Is It Possible To Find Eco-Friendly Flame-Retardant Clothing?

A subscriber recently wrote to ask if it is possible to find flame retardant clothing that is also eco-friendly. Good question!! So I did a little research and here's what I came up with:

It is possible for find fibers, such as recycled polyester or natural wool, that are eco-friendly and flame retardant. According to Michael Lackman, owner of Lotus Organics and author of the comprehensive blog on sustainable and organic clothing, "The composition of wool naturally endows it with high performance qualities such as warmth, water-repellent, odor-resistance, flame-retardant, durability, anti-static, and UV protection." Of course, wool can be a little scratchy to wear...so it may seem an odd choice for babies and children. However, merino wool is exceptionally soft and makes wonderfully luxurious (and naturally flame-retardant) clothing for kids and adults. You can also find a lot of products made from organic merino wool for an even deeper shade of green, but it is definitely on the pricey side. If you're interested, check out the offerings from these companies:

The Clean Bedroom
Mountain Baby
Nordic Woolens

For more info about flame-retardants and clothing, check out these articles:

www.treehugger.com/files/2006/11/ea...

www.associatedcontent.com/article/4...

I also found this one on Care2 about making your own flame-retardant solution. Sounds like a lot of work...but if you want to try it, here's the link:

Care 2

If you know of any more companies that offer children's clothing made from merino wool, please drop me a line!

Get Ready For The Green Parent Holiday Gift List

I usually make it a rule in my house that we don't talk, shop, or decorate for Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. Any sooner than that and we risk an all-encompassing holiday burn-out. This year, however, I am making an exception, so that I can thoroughly research all of the eco-savvy new games/books/toys/and gizmos out there and have my Green Parent Holiday Gift List ready before you hit the stores.

So, I'm making my list and I'll be checking it twice. If you know of a cool green something or other (product, gift card, charity, etc.) that you think should make the list, drop me a line. And be sure to check back here on Green Friday (formerly known as Black Friday) for a list of earth-friendly gifts that will please everyone on your shopping list.

Eco Confessions of a "Not-So-Green" Green Parent

I recently heard from one of my subscribers who was thrilled with the info she found in The Green Parent but felt overwhelmed with guilt because she simply could not do all of the things she thought she should be doing to help protect the planet. So I thought it was high time for a few Green Parent "eco-confessions." Here goes:

1. We live 3 blocks away from a perfectly fine public school. However, I drive my daughter 35 minutes (each way) to a private school in another town because I feel it is a better fit for her.

2. I eat meat and lots of it. I used to be a vegetarian (no meat, poultry, or fish) for twelve years and although I would like to someday get back to a veggie diet, I currently eat any and all kinds of meat. In fact, about the same time that I wrote Hold The Beef! I was literally filling my freezer with a large shipment of beef that my husband and I had ordered. Granted, the cow was raised as organically as possible on a small farm, and I do try to limit the amount of beef I consume each week, but the fact remains that I am not even close to vegetarian.

3. I use disposable diapers. My eldest child was raised almost exclusively on cotton diapers. However, when my second child came along, I became a little more lax. I now use a pretty even mixture of cotton diapers, disposables, and gdiapers.

4. I do not collect my kitchen scraps for the compost pile, despite my almost daily pledge to do so. I'm working on it...who knows, maybe today will be the day that I finally organize a system to do it!

And these are just my "eco-confessions" for today! Got an eco-confession you'd like to share? Post it here. And please, please, please remember that nobody is perfect....every little bit you do each day makes a HUGE difference...so don't even worry about doing it all. Find the little eco-friendly things that work for you and your family and make them a part of your daily routine. And like everything else you do as a parent...if you flub up, just make sure your kids aren't watching!

Election Day...Get Out and Vote Green!

O.K. Green Parents...It's election day, and although it's not the BIG one, it's still a good time to stretch out your green finger and put your ballot where your mouth is. The choice you make in today's local and state elections could bring improvements in your town's recycling initiatives, support for the environment at your local schools, access to green parenting resources, and more support for environmental agendas that hit Washington D.C. So grab your kids and go make a difference by voting green at the polls today!

• For more information about casting an eco-savvy vote, surf over to The League of Conservation Voters.

• Click here if you need any info about contacting your elected officials, registering to vote, voting rights, or how to volunteer at the polls.

• Want to teach your kids more about the voting process? Check out Kids Voting USA, for voting info, sample ballots, and classroom voting activities.

Step It Up...Did You Miss It? You Can Still Be A Part Of History...

This past Saturday marked another historic Step It Up 2007 event with hundreds of demonstrations going on across the country to raise awareness about climate change and the steps needed to reverse it. Across the nation, tens of thousands of Green Parents and Eco Kids of all ages gathered to learn more about climate change, how we can halt it, and what we can and should expect our elected officials to do about it. Click here to see a list of elected officials who attended a Step It Up event.

I was fortunate enough to attend the D.C. event held in front of the Lincoln Memorial where I was entertained by rapping polar bears, informed about climate change by advisers such as David Donegan and Dr. Beverly White, and motivated to make a difference by inspirational speakers like Van Jones, founder of Green For All.

All of the afternoon's speakers were phenomenal.. Van Jones, in particular, gave an incredible speech, as he spoke about the "green pathway out of poverty," through which we should focus on the development of green collar jobs for those who are in most need of work. Here's an excerpt:

"In this society, we believe that we have throwaway stuff, throwaway resources, and throwaway materials. We also believe that we have throwaway children and throwaway neighborhoods. If we are going to truly make a difference, we can't just stop throwing away resources, we have to stop throwing away people."


Today, (Monday, Nov 5th) leaders from each of the weekend's events will be taking their case to Congress, meeting with their elected officials to discuss Step It Up's plan to increase the number of green jobs in the U.S. and decrease the level of carbon emission by 80 % by 2050. So, if you missed an event but still want to be part of history, pick up your phone and call your Congressperson (Click here to find phone numbers) and let them know you are concerned about climate change.


Special thanks to my polar bear models...Alexis Bayden-Mayer and Arundhati Baden-Mayer Eidinger

Step It Up This Saturday

Are you going to be a part of this weekend's historic Step It Up 2007 events? The Step It Up 2007 campaign was launched on April 14th of this year in an effort to draw national and international attention to climate change; calling on Congress to enact legislation that will cut carbon emissions by 80 % by the year 2050. Click here to learn more about the Step It Up initiatives.

In April, tens of thousands of Americans "Stepped Up" to attend the 1,400 events held in each of the 50 U.S. states. The collective event was dubbed "the largest environmental movment since Earth Day 1970." The people spoke...and now the elected officials are listening. So now, while we have their attention, comes the next phase of the event. This Saturday (November 3rd) Americans will once again "Step It Up" to demand leadership and action from our elected officials with respect to climate change. Family-friendly Step It Up 2007 events will once again be held all over the nation, bringing speakers, activists, and elected officials together to call attention to climate change. Click here to find an event near you. Will you be part of this historic event? I'll be attending the D.C. event and I hope to see you there!

Cleaning Up Your Green Halloween

Ahhh...the Halloween festivities are over. And as your kids crash down from their sugar high, it's time for you to wipe off the smudged face paint, take apart the costumes, put away the candy corn, and get rid of those wilted pumpkins. Here's how to clean up after your Green Halloween:

Pumpkins: Pumpkins are 100% compostable, so chop 'em up and toss them in the pile or bury them in the backyard. Don't have a compost pile? Click here to learn how to start one. In some areas, you may be able to throw your pumpkins in with other compostable yard waste for the city or county to pick up.

Costumes: Just because Halloween is over doesn't mean that your child has to give up his favorite costume. Put it in the dress-up box for playtime around the house. If you do want to get rid of it, pass it on to your local thrift shop or sell it on eBay.

Candy: If you've hit your limit on Halloween candy, pare down your supply and donate the rest to a local nursing home, Boys and Girls club, or women's shelter.


Photo courtesy of Thad Zajdowicz