We’ve cooked up something special in our test kitchen for you this week in celebration of St. Patty’s Day (what can we say, we like to party). But first, I’d like to talk to you about something important you can do to positively impact your child’s health.
The last thing we want here at Greeno Bambino is for people to get so overwhelmed by the task of replacing conventional kids’ products with their non-toxic counterparts that they throw up their hands and do nothing. That’s why we recommend starting small – with baby steps, if you will. Of course bottles, sippy cups and pacifiers are a great place to begin, and anything absorbed by your child’s skin is a smart second step – shampoos, moisturizers, sunscreens, etc.
But there is one “big” purchase that most people overlook – mattresses.
When you think about it, it’s pretty obvious that you should pay attention to your kids’ mattress – your child is breathing right on top of it for 12-14 hours a day after all. Yet many parents don’t realize that most conventional mattresses are practically overflowing with toxic materials.
For the past 30 years, conventional crib and toddler mattresses have been made from a host of petroleum-based synthetic materials like polyurethane foam, vinyl (PVC), phthalates and chemical fire retardants. (Polyurethane foam, the primary filling in nearly all conventional crib mattresses, is so flammable that the National Association of State Fire Marshals calls it “solid gasoline.” Paradoxically, to mitigate flammability the polyurethane foam is often treated with a combination of highly toxic chemicals, including arsenic and boric acid.) Some recent studies indicate a potential link between such toxic chemicals and the significant rise in childhood disorders, as well as hormonal problems, allergies, asthma and cancer.
That’s why, along with the easy changes like using BPA-free bottles, we urge parents to consider purchasing a non-toxic, organic mattress like those we carry from Naturepedic.
Naturepedic mattresses use naturally hypo-allergenic organic cotton and they’re highly supportive, provide good air circulation, and maintain even humidity and balanced temperature. Plus, they feature an easy-to-clean, waterproof cover made of clear, 100% food-grade, non-toxic polyethylene, and they exceed Federal and State Flammability Standards. To top it off, Naturepedic mattresses are made, tested and certified in the U.S.A. and recommended by Healthy Child Healthy World, a nationally acclaimed non-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about environmental toxins that can affect children’s health.
Starting at just $279 (with free shipping!), Naturepedic mattresses are an investment in your child’s health that is really worth considering. For a small fee, Naturepedic will even make custom size mattresses to fit any crib or bed – just contact us and we’ll help you out.
OK, time to get to the fun stuff:
From now through St. Patrick’s Day (March 17), take 20% off everything green throughout the entire store.
As you know, Sprig Toys specializes in making truly innovative non-toxic toys, and here is just one more example of the company’s ingenuity. The Heli-Scoopter is a 5 in 1 sand/dirt/water toy that’s great for both indoor and outdoor use, so rain, shine or bathtime, it will keep your active child flying high.
To paraphrase Jackie Wilson, your love keeps lifting BabyGanics higher and higher. Not sure what you’ve been feeding your little ones lately (we kid, we kid), but it seems there’s been a growing need for this fantastic air freshener/odor remover. And with our BabyGanics sale still in full swing, this baby might just reach the top of the charts.
Give this gift and you’ll have a friend for life. Why? Because VMV makes the most lust-worthy body care products around – the first to be rated VH-65, meaning they are free of all 65 known allergens. Inside this gift set – beautifully packaged in a hand-made cream-and-chocolate box with an espresso-colored bow — you’ll find carry-on approved travel sizes of VMV’s complete line of baby products, plus a set of Hypoallergenic Bonnet & Booties. We’ve never put this item on sale before, so here’s your opportunity to take advantage of us.
Whether you’re an everyday germaphobe (like me) or getting ready for a family vacation (GERM-any anyone?), Clean Well’s travel size hand sanitizers – offered in Original Scent or Orange Vanilla – are just the thing to beat back all those evil little fever-inducing meanies. Also available in a 6 oz. spray pump and pocket wipes.
If bathing and teething are part of your daily routine, well, maybe you should see a doctor about the teething. But if you’ve got a child who meets that description, then you’ve got to get him a Ducki. Offered in 4 cheerful pastels – Caribbean (blue), Mint, Raspberry and Citrus (yellow) – Ducki is cool as a cucumber and free of BPA, phthalates, lead and PVC.
Speaking of rubber ducks, we just had a chance to dive into Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Dangers of Everyday Things, a book recently released in the U.S. by Rick Smith (Executive Director of Environmental Defence Canada) & Bruce Laurie (a Canadian environmental activist) about the real-world impacts of exposure to toxic chemicals in everyday products. It’s a freakishly magnetic read. Over the course of a few days the authors intentionally expose themselves to all manner of toxins – from BPA and phthalates to teflon and canned tuna – in order to determine the chemicals’ adverse effects. Though the experiment may be a little bit unscientific, the book contains some compelling revelations and we urge you to check it out.
As we mentioned in last week’s Fab Five Faves, we received a wealth of fantastic feedback from the survey we sent out a couple weeks back. One of the the things we heard loud and clear was that you’d like us to feature more deals and discounts in our weekly newsletter. So here’s what we’re going to do…
The Fab Five Faves (which you can always find right here) will now be hitting your inbox every other week. On alternate weeks (beginning today), we will dedicate our newsletter to a super-special promotion. (Don’t worry, we’ll still let you know about ongoing deals in the FFF.)
To start us off on this delicious deal-ified journey, we’re going to spread the love in hopes that you’ll spread it some more.
Starting…now…we will automatically apply a $10 credit to your Greeno Bambino account every time you refer a new customer to our shop. (And by customer, we mean someone who actually buys something. Because, you know, that’s what we do here.) There are no limits to how many credits you can earn. Refer 20 friends and you’ve got yourself a $200 shopping spree, on us. (For those of you who have signed up for our newsletter without actually creating an account on Greeno Bambino, not to worry – you can set up an account in 20 seconds right here. Really, we timed it.)
All you have to do is tell your friends to type your full name (that’s first and last) in the order comments section at checkout, and we’ll give you all the credit in the world (ten dollars at a time).
And for the next seven days, as an added enticement, tell your friends to use the following coupon code at checkout for 20% off their order:
As you know, last week the Fab Five Faves took a short vacation while its understudy – Greeno Bambino’s first survey of 2010 – got a chance to shine. The response was tremendous and tremendously enlightening. Thanks so much to all those who offered their thoughts; we are working hard to implement your super suggestions.
Now, on to the good stuff. In this week’s edition of Fab Five Faves, we’ve got fun, sun and a little something for everyone:
Whether heading out of town or searching for a perfect little gift, this is a pick that won’t let you down. Inside a reusable mandarin orange trimmed zipper case you’ll find travel size containers of Erba’s chemical-free body wash, shampoo, body lotion and diaper cream.
3 Sprouts’ adorable storage bins are one of our hottest-selling items virtually every week. They’re the perfect antidote to a messy playroom, and a fitting gift for kids of all ages.
We know how costly it can be to purchase the everyday stuff, so we like to periodically offer deep discounts on staple items like Thermos’ Foogo sippy cups. Pink or blue, with or without handles, these are among the most sturdy, well-made sippy cups on the market, and we think you’ll find our current sale price hard to beat.
Once again, a big thanks to everyone who participated in our survey and to all of you who supported relief efforts in Haiti over the past few weeks by purchasing Miss Brittany’s Organic Preschool Fundough Kit.
