Showing posts with label green. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green. Show all posts

Friday, February 18, 2011

Green Ostrich Tool Box Review


Noah is just like my Grandpa Jim, he loves to see how things work. So, when I had the opportunity to review a The Recycled Milk Container 15-Piece Toy Tool Set from Green Toys sold by Green Ostrich, I knew it would be the perfect toy for him. Green Ostrich is company that sell products from recycled things. Their philosophy is Make a choice, not a sacrifice. It is a green toy company and it is really cool that they are able to use things that were discarded in to something for a child to play with. Growing up my Grandpa was a diesel mechanic and he had this tool box with all of his tools. After he passed away, his tools were given to my mom and my aunts and uncles. Whenever I use one of the tools I am reminded of him in his garage working on something. Noah likes to fix things and take them apart.

Noah loves the The Recycled Milk Container 15-Piece Toy Tool Set from Green Toys he received from Green Ostrich. About the toolbox: Dishwasher-safe toy tool box, Phillips screwdriver, flat screwdriver, hammer, saw, wrench, pliers, 2 two-hole connectors, 2 nails, 2 bolts, and 2 nuts made from 100% recycled, curbside-collected milk containers. I love that it is dishwasher safe. That way I can make sure it is always clean for Noah and if he is sick I can combat the germs on it.

He will pretend to fix things. Sometimes when I need a tool, like a screwdriver, he will bring me one from his tool box. It is really cute. I love how it says what each tool is on the base of it. It also has screws in it. So, it is just like a real tool box. He loves to carry around his tool box and ask what needs fixing. He also likes to use the tools as other things. He has such a great imagination. We both highly recommend the Green Ostrich tool box or any of the other great toys from Green Ostrich.

For more information and to order please visit the Green Ostrich Website.
Thank you to Green Ostrich for sending Noah a tool box to try out. All thoughts and opinions are our own.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Marcal Paper goods review

Noah loves paper towels. He will ask for one when he is eating and he gets messy. He will specifically say paper towel please. He doesn’t say napkin or anything else it is always paper towel. It is really cute. It is so funny to watch him carefully wipe his hands and mouth and occasionally his booster tray. Most parents go through a lot of paper towels when their kids are messy so why not use one that is made completely out of recycled paper? Since you use them anyways why not look for and use a brand that is green and instead of cutting down trees the company reuses the paper.

Some companies claim to use recycled paper and only use a percentage. Marcal uses 100% recycled paper in their products. Marcal makes two kinds napkins and two sizes of paper towels. Marcal makes every day napkins and beautiful dinner napkins. They also make 100% recycled toilet paper and facial tissue. Marcal is very concerned about the environment. Here are some green facts they wanted me to share with you.

According to the Resource Conservation Alliance Every person in the US uses approximately 800 pounds of paper each year! Holy Cow if that right there doesn’t make you want to recycle and use 100% recycled products.

Each of us uses approximately one 100-foot-tall Douglas fir tree in paper and wood products per year. – American Forest and Paper Association

For every 17 trees saved, you are helping the earth absorb 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually. – AmeriFlow Recycling Inc.
A single tree produces approximately 260 pounds of oxygen per year. That means two mature trees can supply enough oxygen annually to support a family of four. – U.S. Department of Agriculture and Bombay Natural History Society

Half of the world’s forests have already been cleared or burned, and 80% of what is left has been seriously degraded. – Environmental Paper Network

One tree can absorb as much carbon in a year as a car produces while driving 26,000 miles. – U.S. Department of Agriculture and Bombay Natural History Society

The average U.S. office worker produces two pounds of paper waste per day. – Envirowise

To manufacture one pound of paper requires three and a half pounds of wood and produces three pounds of carbon dioxide. – Nature Canada

Discarded paper is one of the largest contributors to methane emissions from landfills. (Methane is a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent in its effects than CO2). – Ernest Mayer, “What Evolution is 2001”

An EPA study concluded that “Federal subsidies of virgin paper product undoubtedly cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars. – Federal Disincentives: A Study of Federal Tax Subsidies and Other
Programs Affecting Virgin Industries and Recycling (Washington, D.C.: EPA, August 1994), p.5.

All of those facts are scary. I mean not only do we have to preserve our trees for oxygen, but also for beauty and for animal’s homes. It really doesn’t take much to recycle and purchase recycled products. Marcal paper towels aren’t more expensive because they are recycled. You can normally find coupons in your local Sunday paper for them. There really is no reason why you shouldn’t help the Earth.

I had the opportunity to review some Marcal Small Steps Paper towels, Napkins and Dinner napkins. When I first used them I noticed the quality and strength of the paper towels. Let’s face it I am the mom of a three year old little boy who can be a messy little guy. Some paper towels don’t withstand his messes. He is very independent and likes to do things for himself, like eating for example. Now he doesn’t like to have food on him so like I said he asks for a paper towel but that also means he likes to clean himself up if he can. They are strong and absorbent as well.

My favorite quality is of course that they are made of recycled paper. That is the most important thing. A lot of paper towels have pretty little designs inked on them. Marcal doesn’t have that. They however have hearts “embroidered” in the paper towels. When I look at them it reminds me that Marcal loves the Earth. Each roll lasts a long time because you do not constantly need a bunch of paper towels to get the job done.

We like the napkins as well. I am going to be using the dinner napkins for our Thanksgiving dinner because they are so nice looking. They are definitely versatile. You can use the dinner napkins for a picnic or for a special holiday feast. I use the everyday napkins all the time; usually for what I call smaller messes. If my son needs to wipe his face or has a little food on himself I hand him a napkin to get cleaned up. I think I will stick some of the everyday napkins in the car. They are so much better than those scratchy itchy fast food napkins that everyone has in their consuls.

Check out Marcal paper products and help a tree. For more information please visit Marcal’s website. Look for Marcal Small Steps paper towels and napkins in a store near you.

Thank you to Marcal for sending me some complimentary paper towels and napkins for my family to try out.