Is there really any greater gift, than the gift of health? No, not likely. Being healthy and fit takes us a long way on our journey to happier lives and it helps to ensure we are around to share our lives with our loved ones. It gives us greater energy and happiness. It keeps us young.
You may need gift ideas for loved ones who consider themselves gym rats and fitness enthusiasts or you may want to encourage someone who wants to be. Either way these gifts are perfect for those who want to prioritize fitness and greater health. Some I would consider “green” in their design or materials and others I have added because they are high quality and designed to last, even if they are not technically green. Enjoy!
Shoes – There are many brands of green and/or minimalist shoes out there so if you want to buy shoes for your loved one you may want to do your homework and see what they like and what they use their shoes for. Some good ones to try:
Garmin Forerunner – Most fitness nuts want to track their progress and compete against their own times. This nifty device is considered one the best tools to do that. It tracks your distance, time, pace, and heart rate. Works for running, walking, hiking, cycling, cross country skiing, and even windsurfing. Also has GPS. This is on my wish list for sure!
Mp3 player and Headphones – Whether at the gym or outside the workout goes mush faster and is much more enjoyable when you have tunes to listen to. You ideally want something small for fitness though, like the iPod nano or the shuffle. Both clip onto your clothing! Don’t forget the eco headphones to.
Sustainable Workout Clothes – Workout clothing that is ‘environmentally conscious’ is widely available now. Some of my faves include:
Eco Yoga Mat – Got any yoginis in the family? Well, then an eco friendly mat will be perfect. Most conventional mats have some toxic nasties in them and there are a few options now that are healthier for us and for the planet. Try the Gaiam Eco Reversible Yoga Mat (Peacock). Non toxic TPE, no PVC or latex, eco conscious company.
Gym Bag – Anyone who hits the gym a few times a week will need a bag to cart around all their stuff… swim suit, change of clothes, towel, toiletries, mp3 player, headphones, heart rate monitor, water bottle, etc. I have the Gaiam Everything Fits Recycled Gym Bag and it is roomy enough for all my stuff, has a pocket for wet stuff, and has a rope band on the bottom for holding a yoga mat.
Mountainsmith Approach 3.0 Recycled Backpack – Great for day hiking and backpacking AND made of recycled materials.
Tubbs Women’s Frontier Snowshoe – Man oh man do I want these! High quality, affordable, snow shoes.
Fitness Books: If your giftee happens to love fitness and reading then perhaps you could incorporate both pursuits. You might try a Winter Trails book specific to their state or an athletic memoire like Becoming Odyssa or Hiking Through.
Getting ready to go back to school can bring a lot of mixed emotions; grief over the loss of summer, relief for the parents, dread for the kids, and it can have some green-minded parents shaking their head over the sheer amount of items (clothes, shoes, school supplies) that their kids seem to need to buy – and re-buy, each and every year. Even when you homeschool you typically still buy some new stuff around this time because this is when it is readily available and on sale. Is there a way to green the return to the school scene? You betcha!
Luckily for us treehugger parents, there are several ways that you can turn a green eye on your back-to-school shopping and actually feel good about your reduced carbon footprint, and several have been included here.
The Green Scene for Back to School Clothes
Kids seem to grow a mile a minute, and sometimes it seems nearly impossible to keep them clothed without spending a fortune; add to that their insistence on being ‘hip’ or fashionable, and it can seem that trying to hopeless project go any shade of green.
For the seriously green-minded parent, there are a growing number of green-minded children’s clothing stores that are cropping up all across the US. From stores that use all organic cotton or hemp to stores that remake vintage clothing for today’s kids, there are plenty of choices available. I watched group deal places like Zulily and MamaSource all summer for deals on organic clothing. Those items work well for the limited amount of “new” stuff I buy each year and it is not so much a need for new as it is a need to help support companies making greener options so they stick around.
If you want to get your kids really “into” the greening of their closets, try taking them to a thrift store; some of the upscale thrift stores have styles and brands that even picky teenagers can’t complain about, and you’ll be able to breathe a sigh of relief that you are helping planet earth as much as possible. We went on our annual back to school thrift store trip this past week. I got so many adorable clothing items that my 7 year old daughter is happy to spend hours in her room trying them all on and figuring out all of the combinations she can make. The most we spent on anything was $5.99 and that was for a brand new with tags 3 piece outfit (shirt, skirt, and alternating pants). Most of the clothing we bought was $1.99 a piece and we only bought nice stuff. Then we came home and freecycled their clothing that doesn’t fit anymore so that we can help other families keep it green too.
For shoes I recommend Simple Shoes. They have some very nice, eco friendly choices for kids.
There are also other components of fashion beyond clothing, especially for girls. My daughter usually starts out the year with some new piggy paints, non toxic nail polish and some natural lip gloss or balm (no lipstick yet!). She gets jewelry such as beaded necklaces at yard sales and garage sales and pretty soon earrings too since she will start this year with pierced ears.
For backpacks we use the same one from year to year. My youngest son will be going on year two for his Crocodile Creek Pack for his speech therapy sessions. My daughter decided to freecycle her backpack of 2 years for a new one this year. I didn’t complain because it was an iCarly backpack (which I objected to with no success) and this year she wanted an unbranded horse/pony backback. I still consider it a success.
Green Lunches for Green Kids
Lunches are a big part of your child’s school day, so why not focus on creating lunches for them that are based on organic and local grown foods? Local bakeries for the breads, farmers markets for the fruits and vegetables, or at the very least organic products from your local grocery store. I like to stock up on Apple Butter during the Fall days of our Farmer’s Market and it makes an appearance in lunches quite often. Local apples are another favorite as well as pumpkin soup (served cold) made from local pumpkins.
As you pack lunches use recyclable lunch bags or lunch boxes instead of paper bags. Even the pickiest kid can’t complain about the new metal water bottles with the awesome designs that can be used to send their drinks to school. You can even send green smoothies in them for a powerhouse of nutrition. For the best lunchboxes I recommend LunchBots, Tiffins, or The Laptop Lunchbox. I love that the laptop lunchbox has lids that can be used on some compartments so you can send pumpkin soup or chia seed pudding and not have it make a mess.
If you have teens that don’t want a lunch box you can give them a stylish reusable bag and some Planet Wise sandwich wraps. They can be used for more than just sandwiches and they are an eco friendly way to wrap foods. Plus the wrap can be unfolded and used as a placemat. Cool! Teens also like Built NY bags. They are funky and stylish while still be functional.
For more eco lunch ideas check out Bento Lunchbox.
An Eye on Green School Supplies
School supplies are perhaps the hardest thing to consider going green with when it comes to back-to-school shopping, but making wise choices can actually make a difference in the long run. When shopping for filler paper, notebooks and pencils, don’t settle for the cheapest products available, but choose instead items made from recycled paper and wood. An alternative paper notebook I like is the Writersblok Bamboo Notebook made from bamboo pulp. Also conventional stores usually have a greener notebook available it just costs more than the virgin paper notebooks for some reason.
You can buy eco pencils or dispense with standard wood pencils altogether and opt for a mechanical pencil where the only thing you have to worry about are the graphite refills. The same holds true with pens. While the solid case pens may be the cheapest, try choosing some refillable retractable pens instead. We have some Smens Scented pens made from newspaper and recycled plastic that my kids will be using this year. EcoPencils makes colored pencils too. This Terracycle pencil bag made from recycled juice bags would be an awesome way to carry them. ;)
And whatever you do, try to keep track of your mainstays from year to year. Re-using things like rulers, calculators, protractors the like may seem time consuming, it can make a decided difference, not just in the cost of your back-to-school supply shopping, but in how much it saves the planet to not have to deal with one more plastic calculator or ruler or protractor in the landfills. Throughout the year you can find these items at yard sales too.
For more info check out my main green school supplies page and this letter to the teacher.
Part of the Green back to School Carnival.
Conventional pillows are often filled with a poly fill made from plastic. Couple that with the fact that they can be doused in chemicals to make them flame retardant and you may have a reason why you have trouble sleeping, have allergies, or have headaches, among other potential issues. Mainstream pillows can also be filled with noxious materials including; a).polystyrene (styrofoam) b). polyurethane foam (petroleum-base poly-fill) and c). polyethylene terephthalate (PET): which is used to make plastic drinking bottles. Some pillow makers brag about how their pillow is filled with recycled plastic water bottles but that thought does not appeal to me at all. Sweet dreams should not involve breathing a chemical soup each night.
Pillows made with pure and natural materials will have a remarkable impact on your sleep environment and your ability to get a good night’s rest. Some of the favorites are wool, natural latex, organic cotton, and the type highlighted in this post… Buckwheat Pillows.
Buckwheat pillows are often times filled with certified organic buckwheat hulls and wrapped in organic cotton. They are comfortable and supportive while being safe for you to sleep on. Sleeping on the hulls can help relieve muscle tension but it can take some time getting used to as well. Since hulls are irregularly shaped, air circulates around them and dust mites and microbes have a hard time taking root. No need for those antimicrobial sprays. To clean, remove the hulls from the pillow and rinse in a tub of cool water. Lay out to dry. Machine wash the empty case in hot water twice a month.
Most of them have a life span of 5-10 years and you can even order replacement buckwheat hulls on the Internet. Here are some links for helping to find the perfect buckwheat pillow:
Makura Miracle Natural Buckwheat Pillow – Traditional Size – An authentic Japanese buckwheat pillow. Hulls are locally grown and harvested, and they have been cleaned using a triple cleaning process to remove dust, buckwheat flour, and debris. 100% organic, grown totally without pesticides or herbicides and are considered hypo-allergenic. Absolutely-no additives. 100% unbleached cotton fabric for the pillow case, and luxury 3 layered quilted cotton pillow cover for comfortable texture, very durable yet very smooth to sleep on. Also, this pillow includes a zipper to allow you the option of removing hulls and adjusting the pillow to fit your exact needs. Cost: $49.99
Organic Buckwheat Pillow – Queen Size – Filled with 100% US Grown Organic Buckwheat Hulls and 100% Natural Unbleached Cotton. Will conform and adjust perfectly to your head, neck, and spine. It will NOT collapse like foam. The buckwheat hulls allow air to circulate throughout the pillow. Cooling it off quickly. The Buckwheat pillow is a natural alternative to anyone with foam and feather allergies. Cost: $62.97
You might also try making your own pillow… just add buckwheat!
Organic Buckwheat Hulls 5 lbs - 100% Organic, US Grown Hulls. Triple cleaned and roasted. Excellent for Pillows and Crafts. Cost: $29.99
What are you sleeping on?
Recommended: Get Your Dream On Without Toxins | Natural Pillow Types and Comparison
As indicated in my round up of greener menstrual products I am not a fan of the mainstream menstrual products for women. Paper and plastic pads and tampons just aren’t good options for the planet nor for a woman’s comfort. More than anything I think those mainstream options allow us to distance ourselves from the process as much as possible and not take responsibility for it. Either that or it is just pure convenience… aka why wash cloth pads or rinse out a Diva Cup in soapy water and get your hands dirty when you could just throw the problem away… literally.
I was very interested in trying Lunapanties because I see nothing wrong with convenience myself and having panties that also double as a cloth pad seemed genius to me and ooohhhhh it is genius. Even if you use paper sanitary napkins I dare you to see this as less convenient. Other than the washing, which I am assuming you won’t be doing by hand, down at the river, beating your panties against rocks, then this is such an easy solution. Follow me here for a second.. put the panties on… then take them off to wash. Easy! No unwrapping a sanitary napkin, peeling off the gazillion stickers that are affixed to them, no sticking it to the crotch of your undewear, no cursing when your monthly gift misses the napkin and stains your panties, no feeling like you are wearing an adult diaper, no wrapping the napkin up in toilet paper (or a time capsule to protect from pets) and throwing it away to sit in a landfill for all eternity… see… easy!
Lunapanties are basically just panties that come with some extra padding in the crotch area and they have a couple loops sewn into that area as well that allow for you to double up, or triple up even, on the protection by adding absorbent inserts. The panties and the inserts are made of super soft organic cotton (95%) and they are oh so comfortable. The other 5% is lycra to make the panties snug fitting. The ones given to me for this review are a pretty purple color but I see from the web site that they also come in black. I like the purple.
After using them for a week recently I can say that I REALLY love them. I plan to buy a couple more pairs and they, coupled with my Diva Cup, will be what I reach for every month. I also like the fact that I can still use many of my other cloth pads with them too. On heavy flow days I do need to use inserts just for my own peace of mind, and for a couple days I just used the underwear and the Diva Cup with no issues. On the last day or so I just wore the panties with no insert. I didn’t even feel like I was on my period and that ladies is lovely, as I am sure you know!
There have several different sizes (S-3XL) and have several different styles from briefs to thongs. I would recommend getting one pair and trying them to see how you like the fit and style and then ordering more. I requested large size granny panties (briefs would be the name they use) and the large seemed… well… kinda large. They seemed to me that they are sized a little to big.
The price for the panties is $29.99. If you usually buy panties at Wal-Mart for $2.00 a pop then this might seem expensive. If you buy panties at Victoria’s Secret then these will seem like a good deal. I think they are a great value, especially given that they are high quality and organic. 3 panties, my inserts and pads, and my Diva Cup will do me just fine and I will still save in the long run because I don’t have to buy sanitary napkins or tampons every month.
The washing is also very easy. I just threw them in the wash on cold and let them soak for an hour and then rinsed and spun. Then I washed them with a load of towels. They did not stain but I wouldn’t have cared much if they did…. that’s just not a big deal to me. The Luna company recommends Nellie’s A-Natural Laundry Soda Soap Detergent, which I have used and like and they suggest BunchaFarmers Biodegradable Stain Remover Stick for stains. Never heard of it but I may have to try that now!
All in all I find this to be one of those great products that really makes life more comfortable and convenient and yet has the benefit of being the greener option to. A++
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Giveaway now CLOSED. The winner is Little Lamb! Thanks to all who entered!!
In honor of Spring the lovely Etsy artisans at Natural Kids have donated a gift basket of natural toys and goodies for one of my readers. It is so gorgeous that I don't want to pass it on.. I want to KEEP it but alas one of you will be the new owner! But really I want to add a disclaimer that all this can be yours except… this.. and this… and maybe that…
If you recall Natural Kids is a actually a group of artisans that make a wide array of toys and goodies that will feed your child's imagination. I interviewed them a few months back. They have everything from clothes and decor to toys, dolls, and crafts. The winner of this giveaway will get a nice basket with a red cloth liner filled with the following:
A Waldorf doll – Polar Bear Creations
A wooden mermaid doll – The Enchanted Cupboard
A wool baby in a bassinet – Fairy Folk
A wooden horse toy - Dad's Wooden Toys
A Rooster Pouch - Love a Little
2 Playsilks (one mint green and one multi-color) – The Polka Dot Dragon & Birch Leaf Designs
A cloth strawberry doll - Love a Little
A pair of organic cotton/hemp baby pants hand died green in a matching blue drawstring sack – Hand Full
Earthy stickers/decals (3 earth theme and 1 breastfeeding advocacy) – Elemental Handcrafts
2 photos of Waldorfs dolls and little cloth fairies – Love a Little
3 tubs of Mama K's Aromatic Play Clay - Mama K's
2 wool fairies with acorn caps (my fave item!!) – Hues of Nature
It has everything your kiddos need for hours of spring/summer fun!!
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Hi there! I am a green, paleo, crossfit mom of three. I am concerned about health, wellness, and sustainability issues. This is my life. This what I am passionate about. Come get to know me and feel free to 
