What’s better than a box full of eco friendly products for you and your baby?

Our friends at EcoSalon, the web’s go-to place for eco-savvy culture and fashion publication, have handpicked the best of the best in eco and sustainable Mom and Baby products that are good for the little ones and the environment, and we’re lucky enough to be giving one away! 

It’s time to think about the non-toxic building blocks of not just ours but our children’s lives in the New Year with some recycled Green Toys Stacking Cups, some Zoe Organics: Baby Massage Oil to keep the wee one’s skin hydrated and to keep organic clothes coming, a copy of Oliver + S Little Things to Sew. There’s all that and more; this box is filled to the max with sustainable flare to get 2012 off to a good start.

How do you win?  Enter your email below.  You’ll get the The Green Parent and EcoSalon’s newsletter (go ahead and enter your email even if you’re already a subscriber -I promise we won’t duplicate!) Contest starts today and ends Wednesday, Feb 15th!  

On Facebook?  Give us a “like!“ 

This week’s Wordless Wednesday is not quite wordless, but I think in this case you don’t even need the words to understand the point that’s being made…

Green moms meetup at Ford NAIAS: Diane MacEachern, Anna Hackman, me, Tifany Washko, and Stephanie Moram

I’ve had these resolutions knocking around in my head since we first rang in 2012 a few weeks ago.  I decided to follow my own advice and write them down so that I can make sure they actually happen.  So without further ado, here are my top resolutions for 2012.

1. Spend more time on Facebook: I know most people head into the new year with aspirations to spend less time on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.  But this year, I’m actually vowing to spend more time on these sites.  Hear me out on this one.  Earlier this year, I had the opportunity, courtesy of Ford Motor Company, to attend the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.  It was awesome to go and see what the auto industry has in store for the future, and to see what kind of green technologies Ford is working on for their new cars.  But the best part of the conference was connecting with other green moms – many of whom I had known for years but had never met in person.  I had forgotten how invigorating it is to connect with other like minded greenies.  We brainstormed new ideas, commiserated on similar difficulties, and made plans to meet up again in the future.  Staying connected to these green moms -whether it’s just fun talk on Facebook, or via our newly-launched weekly Twitter chats (Mondays at 9pm EST – #gmcarnival) makes me optimistic about the power we women have when we raise our voices together.

2. Listen more:  A few weeks ago, I read this quote that got me thinking about listening.

“So when you are listening to somebody, completely, attentively, then you are listening not only to the words, but also to the feeling of what is being conveyed, to the whole of it, not part of it.” –Jiddu Krishnamurti

So that is my goal this year.  To really, truly listen when people are speaking to me.  To hear not just their words but also the feelings behind what they are saying.

3. Hold the guilt: Being a green mom means there is never a shortage of guilt in my life.  If I spend time working and learning about going green, I feel guilty for not spending time more with my family.  If I forget my reusable bags at the store, I feel guilty.  Oh, and I feel guilty for every non-organic food item that crosses my kids’ lips.  But, no more!  This year, I am taking a pass on all of that guilt.  I am doing the very best that I can to raise my kids in a happy, healthy environment.  But I can’t do it all.  And this year, I am going to work on being OK with that.

4. Vote for the planet:  2012 will be a big year at the voting booth.  It probably comes as no surprise that I plan to cast my presidential vote for Barack Obama.  But this year, I plan to make the rest of my votes mean even more by researching my Congressional and local candidates voting records on the environment and voting only for those candidates who are taking climate change and other environmental issues seriously.

5. Learn Spanish:  I’m not too proud to admit that this resolution has been on my New Year’s list every year since around 1990.  Except for last year.  Last year, I decided to give myself a break from my failed efforts and just not even bother to take on an additional task.  And I think the hiatus was worth it, because I really feel like this is my year to move beyond basic vocabulary to real conversational Spanish.  Got an tips?  Feel free to drop me a line via email (jenn [at] thegreenparent [dot] com) or on Twitter: @thegreenparent.  I can use all the help I can get!

This post is my entry for the Green Moms Carnival on New Year’s Resolutions which will be hosted this month by Amber over at Strocel.com.  Oh, and that reminds me of my last resolution – to write a post for the Green Moms Carnival every month this year!

Wordless Wednesday had to be postponed yesterday as this site went dark in support of the Stop SOPA movement. And since the kids are off from school tomorrow (teacher workday,) I thought I would give you your Wordless Wednesday and Friday Funny post all rolled into one neat little package.  Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

I’ve decided to launch a new series on this site entitled Monday Meditations. The idea is to take a minute before diving into the week to reflect on a quote, story, poem, or photo.  And what better Monday to start such an endeavor than this Monday – Martin Luther Kinh, Jr. Day.  There was no shortage of quotes to choose from for today’s meditation.  In fact, the really hard part was in finding just one quote to reflect on today.

But after careful consideration, I think this one is a winner:

“History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.”

King was obviously referring to the civil rights movement when he wrote this, but his words are applicable to any situation where we are forced to choose between turning a blind eye to an injustice and speaking up for what is right.  And it’s a great quote to keep in mind today.

Got a favorite MLK quote?  Please share it here.

Photo Ron Cogswell

Remember all those tips saying you should cook rather than eat out? Well the USDA says we might just be wrong about that in the near future. A recent study by the government agency estimated the price gap between eating at home and dining out will narrow even further in 2012. Grocery prices are expected to rise 3 percent to 4 percent, while menu prices will likely go up 2 percent to 3 percent.

That doesn’t mean you have to resort to the McDonald’s Dollar Menu, however. It’s still cheaper to eat at home, but amateur chefs will have to cut even more corners this year. Here are a few tips on dining at home frugally in a dine-out world.

1. Shop on Tuesdays
Wednesdays are the heaviest shopping day for supermarkets as that’s when they publish their weekly newspaper ads. (Manufacturer ads are usually distributed with the Sunday paper.) That means grocery stores are interested in ditching last week’s produce and meats on Tuesday night. Talk to the butcher and produce clerks about slapping a better price on those products they’re about to toss.

2. Use Mobile Coupons
Shopping on Tuesday means you can’t take advantage of Wednesday coupons. Happily, you can access mobile coupons right there in the store from the Coupon Sherpa app. This fab app allows you to search for your favorite local store, access desirable coupons, then download them to your store loyalty card.

3. Plan Your Meals Around Ads
If you plan on shopping after newspaper inserts are printed, plan your menu around featured items and build a list before you hit the store. You can use apps like Grocery Gadget (Apple) and Grocery IQ (Android) to create lists based on your supermarket’s layout.

4. Shop Stores That Double Coupons
Not all supermarkets are willing to double-up on coupons, and not all maintain such a policy continuously. The acceptance rate has gone down since the advent of “Extreme Couponers,” so check before you start clipping. This practice is usually limited to specific days and allows you to double the face value of a coupon, up to a certain amount.

5. Don’t Overbuy Bulk
It may be tempting to buy the super-sized box of Cheerios, but you have to consider whether you’ll actually eat all those little oat donuts before they turn into rocks. Buy just enough to last until the next sale.

6. Limit Produce Purchases
Americans throw away roughly one quarter of the food we buy. For a family of four, that figures out to $2,200 a year in food, according to American Wasteland author Jonathan Bloom. Rather than grab fruits and vegetables that look appealing, stick to your list and avoid spoilage. You’re also more likely to use produce if you don’t hide it away in your refrigerator’s bins. Keep it in plain site or make a list of contents that you stick on the fridge drawer as a reminder.

7. Avoid Temptation
King Soopers (owned by Krogers) has launched new “Marketplace” stores in the west, with layouts similar to Whole Foods. Walk in the door and you’re immediately assaulted by the smell of stunning flower arrangements, fresh deli items, and beautifully arranged produce. It’s tempting to fill your cart in this section, so be on your guard. Also beware of the non-food items for sale, including everything from furniture to high-end jewelry.

8. Don’t Use a Cart
Ditch the carry-all cart and carry a basket for quick trips. The less room you have to fill, the less likely you are to make impulse purchases.

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc., and has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more.

Photo: Myrrien

Deanna Duke,The Non-Toxic Avenger: What You Don't Know Can Hurt You

by Deanna Duke

author, The Non-Toxic Avenger: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Choosing to eliminate toxins from your environment poses a lot of issues, not just with figuring out what the heck they are to begin with and what to replace them with, but also how to convince the rest of your family to play along.  When I undertook a radical project to completely remove exposure to known toxins from my family’s food, personal care products, toys, etc. it became a bit of a game.

On one hand, the best method was to just switch things out and hope they didn’t notice. This was certainly easiest to do with personal care products. My kids and husband weren’t exactly emotionally tied to a specific soap or laundry detergent and, for the most part, didn’t even know what were are using. Tougher things, like toothpaste, were met with some resistance but eventually were won over.

I did manage to make my daughter absolutely paranoid about flame retardants in her pajamas and she was always asking “is it safe?” as if she were the dentist in Dustin Hoffman’s Marathon Man film. I quickly realized I was driving her crazy with organic foods when I heard she was lecturing everyone in the lunchroom about their food selections, making it sound as if they were going to succumb to imminent death once they were consumed. I decided to back off on influencing them since they didn’t quite understand the nuances of my book project.

For the most part, beside the occasional paranoia, they didn’t really put up much of a fight. My daughter, Emma, didn’t balk when I surreptitiously got rid of some of her toys that had enormously high cadmium and lead counts and my son, Henry, complained but, ultimately, didn’t prevent me from adding a rainforest’s worth of tropical plants to help rid our indoor air of pollutants.

While a few things just ended up not being worth the fight and I let them have their way, the vast majority of changes were accepted and we all went on with our collective lives, with our household environment and other exposures being that much cleaner. And, it was completely worth the minimal struggle.

BIO:
Deanna Duke is the author of the blog, http://www.thecrunchychicken.com, and the author of the book, The Non-Toxic Avenger: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You.

But I am a mom.  Specifically, I’m a mom who is concerned about the environment and bases most of her decisions – whether it’s buying a cantoloupe or buying a car – on how it affects the environment.  And I’m a blogger who prides herself on relentlessly researching the products that are best for my family to share with readers so that they can make informed decisions for their families.

So, with that said, I have to admit that when I got the Ford invite, I was pretty excited to attend the event and see what all of the car manufacturers have in mind when it comes to greening our rides.

I have to admit, I was a little bleary-eyed when my alarm went off at 4:30 this morning so that I could hit the gym before the 6:00am departure that Ford had planned for us.  The early start was so that we could get a sneak peek at the new Ford Fusion.  When the cars came out onto the floor, the cobwebs started to clear from my brain.  And when they told me that the new Ford Fusion plug-in hybrid will get over 100 MPG-e (miles per gallon equivalent,) I really woke up.

Again, I’m not a car techie, and I won’t pretend to be.  So I’ll leave the car tech reviews to other bloggers.  But I will tell you that as a mom – a mom who will probably be buying a new car for her family in the next few years – I was pretty impressed with a number of the Fusion’s family-focused and safety features, such as:

MPG-e: As I mentioned, the new plug-in hybrid will get over 100 miles per gallon equivalent. That’s huge, HUGE for me.

MyKey: Ford feature (available on many newer models) allows parents to limit speed and audio volume to encourage teens to drive safer and improve fuel efficiency. Also reminds teens to buckle up.

MyFord Mobile: New app that let’s you charge your car or check charging status from your phone or laptop. Automatically charges car at off-peak times if possible, and tells you how far you can go on your current charge based on your driving history.

SmartGauge: This cool new tool gives drivers real-time info about energy use so that you can change your driving habits (don’t brake as hard or drive with the heat on full blast) to improve fuel efficiency.

LED-illuminated external charge port: This is minor, but I thought it was cute too. The plug-in port will be lit with an LED light that gives you the status of your battery’s charge.

Airbags and recycled seats: The new Fusion will come standard with six airbags and seats made from recycled plastic water bottles.

Here’s what I don’t know.  I don’t know how much the Ford Fusion will cost.  That obviously, will play a major role in whether or not I would consider purchasing it.  And without a test drive, I can;t say one way or another whether or not this car would be a good fit for my family.

But thus far, as a mom – a mom who cares deeply about environmental issues – I will say that I’m impressed.

Regardless of your nostalgic, Christmas-morning-frenzy memories, you’ll quickly learn that a no-holds-barred approach doesn’t go over well with your toddler — especially on the most anticipated morning of the year. Don’t wing it Christmas morning. Get a game plan together now so that your entire family can enjoy the holidays without going into meltdown mode.

1. Decide on a number of sweet treats allowed.
With the font of sucrose flowing throughout the holidays, be a sugar-monitor fiend and make sure other house visitors know your rules. If you have a struggle with, ahem, I-want-to-be-the-favorite grandmothers, get it out in the open first rather than commencing a power struggle on Christmas. According to the American Heart Association, children should limit their intake to about 4 teaspoons of added sugar each day.

2. Get to bed early the night before.
While establishing family traditions for Christmas takes precedence over toddler routine, make your plans reasonable for the younger crowd. Try to wrap up Christmas Eve activities early and give plenty of down time before going to sleep. Junior needs good rest to enjoy the following morning. He won’t get it if he stays up until 10:00 with out-of-town visitors.

3. Limit gift opening to a small number.
Three is good. This will be the hardest part of your holiday experience. Regardless of your convictions, the gift-giving fever kicks in at Toys ‘R Us and you go crazy buying, wrapping–and still more buying–several days ahead of Christmas. Even this late in the season you can nab holiday coupons from sites likeCouponSherpa.com for one or two special gifts — open them earlier in the week rather than all at once on Christmas morning.

4. Wrap up the morning with quiet time and a nap.
After opening a few presents and enjoying time with visiting family, give your toddler plenty of time to decompress alone in a quiet space. Review the fun times of the morning with her and read a special book to help calm her down. Be on the lookout for overstimulation — nasty meltdowns, hyperactivity, and avoiding eye contact should be a red flag to flee the scene and recover.

5. Plan a Christmas morning activity.
In the throngs of gift-wrap thrashing, laughing and emotion, kids with a typically predictable routine can become stressed out by the absence of normal. If your toddler is particularly sensitive to big events, make sure you have a small, soothing activity planned — like watercolor Christmas trees or lacing boards of holiday characters — to keep your little one anchored.

6. Space out opening gifts throughout the morning.
You’ll probably feel enormous pressure for your kid to open every gift, respond with enthusiasm and then give a huge, grateful “thank you” to the recipient. It just won’t happen if you rush through the gift opening. Some moms, like Mae at What To Expect, prefer to open one gift every other day for the week leading up to Christmas–a godsend when winter storms hit and the family is stuck indoors. Bare in mind that your preschooler will enjoy his offerings much more if he has time in between opening to play with the goodies.

7. Construct all disassembled toys the night before.
Most parents learn this the hard way after their first Christmas with kids. Kids don’t want to open up a box, especially the preschool crowd. They will either get frustrated while you sweat over a screwdriver and instructions written in Mandarin or lose complete interest. Skip the $5.99 for wrapping paper and tie a simple bow on your ready-to-play toys. Start putting them together now so you aren’t up past midnight, bleary eyed with a wrench, on Christmas Eve.

8. Don’t barrage your kids with posed pictures.
Get candid with these fantastic tips from Photography Blog! A surefire way to send your toddler into defiance is demanding he smile in a picture with his hand-knitted sweater. Even though Aunt Jean may get a little ticked off that she can’t see Junior with her woven creation Christmas morning, it’s not worth the struggle. Opt instead for unposed, spontaneous smiles.

Ashley Grimaldo comes from a long line of penny pinchers and enjoys blogging on money-saving tips and advice for frugal-minded parents. She lives with her husband and three children in Bryan, Texas. Ashley has been featured among such media outlets as Redbook, The Chicago Tribune, Time.com, and CBS News-Houston.

Do your house guests "stink?"

by Ashley Grimaldo

Aunt Jean is coming to town. You’ve known about it for months, but you’re days away from her camping out in your guest room with a plethora of denture accessories. And she knows just how to cook your turkey. Face reality and get a game plan, because compensating with bourbon refills can get pricey.

Sharing your home can be an awesome experience, even for folks who prefer themselves to non-resident relatives. But it just wouldn’t be the holidays without stuffed turkeys or stuffed houses–so cozy up with these sanity-saving tips.

1. Make a meal-sharing spreadsheet.
After a decade of gathering for Thanksgiving with my mother’s extended relatives, we finally wised up and started assigning cooking and cleaning to each family. We went OCD on the plans and made sure each group knew what they were responsible for. Make the most of Facebook to send out small group messages.

2. Stock your guest’s area with necessities.
Include two towels, an extra blanket and enough toiletries to get them through a weekend–then let them know where they are. Don’t forget to leave a few bestsellers and magazines on the nightstand for late-night reading.

3. Practice sharing a room before guests arrive.
Most of us don’t have spare rooms lying around throughout our house–your guests will most likely need to encroach on current inhabitants. If those evicted youngsters are under three, let them share a room with their older siblings a couple nights ahead so they will sleep well when company arrives.

4. Plan family walks.
Two big ideas here: you will eat far more than you should (despite your steely resolve) and cabin fever leads to badness (as dramatized in The Shining). It’s not an option. Everyone goes, rain or shine. This year, your clan can even walk to the nearest Best Buy or Walmart to protest early Black Friday deals. Doesn’t that sound like fun?

5. Make a list of things to do in town (and not in your house).
If taking a brisk post-turkey walk outside isn’t an option, have a list of fun activities read to suggest for weekend guests. Think movies, bowling or, for the thrill-seekers, Black Friday shopping. Free is good, but it needs to be done away from the house at times.

6. Text or email directions ahead of time (with a map included).
While many of us have good access to immediate maps with our smarty-pants phones, older folks would rather have clear, printed directions before taking to the road. Rather than playing GPS for multiple parties on the night of arrival, send out an email with a map of your place and typed directions on how to get there. Include other need-to-know stops nearby, like grocery stores and pharmacies.

7. Invest in a good air mattress.
If you aren’t a fan of air mattresses, you haven’t slept on a good one. But you’ll have to pay more for a bed that doesn’t leak. They will run you over $100, but if you buy a discount gift card to Sears from sites like GiftCardGranny, you’ll save around $10 on a queen-sized bed.

8. Ask about food allergies.
It seems most of the world is now deathly allergic to at least one food (or food group), but as the host, you have the responsibility of accommodating for preference and allergy. Eating With Food Allergies has a fabulous guide to preparing a quality Thanksgiving meal sans EpiPen.

9. Buy several plastic-lidded cups.
Unless you’d like a mass of unidentified cups sprouting around your house, watering the carpet, get a batch of souvenir cups with lids to contain the mess. Let each guest autograph their own cup with a permanent marker and let them take a piece of the holidays home with them.

10. Ask big groups to bring their own pillows, blankets and towels.
Yes, this is normally understood, but everyone needs a reminder. If your overnight guest list is really long, suggest bringing towels and sheets as well. Put a hamper in a central location near the bedroom so guests who strip the sheets don’t have to wonder where to put them.

11. Make plans for visiting pets.
Our furry friends seem to be more than just four-legged friends these days. If your cat-crazy relatives can’t make it through the weekend without toting Whiskers along, address it ahead of time. Consult this list of Thanksgiving safety tips for dogs, and make sure you, as the host, know if the animal is quiet. A barking dog can kill the holiday cheer in five minutes.

12. Enjoy the moment and don’t stress over plans!
These holiday memories won’t roll around forever–have some perspective and be a gracious host. Be thankful you have a generous space to share and let your cooky relatives enjoy it as well!

Ashley Grimaldo comes from a long line of penny pinchers and enjoys blogging on money-saving tips and advice for frugal-minded parents. She lives with her husband and three children in Bryan, Texas. Ashley has been featured among such media outlets as Redbook, The Chicago Tribune, Time.com, and CBS News-Houston.

Photo by Foxtongue/Flickr