This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Darcie K!
I think Seventh Generation was the first “green” company that I ever heard of, probably back when I was a new mom researching diapers. I hadn’t ever tried their cleaning products, so it was fun to try out the pack of supplies sent to us by Seventh Generation through MyBlogSpark. And I really do mean fun, because I watched Mike try them out by cleaning the bathroom! Don’t I have an awesome hubby? We both agreed that they seem to clean well, and that they smell nice in a non-chemical way. It’s definitely a product I could see us purchasing in the future, particularly for the bathroom where I want to disinfect while avoiding the harsh chemicals of traditional bathroom cleaners.
We were also sent a copy of Alexandra Zissu’s “The Conscious Kitchen”, a book full of advice on how to be more conscious in choosing food to eat. I like the fact that she suggests ways to make small changes in your home that will still have an impact.
MyBlogSpark has a second prize pack from Seventh Generation to send to a reader of this blog with a US address! To enter:
- Tell me something you do to protect your family from chemicals OR the best thing you’ve done for the environment this year. (mandatory entry). You can leave two comments, one answering each option, for two entries.
Bonus entries:
- Suggest a fun earth day activity that I can do with my kids (4, 2, and soon-to-be 8 months)
- Follow this blog with Google Friend Connect
- Subscribe to this blog via email
Please leave a separate comment for each entry, and make sure you comment with a valid email address so I can reach you if you win. This giveaway will run until 9am EDT on April 5th, when a winner will be chosen using random.org.
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
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.-= Robyn´s last blog ..Have a Blessed Easter! =-.
Follow via friend connect (Robyn-Coolestmommy)
.-= Robyn´s last blog ..Have a Blessed Easter! =-.
The best earth day activity for any age is to plant something. Start a tree from a seedling or plant zero-scape (wild) flowers or herbs or veggies. Plants help clean our air and every age child (and adult) enjoys playing in dirt.
.-= Robyn´s last blog ..Have a Blessed Easter! =-.
The best thing I did for the environment this year is to up our recycling efforts. We now fill our 96 gallon recycle bin every 10 days. I also found Goodwill will take our computers to recycle (and other electronics) so they aren’t in a landfill. We also turned in old medicine on “Medicine Amnesty Day”. I knew you shouldn’t toss old meds into a landfill and never dump down a drain, but it’s hard to dispose of them. So we cleaned out our medicine cabinets and a local drugstore was going to properly destroy the meds.
.-= Robyn´s last blog ..Have a Blessed Easter! =-.
To protect my family from chemicals, I’ve gone to using micro fiber towels for a lot of my cleaning because (especially windows/glass), I can use water and my cloth. No chemicals!
.-= Robyn´s last blog ..Have a Blessed Easter! =-.
my kids and I eat only organic
Subscribed to mama smiles by email
Following mama smiles with Google Friend Connect [Cheryl F. {The Lucky Ladybug}]
I recycle religiously and encourage others to do so.
I protect my family from chemicals by not using them and keeping them out of the home :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
I subscribe via email
dmkayes@gmail.com
I follow via Google Friend Connect
dmkayes@gmail.com
I try to only buy organic and natural cleaning supplies and food!
dmkayes@gmail.com
I try to make my own non-toxic cleaning supplies. It usually is less expensive as well.
fun thing for earthday with the kids? i always thought planting trees is messy and fun and educational 8)
GFC follower!
oh boy, what don’t i do to help keep my household more environ-friendly? i recycle everything possible, buy organic whenever possible, steer clear of harmful chemicals and cleansers, recycle batteries properly, use compact fluorescents, and buy handmade! and somehow, i never feel like i am doing enough.
phranne[at]yahoo.com
email subscriber
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
google follower
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
The best thing we have done has been using less water by taking shorter showers, reduce our vehicles, wash larger loads and at certain times, unplug small appliances including tvs and we have been planting herbs for over a year now.
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
I buy more ogranic pesticides and cleaning products
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
I am a follower
I am a subscriber by email.
I plant flowers with my children on Earth Day
I use natural ingredient products to clean with,do laundry with and we recycle any and everything we can each day
to protect my family from chemicals I am always careful to air the house when using any type of chemical product that requires venting
The best thing we’ve done for the environment is recycle. We recycle all we can…paper, glass, aluminum, batteries, etc. We also turn off lights when not in a room, and I only do full loads of laundry to save on both water and electricity. Thanks!
sub via email
folow via gfc
When i was like 2 my mother bought my sister and i trees, and planted them on earth day. Now that we’re older its nice to see how big they have grow.
The best thing ive done for the environment this year is cloth diaper and swich to rockin green laundry soap.
I subscribe by email.
.-= adriana´s last blog ..Oh Lily! =-.
I am a google friend follower. :)
.-= adriana´s last blog ..Oh Lily! =-.
Earth Day activity- Start your own compost. Diego loves to be the one to carry out the food scraps after dinner and tell everyone about “decaving” (decaying).
.-= adriana´s last blog ..Oh Lily! =-.
I use vinegar instead of harsh cleaners when possible.
.-= adriana´s last blog ..Oh Lily! =-.
We started a compost pile.
.-= adriana´s last blog ..Oh Lily! =-.
email subscriber
jceko77@yahoo.com
An Earth Day activity you can do with your young children is to watch Elmo Being Green DVD which is geared towards infants up to age 5
jceko77@yahoo.com
The best thing I’ve done for the environment this year was to conserve energy in my home by turning down the heat, and using less electricity
jceko77@yahoo.com
To steer from chemicals, we make our own cleaners with a base of vinegar
jceko77@yahoo.com
The best thing I’ve done for the environment this year is recycle more and increase my Tweets concerning the topic. Email: yona(at)pricelesswriters.com
.-= Yona Williams´s last blog ..Recycled Rubber Dog Collars =-.
I’m a Google Connect Friend. Email: yona(at)priceleswriters.com
.-= Yona Williams´s last blog ..Esty Shop of the Week: SewMuchDetail =-.
Oh I love non-toxic cleaning supplies! I try to clean as much as I can with vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice (not all at the same time) to try to protect my family from chemicals. I’ve also tried using lemon and grapefruit rinds to do things like scrub the tub, without much success. Anything that works, I will gladly use!
Suggest a fun earth day activity that I can do with my kids: I would suggest birding. Just buy a simple bird guide and walk with the kids, pointing out bird calls and birds, we have done this for years
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To protect my family from chemicals I avoid buying anything encased in plastics, and I buy organic natural food.
The best thing I did this year is sell my car, and share a car with my daughter and husband. No carbon footprint any more from a car!
I’m getting married this summer and I’m planning to use only re-usable towels and napkins. I’m also going to try to avoid using Ziploc bags.
.-= Rebekah (honeyandcheese)´s last blog ..Simplify Saturday =-.
I follow :-)
I really like the plantable paper idea here: http://lifehacker.com/5492559/make-plantable-greeting-cards-using-seed-paper
You could use it as an opportunity to teach the kids about recycling and could let them plant some of their seed paper and watch the flowers grow.
The best thing I’ve done for the environment this year has been walking to campus every day instead of driving or even taking the bus.
I use only natural non-toxic cleaning products.
I think volunteering at a thrift store would be a good way to show a different side to “recycling” and expose them to how to be good world citizens by helping out the less fortunate around them.
.-= Melissa c.´s last blog ..Rewards for Good Grades =-.
New Friend via GFC
.-= Melissa c.´s last blog ..Rewards for Good Grades =-.
We do our best to buy organic whenever possible – and frugal – to minimize the exposure to chemicals.
.-= Melissa c.´s last blog ..Rewards for Good Grades =-.
I participate in a huge consignment sale every year. I love knowing that items my family is finished with are being passed on to other family’s who need them while we are able to get “new” things we need from other families . . . and in the end we all generally profit at least a little bit.
we eat organic
I recycle
My kids (7, 5, and 3) planted their own flowers this year. It is amazing to see how interested they are in watching them grow. So far, they have not lost interest, even the 3-year-old. It is a great lesson in sun and rain and how flowers thrive.
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..Prayers Heavenward (and a giveaway) =-.
What do we do for the environment? Ours is certainly not a new or unique idea, but we recycle. It is amazing what you can prevent from being thrown away!
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..Prayers Heavenward (and a giveaway) =-.
The best way we protect our kids from chemicals is to feed them whole foods– not processed, pre-packaged things, but foods in their whole, natural state.
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..Prayers Heavenward (and a giveaway) =-.
Best thing I’ve done for the environment: using fabric totes to carry groceries rather than plastic bags.
I’ve switched to glass containers in my kitchen rather than BPA plastic.
at our house, we use seventh generation products for cleaning
we use 7th generation products in our home
I subscribe to your emails.
I follow in gfc.
The best thing that I have done this year is recycle. We have one recycle bin and one garbage bin. I have helped my hubby to understand what can and what can’t be recycled so it has been very successful!
be sure to get outside for Earthday. Take a walk with your munchkins. Use the recipe below, and let them draw outside with sidewalk chalk.
Frugal for a busy life has a great recipe for sidewalk chalk made from eggshells – http://frugal4abusylife.com/2010/02/05/frugal-friday-recipe-using-the-whole-egg-making-sidewalk-chalk/ –
Its not hard to to, and is a fun way to recycle that part of our eggs.
The best thing our family has done for the environment this year is double our recycling amount. Our city picks up our recyclables once a week. We had to get a second recycle container to keep up with all the recyclables!
One thing I do to protect my family from chemicals is to only use botanically based, safe products on my 15 month old twins’ skin. My daughter is particularly sensitive to perfumes, so everything we use is also fragrance free.
What a fun giveaway! I took the girls to a local playground to pick up litter. I plan to do it again for Earth Day too!
.-= Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun Blog´s last blog ..Easy Spring Mural =-.
I follow via Google Connect!
The best thing we’ve done for the environment was install rain barrels. They hold 55 gallons of water each! We are going to use that water to water our veggies this summer.
I usually make my own cleaning products (lot of vinegar!) to keep away from chemicals! thanks
Email subscriber at yahoo.
.-= Khrys @ Mom of 3 Dolls´s last blog ..My blog is Carbon Neutral =-.
Follow on GFC.
.-= Khrys @ Mom of 3 Dolls´s last blog ..My blog is Carbon Neutral =-.
A fun earth day activity is gardening and being outside. Hopefully, it will be a warm day :D
.-= Khrys @ Mom of 3 Dolls´s last blog ..My blog is Carbon Neutral =-.
The best thing I’ve done is recycling and using cloth towels!
.-= Khrys @ Mom of 3 Dolls´s last blog ..My blog is Carbon Neutral =-.
I try to only buy safe green products to clean around the house.
.-= Khrys @ Mom of 3 Dolls´s last blog ..My blog is Carbon Neutral =-.
I switched all our outdoor chemicals such as weed killers & insect killers to EcoSmart products because we recently got a puppy and he loves to follow us around while we do yard work so I wanted to make sure it was safe.
I think the best activity for Earth Day is to actually be in nature – going on a hike or something like this. Another idea – gardening and planting or taking your trash to the recycling center.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..The Art Show =-.
I follow you :)
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..The Art Show =-.
Again, I cannot give myself too many points for helping the environment. But this year we started something new – we are subscribing to a farm produce delivery. Of course, it means that some driving needs to be done to deliver us this box of veggies every 2 weeks, but on the other hand, it’s all local fresh organic produce, and our money subsidize expansion of their farm.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..The Art Show =-.
Great giveaway. I have to admit that I am not very anal about chemicals as some other people. I worry a lot more about genetically modified crops. But overall we are trying not to use chemicals in cleaning – most of the minor messes can be cleaned just fine with soap, water and sometimes with vinegar.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..The Art Show =-.
I follow you via google friend connect!
.-= jennifer´s last blog ..I LOVE kroger! =-.
I subscribe to mama smiles via e-mail!
.-= jennifer´s last blog ..I LOVE kroger! =-.
A fun earth day activity- plant strawberries! They are easy to grow, produce fruit pretty quickly, and kids love to see that they made something grow!
.-= jennifer´s last blog ..I LOVE kroger! =-.
Every year, we plant a huge garden for the entire neighborhood! That is the best thing we have done for our environment – so far this year!
.-= jennifer´s last blog ..I LOVE kroger! =-.
To protect my family from chemicals, we threw away all the products with harsh chemicals! We now use “green” cleaning products!
.-= jennifer´s last blog ..I LOVE kroger! =-.
A fun earth day thing you could do with your children is to plant several cherry tomatoes in flower pots. The children can then be responsible for watering and harvesting. The great thing about cherry tomatoes is that they are easy to pick and there are lots of them!! Thanks.
I follow on Google Friend. Thanks!
We only use green cleaning products! If it is not safe for the environment we don’t use it. I have great luck with the Seventh Generation products. Plus, you can find coupons for them to! Thanks.
We have stepped up our recycling this year at our house. Before we recycled when we had time, but now everything gets recycled at our house!!! It takes a bit of time, but I think it is so worth it. Thanks!
I think a fun Earth Day activity would be to plant a small tree in your yard. Give the little kids their own small shovels or hand shovels to use. They’ll love getting dirty, and they can watch the tree grow for years and years.
.-= PS Mom Reviews´s last blog ..Tax Time =-.
The biggest thing we’ve done to help the environment this year is switch to Reusable Grocery Bags only. I have two small ones I keep in my purse at all times. And we have a large bunch of them that I take on shopping trips.
Sarah – psmomreviews@gmail.com
.-= PS Mom Reviews´s last blog ..Tax Time =-.
Protection from chemicals: I use Fit to wash the waxes and nasty goop off our fruits and veggies, even the organic ones.
.-= Sadia´s last blog ..Advice =-.
Earth Day activity: Melody, Jess and I pick up trash at our local park, and (whenever it’s safe) in parking lots.
.-= Sadia´s last blog ..Advice =-.
Huh, I thought I was already following you. Oh well, I am now.
.-= Sadia´s last blog ..Advice =-.
The best thing I’ve done this year is thumb my nose at our local recycling rules. Instead of accepting that our city doesn’t pick up paper other than newspapers and magazines, I now carry all our paper into work once a week and drop it in the university recycle bins.
Now, the commute is not environmentally friendly, so I don’t think it quite balances out. Unfortunately, the light rail that just opened doesn’t work with the girls’ daycare hours. If they end up expanding their hours, I’ll be all about cutting my daily drive in half.
.-= Sadia´s last blog ..Advice =-.
I have been trying to buy “green” body wash and shampoo for the family.
.-= silverhartgirl´s last blog ..prize pack from Seventh Generation giveaway =-.
I subscribe to this blog through email as well.
.-= Amber Liddle´s last blog ..The Easter Bunny =-.
I follow you through google :)
.-= Amber Liddle´s last blog ..The Easter Bunny =-.
The best thing we’ve done for the environment this year? Well, in the past year we switched to cloth diapers, and I switched to Mama cloth. That’s huge to me, to keep all that out of the garbage!
.-= Amber Liddle´s last blog ..The Easter Bunny =-.
We started looking into this after seeing a documentary that scared us about chemicals in our foods :) And then having a kid doubled that. To stay away from chemicals we use natural cleaning products. I love the selection of 7th Gen. products!
.-= Amber Liddle´s last blog ..The Easter Bunny =-.