Top 5 Ways to Make Halloween Black, Orange and Green

When it comes to Halloween, I do not want to be an evil witch. Well, that actually is my costume (nothing more flattering than all black!) but I mean that there’s no reason to clamp down on your kid’s joy (and sugar high) just because you want to be more eco-friendly. That said, there are always ways to go a little greener without compromising on the ghoulish fun.

Here’s a few to get you started. Continue reading →

five green things we love – iPhone apps

In honor of Steve Jobs we thought we’d write up a little tribute to green iPhone apps this month. A lot of people feel that their smart phone has changed their lives for the better – and I agree. But I think that’s true for Moms especially. Now you can text your mother, play Words With Friends, buy a raincoat for your child, look into flights for the holidays, and get a recipe for the school bake sale – all while never leaving the playground.

And what’s more, you have an instant distraction for those times when you’re stuck in traffic with a whiny child. Or at the grocery store with a cart full of food and a whiny child. Or at a family event with a whiny… husband.

But what makes the phone extra fun is having some cool apps. So load up on these green apps we love! Continue reading →

Five Minutes to Green, Clean Laundry

If you’ve ever had a baby, you know that the crazy amount of laundry you suddenly have to do can kill you. I’m not talking metaphorically either. When we first had Z, the mountain of laundry was piled so high on the couch that I worried we might actually get crushed in an avalanche. (Sure I was high on pain killers and hormones at the time, but still.)

So let’s say you have five minutes free (because you decided “who really needs to go to the bathroom, anyway?”) and you want to tackle that laundry before it tackles you. Here’s what you do. Continue reading →

How to clean natural materials: bamboo, cork and cast iron

A lot of people are making the switch to more natural and sustainable surfaces in their homes. Which is great… until you actually use them. If you have a child there is a 100% guarantee that the beautiful new cork flooring you installed will be covered in oatmeal before you even get a chance to upload a picture of it to Facebook.

What to do? Here’s what to do. Continue reading →

8 natural ingredients you need to know

Mommies have to assume many roles throughout the day – teacher, nurturer, psychologist, plumber, chef and nose wiper to name a few. And to be a green mommy you also have to be a something of a scientist. Or it feels that way, anyway. Reading labels of natural products can leave you cross-eyed and in desperate need of a gin and tonic.

That’s why I like to lean on the Green Works scientists to help me understand what is in our products and why it’s important. Here’s a breakdown – in “lay mommy” terms – of a few of the most important ingredients to help you uncross those eyes. Continue reading →