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We are having our first annual "Candy Swap." Are you a parent who would rather your kiddos didn't eat an entire bag of candy? We have a solution to your dilemma. We are offering a 50% discount on one toy of your choice in exchange for that bag of candy. It is a win win for you - a cheap green toy + healthy kids.
We wanted to pass along some tips & tricks from one of our favorite green companies - Eco-Lunchboxes. We whole-heartedly watch for these tricks, and since it was all so eloquently said by another, why rewrite it? You may find this info helpful while prepping for Halloween. You can find healthy alternatives to all of these "tricks" right in our sweet little store.
Top 5 Toxic Tricks & Green Halloween Tips
TOXIC TRICK #1: PVC, the most toxic plastic for children's health and the environment, is popping up in children's costumes. It's spooky that many vinyl products are laden with endocrine disrupting chemicals and toxic fumes.
GREEN HALLOWEEN TIP: If you're not sure what the costume is made out of, ask the store or manufacturer whether or not it contains PVC and phthalates. Make your own costume, trade costumes with your friends, or come and check out our silk/cotton selection at Walking Stick!
TOXIC TRICK #2: If the kid next door dresses up as Frankenstein, that's cute! But when it comes to foods - say no to freaky Frankenstein concoctions. It's best to avoid GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and engineered Frankenstein foods. Also avoid commercial candies and pre-packaged snacks that are typically chocked full of synthetic additives, such as dyes and colorings (i.e. tartrazine, annatto and carmine); emulsifiers and stabilizers (i.e. gums and lecithin); and preservatives (i.e. benzoates, nitrates and sulfites)
GREEN HALLOWEEN TIP: Choose natural sweets, like honey sticks (*We have them at Walking Stick!) or candies made with pure cane sugar, fruit juice, and natural colors. Read the label of all prepared treats you're buying to make sure they are free of additives. Look for Fair Trade-sourced chocolates or other brands that donate part of their profits to environmental causes.
TOXIC TRICK #3: Beware of the lack of cosmetic safety regulations in the United States. Many children's face paints contain lead, a neurotoxin, as well as nickel, cobalt and chromium, according to a study by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. Creepier yet, these toxic metals were not listed on the products' ingredient labels.
GREEN HALLOWEEN TIP: Because 100% of face paints tested by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics showed levels of lead and misleading packaging, families are advised to avoid using face paints on children until safety standards are put in place. Instead, choose costumes that don't require face paint or masks or follow one of these recipes to make your own face paint with food-grade ingredients. Or pick up our super safe Face Paint Pencils at Walking Stick!
TOXIC TRICK #4: Flickering candles give Halloween a spooky feel, but beware of the spooky chemicals from the paraffin wax candles put inside carved pumpkins. Did you know that paraffin candles are petroleum based?
GREEN HALLOWEEN TIP:
Clean up your home and keep your lungs healthy with organic soy
candles, which last longer and come from renewable soy bean crops. If
you like scented candles, try putting on a pot of hot apple cider to
brew with a fragrant natural cinnamon stick and cloves.You can make your own Beeswax Candles - supplies available at Walking Stick!
TOXIC TRICK #5: National statistics indicate 36 million U.S. children, ages 5 to 13, will grab a bag and head out trick-or-tricking this Halloween. Americans use more than 380 million plastic bags and more than 10 million paper bags every year. Production of plastic bags requires millions of gallons of fossil fuels. Additionally, plastic bags end up as litter, kill thousands of marine mammals annually, and break down slowly into small particles that pollute soil and water.
GREEN HALLOWEEN TIP: Save the landfill from overflowing with scary plastic trash by choosing an eco-friendly reusable bag for your trick-or-treaters. Re-purposing your child's lunchbag, a canvas shopping bag, or even pillowcase is an eco-friendly trick to avoid throw-away bags and the moulded plastic jack-o-lanterns. We have adorable locally made Trick-or-Treat Bags at Walking Stick! See the photo above!
Be safe this Halloween! Remember to tell your wee ones about the Candy Swap option.
The dollhouse's energy efficient design includes a wind turbine, a solar
cell panel and electric inverter for generating electricity, a rain
barrel for collecting rain, a biofacade, which uses the natural cycle of
plant growth to provide shading, and a blind that can adjust the amount
of sunlight and air circulation. Also, recycling bins are included in
the set.
How do you celebrate Earth Week?
$240.00