by Corey

Welcome to Day #8 of our

“31 days of {Green!} Giveaways“

Today’s question: What are your favorite pumpkin foods and/or beverages?

*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 #8 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 $58+!

Revolution Foods™ Organic Snack Packs: Reusable paper lunchbox for kids filled with samples of Grammy Sammys, Jammy Sammys, Mashups and Yo’ Drops, Tattoos and stickers for kids, and coupons for mom. Value: $8-10. Ships to continental US only.

Gift certificate for (lead-free, mineral-based) Face Paints Set from Terrafirma Cosmetics. Value $24.99. Winner pays shipping.

One pack of each Surf Sweets variety in an eco-friendly Trick-or-Treat Bag, along with other ghastly “green” goodies! Value $25. Ships to US and Canada 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 #6 of our

“31 days of {Green!} Giveaways“

Today’s question: What are your favorite ways to green your Halloween décor?

*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 #6 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 $55!

From Green Party Goods, a box of 144 biodegradable, soy-ink straws (your choice of color) and a package of sustainably sourced Stripe Napkins. Value: $21. Ships to continental US only.

One pack of each Surf Sweets variety in an eco-friendly Trick-or-Treat Bag, along with other ghastly “green” goodies! Value $25. Ships to US and Canada only.

Orange Vapur anti-bottle at LiveGreene. Value $9. Ships to 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.

What is Green Easter?  It is the opportunity to take one of your favorite holidays and turn it into something that aids in fueling the Earth with eco-friendliness!  Sounds green to me!  To polish up the offer even more, Earth day is only two days away so why not get started now?  Get your green on and let’s go!

Creative Kismet Free Downloadable artwork!

Click here to get it!

The Easter Egg Hunt.  Teaching your children to appreciate Earth and nature is part of the appeal towards getting them to join hands in the future.  A fun way to get kids involved is to set up an Easter egg hunt outdoors.  Most families already do this anyways so why not get creative?  Nocturnal animals come out at night so grab your flashlights for a p.m. egg hunt.  If your familiar with the animals hiding out in your own backyard, make it into a fun scavenger hunt as well.  Not a night owl?  Have the kiddies rise early on Sunday morning for a little fresh air on the water.  Take a kayak or canoe out to one of your favorite local haunts on the local river or ocean.  Once there, set up a fun hide and seek with the eggs. Last year, I took my daughters to an island favorite and we even saw a real Easter bunny!

Tip: If you opt to head out on the water Easter morning, you may be better off taking the plastic eggs because bugs usually inhabit the islands and backwoods and would go after your real eggs before the kids have a chance to discover their hiding place.  Be sure to remember where you hide them so that your not leaving anything behind that could harm an animal.

Recycle your Easter Basket.  In my last blog post I showed you how to renovate an Easter basket into an enchanting garden.  There are other uses too.  I asked my 9 year old daughter, Chloe, for tips on this very topic and the first thing she admonished is that the plastic ones could be used for a barbie doll pool!  I don’t typically buy the plastic ones but on the occasions when someone else in the family buys them, this is a great use instead of a great waste.  Great tip Chloe!  Another use is for decorative touches around the house, like holding washcloths, magazines, or even to carry cleaning supplies if large enough.

Sweet Treats.  As green moms we want our kids to eat healthy and its one of the main reasons co-founder, Corey Colwell Lipson, started Green Halloween.  If we don’t want our kids downing a bunch of sugar on Halloween then we certainly don’t want them doing it for Easter either.  After all, the Easter bunny does eat carrots, not candy!  If your looking for a sweet treat, try out one of our fabulous sponsors at Surf Sweets.  They offer an array of organically sweetened jelly beans and gummy candies.   If you want to sweeten the deal a little, go fondue style with either organic cheese, caramel, or Fair Trade melted chocolate that is dark and full of antioxidants.

It’s all about the eggs.  You can either choose to use the plastic eggs that can be reused every year or go with organic, cage-free eggs bought from your local farmer.  If you choose to go traditional by coloring your own eggs, look for kits that use natural dyes like Eco Eggs Natural Easter Egg Colouring Kit.  If your feeling creative, make your own natural dyes with grape juice, blueberries, beets and more.

Happy Green Easter!

Blogger Laurali Star can also be found on The Damsel in the Attic.

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.

Guest post by our AMAZING 2010 Green Halloween sponsor: Surf Sweets!

Halloween is a spooky time of year, but spooky in a fun sense with goofy costumes, ghoulish jack-o-laterns, haunted houses and scary movies. All things fun. What about candy, though? We like to think it’s is all fun too. It’s sweet, delicious, makes us feel warm and fuzzy – maybe a bit giddy after too many pieces. But have you stopped to think about what’s REALLY in that candy? If you did, you might be spooked in a not-so good way, and think twice about indulging and sharing with our little ones.

Many conventional candies contain artificial dyes like “Red 40”, “Blue 2” or “Yellow 5 Lake”. Colors that have been artificially created to make Watermelon Jolly Rancher Pink or Skittles the color of the rainbow. However, these dyes have been linked to hyperactivity and other disorders in children. In fact, the European Union recently asked food manufacturers to remove most food dyes from their products and now require warning labels stating that the food “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” You’ll also find many candies are loaded with corn syrup and hydrogenated oils. Both of which have been linked to health problems, like obesity and heart disease. In the end, conventional candy doesn’t pan out to be the feel-good, yummy treat you thought it was. And after knowing this, how can we share this with all the little ones this Halloween season? Shouldn’t we be encouraging them to make better choices?

Well, we can! There are delicious, all natural and organic candies that satisfy the sweet tooth. Like Surf Sweets! Surf Sweets is passionate about making delicious candy using all natural pure ingredients. Our motto is “if it doesn’t exist in nature, you won’t find it in Surf Sweets.” So there’s NO artificial dyes or flavors. You also won’t find any corn syrup or hydrogenated oils. And to add to the benefit, Surf Sweets candies supply 100% of your daily vitamin C per serving. It’s candy you can feel good about sharing.

Choosing products made with organic ingredients is more than just good for you, it’s good for the earth too! Organic ingredients require organic farming. So there’s no pesticides, harsh chemicals or artificial fertilizers used. This means no chemical run-off and an enhanced biological structure and nutrient level for the soil, resulting in high-quality harvests and long term sustainability of the farm. It’s a win-win for everyone.

So make a change this Halloween. Try something new. Try something that’s good for you and for the earth. Try a delicious candy that’s all natural and organic and share it. The more we share, the more we can encourage others to make better choices and the happier our bodies and earth will be.

Learn more about Surf Sweets at www.surfsweets.com

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.

Check out the new Surf Sweets Green Halloween party guide.

It’s packed full of great, green Halloween activities, recipes, games and more!

Reading about making yummy Halloween desserts not enough? Watch their “sweet” videos on YouTube.

We love Surf Sweets organic candy because they are better for kids (and adults) and the planet – but also because they support causes we’re also passionate about too, such as Treeswing.

Which lines do we suggest for trick-or-treaters? We love the Sour Berry Bears and Gummy Bears, both available in .9 oz sizes. Punch your zip into the search bar here and find a Surf Sweets retailer near you.

Surf Sweets is one of our featured vendors. To find out more about our featured vendor program, click here.