About the Razor: The environment-friendly alternative to a disposable razor. The Preserve’s patent-pending handle is made from recycled materials and is completely recyclable – when finished just squeeze in the arms, pop off the blade cartridge and recycle!

Product Review: I hesitate to tell you that I usually don’t have razors in the house. My kids have found them too many times and decided to play with them (shudder). So to avoid the potential for harm I just don’t shave much. I am also not a big fan of shaving my legs in general and such because it just takes too much time. So I have always reserved shaving for occasions such as doctor’s appointments or trips to public pools. Well, I am seeing doctors quite often now so I decided to buy some razors and I happily found an eco-friendly razor that I like.

Like the Preserve Toothbrush, the handles of this razor are made from 100% recycled plastics. 65% of handle plastic is recycled Stonyfield Farm yogurt cups. Innovative, one-piece handle design reduces resources consumed in manufacturing. The handle is completely recyclable in communities with #5 plastics recycling or with Recycline’s postage-paid mailer. You can just go to their web site and print a mailer. It can’t get a any easier to recycle than that.

I also love the fact that open mouth containers like yogurt cups are being used to make these razors because it is notoriously hard to find recycling centers that will take this kind of plastic. This product really fills a need and they are functional and fun for consumers.

Where to buy online: www.amazon.com ~ you can search Amazon below:

About Crayon Rocks: A terrific art material for children made of a soft soy wax and tinted with mineral powders, Crayon Rocks make vibrant colors and beautiful textures.

Product Review: This is an awesome new product for kids and a great alternative for parents concerned about conventional crayons which are with petroleum byproducts. Crayons rocks are made from sustainable soy and they shaped like cute little rocks. They almost look like jelly beans and kids LOVE them.

Things to Think About Prior to Purchase: My younger kids had a hard time controlling large stick crayons but Crayon Rocks are easy to hold, and they encourage the use of a tripod grip so that fine motor skill can be developed. These crayons allow for more practice writing and drawing which will be a foundation for their writing skills later. They are not awkward for children with special needs either, particularly those with sensory processing disorders related to fine motor skills, such as can be found with cerebral palsy or autism. Crayons rocks would be perfect for them.

Not only do they help develop those fine motor skills they create beautifully textured drawings. The fact that they are made of soy instead of paraffin wax helps them go on smoothly, more like pastels or paint. We did find that the soy colors are a bit lighter than other crayons so the color doesn’t have as much depth but we enjoy using them regardless.

Where to buy online: www.crayonrocks.net

About the Organic Pacifier: The Natursutten is the latest in safe pacifiers for baby. They are made from pure natural rubber and the name comes from the word Natursut which means “Natural Pacifier.” Natursutten Pacifiers are made in Europe where they have strict standards for safety, health and environment.

Thoughts on the Product: With all the talk about BPA (Bisphenol A) in baby teethers and pacifiers it is awesome that the Natursutten is available to provide a safe alternative for baby and peace of mind for mom.

These rubber pacifiers are quite a bit softer than silicone pacifiers and extremely hygienic because they are molded into one piece, so there are no joints or cracks where dirt and bacteria can gather. This also makes it easy to wash and ensures that it won’t fall apart, making you worry about potential choking.

I found my baby took to it really well. He was happy as a clam. I was very happy as well to know that his pacifier had no BPA, chemical softeners, parabens, PVC or phthalates. It is just a useful product without any chemical nasties.

I also found them to be comparable in price to other pacifiers so you aren’t paying a premium for safety. They can be found online for as little $5.95. The Natursutten is also a green product as it produced using a sustainable raw material, the tree sap from the rubber tree.

To care for it we just sterilized in boiling water before the first use and then we followed up from then on with soap and water since our baby is older than six months.

Where to buy online: Amazon.com – search Amazon below:

When I ran out of my all natural shampoo recently, I wasn’t thrilled about searching for another shampoo to replace it.

Natural shampoos that don’t use ingredients like Sodium Laurel Sulfate are hard to find, and they also cost more than conventional shampoos made from cheaper ingredients.

So I was happy to find J.R. Liggett’s Shampoo bar at my health food co-op. It cost around $4, and has seemed to last forever. We’ve had it over a month and it doesn’t look like we’ve used it at all – and this is for shampooing 5 heads.

I like how the bar doesn’t dry out my hair or make my scalp itch like some other shampoos. Because it has such minimal packaging (no plastic – just a small paper wrapper), it’s more earth friendly than other shampoos. It’s made from pure ingredients – olive, coconut and castor oil, water and essential oils.

Another really neat thing about it is that it’s so easy to wash a child’s hair. You know how they freak out when you put shampoo on their head? (Well a couple of my kids do anyway!) The shampoo bar is so easy to rub on their heads without them even noticing. And you can keep the suds on their hair and out of their eyes more easily.

Where to buy online: Amazon.com – you can search below:

Like many parents, I’m concerned about my kids and “screen time”. I swore that I would never own a video game console because I see how having access to video games in the home affects kids – especially boys, of which I have two. Constant fighting over the system between themselves and parents, refusing to accept boundaries and limits, missing sleep and more important activities – I wanted no part of it.

Then, my oldest son was given a Nintendo DS by a relative. I’ve been able to stay pretty strict over its use, probably partly because of the size. I can hide it if I need to!

This book gathers all the disturbing reasons why video games aren’t always just harmless fun. For example, video games are highly addictive. Video games have negative effects on the body and the brain – not only do video games contribute to a sedentary lifestyle but they also retrain the brain.

Video games can lead to a reduced attention span and reduced ability to deal in social situations. This book is helpful to a parent to give them confidence – I think most of us believe that there is something unnatural and negative about video games, and we’re not sure what. We don’t want to arbitrarily restrict our kids from something fun without good reason. At the same time, this book presents solid argument why parents should listen to their instincts. It will help strengthen your resolve to place limits on your child’s video gaming.

It also gives you some pointers from these experts on how to spot video game addiction and how to get help for your child – and even yourself!

Available on Amazon.com and in bookstores. Search Amazon below:

I’m not a vegan or a vegetarian, but I subscribed to Vegetarian Times magazine several months ago. I have really been enjoying the magazine. Mostly I wanted it for the recipes. Just because I’m an omnivore doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy meatless dishes.

In addition to having tons of recipes in each issue, the magazine also features informative articles on a variety of topics of interest to people who want to live more eco friendly lifestyles. In recent months they’ve covered topics such as: healthy picnic ideas, farmer’s market shopping, choosing natural skin care products, and making your kitchen more eco friendly and green.

You will also find product reviews and valuable coupons in the magazine.

Anyone interested in eating more vegetables, regardless of whether they’re vegan, veg or “flexitarian”, will enjoy this magazine.

You can buy a subscription at Amazon.com. Search Amazon below:

About the Product: Also known as “the toothbrush made from yogurt cups,” the Preserve Toothbrush was designed by dentists and engineers to be an innovation in both oral care and eco-friendliness.

Thoughts on the Product: I have tried many toothbrushes over the years, as I imagine many people have but used to use a wooden toothbrush with natural bristles that I got from a natural products co-op. With my move, however, I did not plan very well and found myself needing a new toothbrush so I had to get a new one and I am quite happy with the one I found.

The Preserve toothbrush was developed by dentists and engineers to be a high performance brush and the brush and its packaging are designed to have minimal impact on our Earth’s resources. Through an innovative recycling partnership with Stonyfield Farm, at least 25% of the handle plastic comes from recycled yogurt cups. The Preserve’s packaging is not only a reusable carrying case, but the materials are wood-based plastics from renewable forests. When you are finished the toothbrush, you can use the postage-paid mailer to recycle your used Preserve and case into plastic lumber products, like park benches. Very cool!

Overall it is a very nice brush and I love the fact that it starts from recycled materials and then goes back to be recycled and I like supporting two companies that partner up for something so unique and eco-friendly.

Where to buy: www.amazon.com – search below…

Reviewer Name: Michelle Kahl
City and State: Walworth Wisconsin

Here’s a review of the flushable enviornmentally-friendly diapers called G Diapers

What are G Diapers? G Diapers are like the new hybrid of diapers, part cloth and part disposable, flushable, or compostable. G Diapers have an outer cloth layer, which come in a variety of sizes and colors, then a water proof liner, and then the disposable wood fiber pad.

What do you like about them? I love these diapers, for me, they require less work than cloth diapers. There is much less washing involved, yet I do not feel bad when I do need to toss the diaper in the trash, there is no plastic anywhere in the diaper. These diapers are helping me teach my 18 month old son how to compost, he loves being able to dig his own diaper compost hole. The flushable liners can also be placed in the toilet and flushed – even in a septic system. G Diapers are cute, and comfortable. It did take me a few tries to stop any leaking, and I learned my son needs two absorbing pads while he sleeps. I have never had any issues at all with any solid waste. Even the plastic bags that the diapers come in are recycleable. I also like the company, I have volunteered to spend time at their booth in Chicago’s Greenfest. When first purchasing these diapers, there is a starter kit, giving us the opportunity to test these diapers before buying everything.

Any downsides? A few times during the first week or two of use, my son’s clothing and the outside cloth part of his diaper would often become wet, nothing too bad, but enough to need a new outfit. I had talked with some other moms who use this product and through experimenting on how to fit the diaper to my son, these problems stopped.

Is online shopping available? Yes, this can be bought online at gdiapers.com, diapers.com, amazon.com and at your local co-op or Whole Foods. Enjoy!

Search Amazon below…

by Nicole Dean

It’s so important to plan ahead for meals when you’re trying to budget every dollar. I put in a chunk of time to lay out the meals for the entire week, got my grocery list together, and headed out for the store. This was going to be great! No quick stops at the store for some prepared, deli meal this week. This is great!

My bubble was burst, however, when I got home and started putting my groceries away. Lo and behold, I had purchased several items that I already had in my pantry. Now that wouldn’t be a big problem except that I bought those items earlier at a great sale price and now have paid full price simply because I didn’t remember I had them. Unnecessary pantry items purchased at full price. Ugh! Talk about wasting money.

It is time to make a plan so this never happens to me again. For this plan to make sense, I’m dividing it into 4 steps. Let’s give this a try.

Step 1: Remove Everything From The Pantry. This will take a little time, so pick a day when you can dig in. Have a strong cup of tea or coffee, and begin. Pull all the food items, canned and dry, and check each one to see if they are damaged or expired. Throw out anything questionable. Now’s your chance to wipe out the pantry and shelves.

Step 2: Mapping Your Pantry. This will take some organization, but it isn’t difficult. You’ll actually be sorting your food items into categories so that you can make an inventory of what you have. The basic items could be sorted into baking goods, soups, broth, canned diced tomatoes, canned tomato sauce, oils, barbeque sauces, crackers, dry snacks, canned snacks, rice, and so on. Then you’ll need to do the same with your spices. This can be tedious, but start arranging your spices in alphabetical order so that you can check for duplicates. You’ll be amazed how many duplicates you have. Again, check the expiration dates and throw out any spices that you know, or suspect, are old.

Step 3: Create A Working List Of Basic Items. Writing down what you have in your pantry and keeping track of the items as you buy and use them seems like work. Well, it is, at first, but once you start using it, you’ll save time and money just knowing what you already have in the pantry. Using a column and row type paper, list your most often used items and the number you have in the pantry. Then as you use them, cross one off, and as you buy them add what you buy. This method is very easy once you get the hang of it.

Step 4: Use Your List On Shopping Day. If you’re sitting down with your recipes for the week, you can now grab your pantry list and easily eliminate any unnecessary purchases. You won’t pay full price again for staples in your pantry if you know ahead of time that you already bought those items the other week on sale. Now you will stock up on the basics, like canned tomatoes, rice, or broth, when you find a sale, and not buy at full price when you need it for tonight’s dinner.

I love looking in my pantry and knowing that all my basic items were purchased at a special sale price. That doesn’t happen if I keep buying something at full price because I forgot I already had some on hand. Now that I have all my pantry items identified and accounted for, I can check my basic list before I go to the store and eliminate all those extra full price purchases.

Nicole Dean is the mostly-sane mom behind ShowMomtheMoney.com – a fun and informative resource to help moms achieve success working from home. She invites you to learn more ways to save money in her Frugal Cooking section. Be sure to sign up for her free tutorial for work at home moms.