Wow.  I’m not even sure how I originally came across this product called SodaStream.  But I sure am glad I found it!  The SodaStream makes carbonated water and soda in under 30 seconds, mess free.  A CO2 tank is easily attached (and refilled) and with 3 or so pushes on the top button, your filtered water is now carbonated.  Make sure to hear the loud ZAP noise 3 times (for average carbonation).  On the front is your reusable liter bottle that you fill with cold, filtered water.  Three zaps later, and it’ all fizz.  Then it is up to you what flavor you want.

Choose from a wide variety (30) of  concentrated soda mixes from regular to diet: familiar soda tap brand flavors, juices, even energy drinks.  I tried many flavors and found these homemade sodas to taste even better than the store bought.  I’d say my favorites so far are Diet Pink Grapefruit, Diet Lemon Lime, Ginger Ale, and Root Beer.  Enjoy the sodas, sparkling water, iced teas, etc alone or make a fantastic cocktail, and they do make a great cocktail! Your homemade sodas are typically healthier than the store bought kind, lower in calories, sugar, and sodium.  You can check out the nutrition facts here. Make sure to slowly pour in the syrups at a tilt as to not cause a fizzy overflow (especially with the Energy one!)  If you find the measured amount to make the soda too sweet (I didn’t), then simply reduce the amount of soda mix you add.

The best part about these bottles is that one flavor bottle can fill 12 liters of soda, or 33 cans!!  Think of the savings to your wallet and to the environment. Globally, 206 billion liters of bottled water were consumed in 2008 (Zenith International Global Bottled Water Report, 2008). The energy required to make water bottles in the US only, is equivalent to 17 million barrels of oil (Container Recycling Institute, 2002).  According to the US Recycling Institute, more than 80% of bottles in the US do not get recycled and end up in landfills. Also, an estimated 4.7 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions were produced in the process of replacing the 134 billion bottles and cans not recycled in 2005.  Help do your part by using your own filtered tap water and make your own tonics, teas, and sodas.

BUY IT!

Buy your own SodaStream products from their website.

WIN IT!

We are offering a Fountain Jet Lover’s Start-up kit from SodaStream.  This package includes the color Fountain Jet you would like, CO2 tank, 2 reusable carbonating bottles, a sample pack of flavors, and 3 full sized flavors of your choice!

Simply leave a comment with the flavor you’d most like to try!

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Contest ends July 17, 2010  at Midnight PST.  Winners will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Special Thanks to SodaStream for providing samples for reviewing purposes.

WINNER: RYAN

Americans spend $15 billion a year on our obsession with portable, filtered water.  That’s a hit to the purse, but an even larger hit to our environment.  Each year, nearly 1.5 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic water bottles for your convenience.  You buy them by the case, chug them at the gym, in the car, and even at home, out of just pure laziness.  These discarded water bottles flood not only our landfills, but our oceans, and gorgeous landscapes.  In fact, 223,392 plastic bottles were removed from US beaches on a single day last September.  Litter bugs across the world are quickly ruining the view, and wildlife habitats.

For years I have tried my best to minimize my footprint I leave on this beautiful planet.  Water has seemed like one of the easier fixes.  With my filtered taps at home and filter pitchers in the fridge, I thought I had figured it all out.  I can use my own tap water supply and filter it myself, pouring it constantly into reusable sports bottles.  Well sometimes you are out and you need water.  I live in the desert where it is now in the 100′s everyday, already reaching 110 in June.  So for us, water is an hourly essential that must be accessible at all times.  How many water bottles can one person carry?  So here and there, I’m forced to buy a plastic bottle of water to refuel myself or daughter.  My dehydration clouds my judgment… and then the guilt sets in.  But what other choice do I have?

Bobble has invented a ground-breaking, earth-shattering water bottle that will undoubtedly change the way we drink water.  The Bobble comes with its own filtration device built right inside the bottle.  So no matter where you are, if you have access to water, be it fountain or spigot, you can have fresh filtered water. Bobble is made from recycled plastic.  I carry this bottle around empty as my spare water bottle.  I know my huge KOR ONE hydration vessel will eventually run dry while out on daily errands and trips.  This is where Bobble comes in to play.  I immediately put the Bobble into action this weekend while out at the pool.  Instead of getting plastic cups filled with water, I simply asked for the water to be put straight into my Bobble.  The newly filtered water tasted pure as the driven snow.  The bottle was super easy to use, no leakage, and came with a clear cap to pop on top, keeping the spout clean.

Each Bobble replaces 300 plastic water bottles.  THREE HUNDRED PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES.  When the carbon filter runs out, you simply buy a replacement and you’re set for another 2 months (or 40 gallons).  You can switch up your filter color every time you buy a new one, at only $6.95 a filter. Order your Bobble today for only $9.95 a pop.

Poolside hydration… perfect.

Thank you to Bobble for providing samples for review purposes.

My husband had back surgery following his baseball career, so I’ve learned a lot from him about the importance of getting on the floor and stretching daily. In our dating years, we’d hit the gym together for a few hours everyday. These days, that’s just not possible anymore with a house to take care of, his weekly travels and with the little one tugging at us. I try to sneak in some AB exercises and he sneaks in his stretches wherever we can. I have to admit, I find myself not exactly loving the way the floor feels against my back along with my lack of variety in stretches/exercises. I was pretty excited to find G2 Lifestyles, who specializes in self-guiding Trainermats and core balls. Their mats are 100% recyclable and use TPE, a durable alternative to rubber or PVC. TPE is completely non–toxic, odorless and harmless to both the environment and human body. G2 Lifestyles also has an integrated policy that all waste materials used during the manufacturing process are to be completely recyclable and reusable.

I had so many aches and pains while pregnant with my daughter. I never really knew what was safe for me to do while pregnant, other than popping in some pregnancy Pilate’s DVDs, and honestly, they bored me. G2 Lifestyles Maternity Trainermat is something I wish I had. It provides the cushioned surface for your body, but also breaks down stretches by Trimesters so that you know what’s safe and effective all while going at your own pace. If you aren’t familiar with the poses on the mat, you can head over to their site and watch instructional videos that explain all the poses.

G2 Lifestyles Pilate’s Trainermat offers illustrated three-step instructions for 10 moves, such as The Hundred, The Open Leg Rocker and The Swimmer, classic Pilate’s moves that allow you to work at your own pace versus trying to pay attention to an instructor. I love that suggestions for the number of repetitions are offered as well on the mats.

The cushioned mat is made of fully recyclable materials, is bacteria resistant, non-slip (great for those Downward Dogs) and washable. The moves are physician certified and again have instructional videos to help guide you through the moves if you aren’t as familiar with them. What’s great about these is that you can roll them up, put the strap around them and take them on trips. No more popping in DVDs or stressing your brain trying to think of different moves in order to get your stretches or workouts in. Simply open the mat and kill two birds with one stone. G2 Lifestyles makes stretching/exercising easy and fun.

Head over to G2 Lifestyles and see all of Trainermats and core balls. Hardest decision will be deciding which items are best for you. They’re currently working on the Children’s Yoga Mat, I know my daughter will be getting one of those!

Special thank you to G2 Lifestyles for providing samples for review.

It’s always a great thing to find products that are made from recycled materials.  It’s even better when they look and feel as chic as Aladdin products.  Aladdin’s Sustain line is made with eCycle, their own mixture of recycled plastics containing 95% recycled plastics, including 25% post consumer content.  These products are not only made from recycled materials, but they are  also 100% recyclable.

Aladdin offers a wide range of products all of which are BPA free.  I was lucky enough to try out a snack container from the Sustain line, which is the perfect size for my diaper bag.  It is also  easy enough for my 3 year old to use, yet stylish enough for carrying my own healthy snacks.  I was also able to try the 16 oz To-Go Tumbler, which I was particularly excited about.   I take this tumbler with me everywhere, it’s great to use when you pick up your favorite iced drinks at the coffee shop.  Popular coffee shops sometimes offer you a discount on your drink when you bring your own reusable mug/tumbler. Just another great incentive for remembering to bring your reusable items with you on the go.

Side note: My family and I recently participated in a local beach clean up.  Want to know what we found tangled in seaweed on the shore?  Green straws – tons of them.  We all know where those green straws come from.

I was surprised to find Aladdin products everywhere I turned, available in my favorite stores.  Since discovering Aladdin, I have purchased more items, including the sleek Senja Desktop Mug for my husband to take to work.   We all know how difficult men can be to shop for, this one came up a winner.

GIVEAWAY: Aladdin is offering this set of products, pictured below, valued at $50 for one winner.  Visit their website to see what they have to offer and comment here on what you like!  Included in this set:

• 2 Recycled & Recyclable snack containers
• Recycled & Recyclable Mug
• Recycled & Recyclable Travel Mug
• 2 Recycled & Recyclable Water Bottles

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Contest ends June 23, 2010 at Midnight PST.  Winner will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Thank you to Aladdin for providing samples for review.

Happy Earth Day!! The best way to teach our children about protecting our earth is by starting from the beginning, using eco-friendly products, bringing your own bags when you shop and so much more. Idbids came up with a fantastic idea to create three plushes made from 100% organic Egyptian cotton to represent air, water and our land.  Your child can enter a code online that will help protect the habitats of animal friends through The Nature Conservancy’s Plant A Billion Trees campaign, Adopt an Acre® or Rescue the Reef® programs. Each Idbid comes with a storybook to introduce their new friend and to teach your child about what he or she can do to make a difference. You’ll also receive a Idbids Field Guide that details ten iddy biddy steps that each child can do to make a difference. Your child can chart their progress as steps are completed each day and see their overall impact. Lastly, they also include an organic cotton backpack for their journey to carry their Idbid, field guide and even school books. Help your children learn how to help make the earth a better place for themselves and future generations. Click here to learn more and purchase your own Idbid.

All eco-friendly products sold at Galison/Mudpuppy are 30% off ONE DAY ONLY, yes, Earth Day (tomorrow).  Enter the code ZZZ3 to collect your savings.  The Galison Green Collection and Mudpuppy nature themed collections are the products on sale.  Do not miss this awesome savings! Find the products here.

It can be tough sometimes to marry your beliefs and convictions to your style.  I’m not personally vegan (I love fish and cheese too much, but not together! gross.) but I do have vegetarian and vegan friends.  One particular area other than food that can be difficult is shoes.  I know most of my collection is leather pumps and sandals; how could I ever live without Choo or Louboutin?? Well Olsen Haus really steps it up and brings cute back to vegan.  Not only do they make hot vegan adult shoes, but they make adorable vegan baby shoes! I was so excited to see these shoes and sent them immediately out to a vegan family in Pennsylvania, knowing they could really appreciate them and Olsen Haus.  Well the shoes are just adorable and super comfy.  They are organically made and eco-friendly.   You can find the baby shoes on Nimli.  Whether you’re vegan or not, these shoes are fantastic and it is sandal season (or approaching it for some)!

Here is our adorable test baby on the East Coast:

Coming in boy and girl styles, these little beauties are for babes with a foot size of 1-4.  Retail $36.50.

GIVEAWAY: For your chance to win a pair of Olsen Haus shoes, leave us a comment telling us what style you like and size.

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Contest ends April 16, 2010 at Midnight PST. Winners are chosen by Random.org and emailed. After 48 hours, if there is no response, another winner will be chosen.

Special thanks to Olsen Haus and Nimli for providing samples.

This incredible mattresses’ pebble texture, not only looks cool, but actually serves a purpose.  The Pebble Mattress allows for airflow across the mattress and under your baby’s sleeping body.  Increased oxygen will keep them comfortable and allow them to sleep longer and sounder.  These mattresses are also eco-friendly, using materials like organic cotton, wool, recycled polyester, and eucalyptus in the core and cover.  “Nook employs absolutely no harsh chemicals or toxins, not in materials, not in manufacturing, not even in packaging.”  Unbeknown to me, standard infant crib mattresses are often composed of synthetic materials and fire retardant chemical sprays that can emit airborne toxins, commonly referred to as off-gasses.  Those tiny airborne toxins can be harmful to your baby; Nook eliminates this worry.

If you’re looking to find the most comfortable, safest, and nicest looking mattress, this is the one for you.  And just look at the beautiful colors the covers come in:

And here you can see the inner core (made of organic wool, natural latex, PETE) and the airflow layers:

To purchase one of these top of the line mattresses, head to Nook.  Retail price $610.

Snug Organics creates adorable gender neutral pajamas made from organic cotton that can easily be passed down from one child to another.  Using the same clothes between siblings is a great way to keep old clothing out of landfills, keeps consumption rates down and it saves you money in the long run. Snug Organic’s pajamas provide a welcome alternative to the many pj’s available with synthetic fabrics coated with flame resistant chemicals. Children’s pajamas that are made with natural fabrics such as cotton do not need to be treated with flame retardant chemicals.  These natural fibers do not melt near heat, the way synthetic fabrics do.  I’ve always known that organic clothing is a better choice since the cotton or bamboo grown to use as the fabrics are not treated with pesticides, but hadn’t considered how synthetic fibers were manufactured covering them in flame resistant chemicals. Honestly, I would see a label that said “Flame resistant” and think “safer.”  Not anymore.

I could tell my little Test Baby loved wearing these pj’s because she walked around the house rubbing her belly with both hands enjoying the super soft fabric on her body, which she never does! I never knew one pair of pajamas could educate me so much and fuel my passion even further towards conservation of our Mother Earth.  The more we buy organic, the more readily available it can become.  Available in sizes 0 -3 months to 4T. Click here to browse Snug Organic’s line of pajamas for your little one or as a great shower gift for someone special. Support Snug Organics on their Blog, Facebook, and  Twitter.

Test Baby, enjoying some cozy time by the fireplace in her Snug Sleeper

Special thank you to Snug Organics for providing samples.

The first time I learned about how harmful most popular brands of sunscreen were to coral reefs and ocean life worldwide, was on my honeymoon.  My husband and I traveled well prepared for our tropical getaway with tubes of sunscreen ready to snorkel and swim and enjoy the Caribbean. When we arrived and ventured out on our first day of ocean adventures we found numerous signs regarding our sunscreen.  The signs and tour guides stated that if we wanted to get into the ocean at any point on our trip we must NOT use the sunscreen we came with.  Really?  Seriously?  Apparently the active chemicals in most popular brands of sunscreen are not only harmful to our skin, but are harmful to the environment.   With thousands of people wearing chemical laden sunblock and swimming in nature preserves and fresh water underground rivers, it’s like allowing major chemical run offs into these pristine waters.  Studies have shown that chemicals from sunscreens in particular have had a negative effect on coral reefs worldwide.  So of course, not wanting to burn in the tropical sun we bought the all natural sunscreens our hotel provided in their gift shop and boy was it expensive!  I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to find sunscreen like this once we got back home.

Seven years later I am happy to say that I have found something better.  Smart Girls Who Surf is paving the way for all natural sunscreen.  With a husband who is passionate about surfing, and two little girls who are passionate about the beach, we are out on the shores of southern California almost every week.  Needless to say – we need a lot of sunscreen!  Using all natural, chemical free skin care on my daughters has always been top priority for me, but I was never able to find a paraben and chemical free sunblock that didn’t break the bank.  Smart Girls Who Surf offers everything a girl who loves the sand, sun and ocean needs.  Not only are their products earth friendly and skin friendly, they apply just like any other sunscreen and smell divine.  I particularly love their SPF 15 Cherry Lip Balm because it smells just like a maraschino cherry, yum!  Some of the products Smart Girls Who Surf offer:

• After Sun Soothing Lotion
• Care For Hair Sun Protector SPF 7+
• Fan Sea Face SPF 20 Sunscreen Tinted Moisturizer
• Glycerine Soap For Surfers
• Organic SPF 32 Sunscreen Face Stick
• SPF 15 Sunscreen Lip Balm
• SPF 30 Chemical Free Sunblock

Their new earth friendly bags are completely biodegradable and reusable.  Smart Girls Who Surf products are proudly made in the USA and they also support various non-profit organizations such as: Boarding for Breast Cancer, Surfrider Foundation and Girls, Inc.  Check out Surf Vival, the men and boy’s line of natural sun care and stay tuned for Smart Kids Who Surf!  Please remember that sunscreen is not only for sunny, hot days, beach towns and the summer season.  Protect your skin and your families skin no matter where you live- year round!

GIVEAWAY: For your chance to win a Sun Savvy Kit and logo sun visor, leave a comment below telling us which product you would love to try. To see their full product line, go here. One Winner will be chosen.

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Contest ends March 14, 2010 at Midnight PST.  Winner will be chosen by Random.org and emailed.  If they do not respond within 48 hours, another winner will be chosen.

Special thanks to Smart Girls Who Surf for providing samples.

Barley & Birch offers adorable yet responsible clothing. I was first attracted to their planet-saving ideas that they have put into full gear.  All clothing is made with 100% organic clothing and water-based inks that won’t pollute our environment (or harm the workers).  Also, 15% of Barley & Birch’s profits go to several carbon-reducing initiatives, in order to COMPLETELY offset any carbon emissions produced along with their clothing.  Now that is green.  Another 15% goes to organizations improving people’s lives around the world.

Let’s face it, kid’s have to wear clothes, but we can do it in an environmentally responsible way.  Barley & Birch offer a helping hand.  To check out their clothing go to their site here.  We found the clothing to be super soft and well crafted.  My daughter loves her “California Shirk”.

Tiny Testers: showing California pride

Painting the flowers purple

Barley & Birch is offering one lucky reader a garment of THEIR choice! Yes, pick anything you want from their current line found here. To enter, leave a comment here with which piece you would like to win.  Remember to promote and leave extra comments; increase your chance to win greatly by promoting!!

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Contest ends January 24 , 2009 at Midnight PST.  Winner will be randomly chosen by Random.Org and emailed.  Winner has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

When I walked into the Whole Foods in LA to search for earth friendly Christmas gifts for my daughter, I was practically met at the door by an eager salesman.  He giddily showed me his favorite thing in the store, Green Pieces Puzzles.  These puzzles are so awesome.  Not only is a puzzle perfect for family game night, but when you’re done, just throw the pieces in the yard.  Well, plant them in the yard, because the puzzle pieces BLOOM over 16 species of wildflowers.  The puzzles are produced by TDC games and are 500 pieces.  All are themed with ecologically aware scenes, like a bald eagle made from aluminum cans.  3,500 cans to be exact, the same amount of cans discarded in the USA every second.

Erin: Puzzles are fun family activities. I used to love when my mom would spread a puzzle out on the kitchen table and we’d all sit down and try to complete it together. Not many puzzles are ever taken out for a second time. What a wonderful twist to a fun tradition. The family pieces together the puzzle and then you take it out into the yard and plant it for gorgeous wild flowers during the warmer months. If only all our kids toys turned into beautiful garden treasures! 

The pieces are backed with recycled paper that has wildflower seeds imbedded in them.  Simply soak the pieces overnight in water and then plant them in soil.  Water them daily.  Buy your puzzle today!