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Have Your Children Inspired You to Go Green?

LilSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:00:58 -0700

Having a child makes a parent focus more on the future and the world. Since you've become a mother, have you made more ecological choices? Many tots inspire their parents to eat organic, recycle, compost, wear more natural fibers or celebrate ECOWEEN. Have your kids inspired you to go green?

Ecotot: Organic Education

LilSugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:00:52 -0700

Parents have hopped on the green bandwagon - buying local, recycling and composting.

But, now a teacher in New York is taking it one step further with organic education.

According to New York Magazine:

A new organic preschool, Le Petit Paradis, is accepting students for the fall. Located in a former shoe store on Third Avenue near 93rd Street, the school is currently being redone with environmentally friendly wall paints, bamboo floors, and low-flow toilets. Even the puzzles will be made of wood, not plastic.

To learn the specifics, read more.

And, Eco-friendly enrollment has an equally green price tag - $12,995 per student. Founded by Christina Houri, the school will be a French immersion program that combines Montessori and developmental-interactive techniques.

Would you prefer a green learning environment for your child?
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Fab Finding Follow Up: Go Go Green

FabSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:15:33 -0700

In case you haven't noticed, we are in the midst of a green fashion revolution! Whether you're a vegan or a carnivore fashionista, we should all jump on this bandwagon and do Mother Earth some good. Gearing up for Go Go Green Week next week, I sent you all on a green-inspired Fab Finding. I found this super cute vegan Matt & Nat jorja fox linen handbag, $130, to start you off with. I asked you to share any of your favorite eco-friendly designers or simply to stick to natural fabrics like cotton or silk, and seek out cute designs in the representative color: green! To see all the go go green finds click here. Here we go!

Look #1, found by foreverdizzy is thoroughly modern with these Loomstate collection chino pants and Terra Plana Shoe.

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To see more cute looks, read more

Look #2, found by flutterpie is a winner because we have to have some Vegan designer Stella in the mix and this Stella McCartney Printed Dress is so hot.

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Look #3, found by SU3 is sunshiney and happy with this Grace & Cello Bamboo Oriental Sunrise Top and these Levi's Eco Organic Skinnies.

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Fab Redux: Still Going Green

FabSugar — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:00:22 -0700

Yesterday may have been Earth Day, but I'm all for going green 365 days a year. Sometimes I take the phrase very literally, like with this pretty, vintage silk floral top ($32), but it's all about the mindset, right?

Besides, I'm killing two birds (oh no I didn't) with one stone: The top will look Fab tucked into a high-waisted skirt, and wearing vintage is more eco-friendly than buying something new. Check and check.

How-To: Go Green in the Bathroom Without Spending Money

CasaSugar — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 12:00:29 -0700

With all the talk of living eco-friendly these days, it's easy to feel like you can never do enough to make a difference. And with so many new "green" products on the market, you might feel like you can't go green without spending a fortune. But there are plenty of ways you can make your home an environmentally friendly one without spending a penny. The bathroom can be an enemy to the environment when you consider all the water and products used there. To learn a few tips on going green in the bathroom without spending a penny, read more.

Take shorter showers! Keep your showers under 5-7 minutes. Set an alarm just outside your bathroom each time you get in, so you'll have no choice but to get of the shower to turn it off.
On that note, cut down the number of showers you take in general - no more showering twice a day.
If you run your water before you get in the bath or shower until the water temperature rises, collect it in a bucket and use that cold water to water your house plants.
Use a permanent razor with refillable blades instead of throwaway plastic ones.
Towels don't get dirty when you dry off after each shower. Reuse them until it's necessary to wash them.
Take a shower in the dark! I've found that taking a shower in the dark with a single candle or LED light on is supremely relaxing, and you'd be surprised how much light you don't need.
Let your hair dry naturally! Gasp!

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How-To: Go Green in the Kitchen Without Spending Money

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 15:00:38 -0700

So, you've learned how to go green in the bathroom without spending any money. But you shouldn't stop there! There's still more eco-friendly business to be done around the house. The kitchen is a hog when it comes to energy use and water consumption, so you should be particularly careful there. To learn some tips for going green in the kitchen without spending a penny, read more.

First of all, I shouldn't have to tell you this, but recycle! Learn what not to recycle and which plastics are recyclable.
Don't use anything disposable if you have a reusable alternative. That means, use microfiber towels instead of paper towels; porcelain or china dishware and utensils instead of paper or plastic; cloth napkins instead of paper napkins, etc.
Use your city's curbside compost.
Use your microwave instead of your stove top or oven whenever possible. It's more energy efficient. But, don't use plastics in your microwave, which can potentially leach chemicals into your food.
Do some Spring cleaning and organize your kitchen storage containers so that you're more likely to use it for leftovers. Cooking at home cuts down on wasteful packaging.
Use household supplies to make homemade and eco-friendly cleaning solutions.
Prevent phantom energy loads by plugging your kitchen appliances into a power strip.
Run your dishwasher on a full load, but not overloaded.
Use a tote bag you already own for grocery shopping instead of plastic bags.
Arrange grocery runs with neighbors or friends. It will make your errands more fun while cutting down on gas expenses. You may also be able to split bulk items with a friend, which will help you to save money. But obviously, don't shop unless you have to!

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Ecotot: Sammy & Sue Go Green Too

LilSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 05:00:59 -0700

We've taught our lil ones to separate the recycling from the trash and why we shop at the natural foods market rather than the chain grocery store. Now it's time to expand their horizons to see just what an impact their actions have on the earth as a whole. Sammy & Sue Go Green Too ($14) is the first in a new series of books based on a mother/daughter team out to educate their neighbors about the importance of leading an Eco-friendly life. Through their journey, they learn firsthand about organic farming, hybrid cars, earth-friendly cleaning products and all natural ice cream and share their discoveries in a way that even the youngest tots in your household will understand.

Along with their new book, Sammy & Sue are introducing an Online Virtual World for Kids. The site is divided into several "villages" each representing different environments in which kids can play a variety of games to learn how the areas are affected by environmental toxins and what they can do to save them. Among the Eco-environments visited are the seashore, the forest, a desert and an urban/suburban area.

Go Green For St. Paddy's with Lilsugar!

LilSugar — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:00:05 -0700

In the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, lilsugar is going green! Beyond bringing you posts about emerald apparel and ways to celebrate the holiday, we'll be launching a series of Go Green posts that spotlight ecological ways your family can stay green.

From recyclable toys to the EcoMoms movement, this extension of our Ecotot coverage will show you simple things that you can do to create a better world for your wee ones. If you have a tip you'd like to share, feel free to post it in the comments.

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ECOWEEN: Go Green For Halloween!

LilSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:00:48 -0700

Like most parents, lilsugar wants the world to be a better place for our children, so we're going green for Halloween. This month we're giving you the tools to provide the thrills of dressing up and indulging in treats for your children in an eco-friendly fashion with ECOWEEN! Keeping with with the theme reuse, renew, and recycle - stay tuned for fun posts on the following:

Costume Swap Party - This prior-to-Halloween-party is costume required and allows children to swap their old costume for one that is "new-to-them" from another guest. Send out recycled invitations, bob for organic apples, and make it a ghoulish good time.

Five Costumes Made From a Box - As the saying goes, children enjoy the box more than the present, so take it a step further with some eco-friendly paint and a box cutter and turn their favorite toy into a fitting costume.

To see what other tricks and treats we have in store, read more.

Costumes Made From Stuff Around the House - You'd be surprised how bewitching a get-up made from goodies found around the house can be.

From Bridesmaid Dress to a Costume Fit For a Lil Princess - Be your daughter's fairy godmother and snip and hem that old bridesmaid dress collecting dust in the back of your closet into a princess dress Cinderella would envy.

Eco-Treats - Tiny candies create a lot of wrappers and tummy aches, so switch out traditional treats for those that give back. From sunflower seeds that come with a pack of seeds for children to plant (renewable resource) to chocolates that donate a portion of sales to the rainforest, make this ECOWEEN extra sweet.

Painted Babies - Face paint transforms tots into ghosts and goblins, but those sold in stores may leave parents wary of toxins. So recruit your lil helper and make some at home with a few simple ingredients.

Combating Halloween's Carbon Footprint - Leave the car at home and trick-or-treat locally on foot, pushing babes in strollers or pulling wee ones in wagons. Beyond getting exercise, you'll teach your tots a valuable lesson in respecting Mother Earth.

To read all of our ECOWEEN coverage, click here.

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Go Green! Fashion Your Own Chip Clips

YumSugar — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 07:00:06 -0700

Ever since Party suggested using wine bottles as darling water holders, I've been wanting to share an eco-friendly tip of my own. If you're like me, you've got a surplus of plastic clamped clothes hangers sitting in your closet. I often return hangers to the dry cleaners, as a way to recycle them - but I save the ones with clamps, and turn them into chip clips.

It's beyond easy: carefully twist the clips off (or, if they're soft plastic, you can remove them with a sharp knife), and you've got a useful (and completely free!) clip for chips or anything else that needs preserving in your pantry. Have you ever done this before? What other upcycling or eco-friendly tips do you have for keeping a green kitchen?

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