Halloween sure works up a lot of sweat! Whether it be handing out treats, hosting a Halloween bash, or trick-or-treating, you’ll definitely be looking for something to quench your thirst by the end of the night. This Halloween, Honest Tea encourages you to try one of their products instead of an unhealthy soda or sugary sports drink. Their brand is committed to providing you with the highest quality beverages while keeping their practices sustainable and eco-friendly.

Honest Tea was founded in 1998 by Seth Goldman and his former professor, Barry Nalebuff, who bonded over their love of tea and their preference for drinks with less sugar.  The two then set out to concoct a beverage with three requirements, real tea, real taste, and honest production. Since then, Honest Tea has grown into a nationally recognized brand with a full line of healthy and tasty drinks such as teas, juices, sports drinks, kids drinks, as well as carbonated beverages available all across the country.

Real tea, real taste, and honesty provide the framework for Honest Tea’s philosophy on making their products. They are honest in all aspects of production. Honest Tea wants you to know that they work hard to provide you with the simplest and tastiest beverages possible. All of their products contain natural ingredients and proudly display the Fair Trade Certified seal as well as the USDA Certified Organic logo. Even the bottle is made from PET plastic, which is recyclable, won’t leach into groundwater, and uses less resources to manufacture and ship/ Oh yeah, and they just redesigned the bottle to use 22% less plastic too ! The tea brewed is real, whole leaf tea, causing it to contain higher levels of antioxidants, which promote healthy living, than most teas available as well as an device that will determining if you need a water softener.

Honest Tea stands as a model for corporate social responsibility and knows that giving back to the community is essential for a successful organization. Their Drink Pouch Collection Program encourages children and parents to collect and send in empty drink pouches to be recycled into unique products like bags, or even furniture. Honest Tea also proudly sponsors The Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure, The Arbor Day Foundation, and Bethesda Green. The company strives to openly produce healthy, eco-friendly, and sustainable products while encouraging consumers to rethink how and what they consume. So this Halloween, instead of washing your sugary candy down with sugary drinks, grab one of any number of Honest Tea beverages. They taste great, are healthy, and you’ll feel good about supporting a brand that prides itself on being a steward for sustainability.

By Peter Piscia

For more info on Honest Tea and their full line of products, go to HonestTea.com. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/HonestTea and Twitter @HonestTea!

For more treat alternatives  follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greenhalloween or Twitter @greenhalloween

Welcome to Day #28 of our

“31 days of {Green!} Giveaways“

Today’s question: What’s the most “sustainable” way for your child to carry his or her Halloween loot?

*Attention Facebook fans: Please answer as a comment on our blog, not our Facebook page in order to be entered to win!*

Today is day #28 of our month-long, trick-or-treating party for parents!

Just knock on our door (AKA blog) each day, answer the daily question (in lieu of shouting, “Trick or treat!” – although you are totally welcome to write that as well) and you’ll be entered to win some absolutely fabulous, ever-so-eco-friendly prizes.

Today’s prize package is worth $79!

A surprise treat from Honest Tea valued at $64. Continental US only. Depending on location, gift may be offered as gift certificate/coupons.

$15 EcoMom gift certificates via email (Can be used at the EcoMom Green Halloween store or for anything on EcoMom) Open to Canada and the US. Winner pays shipping.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Add your e-mail address to the comment login, below. (We cannot notify you if we don’t have your e-mail address!)

2. Add a comment (one per e-mail address) with your answer to the question above.

3. Comment must post before 11:59pm PST – TONIGHT

Be sure to review our giveaway rules here. Please note shipping limitations.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook & Twitter for daily reminders & updates for the 31 Days of {Green} Giveaways promotion.

Good luck & have FUN!

(& See you tomorrow )

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

by Corey

With scary stats such as the fact that 1 in 3 trick-or-treaters is expected to develop diabetes in their lifetime, it may be hard to imagine giving away chemically laden, conventional candy as kids come to your door.

So this Halloween, forgo the candy isle and grab a bag (or box) of these healthier treat options that keep all the YUM:

Yo’ Drops from Revolution Foods

The first time I tried Yo’ Drops, I couldn’t believe my mouth. These crunchy, freeze dried, 100% real organic fruit and yogurt snacks are sooooo good. Packaged just perfectly for Halloween, too. Might just become your family’s new Halloween favorite.

Stretch Island Fruit Co. strips

It’s amazing how delish a treat so simple can be. And how excited kids can get over something made from 100% real fruit. We gave Stretch Island Fruit Co strips away last year and the reactions from the kids were just adorable. Expressions such as “OOH! I LOVE these!” And “This is my FAVORITE flavor!” were heard throughout the night until every last strip was gone.

Larabar (minis)

In 2006, when first had the idea for creating a community movement around making Halloween healthier for kids and planet, I didn’t have a lot of recommendations for food items that kids would go wild over and that mom would approve of. At that time there wasn’t overt demand for healthier Halloween fare, and so many health-food brands were leaving the conversation alone. So in 2007, when the Green Halloween website was first launched, we had only three or four “treat” (food) items in our recommended list: granola bars, honey sticks, fruit leather and…. Larabars. Indeed, it was Larabar that led me to believe that Halloween treats could be just as exciting to kids without the processed and artificial ingredients, HFCS and hydrogenated oils that were the basis for most Halloween goodies. Larabars are whole, real food. But they come in flavors such as Cashew Cookie and Apple Pie that don’t just sound good, they are good. (Really good.) And now that they’re available as minis, they’re even more affordable for those families who get droves of trick-or-treaters.

Honest Kids organic drink pouches

Another little Green Halloween history tale: In 2006, as I took my kids trick or treating, I noticed that they (and their friends) were more excited about the goodies they received that were not conventional candy. Bubbles ans stickers received squeals of enthusiasm. Snickers and M&Ms, not so much.

What was going on?

I soon come to realize that kids today are over-exposed to conventional candies. They’re available at birthday parties, at the dry cleaner, even at the doctor’s office! I also discovered that my nephew’s teacher even kept a bowl of candy on her desk for when kids got a good test score or pushed in a chair for a friend.

So it’s not that kids like candy any less, it’s just that it’s not as novel as it was when I was a child – when Halloween was the one time of year when I had access to it.

So this year, why not consider giving away a drink pouch in lieu of a conventional treat? My hunch is that kids will be all over this twist on tradition – some ghosts and goblins may even down the drink while on their trick-or-treat trail. Moms will love Honest Kids’ organic ingredients, no HFCS, the fact that the pouches can be recycled through Terracycle.net.

Nature’s Path organic crispy rice treats

Nature’s Path new organic crispy rice bars knock the YUM ball right out of the park. Made with better for kids & Earth ingredients, and packaged and priced just right for Halloween, we think these new Halloween treats are going to be a hit!

***

Of course, giving non-food “treasures” is another way to make Halloween healthier. Just choose items that are made from safe, natural materials and look for treasures that will last long past Halloween, such as polished rocks, recycled mood pencils, and mini decks of cards or games.

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

Welcome to Day #18 of our

“31 days of {Green!} Giveaways“

Today’s question: Is your family attending a Green Halloween event this month?

*Attention Facebook fans: Please answer as a comment on our blog, not our Facebook page in order to be entered to win!*

Today is day #18 of our month-long, trick-or-treating party for parents!

Just knock on our door (AKA blog) each day, answer the daily question (in lieu of shouting, “Trick or treat!” – although you are totally welcome to write that as well) and you’ll be entered to win some absolutely fabulous, ever-so-eco-friendly prizes.

Today’s prize package is worth $74!

A surprise treat from Honest Tea valued at $64. Continental US only. Depending on location, gift may be offered as gift certificate/coupons.

One set of three (3) Preserve Jr. Toothbrushes. Value $10. Continental US only.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Add your e-mail address to the comment login, below. (We cannot notify you if we don’t have your e-mail address!)

2. Add a comment (one per e-mail address) with your answer to the question above.

3. Comment must post before 11:59pm PST – TONIGHT

Be sure to review our giveaway rules here. Please note shipping limitations.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook & Twitter for daily reminders & updates for the 31 Days of {Green} Giveaways promotion.

Good luck & have FUN!

(& See you tomorrow )

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.

by Corey

Welcome to Day #11 of our

“31 days of {Green!} Giveaways“

Today’s question: What’s the most unconventional goody you’ve ever handed out at Halloween?

*Attention Facebook fans: Please answer as a comment on our blog, not our Facebook page in order to be entered to win!*

Today is day #11 of our month-long, trick-or-treating party for parents!

Just knock on our door (AKA blog) each day, answer the daily question (in lieu of shouting, “Trick or treat!” – although you are totally welcome to write that as well) and you’ll be entered to win some absolutely fabulous, ever-so-eco-friendly prizes.

Today’s prize package is worth $64!

A surprise treat from Honest Tea valued at $64. Continental US only. Depending on location, gift may be offered as gift certificate/coupons.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Add your e-mail address to the comment login, below. (We cannot notify you if we don’t have your e-mail address!)

2. Add a comment (one per e-mail address) with your answer to the question above.

3. Comment must post before 11:59pm PST – TONIGHT

Be sure to review our giveaway rules here. Please note shipping limitations.

Be sure to subscribe to our blog and follow us on Facebook & Twitter for daily reminders & updates for the 31 Days of {Green} Giveaways promotion.

Good luck & have FUN!

(& See you tomorrow )

Green Halloween® is a nationwide non-profit initiative started by mother-daughter team Corey Colwell-Lipson and Lynn Colwell. In 2010, Green Halloween became a program of EcoMom® Alliance and has events in cities across the U.S.