Mother's going GREEN Day 54 - Green Ribbon Pledge and Shopping

Some days when it comes to writing my blog, I have so much to write on it can be tough to decide.. My husband suggested I write about the wonderful organic and local meal he prepared for dinner, I was going to write on deodorant; but after I read one of my fellow green bloggers post - I got side tracked into shopping (not for deodorant but for cool cool green stuff.)

Jollygoodandgreen wrote of the Green Ribbon Pledge - I decided to check it out and have joined her in her pledge. This is my pledge: Over the course of a year, the energy saved as part of your green ribbon pledge is 6810 kWh/year and 200 gallons of gasoline.

But while taking the Green Ribbon Pledge I clicked on to the store: The Rain Forest Site and here you can buy gifts for anyone and everyone and the great thing is you give back to the people who created your item, you give back to the environment. For the most part their products are organic, recycled, fairly traded and ethnic. You can purchase gifts to help others or animals. I purchased a pair of school shoes for a girl in Africa. South Africa is where I was born and raised it is my home so I chose to help those less fortunate on the continent Africa.

I could spend hours perusing the site. Great selection and always an opportunity to help the environment with every purchase.

Guys and Gals - GO SHOPPING!!!!!!! (guilt free - yes there is such a thing).

Mother's going GREEN Day 9 - Green Birthday Gifts

Yesterday my 5 year old son received and invitation to a birthday party for tomorrow (not allowing me much time to shop). Trying to think of a 'green' gift in our small town provided to be a challenge. It certainly did get my creative juices going though. The first idea that came to mind was a seedling that could be planted by the recipient. However I am not sure how that would go over at a 5 year old birthday party and yes, I did want my son to get invited to other parties, says a lot for what the world is coming to... Lets face it kids birthdays are all about the toys.

I took this opportunity to start to talk to my children that, toys are not what makes a birthday, it is a celebration of life, a milestone, another year gone by. So with this in mind we headed to the store to try and find a 'green' gift. My son headed straight for the action heroes and said we had to get one of these for his friend. I, on the other hand opted instead for a bug container with magnifying glass and a book titled "Monster Bugs". If I could not get a totally green gift it had to be at least educational and allow for some outdoor fun and getting closer to nature. Books have no packaging and the bug container had very little so on that part it was environmentally good.

Purchasing children's gift can be a challenge when you want to keep the environment in mind. Had, I had some more time I would have explored my options on the Internet there are some great sites that offer 'green' toys. I still do like my tree sapling idea - but I think I need to work on the "packaging" so to speak, so that it would appeal to a 5 year old. (I will keep you posted on how that progresses.)

Things to consider when purchasing a 'green' gift:

• Organic (such as cotton or hemp)


• Fair Trade


• Local


• Educational


• Minimal packaging, preferably none.


• Perhaps even a donation to the persons favorite charity (for children this could be receiving an adoption kit for endangered species through the World Wildlife Fund.)

Some sites to look at for further green gift ideas:

• http://www.planetfriendly.net/gifts.html


• http://www.tenthousandvillages.org/


• http://www.greenfeet.com/

Be sure wrap your gifts in either recycled paper ( perhaps a gift bag you have received can be re-given). Someone once mentioned the Sunday Comics ( if you receive a paper) now wouldn't that be fun.