individual, and cash - these gifts can really add up. This year, with the economy in the doldrums, it seems the perfect time to introduce this new tradition. So, starting this year, we will only give gifts to the kids. My siblings and I, as we all got off the phone together, breathed a mutual sigh of relief, and laughed at what a great gift we had given to ourselves. More time to enjoy this beautiful, joyful season, and less time spending unneeded money, time, and energy on things someone may or may not actually need. For me, making these changes towards wasting less and wanting less, ultimately makes much more sense, is less wasteful, and is the most truly sustainable gift you can give to yourself, your family and to the planet.

Natural Doll Bed

2008-12-10T07:29:00.000-08:00

natural, sustainable doll bed from Urth Child

My daughters received American Girl dolls for their birthdays, and their top ask for Christmas is an American Girl bed. I don't want to succumb to the plastics found in these products...so I found the beautiful, natural wood bed above, at Urth Child. This bed is not only beautiful, but it is also environmentally sustainable (natural, sustainably farmed wood), non-toxic, has low-impact packaging, and is durable for a long lifetime. Urth Child has a beautiful selection of natural toys and gifts for children, none of which contain any BPA, phathalates, or PVC. Enjoy!

Beautful Handmade Christmas Gifts - Indigenous Designs

2008-12-09T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last night I went to a festive holiday party from a pioneering eco-fashion leader based in Santa Rosa - Indigenous Design.

100% organic cotton baby sweater, scarf and hat

I scored on a few really beautiful items that were marked down for Christmas. Indigenous Design is a wonderful company in all respects...they work directly with artisans from South America, who work with 100% organic and sustainable fibers. They have transformed the villages where their artisans work, and have provided sustainable, joyful income for the villagers. Win for people, win for the environment and win for fashion!

my new 100% organic cotton sweater

Paddle Wheel Boat for Christmas

2008-12-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

Paddle Wheel Boat

Here is a great little toy for Christmas - the paddle wheel boat from Natural Pod. As I have cleaned out all the old, most probably toxic toys from my children's bath, I would certainly add this pure little wooden boat to their Christmas list. They could use a few toys in there beyond a couple of washcloths! Poor things. I can just see them entering a new phase in bathing which would be founded on this little boat - little captains commandeering vessels and fighting off pirates! This boat is tested and certified for safety and for non-toxic materials. 'Please Santa, flow this little boat downstream into our stockings this year.'

Green your Live Christmas Tree

2008-12-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

If you made the decision this year to go with a real Christmas tree like we have, here are a few ways to make your choice as sustainable as possible.1. buy or rent a living tree if you can. The most sustainable option is to purchase a living tree, which you then plant after the season is over. In San Francisco, San Diego and Portland, you can rent a tree that will be delivered to you, picked up after New Year's, and planted.

in Portland, $60, www.livingchristmastrees.org
in San Francisco, for $90 Friends of the Urban Forest rents you a living tree - after the holidays they pick it up and plant it on San Francisco's streets. www.fuf.net
in San Diego Adopt a Christmas Tree will deliver a potted living tree to you via singing elves. They set up the tree for you, then pick it up and replant the tree in areas devastated by California fires.

2. find a tree lot that supports non-profits. With a bit of luck, you may be able to find a beatiful tree that supports a worthy cause. This year, Jacques, the girls and I are volunteering at a local lot that gives 100% of the proceeds to our local schools. Win Win!
3. buy organic if you can. Ask where the trees came from and whether pesticides were used. According to Paul McRandle, deputy editor of National Geographic's the Green Guide, non-organic monocrop tree farms use pesticides such as glyphosate (Roundup), organophosphates di-syston 15-G, and dimethoate, which all cause a host of nasty health issues. Luckily, there are better choices this year.
4. use LED lights on the tree. According to the US Department of Energy, LED Christmas lights create 10 times less CO2 than traditional Christmas lights.
5. ornament wisely. either make your ornaments, or purchase sustainable ornaments like these ornaments from eco-artware.com. All of their ornaments are made from reused/recycled materials.

6. recycle your tree after the holidays. Trees can be recycled and turned into mulch for gardening, or chipped for use on trails. Use earth911.com to find local Christmas tree recycling programs.

If you go for a live tree, you can do so guilt free. Enjoy the scent, enjoy the bounty, enjoy the season. I'm sitting here by the fire loving my real tree!

The Christmas Tree Debate: to go real or not?

2008-12-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

our Christmas tree - a real tree for the first time in a long time!

Is anybody out there confused about whether live trees are eco-friendly or not? I have personally struggled with this question for years. A number of years ago, we purchased a plastic tree (ick) because we thought it was 'greener' than buying a cut tree. Now my perspective has changed and I think the most ecologically friendly thing to do is to purchase a real, organic tree (preferably live, but cut is OK as well), that hopefully is sold to benefit a non-profit organization. Here are a few things to consider:

1. plastic is bad, bad, bad. before deciding on buying an artificial tree, remember that most fake trees are made of polyvinyl chloride (aka PVC), which contains harmful chemicals. Also, plastic trees are non bio-degradable, and will eventually end up in the land-fill. Hmm.

these will eventually end up in the landfill....

2. plastic trees are unsustainable. Plastic trees are primarily made from oil, a non-renewable resource. When you look at a plastic tree, think of the extracted fossil fuels used to make it - the tree is merely a transformed version of these non-renewable resources. A few more things to think about:

Most plastic trees are manufactured in China, Taiwan, and South Korea, which have less stringent environmental regulations, poorer working conditions, and lower wages.
Most manufactured trees will travel thousands of miles before reaching the US, thereby creating a large carbon footprint from the 'grey energy' required to ship these products to us.

transporting fake trees requires fossil fuel and creates pollution

Energy from fossil fuel is required for manufacturing. Burning fossil fuel causes environmental damage.
Buying products manufactured outside the US does not support our economy.

3. i think cutting trees is 'greener' than creating plastic trees. here's why:

Because they are very hardy, Christmas trees are often planted where few other plants grow. Therefore, thousands of acres of land is being farmed that would otherwise not be farmed.
Trees are a wildlife habitat. If you can buy your tree from a grower that cuts only a portion of each area per year, you can ensure that the wildlife habitat is preserved.
Trees consume CO2 and create oxygen throughout their lifetime. Each acre of Christmas trees grown provides daily oxygen for 18 people. Additionally, trees remove up to 13,000 kg of airborne pollutants per acre per year.
Organic trees create a sustainable income for growers. Because organic tree farmers are able to make a living by selling us their trees, they can maintain their farmland as a farm. without demand for cut trees, they might sell their land to a developer.
Real Christmas trees are biodegradable and recycable.

If you chose to go with a real Christmas tree like we have, stay tuned for tomorrow's post on how to be as sustainable as possible.

I am Grateful

2008-12-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today I experienced deeply enlightened food. This food was completely 'green' 'local' 'sustainable' and 'organic'. But it was also so much more than that. This was truly soulfood, the kindof food that fills your body with energy and good vibes. Food that is made with love, from only the most exceptional ingredients, 100% vegan, alive food, hand-crafted with care. WOW, I am feeling the positive energy coursing through my body right now!San Francisco-based Cafe Gratitude recently opened in Healdsburg. For those of you who have never experienced Cafe Gratitude, this gem of a restaurant serves 100% vegan, raw, alive food that is prepared with love and great care. Cafe Gratitude embodies everything that sustainability is about ... healthy people, healthy planet, smart business, happy people, good vibes and positive energy. I had the daily special (called 'I am Celebrating') - a succulent chile stuffed with almond paste, cashew sour cream and a bunch of other goodies, that was dehydrated (alive, not cooked), and that came with quinoa and red cabbage. I have never tasted food like this before - you can literally taste the positive, healthy energy inside of the delicious flavors & textures.

cafe gratitude house salad

Cafe Gratitude also asks a question of the day. Today's question was: 'What divine quality have you mastered?' yesterday's question was: 'What brings you joy?'. These type of questions not only make you stop and reflect, but they are also a great conversation starter. My husband and I talked for 20 minutes or so on our divine qualities! This was truly a lunch like no other - divine conversation, soulfood and the happiest wait-staff I have ever seen in a restaurant.

the original cafe gratitude in San Francisco

So if you live in Healdburg, San Rafael, Berkeley or San Francisco (or travel to these cities), I highly recommend enjoying Cafe Gratitude.

You can also buy the recipe book which is chock full of surprising, delightful, live food recipes.

Cafe Gratitude recipe book

From their website - the embodiment of sustainability: Café Gratitude is our expression of a world of plenty. Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness. We select the finest organic ingredients to honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same. We support local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products. Our food is prepared with love. We invite you to step inside and enjoy being someone that chooses: loving your life, adoring yourself, accepting the world, being generous and grateful every day, and experiencing being provided for. Have fun and enjoy being nourished. Welcome to Café Gratitude!

WOW - I am Grateful for Cafe Gratitude!

I'm Dreaming of a Green Christmas

2008-11-30T10:01:00.001-08:00

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:

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 heatherknitz 5. 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

2008-11-21T06:10:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-20T05:25:00.000-08:00

"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

2008-11-19T05:05:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-17T05:30:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-13T00:05:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-11T05:00:00.000-08:00

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

2008-11-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

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.

2008-11-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

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'?

2008-11-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-11-06T06:55:00.000-08:00

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

Plastic toys...my nemesis

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. :)

Attoning for Eco-Sins

2008-11-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

naughty

OK I need to make a confession....while i am passionate about living in harmony with nature and treading lightly on the earth, on a daily basis I commit a significant eco-sin that needs to evolve and change. Basically, I'm a fashion/brand/clothing addict. I LOVE clothes. I love stylish, fashionable, edgy clothes. This fact is profoundly inconsistent with my desire to be eco-friendly, and I've always felt that the two are incompatible. Almost like having a split personality...love the earth...love clothing? What's a girl to do?

eco-schlepping

So, I have a plan to change and attone...Jules and I are headed to LA for a few days for Born on Earth Kids, and during the trip I plan to scope out a few fabulous eco buys for myself. The eco-fashion world is really heating up - West Third in LA is supposed to have some hot eco-boutiques, including Vie, Romp & Evita Co-op. Check out this LA Times article about the boutiques!

It is so exciting to see that we no longer have to sacrifice style for eco-consciousness!

Lululemon Athletica

2008-11-06T06:45:00.000-08:00

my new threads

sustainable bag!

As a busy mom, I am always trying to figure out what to wear and how and when to work out. So I thought I would combine the two with a new "sporty-mom" look. A friend of mine who knows the ins on sporty fashion gave me a great tip on a fabulous new store, which sent me on over to lululemon athletica. Not only do they have fabulous yoga-inspired work out clothes but they are also focusing on becoming more sustainable; they are taking action to reduce their six largest waste streams: fabric, paper, packaging, garbage, product, and store construction. Fashion plus a little sustainability, anyone? What a surprise it was to discover the store in San Diego, as part of their grassroots actions, holds free yoga classes on Saturday with a continental breakfast following. Now I know what I'm doing every Saturday: yoga, breakfast, and shopping! Maybe it is becoming a more perfect world... It was hard to leave the store with just three items, but I was able to focus on creating one starter look. To top it all off I left the store carrying a bright red sustainable bag with new goods in tow. Utter bliss.

Greening Kids Lunchboxes

2008-11-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

Anybody out there struggling with plastic sandwich bags and other waste from kids lunchboxes? Well you are not alone - in fact, about 3.5 billion pounds of garbage is produced each year by typical lunchbox garbage. Our family too struggled to find eco solutions all last year...here are a few ideas I've been trying out this year:
1. Instead of using plastic bags, try using wax paper bags - like these from Natural Value:
2. Try out the Laptop Lunchbox system with removable containers, that don't contain phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), or lead.
3. Utilize only organic, non-processed, healthy food. Try to incorporate as much local food as possible. Here are some great ideas from the laptop lunch folks.
4. Try using the Lunchopolis system. This product aims to provide a 'garbage free lunchbag' - and they come in fun colors and styles too!

Enjoy! :-)

Cleaning with Love

2008-11-06T06:10:00.000-08:00

Me & Mrs Meyers

I wish I loved to clean. I profoundly cherish having a clean and happy home, but between 2 kids, a fun-loving husband, Chloe our doggie, Midnight & Poppy (our 2 cats) and in general living in the country, I find that 'clean' is not even close to a perpetual state....and thus I need to clean way too often. I have never enjoyed cleaning, and never been that great at it. But I have had a domestic eco-revelation!

I am now an aspiring domestic eco-goddess aiming for a gorgeously clean, eco-friendly and happy home...all thanks to Mrs Meyers. Since I found her, I have fallen in LOVE with cleaning (well at least in LOVE with my cleaning products from Mrs. Meyers). These products are not only good for the environment (natural, biodegradable and cruelty-free), but they smell AMAZING. My cleaning has become my daily aroma-therapy. Seriously, I get a big mood booster from these products because they smell so amazing. They have Lemon Verbena, Geranium (my favorite), Baby Blossom, Lavender, Basil, and Peppermint for the holidays! YUM. Check em out here, and have fun loving to clean:-)

Pumpkin Patch Outing

2008-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Getting into fall and Halloween, we have a new tradition of going to a real pumpkin patch to pick out our pumpkins. So a couple weekends ago, me, Z, "Vivi," and "Mr. Everest" headed out to the nearby hills to pick out some pumpkins at a very fun pumpkin patch. It was a gorgeous day and the crisp fall air was refreshing.

"Mr. Everest" gets up close with some cute animals at the patch

And later we headed on over to the apple orchard. These horses were the main event...This horse ate lots of apples and "Vivi" made a new friend. Animals are our friends.

Farmer's Market Fun

2008-11-06T05:55:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite ways of being eco is experiencing the local farmer's market with Sienna & Tessie, Chloe (our gracefully aging 12 yr old doggie), and Jacques. We usually bike or walk to the markets on Sundays, which creates a special family Sunday. This past Sunday we had exceptionally beautiful day in Windsor - slightly chilly, intensely blue, fresh breezy day…so we hit the farmer’s market and got to see all the gorgeous pumpkins, eat local honey, energize our spirits and connect together as a family.

I can’t imagine a more perfect Sunday, or a better way to be green! Find a Farmer's Market near you!

Why I Got Rid of My T.V.

2008-11-06T05:50:00.000-08:00

"Mom, where's the T.V?" "Um, I'm not sure, is it gone?" "Yes! It's not there." "Oh, well, I guess we took it away." "WHY?, where did it go?" "We gave it away." "Now what are we going to do?" "We are just going to read, and color and spend time together and when we are bored, stare at the sky." "What about movies?" "We can still watch those on the DVD player." "Oh, okay."

There are several friends I have who never spent time watching television and I always admired them for that. I found that I enjoyed the time I spent with them in their spaces. Time just felt different, and it felt better. I wanted to have my time in my own space feel like that too. I also did not want my kids to create a strong television habit. So my husband Z, and I got rid of it because 1) that was the only way we could stop watching it, 2) we just had to try it for once in our lives to see how it felt to live without it and 3) we had a small window of opportunity before the kids got any older, before they would really know what hit 'em. Now we have more time to do other things, like go outside, bake cookies, listen to music, to think, read, and chat. Not to mention rent good movies. For my part, it is so much better than mindless hours of reality T.V. (I mean no offense, but are the Kardashian's lives really that interesting?) Now if I want to see an important event like a presidential debate or SNL skit, :) or special program, I can mostly find it online. The two little ones get to watch an assortment of children's programs on DVD. And if the man in the house needs to watch a game, he can get on over to the local sports bar or pub and hang with the guys. Everyone's happy!

Creating an Eco-Mom Lifestyle

2008-11-06T05:45:00.000-08:00

Since I left Microsoft a couple of years ago, I have been focused on learning and acting to change my ways to become more sustainable. In my family, we are far from perfect, but we have made a lot of progress through simple actions. Here are a few simple steps we have taken:

1. Drive less - we use our bikes, our feet, our pedi-cab way more than we used to. Jacques bought me a shopping basket for my bike, so I can now bike to our local organic grocer - the 'Green Grocer'! Biking is not only eco-friendly but it is spiritually refreshing and great exercise.
2. Turn the lights off - just like putting my seatbelt on in the car is a habit, so is turning off the lights now. And of course, changing out the lightbulbs to CFLs is critical.
3. Waste less - we have dramatically minimized our waste by learning to recycle, reuse & compost. Composting is fascinating - if you are composting now you know what i mean...how in the heck do all those nasty food scraps turn into beautiful dark soil? the miracle of nature.

our cute compost bin and our double recycler cabinet
4. Put a sweater on - instead of turning the heat on all the time, we wear more clothes in the winter, add blankets, have family fires.
5. Consume less - It is so easy to just keep accumulating 'stuff' - toys, clothes, products, etc. So we are trying to reduce buying, start mending/reusing/etc. and are loving hand-me-downs.

6. Eat local and organic - we eat pretty much 100% organic, and as local as we can. We go to the farmer's markets, the 'Green Grocer', and we have our own veggies and fruit growing in our yard.

my meyer lemon plant

7. Eat less beef - the environmental impact of feed-lotted cattle is absolutely devastating, so we avoid eating beef as much as possible.
8. Don't use harsh chemicals - for cleaning, we use all eco-friendly products. We love Meyers cleaning products (see my other post on that).
9. Green your home while you make home improvement choices - we remodeled our home a year ago and made a lot of green decisions: bamboo floors (renewable resource), the most incredible organic paints (YoLo Colorhouse), sustainable decking materials (from recycled Milk bottles), and sustainable fencing from LifeTime Lumber.

These changes have not felt like these sacrifices at all - rather and it has been fun to make these small but important changes in our family life.

Peace is In

2008-11-06T05:40:00.000-08:00

Peace is in. I spotted the Universal Peace Flag String at the Earth Day festival in San Diego a year ago and just had to have one. Mine hangs over my door. I know I am a poser, but now I can live my dream of being a hippie-wannabe. The nine peace flags say peace in a variety of languages, including, Latin - "pax," the "dove of peace," Arabic - "as-salaam, Chinese - "huh ping," Sanscrit - "shanti," Russian - "Mir," Hebrew - "shalom," English - "peace," and "rainbow peace." These flags are beautiful and hand batiked in Bali. Sometimes I feel like the peace string is somehow making an impact, that someone, somewhere out there is feeling the good vibes.

Picking Blackberries

2008-11-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

Here is an older pic of the girls (and Chloe:-))picking blackberries up at Camano Island in Washington...life's simple pleasures.

Home in Nature

2008-11-06T05:30:00.000-08:00

Here are two little sprites enjoying the gigantic daisies that sprang up in our field last spring after a couple of rain storms. We are so blessed to have a large field for these little munchkins to run around in and frolic and play. They like to go get lost and hide in a big bunch of little trees where I can't see them from the house. Having this kind of freedom seems something of a rarity nowadays but it really should be an inherent rite for kids. Ah, the blessings of nature.

In the Orchard: French Pear Tart

2008-11-06T05:25:00.000-08:00

Our big pear tree is completely overwhelming us with its bounty right now:-)
...so I'm making a french pear tart. I'm using a traditional French recipe with Frangiapane from nookandpantry - YUMMY! Frangiapane is a very naughty mix of butter, sugar and ground almonds. This crust looks super flaky and yummy too - it is called 'Pate Sucre' which is the French sugary style of crust for things like tarts. I gotta say, living in the country with a mini-orchard is pretty sweet. We get pears, apples, pomegranets, olives, oranges, lemons, grapefruit, peaches, figs, plums and a ton of different varieties of grapes. Ahh, the bounty of nature!