It's That Time Again!

Once again, Glass Dharma is giving away free glass straws for Earth Day. This annual giveaway is bigger than ever so there's been a slight change this year, with entrants receiving a $6 coupon code and paying $3 shipping for the straw. This is still a great deal. 

Whether you want to try glass straws for the first time or you're looking to add to your collection, don't miss out! Glasss Dharma asks that you watch a 4 minute video, answer 10 questions, and provide some basic information to receive the coupon code. 

Click here to get yours now!

Monday A La Mode: July 22, 2013

It's that time again! What's new and now? What info will green moms appreciate? If I come across I share it here each week. Here's what we have this week...

Get this Subscription:

• My daughter received a gift subscription to World Wildlife Fund's kids magazine. I find that I enjoy it as much as her! In this month's issue, they posted a link to their online climate report. It's organized into tabs so it's easy to navigate and is great for all ages. Click here to see for yourself and maybe even get a subscription for your kids.

Contest Alert:

• Glass Dharma is choosing finalists this week for their #midsummersip photo contest. If you participated by tagging your Instagram and/or Twitter photos of your glass straws, you must still send your Twittter handle or Instagram name to cn (at) glassdharma (dot) com to be considered as they are choosing finalists. My daughter and I had a great time with this contest!

Money Saving Tip:

• Ever wonder whether you actually save money when you turn that thermostat up then down? What's the best temperature for your a/c? Should you turn it off while you are at work? I found an article that answers these questions! Click here to read it now and save on those summer power bills. 

That's it for this Monday. Have a happy week! And don't forget to share this with your friends using the Twitter and Facebook buttons below. 

H is for Hemp

H is for what? I know, I know, you're wondering why in the heck I'd want to talk about hemp, which is precisely why I chose this topic. And if you will bear with me, you'll see! 

Hemp often gets a bad rep because people confuse it with marijuana. Hemp, however, is not psychoactive (meaning it will not get you high). Hemp is a quite useful plant that has been used for at least 8000 years! Not only can the fibers in the stalks be used similarly to cotton, but hemp seed is very nutritious. Hemp is also the most sustainable bio fuel and can be used to make plastics.

Hemp can also be used to make paper. It produces more pulp per acre than trees and is more easily sustainable. Paper products made from hemp have also been said to be more durable and can be recycled more times. 

Did you know that hemp is naturally resistant to most insects and is therefore very easy to grow organically? Hemp also suppresses weeds, all on its own, without the help of herbicides. 

Are we starting to see why hemp is kinda cool? And why environmentalists champion it's use? There are more than 25000 documented uses for hemp! 

A few hemp products that I love:

• Straw covers for carrying your glass straw in a pocket, purse, or backpack. You can buy these (and the straws) at www.GlassDharma.com.
• At www.Hempys.com, you can find a new hemp purse for yourself and some hemp board shorts for him!

Do you own any hemp products or have links to some items you love?

Free Straw Update

Did you remember to sign up for the Glass Dharma newsletter when I told you about the 1000 Straw Giveaway? Check your email! Instructions for claiming your straw are in the emial newsletter sent out on Monday, March 4, 2013. It's super easy and I've already claimed mine. I love the pledge that they are asking everyone to sign and I plan to print it and place it on the fridge as a reminder to everyone in the house. Are you printing your pledge certificate?

If you missed out on the free straw giveaway, you can still take the pledge. The following is copied and pasted from the pledge Glass Dharma sent and is in no way my work. I am only sharing:


The PlanetCare™ pledge

Five ways that I pledge active PlanetCare™ responsibility to make a difference in 2013 and beyond 

I, ____________________ pledge: 

1. To seek plastic alternatives by researching everyday items and finding manufacturers that supply plastic-free alternatives, like Glass Dharma drinking straws, ECOlunchbox stainless food containers, Pura Stainless reusable metal water bottles, ECOBAGS organic cotton bags, bambu kitchen & travel ware, etc… 
2. To rethink each purchase (How long will I use/need this item? Where will it go once I have finished using it?) 
3. To shop locally whenever possible to support my local community and to reduce shipping energy. 
4. To keep reusable bags, reusable water bottles, reusable straws and reusable food 
containers close at hand for shopping, traveling and eating out at Restaurants. 
5. To use my personal power to “choose what I use” and serve as an example for others in 
making a difference!

Too Cool for School Giveaway and Sponsor Spotlight: Glass Dharma

Welcome to the Too Cool For School Giveaway Hop hosted by BloggerPR! Summer has come to an end, which means it is time to send the kids back to school. Parents are scrambling to replenish their school supplies collection and get all of the requirements on those supplies lists, so BloggerPR decided to host a giveaway hop to help everyone win some of those back to school necessities!  This event will run from September 1st through 9th, which gives you plenty of time to hop down the linky list below! Each blogger is giving away prizes valued $20 or more, so you don’t want to miss out! Good luck and have a great school year!

I first learned about Glass Dharma on another blog and fell in love with the idea of glass straws immediately. Glass Dharma is changing the planet, one straw at a time! I was so excited that this company wanted to work with Mama Making Changes and they sent me 4 straws to review and keep. Here they are:

Let me tell you a little about the "what" and "why" behind Glass Dharma.

Plastic, which is often made from petroleum, releases harmful chemicals into the atmosphere when it is produced and when it is recycled. Much plastic is never recycled at all, meaning it sits in landfills, where it can take hundreds of years to decay. As it decays, most plastics leach chemicals into the ground, which contaminates ground water and soil. Some never decay because of conditions in the landfills. 

Most straws are not even recyclable! And most are made from petroleum, which is a finite resource as we all know from watching the prices at the gas pump! According to Ecocycle, Americans use an average of 1.6 straws per person per day. That adds up to more than 500 million straws per year in America alone! Nearly every one of those straws goes in the garbage!

Decorative Dots on Glass Dharma Straws

Glass Dharma has a beautiful, affordable, and eco-friendly alternative to plastic straws! Their gorgeous glass straws come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. I received four to review and I loved them all. My favorite is the bent straw! You can also choose whether you want short or long, wide or narrow. Glass Dharma also offers decorated straws, that have colorful dots, also made of glass, attached at the upper end of the straw, just so you can show off a little!  

Worried that your straws will break? Afraid to let the kids use them? All of the straws have a lifetime guarantee against breakage, so no need to worry about that! And if you want to take it with you so that you don't use plastic straws on the go, Glass Dharma sells 100% hemp bags in assorted colors that will keep your straw clean while it travels in your purse, pocket, or anywhere else!

Cleaning brushes come in two sizes.

For washing your straw, Glass Dharma sells a special cleaning brush that you can add to your order. The brush is made of stainless steel with medical grade nylon bristles, so one $5 brush will last through years of cleaning your glass straws. 

Glass Dharma also does fundraisers. What a great way to spread awareness. Talk to your organization about selling glass straws to raise money and you can educate people at the same time. Let's put a dent in that 500 million.

Happy to test the smoothie straw!

Can you sense my excitement? I am crazy about these straws! And the best part is yet to come! Glass Dharma is giving one lucky reader a $25 gift certificate to use for anything on their site! Can we say "YAY!" ? 

Check back September 1- 9 to enter the giveaway, which is part of the Too Cool For School Giveaway Hop, sponsored by Blogger PR. In the meantime, take a look at the Glass Dharma website and tell me what you think. Are you as excited as me about having a glass straw to take with you everywhere you go?

Disclaimer: I received products to keep in exchange for an honest review of the products on this site. I have not received money for this review and all of the opinions expressed are my own. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway