An American Christmas "Not Made in China"

I'm on the prowl for gifts that are simpler, greener, and Not Made in China. To my surprise, not only can I find nice items, but I've even found them at discount and dollar stores. For example, Garanimal brand children's clothes are made in Bangladesh and Healthtex children's clothes are made in Vietnam. These are adorable and affordable! I've found beautiful holiday towels made in India and ceramic mugs, plates, and a teapot manufactured in Poland (towels and teapot found at Christmas Tree Stores).

Pets are a big part of my family, and since so many of the dog treats and toys are made in China, I recently began making homemade cookies. So, I was extremely happy to find a small American company that makes toys for pets. Every item from PurrfectPlay is made from organic, chemical-free, fair trade materials. Go to www.purrfectplay.com for more information.

Gift ideas that really appeal to me are organizations that are "people and planet friendly". These companies are not only environmentally correct, but benefit the local community as well. One of my favorites is The Women's Bean Project, which is a non-profit organization based in Colorado that helps women break out of the cycle of poverty. Go to www.womensbeanproject.org for more information and to place an order.

World-wide there are thousands of organizations similar to the Bean Project, many of which can be found at econsciousmarket.com. Every product includes the locality, vendor profile, who benefits, listing of the product components, plus - 10 percent of every purchase is given to a charity OF YOUR CHOICE! I'll be doing a lot of shopping here!

Naturally, I am shying away from any toys made in China because you just never know just how much lead or other toxic chemicals are being used in the production of these toys. I definitely want any toy I purchase to be made in the USA where production regulations are stringent (which is why so many companies are manufacturing their products in China!). Amazon.com has done an incredibly good job in finding toymakers in the USA. Go to www.amazon.com; toys & games; made in USA. There are 667 results!

The two listed below I personally checked out:
American Plastic Toys, Inc.
www.americanplastictoys.com
800-521-7080
Manufactured in the U.S. since 1962. More than 100 different toys made with safe plastics; polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene, and lead-free paint.

Cardboard Design
www.cardboardesign.com
201-867-0005
Choose from full sized spaceship, teepees, playhouses and more for imaginative play. Toys, furniture, home decor made in the USA of recycled, chemical-free cardboard.

Since I live near a small town shopping district, Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, I try to support our local businesses as much as possible. When I go into a store, I specifically ask to be shown product lines that are Not Made in China. I've found many nice gifts locally and feel that I've also gifted myself by creating An American Christmas "Not Made in China". My wish is that all of you enjoy the same gift!

Pole Beans, A Fun, Healthy, and Chemical-Free Treat

It's the second day of November, and I just picked a whole bowlful of homegrown, chemical-free pole beans! And there's still more to come unless we have a hard frost. Pole Beans are my very favorite vegetable to grow in my backyard garden. From the moment I push them into the dirt, I'm assured of a bountiful harvest that continues throughout the summer and well into autumn. It doesn't matter where I plant them; they flourish in the ground or in a large flower pot. As long as they are in the sun and, of course, planted after danger of frost, pole beans have never disappointed me! They are delicious, nutritious, and their big, bold leaves look beautiful whether climbing up a fence in a yard or up a trellis on a balcony -- definitely a great plant for apartment or condo dwelling gardeners!

For years I planted the Red Runner, which has attractive red flowers as an added bonus. When I couldn't find this variety, I chose Kentucky Wonder. Both of these grew well and tasted good, right off the vine. It's amazing how big the beans grow, but I learned not to wait too long -- the bigger they grew, the coarser and stringier they got and the less enjoyable they were to eat (that's where the string in String Beans comes from).

This year I tried a new variety of pole bean -- Italian Pole Beans, which I ordered online from "Seeds of Change" (www.seedsofchange.com), a company dedicated to sustainable, organic agriculture. Italian Pole Beans contain all the other attributes that I love in pole beans -- plus when left to grow to maximum size, they are even more tender and incredibly delicious. And they are stringless! Pole Beans -- a truly healthy and magical food!

My New Coffee Mug - "Not Made in China"

Finding items "Not made in China" is a daunting task; it's even harder to find things "Made in the USA". Don't get me wrong, if an item is manufactured in the USA, it doesn't guarantee safety, but it's a good start!

So, for many reasons, I am determined to rid my home of things Made in China, and also to resist buying anything new that is Made in China. This is my mission! As I look around my home, I see that it is a major undertaking.

The first step is a difficult, emotional separation - Replacing my COFFEE MUG - The mug I've used for years to start each day with a morning coffee meditation. (OK, so I had to envision all those toxins leaching out of the cracks into my coffee before I took action.) After searching through all big and small stores, I realized that there were NO ceramic mugs Not Made in China. However, I did find glassware that is made in the USA, so that is what I bought.

Subsequently, I replaced all my plastic "glasses" with Luminarc glasses, Made in the USA. Libby and Anchor Hocking are two other US glassware manufacturers. Plus all of the items were very inexpensive!

Journey to Green and Simplified Living

Several years ago I began my quest to live healthy and green. No, I'm not a frog, but I agree with Kermit -- it's not so easy to be green -- especially in New Jersey! Hopefully, through sharing what I have discovered, you will share with me, and the journey will be more successful.

The first unhealthy substances I removed from my life were artificial sweeteners -- Splenda, Sweet and Low, etc. -- and all products containing them. Some personal experiences with these "poisons" convinced me that the so-called myths regarding the use of toxic chemicals in these products were actually true.

Next I cleared my shelves of any products containing trans fats. To do this I check the ingredients listed on the label and reject any product made with hydrogenated or partially-hydrogenated oils. Too many products tout that they are trans fat-free, but, in truth, if they are made with partially-hydrogenated oil, they contain trans fats. Fully hydrogenated oil doesn't contain trans fats, however, it is solid (saturated) fat. For more info, you can check out: http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/faqs/f/hydrogenated.htm

I buy organic foods as often as economically possible. Stop and Shop has a good, affordable selection with their Nature's Promise line. I stock up on hormone-free chicken and ground turkey (Purdue), when it's on sale because this is a staple for my two dogs and me. My dogs eat what I eat! I started making homemade dog food afer Iams was part of that huge dogfood recall. Another staple is organic eggs, also Nature's Promise (Stop and Shop) -- at least until I can get a few of my own chickens,
but that story is for another time...