Well Easter is one holiday that is really not very eco-friendly. There’s the cheap plastic eggs, the plastic grass, the brightly colored candy full of artificiality. But, for those that celebrate there are plenty of ways to make choices that are friendlier to the planet and your wallet.

Baskets: An essential for that egg hunt!

1. If you already have a basket, reuse it! Reusing is the first rule of green. Unless your basket contains toxic materials, like PVC, keep on using it.
2. You can make your own from paper, wool, or traditional basket-making materials depending on how crafty you are.
3. Buy a fair trade basket. Locally made or even just American made from companies that pay a fair wage are other good options.

Grass: Get rid of the fake grass! Not only is it a pain to deal with, but it is definitely not green. There are several more natural options if you need a cushier look for your basket.

1. Shred paper in the recycling bin or old magazines. Once the holiday is over you can either compost or use for shipping packages.
2. Buy a natural and/or recyclable filler like raffia or Kraft shred.
3. Grow real grass right inside your basket! Line your basket with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Fill with soil. Sprinkle a handful of wheatberries (takes a week or so to sprout) or rye grass (takes 2-3 weeks to sprout). Keep warm and moist and once it begins to sprout put it in the sunlight.

Eggs:

1. Buy local and/or buy organic.
2. Make your own dyes with 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp vinegar, and a few drops of food coloring until you get the desired shade. It will take just a few minutes for the eggs to turn a nice color with this method.
3. Want to make even more natural dyes? Not quite as kid-friendly as the best way is to boil color with eggs, but it might be fun for the little ones to gather up the supplies around the kitchen and see how they create the colors on the eggs. Click here for detailed instructions.

Treats:

1. For those that simply must have candy. Try fair trade chocolate, organic lollipops, or organic fruit snacks. Natural Candy Store even has vegan, kosher, and allergen-free among their selections.
2. Cute Duck and Frog washcloths are fun for the little ones.
3. Books: Counting In The Garden, Guess How Much I Love You, Little Quack Music: Animal Playground -are all great choices for kids.
4. Cute little Spring shoes and outfits for baby!
5. Wooden play food is a fun choice for kids over 3. Apples, carrots, pears.
6. A pocket magnifying glass for examining bugs or leaves for your little explorer.
7. Fat Rabbit with Snuggle Blanket is a sweet gift for babies.
8. Under The Nile’s plush organic fruit and veggies are perfect for little Easter baskets.

Try one way to make your holiday a little greener or try them all, but in any way have a hoppy Easter!

Photo by Ann via Flickr’s Creative Commons

That’s my little bean down there…

Spring Tulip Festival started today for all you Portlanders! http://www.woodenshoe.com/

Clementine NW has new organic clothing for baby, plus accessories, for the warm weather ahead! Robeez sandals anyone?

This 2 -piece set with denim apron and peach blossom knit dress underneath is one of my favorites for baby girls this season. Add the white sun hat and you are set for a day at the park!

This lilac hoodie is perfect for those crisp Spring mornings when you need a little layering!

This denim overall set almost makes me wish I had another baby boy to dress! Almost.

According to my 5 year old this bright orange tee for boys is “Awesome!”?

Check out all the new Spring items for baby now!

Spring is almost here! We were able to get in a short walk yesterday after a downpour. We all need our outside time! The 5 year old and I counted the different types and colors of flowers we saw along the way. Including a beautiful camellia. The 3 year old was much more interested in counting garbage cans. What can I say, he loves anything related to garbage trucks- “Garbage trucks are very helpful!”

I actually forgot today was St. Patrick’s Day, I am sure to the dismay of my husband’s Irish relatives, and my kids if they realized it! Nobody is wearing green. We don’t do corned beef and cabbage. Probably won’t be drinking any Guinness either, at least not me!

I do think this afternoon we will try to go search for four leaf clovers out in the yard. That way we can get our green hour in and have a fun St. Patrick’s Day activity to do too!

More St. Patrick’s Day activities from around the web:

• Using recycled materials and easy to find supplies, preschoolers and toddlers can make cute and simple crafts to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

• Eco-Friendly St. Patrick’s Day Crafts

• Magic Treasure Box (I may have to try this one next year!)

• To Catch A Leprechaun (This one sounds pretty fun too)

Just remember that there is really no need for cheap plastic St. Patrick’s Day junk. Kids have more fun upcycling, recycling, and reusing things found around the house for the fun crafts listed above, or to come up with their own! Plus for the greenest of holidays, finding green in the great outdoors is a piece of cake!

Does your family have any fun St. Patrick’s Day traditions? Please share, I need some good ideas for next year!

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing

Photo via Flickr

March 16-20, 2009 is National Wildlife Week. Founded in 1938 by the National Wildlife Federation, the week-long event was created to bring a greater awareness of wildlife conservation.

There are so many activities for kids on NWF’s website, but isn’t the best way to bring about awareness of conservation getting outside? Of course! So here are their seven suggestions for engaging kids in the backyard or community and getting their Green Hour in:

1) Skipping Stones 

2) Make a Milk Jug Bird Feeder

3) Take a Wild Alphabet Hike

4) Make a Bug Vacuum

5) Make a Water Scope

6) Frog Fun!

7) Take Nature Photos like a Pro

Here in Oregon, the forecast calls for rain, rain, and more rain this week. (Still hoping we’ll see a little bit of sun later on!) I know this makes me less inclined to take the kids outside, but reading that a Kaiser Family Foundation study found that the average American child spends 44 hours per week (more than 6 hours a day!) staring at some kind of electronic screen fuels my desire to make sure that my kids are more connected with nature, less likely to become obese, and lovers of the outdoors and wildlife.

NW Mom Finds has a great list of PVC-raincoats. Put one of these on your little one and head out your front door. Stomp in the puddles. Look at the worms. Collect wet leaves. Discover what you can see and hear in the rain that is different than when the sun is shining.

Eventually the sun will shine again. This is the best opportunity to check out a local wilderness park. Tryon Creek State Park in the Portland area is a great one to explore. So is Forest Park.

Just simply being outside is in itself a great gift to our children. So how are you going to celebrate National Wildlife Week?

photo via Flickr

Ah Spring! It’s almost here and even though we had snow this morning, I can feel it! Spring makes everything feel fresh and new. There are so many things to look forward to.. We are planning our garden and getting a new compost bin. I may even start a worm bin with the kids this year. The oldest is going to do t-ball for the first time. Flowers growing and the bugs and birds out in force make our nature walks even better. Just being outside more. I can’t wait!

To start the season off right Clementine NW is having a big Spring Sale!

Spring Sale at Clementine NW! 15% off everything in the store (including sale items!) using code: SPRING

$6.95 Shipping for all orders under $100
Free Shipping on orders over $100!

Have fun shopping! And watch for new spring clothing items for baby in the coming days…

I can hardly believe that my first baby by turned 5 years old today. It means a later bedtime, joining a t-ball team at the end of the month, kindergarten registration, and that he isn’t a baby any more. And according to him, it also means he is taller today. That kid makes me smile.

Coincidentally, The Boston Globe’s Big Picture today was all about robots. The boy’s all-time favorite subject right now. He enjoyed this and hopefully you will too:

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/03/robots.html

Toyota Motor Corporation partner robots play instruments at the company’s showroom in Tokyo on May 4, 2008. (REUTERS/Toru Hanai):

Twendy-One demonstrates its ability to hold delicate objects by manipulating a drinking straw between its fingers at the Department of Mechanical Engineering laboratory in Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009. The sophisticated robot has been developed by the university’s team, led by Dr. Shigeki Sugano, in hope of supporting people in aging societies. (AP Photo/Shizuo Kambayashi):

Humanoid robots Wakamaru, produced by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industry, named Momoko (R) and Takeo (L) in the performace, take part in a drama for the world’s first robot and human experimental theatre, written and directed by Japanese playwright Oriza Hirata, at Japan’s Osaka University in Osaka, western Japan on November 25, 2008. (YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/AFP/Getty Images):

Mental commitment robotic baby seals named “Paro” are recharged at robot exhibition Robo Japan 2008 in Yokohama, Friday, Oct. 10, 2008. The 350,000 yen (US$3,480) Paro, a cooing baby harp seal robot fitted with sensors beneath its fur and whiskers, is developed by Japan’s Intelligent System Co, to soothe patients in hospitals and nursing homes. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye):

Now that baby #3 has started solids, or purees at least, I feel like I have a pretty good sense of the importance of buying organic foods for her. Even small doses of pesticides, additives, hormones, and chemicals can harm us, but it can cause long term damage when the exposure is during fetal and childhood development.

Buying organic is also good for our environment and the farmers who produce it. I recently read that 70% of all pollution of our nations waterways is from agriculture. Much of that could be eliminated by growing organic food.

The cost of buying organic can be expensive, but in some cases, if not all, it is well worth it. For babies, children, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers it is even more imperative to buy as much organic foods as we can.

The top ten fruits & veggies to buy organic:

From most amount of pesticides to least
1) Peaches
2) Apples
3) Sweet Bell Peppers
4) Celery
5) Nectarines
6) Strawberries
7) Cherries
Lettuce
9) Grapes- imported
10) Pears

Also consider meat, coffee, and milk

Check out the Environmental Working Group for the full list and details.