Monday A La Mode: July 8, 2013

It's Monday and that means it's time for the 2nd edition of Monday A La Mode. The 2nd edition should technically have been last week, but since my daughter and I were both blessed with food poisoning Sunday night I could not possibly have written anything. Heck, I couldn't possibly have turned on the computer! Thankfully this Monday is better, so without further ado, let me tell you about some of the things I've discovered lately...

HAVE YOU HEARD...

• In 2003 a band named The Postal Service released an album titled Give Up. Many of the songs have been featured in movies and commercials, so you may be surprised to recognize them. Check out Mama's Marvelous Musical Playlist in the sidebar at right to hear them now. I'm loving this album!

PRODUCTS YOU SHOULDN'T MISS...

• Check out bogobrush.com before you buy your next toothbrush. For every sustainably produced, biodegradable, bamboo toothbrush you buy from bogobrush, one is donated to someone in need. (According to their website, 80 million Americans lack access to dental care.) They are accepting pre-orders now and expect to start shipping by the end of this summer.
• Re-usable shopping bags are an important step in becoming more earth friendly, but good-looking bags can be expensive. I was so happy to come across snapsac.com this week! Their bags a fold-over flap that snaps closed at the top of the bag. When not in use, fold the bag and the snap closure keeps it folded. Bonus? Their grocery bags are only $3.99 and come in a variety of cute styles!
• It can be difficult to find eco-friendly clothing. Who has time to browse and scour the clothes racks? Or for that matter the internet? Two companies that only sell sustainable organic clothing are Earth Creations and Autonomie Project. For shoes, try The People's Movement - they pick up plastic off California beaches and turn it into shoes and wallets with minimal processing. I ordered a pair!

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER...

• I'm not a fan of soft drinks or, therefore, soft drink manufacturers. But I am a fan of any contest that gets people outside more often. Coca Cola is sponsoring the Take It to the Park contest. Just click here to vote for your favorite park and get extra votes by checking in at your park using FourSquare. The winning park receives a large grant from Coke!

DID YOU KNOW...

• July is Baked Beans Month! If you didn't have enough at your Independence Day get-togethers, now you have an excuse to treat yourself. Do you use brown sugar? Molasses? Maple syrup? Honey? Do you top yours with bacon? Have you ever tried baked beans on toast? 

Hope you found something new and useful this Monday! Have a great week!

Mama's Green Gift Guide

Have you started Christmas shopping? 

Like me, do you tend to wait till the last minute? 

I like to do lots of research and window shopping first. Then I do the shopping in December. 

This year I have decided that I may as well share the fruits of my labor. I am working on a list of great green gift ideas to post! The Green Gift Guide will be posted on Mama Making Changes in early November so that you can start shopping in plenty of time to have items delivered to your door. 

In the meantime, if you have your own products or would like to recommend other items for the Green Gift Guide, I will be happy to have a look! Please feel free to send submissions to mamamakingchanges@aim.com by 11:59pm Eastern Time on Saturday, November 3, 2012.

And stay tuned for more info on Mama Making Changes' Green Gift Guide! 

Grocers Take Note: How Green Parents Shop

More and more people are becoming aware of the need to be more eco-friendly and are willing to make changes to help the cause. Some are willing to make only small changes for now, while others (like me) are jumping head first into green living and making some major changes. Green moms and dads want to teach and share a healthier, greener way of living with their children, too, with the expectation that their generation will continue in the same tradition. We want our families to realize the impact their choices have on themselves and the world around them.

A big part of green living is what we eat and what we feed our families. But do grocers take us seriously? Do they think about what we are and are not willing to buy? A report from EcoFocus Worldwide shows that they certainly should. According to their research, 50% of moms will change brands when given a more eco-friendly option and 2 out of 5 are willing to pay more for a more eco-friendly choice. 

Of course, sometimes it can be difficult to know what the true eco-friendly choices are when shopping. Not all brands are what they seem. "Natural" doesn't always mean what you would think it does and some "organic" brands are actually using GMO ingredients. The term "greenwashing" refers to these brands that would have you believe you are making a better choice when really you are not. For example, Burt's Bees is owned by Clorox and Naked Juice is owned by Pepsi-Cola. Neither is a green company. 


My best advice is to grow it and/or make it yourself whenever possible. When you can't? 

• Look for certifications on products,like the Energy Star logo, Green Seal, USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified or the Forest Stewardship Council logo, to help you choose products that are truly eco-friendly. To learn more about certifications on labels and what they mean, check out Consumer Reports eco-labels.
• When a product has a claim to be natural or green, look beyond the labeling for an explanation. If they don't list the how and why, they may be greenwashing. 
• Buy groceries at the local farmer's market before heading to the supermarket and you may be surprised at how little you from the grocery store. More than vegetables and fruits are available. We buy meat, milk, eggs, bread, butter, cookies, soap, and more at our market! Just be sure to know who you are buying from and what their growing practices are. It's okay to ask! "Are these vegetables organically grown?" "Were these grown locally or did you ship them in?" "Where is your farm?" And beware pretty produce...organically grown foods are typically not as picture perfect. 
• When you find brands you trust, buy them often and recommend them to friends and family. What we buy directly impacts what grocers carry. How we spend our money tells them what we want on the shelf. 
• Do your research! Food is a lot of what green blogs talk about and you can blog hop your way to a ton of knowledge, learning from the experiences of others. 

Next time you shop for groceries, pause for a moment and ask yourself, "What is my shopping cart saying?"