eco friendly Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Have Sippy Will Travel

Gifts for the Active Men in Your Life #GiftGuide

November 28, 2018 by Samantha 18 Comments

If you are anything like us, you want to be active and outside as much as possible. Colder weather complicates things, but not to worry. You can get outdoors and enjoy your vitamin D year round, just bundle up a bit. Check out these functional and eco friendly cool-weather options we are loving right now- they would be perfect for the active men in your life this holiday season.

Stopping off at Trader Joe’s on the way home- active wear that is great as any wear

The perfect slip on shoe for indoors or out, the Original Stegmann is not only comfortable, but also functional. They are great for camping, running errands, and everything in between. They have fantastic arch and toe support, so if you have aching feet, issues like Plantar Fasciitis, or a bad back, these might be worth considering. They have free shipping and exchanges, so nothing to lose. Made with a Tyrolian & Merino wool blend into a single piece, it is then paired with an anatomically contoured cork sole that is balanced for both arch and metatarsal support. These shoes have a gentle slope which helps reduce ankle and back pain as well. These shoes as a whole are designed for comfort, so if that’s your thing- and honestly, whose isn’t- check them out at https://www.stegmannusa.com . Prices vary.

A brand we have really fallen in love with over here is Mountain Khakis. Not only are the products soft and durable, but the environmentally friendly fabrics and practices have completely won us over. Take for example the Rainmaker Jacket. It’s all sorts of wet-proof (rain, snow, mud, etc), and it’s strechy as well. It’s also warmer then some raincoats, without being swelteringly-sticky-hot like so many can be. A nice medium-to lightweight, and easily layered. It has a removable hood, with welded seams and snap-closed patch pockets. It has a relaxed fit and hits about the hip area. Best part? The eco-friendliness of this jacket. Polyurethane is a greener alternative to the traditional raincoat’s vinyl. It’s also more durable and is better for the environment in long term care and use. Polyurethane does not require the chemicals used to soften vinyl in the manufacturing process, and is eventually biodegradable, where as PVC (vinyl) never breaks down, and is usually incinerated. This leaches toxins into landfills and emits carcinogenic dioxin into the air. Any reason to choose PVC over PU? Not in my book. Check out https://www.mountainkhakis.com for your jacket, available in several colors, for $139.

Your new go-to sweatshirt will be the Poker Flats Pullover, which is soft and cuddly, perfect for chilly nights. Named for the inspiring Teton National Park, this namesake sweatshirt is also inspiring. With it’s certified recycled fleece (which is made using sustainable REPREVE® technology) fabric, each garment reuses about 25 plastic bottles in it’s creation. Half zip, relaxed fit with a high collar that can be folded down, it also has a snap chest pocket and thumb thumb loops. It comes in two shades- one is several shades of blues and greens, the other is a deep red with shades of grey. Get yours at https://www.mountainkhakis.com for $85

The Old Faithful Pants are just that. The most comfortable winter all-around pants we’ve found in ages, we find ourselves living in these. As in, I’ve had to peel them off my partner to wash them, he doesn’t want to part with them that long (like when you have to wrestle that dress or much loved t-shirt off your toddler, and you need to promise to put it right into the wash, they can have it right back- promise!) I jest, but not much. Known also as the “campfire pant”, these pants are made with recycled sweaters. They are both sweatpants and pants, with a drawstring waistband as well as a zippered fly. Yes, multiple pockets. The ribbed waistband and cuffs at the ankles keep the pants where you want them, and comfortably so. (Are you seeing that the themes here are comfort and function? Because seriously so.) Thicker then most sweatpants, but not sweaty-thick- just warm. The legs are slim fit, which surprised and weirded us out for a hot second, but only about one. Got used to them in no time, and they have become, as mentioned, our very favorites. These come in “oatmeal and black”, but seem really more like light grey and dark grey to the novice eye. $90 at https://www.mountainkhakis.com

Filed Under: clothes and shoes, Holiday Gift Guide, review Tagged With: clothes, clothing, eco friendly, gift guide, gifts, holiday gift guide, mens active wear, newspaper cross post

Trudeau – Making Food Prep Easy

December 28, 2016 by Samantha 2 Comments

Coffee is life’s bood for many. Most are very specific in their personal tastes, and either only enjoy a certain brew from a certain source or only enjoy their beverage a certain way. While I’m not that picky, and no one in this house is, I will tell you that my husband’s favorite way to make coffee is infusion by French Press. This method has you first put your coffee into a beaker then add almost boiling water. This makes the coffee blend with the water. The longer you keep the infusion working, the stronger and more robust the favor becomes. If you want something on the tame side, use less coffee and steep for a shorter amount of time. Once you are ready to drink, press the filter through your beverage from top to bottom and pour. The grounds stay at the bottom. Enjoy your fresh made French Press coffee. This coffee can be as personal and unique as you are so, experiment and find your favorite. But be warned- this may be your new favorite coffee. The coffee press by Trudeau is perfect for this and has superb quality as well as making 34oz.

coffee press

Next up are some school lunch or work lunch necessities from Trudeau, FUEL. FUEL features a variety of innovations and “I need that” designs that set the line apart from traditional lunch box offerings such as; individual condiment containers, a salad bowl with built in dressing storage and ice pack, a multi compartmentalized Bento Box with removable insides, a vacuum sealed soup and food container with separate pieces to house crackers and chips, snap together cutlery, double walled hydration and beverage bottles, and so much more.

kids lunch

We had the pleasure of trying many of their items. First up is the classic bag which has the feel and look of a classic lunch bag, but is reusable and insulated to keep cold stuff cold and hot stuff hot. There is a velcro strip to keep your food in place as well. The bag is tear resistant and stain resistant as well, so those spaghetti fall outs stay in place and are a breeze to clean up when you get home. Snack pockets fit a variety of foods and are perfect for trail mix. They are lined and tear resistant with a velcro at the top to keep food in its place. The common theme of the FUEL products are that they are easy to use, reusable, and easy to clean. The Snap cutlery set includes a fork and spoon which snap together for easy storage and the ability to keep them both in the same place without digging around for a fork when all you have is a spoon. The stainless steel food jar can keep food cold or hot for up to 6 hours, is BPA free, and has a big wide mouth making it easy to eat from and fill up. It is also easy to open when you want to and easy to keep closed while stowing it- less spills and messes in your lunchbox that way. The Condiment Set includes three different colored containers great to hold salad dressings, condiments, sauces, dips, nuts, etc. Each with a 1.5 oz. capacity. This is perfect for small snacks or little dips and such. Perfect for camping and picnics or veges and dip for a work time snack.

Filed Under: entertainment, review Tagged With: eco friendly, lunch

YOXO Join the Makers Movement #YOXOtoys

June 4, 2015 by Samantha 6 Comments

As our little ones grow up, it seems like their toys get more and more complex. They start with simple push and pull cars and rattles, they morph into tech and “batteries not included” before you can blink an eye. Every so often, a new toy comes along that puts electronic toys in their place and brings play time back to its roots with pieces that fit together in a creative way and are easy to fit together.

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YOXO is a fun new toy, named after the basic shapes of their building pieces, Y’s, X’s, and O’s. Each of these shapes have small slits or longer slits depending on the shape, to accept other shapes attaching to them. This can create some interesting shapes and creatures, with possibilities only limited by your imagination. Each piece is cardboard, so it is completely recyclable. The design may be simple, but the toy set itself is quite fun. I’m not sure if it is because of the odd shapes of the pieces or because each piece fits into the next with little effort, but we really liked messing with it. Whatever the reason, YOXO is quite fun to play with.

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As far as the number of kits available, three are available at this point. Doon, “Orig”, and Flye. Orig is a rebellious robot who is the leader of the group and stands 18 inches tall. Flye is a huge 4 foot dragonfly who has some unique oval shapes that really open up the possibilities of the set. Last but not least is Doon, who is a dune buggy with moving wheels. We gave Doon a try and were pleasantly surprised with how much fun it was to build and play with the set. It kept my son and the husband busy for quite some time, so that was great for me. I mean, them.

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“Doon is a 13-inch dune buggy kit for kids who are ready to take a ride. The 33-piece Doon kit includes everything you need to build your own recyclable YOXOmoto. Then take Doon apart and invent something new. Comes with custom moto parts, repositionable YOXO eye stickers in a sturdy box with a lid for easy storage. $19.99”

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These sets are now available at Target stores nationwide as well as YOXO kits are available at www.yoxo.com and at independent toy stores across the country. Doon retails for $19.99, Flye retails for $24.99 and YOXObot “Orig” for $19.99.

Filed Under: review, toys Tagged With: eco friendly, toys

How Much Do You Know About Recycling ?

April 24, 2015 by Samantha 2 Comments

My family and I are pretty good about recycling and reducing waste. We try to reuse as much as possible, we fix and repair instead of replacing when possible, compost, recycle, and almost never use disposable items in our lunchboxes and the like. Getting to know just how much you can save to help is a matter of reading up on the topic. The rules are easy to follow, and there are many places where you can learn more about the topic. Whether it’s a quick article, or a step-by-step guide. We only get one planet, right?

However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t use a refresher course now and again, or learn new and helpful information to assist us in learning to do it better, or show us a new way that might work well.

According to a recent study conducted for the Ad Council, 52% of Americans don’t know which items can be recycled in the bathroom. And only 10% of Americans have a recycling bin in their bathroom, compared to the 45% who have them in the kitchen.

There’s a lot you can do to help increase recycling rates. With Earth Day coming up on 4/22, there’s no better time than now to help spread the word.

Keep America Beautiful, the national nonprofit organization, recently launched the newest phase of the “I Want to Be Recycled” public service advertising campaign. It aims to raise awareness and inspire individuals to recycle more with the latest series of ads focused on recycling in the bathroom.
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Filed Under: home, parenting Tagged With: eco friendly, environment

Eco-Friendly Activities at Home Together With Your Kids

October 15, 2014 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Every parent will tell you that catering to their kids can often be rather expensive; trying to get them the latest toys and games can absolutely destroy your budget for the month. That’s why a lot of parents have taken to creating their own activities at home for the kids, fun little events and games that are easy on the bank account and more importantly, ensure that you’re being eco-friendly.

These activities can involve anything from learning about recyclable items through fun games and songs to something like competitions and prizes for finding the most recyclable items in the house. The types of games you can play can involve giving the kids a list of recyclables on a card with each card containing a different item inside it. You can then give them a small prize for whoever manages to fill in their card the fastest.

Another could involve having the kids arrange recyclables outside in the garden, these kinds of games work great as an alternative pastime activity at the garden as it encourages the kids to go outside and interact more with the environment.

A great benefit of these games being eco-friendly is that it teaches the kids the importance of looking after the environment, behavior that they’ll practice every day before eventually passing onto their own kids in the future.

Outside of games some parents have even started turning to arts and crafts with their kids using recyclable materials to show that junk that they would normally throw away can be turned into beautiful works of art. Some have even made a small profit out of turning their recycling activities with their kids into a small business.
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Filed Under: home, kids, parenting Tagged With: eco friendly, gardening, kids

Sandgrens Environmentally Friendly Shoes

May 21, 2014 by Samantha 9 Comments

Disclosure: The below was provided to me to help facilitate my review. All opinions are my own and honest. I am disclosing this in accordance to FTC Guidelines. Please see “Disclose” tab for more information.

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It can be hard to find shoes that are comfortable and cute at the same time. Some of us (this chick included) can fall into a rut of tossing anything on that fits and is easy to wear, even if it’s not all that flattering. Sneakers and flip flops are the footwear of motherhood, right? Sometimes, a girl’s gotta remember that….well, she’s a girl. And she was a woman before she was a mother (with a whole separate identity). Yes, your child(ren) come first, should, and always will. But what’s wrong with taking a few minutes (and dollars) for you now and again? As far as I know, none of us are martyrs destined for Sainthood, and it would do us good to be reminded of that now and again.

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You deserve to look and feel pretty. Invest in yourself- a few items that make you feel good, and that you can wear with multiple items of clothes (so the guilt monster doesn’t come to eat you). For Spring and Summer, Sandgrens clogs and sandals are adorable, comfortable, and versatile. They are able to be dressed up for formal occasions like weddings and anniversary dinners out on the town, but easy to dress down for regular use with a pair of capri pants and a cute tank top. I have worn my Caspain sandals with my long formal IGIGI dress that I adore to formal dinners, events, and a wedding. I also took them with me on a recent cruise, and wore them dancing (they really are comfortable) and for every day touring. I wore them with a cute tank top and shorts, capris, and summer sun dresses. They really do go with everything, and they can be worn for long periods of time without hurting your feet, unlike most heels and wedges.

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Filed Under: clothes and shoes, evergreen, fashion, review Tagged With: eco friendly, go green, review, shoes

Eco-friendly Easter Basket

March 30, 2014 by Samantha Leave a Comment

Spring is the time of year that, for many of us, we are inspired to celebrate nature. As the snow clears and the flowers begin to bloom once more, it’s a handy reminder for us all about life cycles, renewal and the importance of protecting nature—even in big cities. New York is a city that positively bursts with color in spring, whether you’re exploring the wilds of Central Park or merely lucky enough to be a resident in a complex that respects and protects green-spaces (such as The Greenwich Lane in the West Village, which features incredibly serene gardens.) Of course, this great season of re-birth coincides with Easter, and if you’re looking for an eco-friendly way of celebrating with your kids this March 31st, a thoughtful Easter basket could be the way to go. Here are five ideas of what to put in yours:

1. Eco-Friendly Books
Thoughtful publishers are now, more and more, focusing on sustainable practices when it comes to releasing their books. Since it wouldn’t be Easter without a bunny or two, we’d recommend a copy of Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. The new Snuggle Book version of the classic tale comes in a cuddle-friendly organic cotton and is perfect for toddlers, while the original version has been delighting children for over a century now and is a great way to teach kids about farming and wildlife.

2. Seeds and Gardening Equipment
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Filed Under: holidays, kids Tagged With: easter, Easter Basket, eco friendly, green, kids

EcoTools Bamboo 6 Piece Brush Set

September 10, 2012 by Samantha 5 Comments

With fall upon us, it’s the perfect time to try out a new makeup routine to freshen up your look. EcoTools, a leader in earth-friendly beauty products, has teamed up with celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles to showcase a new makeup routine to get gorgeous in just five minutes. Made from 100% cruelty free, soft taklon bristles and recycled aluminum ferrules, it comes in a convenient natural cotton and hemp travel case- making it the perfect on-the-go kit for fashion forward ladies that care about the planet.

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