Eco Family News - October/November News

Eco Family News Masthead

H20m "Water With Intention"
Signature Series of Eco Refillables

ndy Fox, co-founders of H2Om "Water with Intention," have just launched a new H2Om Signature Series of Eco Refillables - a line of beautiful 27oz food grade stainless steel (304 8/18) refillable beverage containers. The reusable bottles are non-leaching, BPA-free, and toxin free. The wide mouth accommodates ice cubes and easy access for cleaning.

The single word message on every bottle inspires and infuses us with positive intention as we sip throughout the day - love, peac H2Om Series

e and joy. Future bottles in the series will include perfect health, prosperity and gratitude. The mandala artwork on the bottles is produced on recycled paper with soy ink, in a sustainable facility that applies fair trade practices. The packaging is 100% recyclable. (Editor's Note: I cut the intention symbols off the box and use them creatively around the office/home.)

Proceeds from the purchase of the bottles benefits organizations educating the public about recycling and global water issues.

For more info please visit www.H2OmWater.com

Pouch Pals
An Eco-friendly Sandwich/Snack Bag

Allison Cohen is one mom entrepreneur who took eliminating plastic lunch bags to a whole new level of smart when she developed this efficiently hip sandwich/snack pouch to go.

Allison calculated that with a family of four, she would potentially be using 3,120 disposable plastic baggies a year (12 per day) and spending approximately $125 just to tote snacks and sandwiches. So, after many late-night brainstorming sessions and meetings with professors, lawyers, engineers and food packaging industry professionals, Pouch Pals was born - - a durable, washable, reusable snack and sandwich pouch alternative Full pouches

to non-degradable plastic, making ordinary disposable plastic baggies green with envy.

Sticking to a mission to reduce, reuse, and recycle, they package all orders in mailers made of recycled newspapers and are proud to say their products are manufactured in the USA.

For more info please visit www.pouchpals.net

Kids Konserve
A Waste-Free Lunch Kit

Did you know that every school year student lunches generate 3.5 billion lbs of trash, or that every 2.9 days the amount of bottles thrown away could circle the equator? In 1995, almost 20 years ago, over 200 of the worlds' landfills were full.

It is statistics like these that prompted Chance Claxton and Lynn Julian to create Kid Konserve (2008) - a sustainable lunch bag kit. They wanted to send a positive message to their kids and provide an effective solution to the ever-growing critical problem of trash waste in the world.
The Kid Konserve waste f Kids Konserve Bag

ree lunch kits are made from 100% recycled cotton/canvas and dyed with vegetable based inks. While the company offers customized kits and many choices for bags and accessories, the Signature Kit includes a food grade 16 oz stainless steel beverage bottle, two 8 oz (fg) stainless steel containers with leak proof recycled plastic lids, a 100% cotton cloth napkin, a reusable plastic wrap (non-toxic/leaching), along with a recycled aluminum name tag. They also offer a non-toxic gel freezer pack with a sweat-free cover that keeps lunches colder longer - good thinking.

For more info please visit www.kidskonserve.com
(Editor's Note: The Pouch Pal would be a great addition to this kit.)

Get Well, Stay Well

Herbs, Etc.

As a child, Daniel Gagnon suffered from a variety of maladies including eczema, asthma and allergies. The conventional medical treatments he endured led him to find better ways to achieve health and wellness - ultimately founding Herbs, Etc. more than 20 years ago.

Under Gagnon's direction, Herbs, Etc. has pioneered numerous processes that result in higher quality Mamas Munchies

and more effective herbal products. Their exclusive cryogenic grinding process prevents heat damage to herbs and it is the company's policy to only grind whole, dried herbs the same day they are extracted. After extraction, the remaining plant fibers are given to local farmers for composting.

In addition to liquid herbal extracts, Herbs, Etc. developed another proprietary process that produces a concentrated herbal extract free of alcohol suitable for use in softgel capsules.

(Editor's Note: One of our favorite products is also one of the company's best-selling - Respiratonic. Available in liquid or softgel form, Respiratonic contains eight herbal extracts that create an all-purpose expectorant that also stimulates lung immune resistance.)

For more info please visit www.HerbsEtc.com

Maty's

Healthy Products
All Natural Remedies

Founder Carolyn Harrington's daughter Maty was born with severe heart defects. By the age of five she had survived three heart surgeries.

When Maty got her first cold Carolyn was reluctant to use conventional over-the-counter drugs for fear of potential side effects. That's when this mom turned to an age-old, but effective home remedy. Her positive results led her to develop Maty's Healthy Product s - two all natural remedies - Maty's Quiet Relief Cough Syrup (QRCS) andAll Natural Chest Rub (petroleum and menthol free). The products are so natural the FDA has regulated them as a food product - not a pharmaceutical. Each product batch is tested during different stages by an independent laboratory to ensure it's quality and safety.

The base of the QRCS is an antioxidant-rich buckwheat honey, enhanced with nine additional ingredients to support the immune system and bronchial function, including apple cider vinegar, lemon peel, cinnamon, grapefruit seed extract and marjoram. A caramel banana-flavor syrup is also available for the most finicky kids.

A portion of all sales are donated to Vitamin Angels.org.

For more info please visit
www.MatysHealthyProducts.com

Food For Thought

Kettle Cuisine Kettle Cuisine Organic Carrot and Coriander Soup

Real Homemade Soups

If you were going to whip up a hearty, healthy bowl of soup, you could only hope to make one as tasty as those in the Kettle Cuisine lineup. Using classical artisan cooking techniques - small batches, fresh vegetables, choice cuts of meat and poultry - Kettle Cuisine soups and chilis are frozen, not canned, so they retain as much flavor and vitamins as possible.

Owners, Chef

Kettle Cuisine was inspired by the daughter of company founder and CEO, Jerry Shafir (pictured left) and wife Lorna (right) who was diagnosed with Celiac Disease more than 20 years ago. Every one of the 10 single-serving varieties is 100% certified gluten-free and the company also offers soups that are vegetarian, non-dairy and low in fat.

Beyond single-serve consumer availability, Kettle Cuisine also offers their soups and chilis for food service in bulk (that means school cafeterias folks). In partnership with The Greater Boston Food Bank - this couple, along with many others including Executive Chef Volker (center) have served up over 225,000 meals to at risk youth boys and girls clubs through the Kid's Cafe program.

For more info please visit www.KettleCuisine.com

Tera's Whey - Organic Protein Powder

Tera Johnson formulated Tera's Whey in 2008 to fill a void in the marketplace for a clean, simple and natural organic whey protein powder - without a lot of carbs and sugar. Tera states, "As a mature woman, my needs were very different than a body builder. I was just seeking good nutrition for optimum health. I also wanted a product that supported better nutrition for children." So when she couldn't find what she was looking for she developed her own - Tera's Whey.

Tera's Whey is made with the most natural of ingredients - simply organic whey from hormone and rBGH-free cow, goat and sheep; and natural plant, fruit and beans (cacao/vanilla), with a dash of stevia, all ethically sourced from small family farms, artisanal cheesemakers, fair trade suppliers and other stewards of endangered ecosystems around the world.

In 2009, their plant was built following LEED certified standards, along with unique advanced technologies that save up to 40% on their energy use. They also have a water reuse system in place that also contributes to a lighter footprint on the planet.

For more info please visit www.teraswhey.com

Essential Body Care

Hamadi Organics Edit Image

100% Natural Hair Care

Jamal Hammadi hairstylist to many Hollywood celebrities including Julianne Moore, Heather Graham, and Kristen Dunst developed the hair care products with the idea of creating an organic line that did not compromise quality. Hamadi OrganicsHamadi Organics are made with only 100% organic essential oils and plant extracts, completely free of artificial ingredients, perfumes, or colors. Hammadi's motto is, "Tested on actresses; never on animals."

Since several of the products are made with Shea butter you might find the products useful for other grooming purposes; some customers have reported using Shea Pomade, a hair grooming aid, as an effective moisturizer for their dry elbows, or a little rubbed behind the ear makes a great natural perfume.

For more info please visit, www.hamadibeauty.com

Naturally Clean

Eco Store USA
Plant Based Cleaning and
Body Care Products

ecoStore New Zealand was founded over 20 years ago by Melanie and Malcolm Rands when they couldn't find a safe biodegradable product that would be kind to the earth (gray water) for their farm based community - Eco Village. With the help of scientists, the Rands' created an effective and safe product from plant base surfactants, mineral salts and plant oils - safe for people, animals and the planet with "no nasty chemicals™".

Today the company has more than 100 products - household cleaning products, baby care, bath and body, hair care and even pet products - all of which meet the most stringent environmental and sustainability standards. Their cleaning products are super concentrated, which means a little goes a long way and it's very affordable.

Eco-Store Logo In 2008, Lyne Downing (American) joined the company and brought ecoStore to the United States. The company's popularity in the states prompted the acquisition of a manufacturing company in Michigan to cut down on their carbon footprint. Independent testing on the company's baby products has even garnered ecoStore a high rating on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep website.

For more info please visit ecostoreusa.com

Eco Family News

As we move into fall, Mother Nature begins her display of color changes and we begin our preparations for the cooler weather.

Myrtle, my tortoise is always such an amazing indicator of fall as she starts slowing down for her winter hibernation. I'm always so fascinated by how a creature can go to sleep for six months out of the year and survive without food or water. Watching her go into this phase is such a meditation and complete mystery.

So as the leaves change and Myrtle goes to sleep, we hope you enjoy this issue of Eco Family News and continue to follow our blog.

In gratitude,
Kathy Arnos
Editor/Host/Producer
www.ecofamilynews.com