Can you imagine wiping your counter with wooden fibres? How about washing you or a baby? I was pretty uncertain about the whole idea when we first got our Mabu cloths in the store. I purchased a package out of curiosity and WOW it is one of the softest pieces of material I have ever felt. It’s super absorbent, durable and just a joy to use. You can add soap to it just like a sponge and lather it up for washing in the bath or shower or use it around the house for a very durable, bacteria and stain resistant cloth. They colour code the multi package so when you wash them you will remember which one you used for what purpose. It even works great for mopping up spills making it a nice replacement for paper towels. I also use them for dusting and they work great dry with nothing on them.

Mabu cloths are made from wood from sustainable forests. From the website…..“The Mabu cloth is made of rayon viscose (wood pulp fibre). It looks and feels like natural silk, but rayon viscose is a 100% natural fiber created from renewable natural resource components. Actually, its basis is a paper-like, vegetable cellulose pulp!. Eventually, this fibre reintegrates itself into the ecosystem through natural decay, thus supplying the soil with natural nutrients.”

A handy idea from the website which I am super excited to try:

CONVERT YOUR MOP TOP

If you’re using one of those spray and wipe floor mops with disposable pads, stop and think about how much you’re spending on fluid refills and replacement wipes. A single box of pads runs up to $10 (never mind the worrisome chemical cocktail being misted through your house.) Why not just keep the handle and put on an old washcloth? Or better yet use a Mabu cloth!

I really cannot say enough about this simple cloth! Try one and you’ll see I’m not crazy, just in love.

Filed under:
Products by admin

I’ve played my share of board games in my life. With children ranging from 4-14 it’s always a challenge to find something we can all agree on. Something that is interesting for our oldest but is easy enough for our youngest to play and enjoy, and let’s be honest something we as parents can really love playing too.

Wildcraft is the first game I have been truly excited about and when we actually played no one was disappointed. There are so many wonderful features to this game but my favourite is the knowledge you gain. The game starts you off at Grandma’s house. You’ve spent your summer playing with your cousins and helping Grandma gather herbs for whipping up tasty treats. Now she needs some Huckleberries and wants you and your cousins to climb the mountain trail and gather them for her before night. So as players of the game you all have to work as a team! You all win or no one wins (but really if you don’t win Grandma just has to climb up the mountain and get you and still makes you tasty treats…at least that’s how we play). As you play you gather herbs and encounter a little trouble here and there. You use your herbs to help you out in different situations (like a bees sting, being hungry, sore throat ect). You start to gain knowledge of what these edible and medicinal herbs are used for and what they look like. My 4 year old learned after only playing once what wild mustard looks like and if anyone draws a hungry card it is the first one he looks for. The game is all about learning and growing and helping each other out. There is also a matching game you can play with the herb cards to change things up a bit.

But there’s more!! Once you buy the game you can register it on line and receive a host of free information available for download. There is a story book you can use with the game, an activity book for the kids, a free 90 min e-course on kids and herbs (downloadable recording), herbal remedies for cold and flu season book, free subscription to Herbal Roots e-zine and a few more informative little books! Talk about getting the most for your money. The game itself is bright, beautiful and well made.

Wildcraft has quickly became our favourite family activity I hope it becomes yours too!

Filed under:
Products by admin

Every year around this time the wheels start turning. I have three kids all wanting to send out cards and candies to their closest 30 or so friends. Then I start thinking if each child brings in even 20 cards that’s 400 per class room. My children have at least 32 classrooms in their school so that is around 12,800 cards sent out this Valentine’s day for just one school. There has to be a better way for them to show their friends they care. So every year I search for some new fresh, eco ideas to spread the love. I’ll share my top three finds with you and please feel free to post any projects that may make this a greener holiday for everyone.

1) Crayon Hearts: Re use all those broken pieces of crayon this year. For this project you take your old broken up pieces of crayon and place them into heart shaped metal cookie or muffin tins and melt in the oven at 250 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Take it a step further and use last year’s valentine’s cards as your background or old pieces of art projects. You could also use magazines, fliers or any scrap paper you might have on hand.

2) Paint-Swirl Hearts: Have your kids create finger-painted cards for their friends or family. Just let them whip up a batch of finger paintings, then let the paint dry and then cut various heart shapes from the finger paintings. Glue the hearts onto a plain card, along with ribbon or other decorative items.

3) Edible valentines are eco-friendly valentines! Search for low-fat cookie recipes and use whole-grain flours and nutritious, organic ingredients whenever possible. Buy heart-shaped cookie cutters in several sizes, mix up a little egg yolk “paint,” and let the kids decorate to their hearts’ content…

To make egg yolk paint, whisk together:

- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon of water
- a few drops of natural food coloring

Decorate the cookies with paint, then bake. You can then write a message with melted chocolate piped through a sandwich bag with a tiny hole cut into one corner, and embellish with sprinkles or miniature candies.

To give as valentines, wrap them in unbleached parchment paper or simply hand them out to be eaten on the spot. These valentine treats are a wonderful way to get a message of care across without leaving anything behind to throw away!

Valentine’s Day Card Reuse Crafts
Ever wonder what to do with those colourful little paper valentines your child brings home after the class Valentine’s Day party? Here are a few ideas for putting them to good (re)use…

- Placemats made with contact paper, used valentines, wrapping paper, or ribbon scraps, and anything else that suits a flat work of art make a lovely gift or memento of the day gone past.

- Bookmarks are also easy to construct using these little valentines. Have several young friends join together to make a whole collection of festive bookmarks and donate them to the local public library or to a nearby school. How-To: Simply cut cards to size and glue pieces to assorted bookmark-shaped pieces of cardboard cut from cereal boxes or other household paper products. Cover with contact paper to ensure long-term usefulness.

- Postcards. Hunt around the house for large index cards to cut to postmaster-friendly postcard size (minimum of 5 inches by 3.5 inches, maximum of 6 inches by 4.25 inches). Glue or tape valentines to one side or create a collage with lots of different paper bits, and then send this thoughtful postcard to a loved one. Who says valentines are just for the month of February?

Filed under:
Products by admin

We have now been at our new store location and our new home for about two weeks. The changes that I have already experienced in my life due to these two moves are astronomical.

There were many reasons to move the store. Our Tecumseh Rd location was way too big, never had the right feel, was not surrounded by like minded businesses, and of course the commute from LaSalle to Tecumseh was no fun. It was many months of searching before we settled on the Walkerville Business Lofts location. Knowing the other businesses here and the community around the store – I felt that this place had the potential to become a destination for all of us. There are many like minded businesses – from Jones and Co (recycling vintage clothing), timeless treasures (recycling furniture), Taloola’s (local/organic food), the Yoga Loft (yoga!), 10,000 Villages (fair trade globally) and of course Taste Buds (local/organic foods). So now that we have settled into these new digs – found all the items that were missing those first few days – and heard some feedback from both new and old customers I know we made the right decision.

Moving the house came about after we made the decision regarding the store – we talked about how nice it would be to be able to walk to work. From there we started looking at house and all of a sudden everything fell into place. Let me tell you waking up and getting ready – being able to spend extra time with my family – walking two blocks to get here each day and two blocks home improves my quality of life in ways I didn’t think was possible. Already I know I have more energy, I am happier, I have decreased my personal footprint and increased the love in my house. It’s funny how these things go.

I hope that you get the chance to stop by the new location soon and share your thoughts. We think its how ShopEco should feel.

Filed under:
Living Green, News Issues by admin

Inspiration from Yolo with the new palette of non-toxic, no voc paints.

Filed under:
Products by admin

It’s been a bit of time since we updated the blog and with the hubby crazy busy with our renovations still, I thought I would take this opportunity to try and get things going again. 

I had a chance to stop by the new store this morning - I am super excited.  The paint is looking gorgeous.   The complimentary Yolo shades look beautiful together.  The terrazzo floor is starting to look the way it should and the Soycrete stain is fabulous on the raw concrete.  Our lovely dual flush toilet looks so cute and compact in the bathroom.  I’m hoping that by this time next week we will be able to start on bringing in fixtures.   

The new neighbourhood feels so much like the right spot to me.  I love the big trees, the people walking and the sense of community.  Our current location beside the Dollar Store just feels like such a suburban wasteland.  The trees are all so small and manicured you can really feel that the community is new and was not designed for walking.  It’s not what I would deem eco by any means but the new location is for sure as eco a spot as I believe can be found in this city of ours.   The stores and businesses around us also seem to have a bit of a hum going on which reminds me of my time in Toronto.  All around I can’t wait. 

The businesses who will be sharing the new digs include Flow Furniture Boutique, 10,000 Villages, the Walkerville Yoga Loft, Davlyn Financial, Fusion Massage and Taste Bud Food. 

Filed under:
Living Green, Locally green by admin

Over the past few months I have been hard at work trying to find the right eco clothing lines to bring into the store.  I finally feel like I hit the jackpot and we now have a great selection.  Starting with the Me to We  line who not only have fabulous tees at a really reasonable price point but as an added bonus they donate 50% of their profits to their charity partner Free the Children.   For the active folks we are carrying select items from the Beckons Organics line.  Skorts perfect for all kinds of summer activities as well as some incredible capris that accentuate the beauty of your calves.   For the fashionistas we are carrying a few super funky pieces made by Susan Harris Design in Toronto.  She has the very best whimsical pieces that fit real women.  Since each piece is a unique item of art these must be viewed in store.    Lastly for men and women who wish to make a real statement with their clothing – we have added eco wear to our line as well.  These shirts are made of 100% recycled goods making them 2^nd life shirts.  Check out the video here.

Filed under:
Products by admin

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has come up with an easy way of being greener: eat less meat. Eating less meat is a straightforward and effective way of countering global warming. Also, reduced consumption of red meat can improve your health - regular consumption of red meat has been linked to a host of health issues including many cancers.

According to a report published by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, the livestock sector generates more greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalent - 18 percent - than transport. It is also a major source of land and water degradation. It generates 65 percent of human-related nitrous oxide, which has 296 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. And it accounts for respectively 37 percent of all human-induced methane (23 times as warming as CO2), and 64 percent of ammonia, which contributes significantly to acid rain. Livestock now use 30 percent of the earth’s entire land surface, mostly permanent pasture but also including 33 percent of the global arable land used to producing feed for livestock, the report notes. As forests are cleared to create new pastures, it is a major driver of deforestation, especially in Latin America where, for example, some 70 percent of former forests in the Amazon have been turned over to grazing.

Is red meat really an essential part of our diet? Red meat consumption among developed and developing economies has been growing. The average person eats far more protein from all sources than they really need. An 8-ounce steak or a single 6-ounce chicken breast will supply an entire day’s protein needs for an average 150-pound person. Meat can still have a place in a healthy diet, providing complete protein, iron and other nutrients. However, it should be used as a compliment to the meal and not the main attraction. For example, add crumbled ground meat or chopped chicken to Spaghetti, or make a stirfry where the vegetables take center stage.

If you can’t give up the meat habit, then buying locally-grown food, regardless of the food group, cuts down the ecological impact of transportation. With meat, buying local almost always eliminates the option of factory-farmed animals. The meat from the smaller local farms is often of better quality and leaner than feedlot meat, and supports the local economy and small farmer. If you are buying directly from the farmer, you get to see firsthand what conditions the animals are raised in, and can find out what sorts of antibiotics or feed practices are used. Buying from the farmer virtually eliminates the risks of foodborne illness introduced in factory slaughterhouses, since the farmers generally use small, local processors to handle the butchering. Most farmers sell by the whole, half or quarter of the animal for beef.

Filed under:
Products by admin

Furniture used to be built to last through many generations of families, but the trend has been towards mass produced low cost furniture with an expectation of being replaced regularly.  In addition to the resources and energy used to create new items of furniture, there’s the considerable packaging waste with each new piece, not to mention that most furniture is not made in North America and must be shipped thousands of miles.

Conventional adhesives and finishes in new furniture can be detrimental to indoor air quality as it off-gasses VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. Formaldehyde, which can cause skin and eye irritation and breathing issues in some individuals, is often used in new furniture. Many types of conventional furniture contain high levels of toxic halogenated fire retardants. Studies have shown that people who are tested for toxins have halogenated fire retardants stored in their bodies, with babies and children showing the highest levels.

There are many factors that can make furniture eco-friendly. Sometimes it is because the furniture is made from woods such as bamboo and cork that replenishes itself rapidly. Sometimes it is eco-friendly because the woods used come from carefully harvested forests, where trees are selectively cut down and new ones planted in their place. In other cases, the furniture is eco-friendly because it is made from recycled material.

Check before you buy that a product has a non-toxic, zero VOC finish. Look for the Greenguard Certification label which means that the furniture has been classed as being low-emitting and therefore better for healthy indoor air quality. When looking for wood furniture, consider purchasing reclaimed wood. Manufacturing from reclaimed wood saves trees, and reduces the amount of energy needed to create a new product. If you can’t find funiture with reclaimed wood, look for furniture that carries the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) logo. This globally recognized symbol certifies the wood has come from a sustainably managed source.

Filed under:
Products by admin

skuut balance bike

We wanted to get a Skuut for our daughter and decided that we’d bring a few into the store.

The Skuut is a wooden bike for children ages 2 - 5. It has no pedals and no training wheels. Children kick off the ground as if running to push themselves and the bike forward. The Skuut is perfect for learning balance, steering, coordination and independence. Having mastered balance on the Skuut, the transition to a traditional two wheeler bike is easy. 

Sitting on the Skuut, kids first walk the bike forward. As they go faster they stride with feet off the ground for longer and longer periods of time, ultimately being able to pull both feet off the ground and coast. At first they tilt to one side or the other and their feet catch them like training wheels or a tripod would. Very quickly balance becomes second nature and they can coast for yards with their feet off the ground. Braking is done putting your feet down to stop.

The Skuut’s body is constructed from heat-treated softwood and hardwood, coated with nontoxic laquer.

Skuut has partnered with Trees for the Future - an organization that has helped thousands of communities in Central America, Africa, and Asia improve their livelihoods and their environment by planting nearly 50 million trees. By partnering with Trees for the Future, Skuut will ensure that a tree is planted for every bike sold.

Filed under:
Products by admin