These eco friendly gift baskets are usually designed to be decorative and attractive. The Eco Food preservation Tray has an ultra-resilient silicone material in the center and is made out of high-density polyethylene. This makes it simpler to seal the foods in seconds and let the air out of the tray while it is filling. So, your food stays fresh way longer. You can be sure that your foods will still be tasty, safe, and nutritious.

There are many people who are concerned about the environmental aspect of food production. They want to help the world by buying foods that are more Eco friendly. Unfortunately, it’s not easy to know which foods are greener and which are not. Luckily, there are some eco-friendly alternatives to popular brands that are not only good tasting, but also healthy. For instance, whole foods such as veggies, fruits, and nuts are better for you than processed foods such as canned goods and frozen dinners.

The demand for eco-friendly foods is increasing by the day because many people are becoming aware of the fact that eating unhealthy foods can lead to many health problems. It can lead to high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and a lot more. In order to curb this problem and make sure that many people live healthy lives, eco friendly food is very popular right now. Many restaurants have already started to promote these kinds of foods, and are doing quite well in terms of sales and popularity.

Eco food preservation methods include sprays and trays. Spray sealers are getting quite popular these days. It prevents spoilage and keeps foods fresh for a longer period of time. A spray sealer uses oxygen to create an environment that allows air and moisture to be retained within the container, thus preventing bacteria from thriving inside and on the exterior of the container.

A tray is another great eco food storage method, as it ensures that the foods keep their freshness for a long period of time, and maintain their nutritional values without harmful harm. If you are looking to buy an eco-friendly tray, make sure that you check out the company’s certification. The certification should be from a reputable organization like the National Organic Products Association. This will ensure that you’re buying a good product that doesn’t damage the natural environment. Eco food storage is important, and luckily there are many great ways to do it without adversely harming our environment.

The post Eco Food living appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

The Case Against Plastic Bags

1. Plastic bags are almost forever. Plastic bags have a lifespan of approximately one thousand years. Proponents of using plastic bags point to the increase in the amount of recycling over the past few years. While more and more people are recycling, the truth is plastic bags just don’t recycle very well.  Since the bags are thin, they often become tangled in processes at the refiners and still end in landfill sites.
2. Plastic bags are expensive and we pay for them more than once. The first charge occurs when we shop; about 3p to 5p is added to the prices to cover the price of plastic bags. The second charge comes in the dealing with plastic bag waste; this is about three times that amount.
3. Plastic bags are bad for the environment. Since they are made from a petroleum product, plastic bags deal a double blow to the environment.  Drilling for fossil fuels is not the most environmentally friendly activity.
4. Plastic bags are a hazard to animal life. Plastic bags have been found in the remains or fish, ocean mammals, turtles, camels and birds and it is estimated that they are the cause of 100,000 sea creature deaths per year.

The Case for Plastic Bags

1. They are easy to store.
2. They are lightweight.
3. They make it easier to carry purchases.

The Case Against Paper Bags

1. Paper bags have a large environmental impact. Just because they are made from a renewable resource doesn’t mean they are environmentally friendly. The process of turning wood into pulp requires a great deal of energy.
2. Paper bags also use more energy than plastic ones in reaching their destination.
3. Paper bags weigh about seven times as much as plastic, which results in higher fuel costs and higher fuel consumption. The UK’s Environmental Agency has called the overall impact on human health and the environment of paper bags to be “significantly worse” than that of plastic.

The Case for Paper Bags

1. Paper bags are easily recyclable. Even when they are left as litter they degrade fairly quickly.
2. Paper bags do not present the same dangers as plastic to land and sea-based animals.

The Clear Winner

When it comes to which is the better option, paper or plastic, each is an environmentally unfriendly decision.  The best choice is to carry your own re-useable bags. Each one can be used  many times over and has a lifespan of about year.

The post Paper Versus Plastic appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

Nature Bingo Card Printable

Print out the Earth Day Nature Bingo Card and head out on a nature hike, to the park, or out into your neighborhood.  While someone might win the game and get a “Bingo” first, everyone is a winner as the cards fill up and and all kinds of treasures are found.  The environment is a winner to as trash and items that can be recycled are collected and taken care of properly.  Remember to teach your children the importance of picking up trash and recyclables whenever possible, not just as part of a game!

In addition to teaching children about the importance of picking up trash and other items that are not good for our environment there are many other ways to get involved!  Teach them to volunteer. Many communities have Earth Day festivials!  Go!!  Change a family habit. Do something nice for the Earth not just on Earth Day but every day.  Teach your children to protect the environment year-round!

To print our Earth Day Nature Bingo Card simply right click on the image below and select print!  This bingo card isn’t just for Earth Day.  Use this free printable bingo card on nature hikes, while camping with kids, or any time you’re outdoors!

The post Earth Day Nature Bingo Card Printable appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

Two Recycle Craft Ideas For Kids To Make Homemade Toys

Using these two recycle craft ideas for water bottle snow globes and tissue box guitars, your kids will have fun doing simple crafts and feel empowered to create. Then they can decorate their homemade toys with paint and/or stickers.

Water Bottle Snow Globes Recycle Craft

Water Bottle Snow Globe Materials:

• 1 old water bottle, refilled from your sink
• glitter

How To Make A Water Bottle Snow Globe:

Pour your favorite glitter into the water bottle until it looks right (and then shake it up!)  Toddles love to play with these homemade toys.  Allowing the glitter to settle and reshaking it and watching the glitter glisten is a great way to pass the time for small children- especially when they are riding in the car.

Tissue Box Guitar Recycle Craft

Tissue box guitar materials:

• 1 empty Kleenex box
• 3 rubber bands

How to make a tissue box guitar:

Stretch rubber bands over the hole on the top of the box and start making music!  It is that simple to make a homemade tissue box guitar and your toddler will love making something themselves.

Have you tried making recycle crafts before? What other crafts have you made from recycled products?

The post Two Recycle Craft Ideas For Kids appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

Before you throw out your water bottles and empty Kleenex boxes, check these recycle craft ideas out and let your kids get busy! It is also a great time to talk with your child about reuse and recycling and why these things are important.

Two Recycle Craft Ideas For Kids To Make Homemade Toys

Using these two recycle craft ideas for water bottle snow globes and tissue box guitars, your kids will have fun doing simple crafts and feel empowered to create. Then they can decorate their homemade toys with paint and/or stickers.

Water Bottle Snow Globes Recycle Craft

Water Bottle Snow Globe Materials:

• 1 old water bottle, refilled from your sink
• glitter

How To Make A Water Bottle Snow Globe:

Pour your favorite glitter into the water bottle until it looks right (and then shake it up!)  Toddles love to play with these homemade toys.  Allowing the glitter to settle and reshaking it and watching the glitter glisten is a great way to pass the time for small children- especially when they are riding in the car.

Tissue Box Guitar Recycle Craft

Tissue box guitar materials:

• 1 empty Kleenex box
• 3 rubber bands

How to make a tissue box guitar:

Stretch rubber bands over the hole on the top of the box and start making music!  It is that simple to make a homemade tissue box guitar and your toddler will love making something themselves.

Have you tried making recycle crafts before? What other crafts have you made from recycled products?

The post Two Recycle Craft Ideas For Kids appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

Two Recycle Craft Ideas For Kids To Make Homemade Toys

Using these two recycle craft ideas for water bottle snow globes and tissue box guitars, your kids will have fun doing simple crafts and feel empowered to create. Then they can decorate their homemade toys with paint and/or stickers.

Water Bottle Snow Globes Recycle Craft

Water Bottle Snow Globe Materials:

• 1 old water bottle, refilled from your sink
• glitter

How To Make A Water Bottle Snow Globe:

Pour your favorite glitter into the water bottle until it looks right (and then shake it up!)  Toddles love to play with these homemade toys.  Allowing the glitter to settle and reshaking it and watching the glitter glisten is a great way to pass the time for small children- especially when they are riding in the car.

Tissue Box Guitar Recycle Craft

Tissue box guitar materials:

• 1 empty Kleenex box
• 3 rubber bands

How to make a tissue box guitar:

Stretch rubber bands over the hole on the top of the box and start making music!  It is that simple to make a homemade tissue box guitar and your toddler will love making something themselves.

Have you tried making recycle crafts before? What other crafts have you made from recycled products?

The post Two Recycle Craft Ideas For Kids appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.

Ways To Get Involved For Earth Day 2015

Earth Day is all about raising awareness of environmental issues and doing something to support our environment. From small activities such as Earth Day crafts and games to joining Earth Day events to signing petitions, each action counts so get involved this Earth Day- April 22, 2015.

Participate In A Local Earth Day Event

What are you doing on Earth Day? Register your Earth Day event or search for Earth Day events in your area at arthday.org/greencities/events/.  Almost 1,000 events have been registered from gardening events to upcycling events to trash cleanup events and more.

Join the Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Brigade® with TerraCycle®

Terracycle is a great way to get involved recycling items that usually would otherwise end up in the trash. Since I am a Tom’s of Maine ambassador, I happen to know that they have a Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Brigade® with TerraCycle® and in 2014, volunteers kept 11,000 pounds of personal care packaging out of landfills! Pretty awesome! You can get in on the recycling action at terracycle.com

Climate Petition

Earth Day Network has joined with other organizations in the promoting the largest climate petition ever, calling on all citizens to keep global temperature under the unacceptably dangerous rise level of 2°C. Join the largest climate petition to save the world. Tell local, national and international leaders to phase out carbon. Sign the petition at earthday.org

LED Light Bulbs for Earth Day

If you haven’t done it yet, change to LED Light Bulbs for Earth Day. Really, they are just so much more efficient- 85% more efficient! This information graphic that ACE Hardware sent me illustrates the point well.

Teach Kids About Earth Day

You can download a free Climate Education Toolkit for K-12 students at earthday.org. The Toolkit includes a week’s worth of lesson plans, activities, and contests. Each day covers a different theme related to climate change with two activities handpicked by Earth Day Network for your use. Your kids may also enjoy Nature Bingo Cards as an Earth Day game.

Keep Clothes Out Of Landfills

With Schoola.com, parents can donate gently used clothing and Schoola sells the items online with money going right back to the schools from where the items were collected.

Shop Green

Part of going green is to buy from responsible and sustainable brands. Look for organic products, Fair Trade products, and eco-conscious brands that give a portion of profits back to caring for the earth.

Recycle and Upcycle

Hopefully, you already recycle. Try upcycling too for fun creative ways to reuse what would otherwise become trash.

Make It A Meat Free Day

Eating meat, especially beef, takes a heavy carbon toll. Try going meat free for Earth Day!

Make Everyday Earth Day

Try to adopt new green habits that you can use everyday. Be on the lookout for eco tipsand make small consistent changes- like eliminating the use of plastic bags and bottles, using less energy in your home, and conserving water.

I hope you enjoy these ways to get involved this Earth Day. What will you be doing for Earth Day 2015?

The post Earth Day 2015- Ways To Get Involved appeared first on Oddfamily.co.uk. A parenting blog where the children run the show.