In addition to their contribution to global warming, traditional art supplies also contain a slew of dubious chemicals and solvents. Non-toxic art supplies are not only better for the planet, they’re also better for your family’s health as they don’t off-gas noxious chemicals. And while they certainly aren’t edible, you won’t have to panic quite as much if you see your toddler gnawing on a beeswax crayon as you would if she were chewing on a petroleum-based variety.

The good news is that there are green options available for just about any color of your budding Picasso’s palette. Here’s how to find eco-friendly art supplies:

Seal the Deal

: Look for the ACMI seal (Art and Creative Materials Institute) on everything from paints to crayons to glue to ensure that the product is non-toxic for both your child and the planet.

Recycle It: Your child’s prized artwork will look just as good on recycled paper as it would on a clean sheet. Look for 100% post-consumer waste paper at the store or raid your recycle bin for homemade scraps.

DIY It: Can’t find eco-friendly art supplies in your area? Make your own instead! Click here to learn how to make your own recycled paper and be sure to check out The Green Parent: A Kid-Friendly Guide to Earth-Friendly Living for an awesome organic play dough recipe.

Why Go Green?

The standard solvent used in 85% of the dry cleaners in the U.S. is is perchloroethylene (or Perc), a central nervous system depressant known to cause headaches, nausea, and dizziness. It has been linked to reproductive problems, including miscarriage and male infertility and it hasbeen listed as a hazardous air pollutant and a probable human carcinogen under the federal standards. Perc is also rough on the planet, contributing to both air and water pollution.

How To Green Your Dry Cleaning

1. Skip It: It goes without saying (but I’m going to say it anyhow), the most eco-friendly thing you can do is to avoid clothes that require dry cleaning.

2. Get Wet: If you do have clothes that need to be dry cleaned, look for a “wet cleaner” that uses computer-controlled washers and dryers in combination with water and non-toxic, biodegradable detergents to clean delicate fabrics such as wool, silk, linen or rayon. Wet cleaning does not contribute to air or water pollution and it’s safe for the people cleaning your clothes. (Here’s a directory of wet cleaners.)

3. Give It Some Gas: Dry cleaning that uses liquid carbon dioxide is another green alternative. This technology uses CO2 that is captured from existing industrial and agricultural emissions (so it doesn’t contribute to global warming) . Several years ago, Consumer Reports compared eco-friendly dry cleaning methods and gave the edge to liquid CO2 for producing the best results in tests for shrinkage, discoloration, and preservation of texture. However, this method is “less green” than wet-cleaning as it does use detergents that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

4. Green Earth: GreenEarth dry cleaning utilizes a silicone-based solvent, siloxane, to clean clothes in a process similar to traditional cleaning. It is often billed as “green” because the chemicals it uses are less toxic than Perc. However, there is still concern about the safety of siloxane for both human and environmental health. Siloxane is highly flammable, it is manufactured using chlorine, and its use may release dioxin emissions. And the verdict is still out on whether or not siloxane is a carcinogen.

Materials

8 Toilet Paper Roll Tubes
1 Paper Towel Roll Tube
1 long board or box
Recycled Aluminum Foil
Recycled Paper (I used scrap pieces of red, orange, and yellow recycled construction paper)
Non Toxic Paints (I used blue and white)
Non-Toxic Glue

This craft is eco-friendly because it recycles items that you probably already have before they hit the trash bin. So take a look around and see what you can scrounge together while assembling your materials. If you don’t have non-toxic paints, you could use leftover wrapping paper, markers, or the back side of scratch paper instead. No tin foil in the recycle box? Use muffin cups, extra garland, or a silver marker instead. If you don’t have enough toilet paper or paper towel roll tubes laying around, ask friends to give you theirs (yes, they will laugh). You should have plenty within a few days. You get the idea.

Putting It Together

Here’s how I put this craft together, but feel free to get creative and change it up to suit your materials and your kids.

1. Using your non-toxic paints, paint each toilet paper roll tube and the long board blue. Paint the paper towel tube white. Let everything dry and decorate however you’d like.
2. Cut out nine squares (about 2-3 inches in size) from the aluminum foil.
3. Glue aluminum foil to the long board. Then glue each tube to the foil as shown in picture, making sure to place the paper towel roll in the middle of the board.
4. Cut out the flame shapes from your recycled paper.
5. Using tape, adhere the “flames” to the “candles.” Light the middle candle (the paper towel roll) first, and then one additional toilet paper candle on each night of Hanukkah.

Are you worried about your holiday gift list this year? With all of the news about global warming and environmental degradation, let alone sweatshop labor and toxic toys, what’s a Green Parent to do? Never fear, there are tons of gifts that you can give to show your spirit without selling your soul. Here, without further ado, is The 2007 Green Parent Holiday Gift List…a list of gifts you can feel good about:

Give The Gift That Gives Back

Charities: Check out The Charity Navigator (www.charitynavigator.org) to find a charitable organization to match the interests of anyone on your list. The independent site lists charities by category and gives detailed information about the mission, efficiency, and capacity of thousands of organizations.

For The Little Idealist: Even the youngest recipient will be delighted with a charitable gift that piques her interest. Does the kid on your list love books? Donate her favorite title to the local library. Does he love the outdoors? Give him a gift membership to the Sierra Club (www.sierraclub.org) or the Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org). Or adopt-an-animal from the World Wildlife Fund and your recipient will receive info about the animal as well as a plush version to cuddle. For more ideas check out Idealist.org (www.idealist.org) for a listing of charitable groups that were founded by kids.

Offsets: Help friends and family offset their carbon footprint with a gift of renewable energy credits (RECs) or greentags. The money you spend on carbon offsets will be used to support projects that reduce or sequester carbon emissions. Check out Carbon Neutral (www.carbonneutral.com) or Green Tags USA (www.greentagsusa.org) to calculate carbon emissions and purchase greentags.

No-Waste Gifts

Flowers: Send your loved ones a bouquet you can feel good about from Organic Bouquet (www.organicbouquet.com.) For something unique, try the Fresh Myrtle Wreath Frame; a beautifully lush wreath made from domestically grown myrtle. It can be used as a frame, a wreath, or a centerpiece. $64.95

Chocolates: The holidays just wouldn’t be the same without chocolate. Dagoba Organic Chocolate (www.dagobachocolate.com), Green & Black’s (www.greenandblacks.com), and Newman’s Own Organic Chocolate (www.newmansownorganics.com) all make deliciously decadent organic chocolate selections. For something extra fancy, try Art Bite Chocolates made from organic Costa Rican chocolates. These hand decorated treats come in four delectable flavors: Whole Pistachios, Dried Ranier Cherries, a local specialty, Organic Cocoa Nibs and Chipotle Pepper, $29.95 (for 1 dozen).

Eco-Friendly Sweets: If your child has a sweet tooth (and what child doesn’t!) he will love making his own treats with a Glee Kit. Choose between the Chewing Gum Kit, the Gummy Candy Kit, and the Chocolate Kit. Each one comes with all of the ingredients necessary to make the treat as well as fun stories and info about the origins of the candy.

Toys You Can Trust

Roy Toy Building Sets: Roy Toy Classic building Sets, such as the Log Cabin and the Fort are Made in the U.S.A. from solid wood and non-toxic finishes. Each set contains over 140 all-wood pieces and a complete set of building instructions so kids can use to get down to building. $29.95

The Power House Kit: from Gaiam gives kids the supplies they need to build a model house complete with PV solar panels, wind turbine, greenhouse, and desalination system. The kit comes with an illustrated manual that includes 70 experiments and 20 building activities. $175.00

Organic Cotton Stuffed Animals: Look for a stuff animal, like this puppy or bear from Gaiam, that contains nothing but pure 100% organic cotton and low eco-impact dyes. $12.99

Puppets: Sequoia Wildlife Finger Puppet Playset: This beautiful playset contains six wildlife puppets (owl, bear, blue jay, squirrel, hare and fox) and a 17-inch plush sequoia tree. Older kids can put on puppet shows for little ones (and vice versa) to learn about animals, nature, and communication. Net proceeds of the sale of this toy benefit the Sierra Club. $39.95.

Cool Eco-Friendly Stuff

Gifts To Pamper: Does someone you know need a little pampering? Try the Feel Amazemint gift set from Aveda with all-natural products that cool, refresh, and protect the skin from environmental damage. $29.99. Or try the Angelica Gift Set from Aubrey Organics, a light citrus parfum and bath powder (made from rice and tapioca…not talc) set made from organic ingredients that are certified cruelty-free and vegan. $21.95

Eco Gadgets: Boys can’t resist their toys, so gadgets such as a hand-crank flashlight for the car or a solar-powered radio for the boat are sure to be a hit. Check out Sundance Solar (http://store.sundancesolar.com) for a number of eco-gadget selections.

Recycled Gadgets: Motherboard Business Card Case: This sleek case has a circuit board cover which fits snugly over a brass-colored metal base. Holds up to a dozen cards. No two patterns are exactly alike. $25.00 or Record Label Holiday Ornaments Laser cut from vintage 45 rpm records, these zero waste ornaments come packaged in sets of three different records in a clear, recyclable box. $18 for a set of three.

Books For All Ages

Hoot by Carl Haissen

Nature’s Art Box by Laura C. Martin and David Cain

The Lorax by Dr. Seuss

The Magic Schoolbus: At The WaterWorks by Joanna Cole,

The Gaia Girl Series by Lee Welles

WoodsWalk by Henry W. Art and Michael W. Robbins

Worms Eat My Garbage: How To Set Up & Maintain A Worm Composting System by Mary Appelholf

Nothing says “sucker” quite like the sight of a human being bending over to pick up a pile of doggie doo. Having a pet is like having a toddler that will never become potty trained. You’re stuck in perpetual diaper duty. And all of that duty makes for a pile of doodie that needs to go somewhere. Fortunately, you can still be a Green Parent while tending to your pet’s needs. Here’s how:

Dogs:

Why place biodegradable doggie doo in a plastic bag that will keep it locked up for hundreds (if not thousands) of years? Instead, look for biodegradable poop bags that can be thrown in the compost bin (for use on non-food plants) or collected at your curb with other biodegradable yard waste. EcoChoices makes reasonably priced bags that are 100% biodegradable and made from non-genetically modified corn.

Cats: Traditional clumping clay litter is made from strip-mined clay that is infused with carcinogenic silica dust and sodium bentonite, chemicals that are harmful for the health of your cat as well as your children. Look for a non-toxic, biodegradable kitty litter such as the wheat-based, Swheat Scoop.

Rabbits: If you keep your rabbit in a cage, do not use cedar or other wood shavings as litter or bedding as these may cause liver damage or trigger allergic reactions. Like cats, rabbits can be litter trained and do best with organic litters made of paper, wood pulp, or citrus.

Ferrets: Ferrets also do well with a litter box. Look for biodegradable litters made from paper or plant fibers. And be sure to scoop regularly as ferrets are not great at the “cover-up.”

Brr…Well folks, summer is officially over and the crisp cool air of fall is moving in. Before you know it, winter will be here, and despite the best efforts of global warming, many of us will still have to deal with snow and ice this season. And while the white stuff isn’t falling yet, the temperatures are already dipping into the freezing zone in many regions. So, I wanted to go ahead and post this information about non-toxic anti-freeze solutions that are safer for the environment, your children and your pets.

1. Ice Clear: This solution is a non-toxic, bio-based, food-grade solution that works just as well as conventional anti-freeze for de-icing sidewalks but without the petroleum based, toxic chemicals.

2. Birdseed: Use bird seed on icy sidewalks. It gives you traction, and the birds help to break up the ice while they eat it.

3. Vinegar: Mix up a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water and spray it on your car’s windshield before you go to bed. It will keep the ice from forming on your windshield and save you that early morning scraping.

4. Propylene Glycol: For your car, look for an anti-freeze that uses propylene glycol in place of it’s toxic cousin, ethylene glycol. Propylene glycol is still petroleum based so it is not great for the environment, but it is non-toxic and safe for pets and children.