The Green Parent

‘Tis the season for the winter holidays. In my house, this is the time of year when we deck the halls, talk about the nativity story, play the dreidel game, set up the kinara, decorate the tree, and whip up the eco-friendly menorah. No, I haven’t lost my mind.  Much to my daughters’ dismay, we [...]

Today’s Giveaway: Universal Family Music’s 6-CD collection of tunes the whole family will love. Enter here. Got a tween who loves to shop?  Is it possible to teach them to do it green?  That’s the question The Green Parent posed to Trendy Diva, a self-professed tween diva and uber-shopper, and her mom, a self-professed greenie [...]

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably already heard about the environmental and health benefits of buying organic food. But how about when it comes to clothing? When you’re not swapping or borrowing clothes, is it worth the extra $$ to buy organic clothing over conventionally produced? As Nate Koach (president of organic [...]

By now you’ve probably heard the green parenting message that you need to shut off the water tap while brushing your teeth and take shorter showers to conserve water. But do you know how much water you’re using each day at the store? Take this quiz to see how much water it takes to manufacture [...]

Why pay for good food only to throw it away? It doesn’t make sense, yet it’s something that all of us have done. That’s why 12% of the U.S. waste stream is made up of food scraps. Keep your hard earned dollars out of the trash by using these simple tips to help reduce your [...]

“The competition for kids’ mind share is intense… Everything from Disney Princess to That’s So Raven to Pirates of the Caribbean we position as a lifestyle brand, and we are able to drive that lifestyle message through product.” — Jim Fielding, executive vice president of global retail, sales, and marketing, Disney Consumer Products* With Thanksgiving [...]

I usually make it a rule in my house that we don’t talk, shop, or decorate for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. Any sooner than that and we risk an all-encompassing holiday burn-out. This year, however, I am making an exception, so that I can thoroughly research all of the eco-savvy new games/books/toys/and gizmos [...]

You’ve carved pumpkins, put together a costume, decorated the house, had a Halloween party, and picked up your Halloween goodies to hand out on the big night. Now it’s time to grab your little ones and head out for a fun night of trick-or-treating. Here’s how to keep it green: Carry A Reusable Sac: Grab [...]

If you’re shopping for treats to hand out this Halloween, you are likely to find a frightening assortment of artificial ingredients, plastic packaging, and sweatshop trinkets. How scary! Steer clear of these ghoulish wares and Green Your Halloween by giving out treats that don’t trick! Here are a few ideas: Fair Trade Chocolates: Chocolate is [...]

What is your stance on Wal-Mart? To me, Wal-Mart represents all that is good and bad with the world. As a parent, I am easily lulled by the convenience of doing all of my shopping in one place and the ability to purchase products at “affordable” prices. However, any joy I may feel from the [...]

Want to save money and the planet while reducing the clutter in your home? Try this old money saving trick the next time you are at the store…if you see an item you want, leave it at the store and promise yourself that if you really, really need it, you will pick it up the [...]

Whether you’re at home or at work, get in the habit of using both sides of a piece of paper. Kids’ art projects, grocery lists, and messages can give paper a second life. Check with your kids’ school to see if any of your waste (such as jars, magazines, paper towel rolls, newspapers, or plastic [...]