I’m a big fan of chess — and have nothing but fond memories of my dad teaching me to play when I was little. This chess board from designer Armando Ramírez, made from recycled auto parts, would make a fine addition to any car-lovers home; but I stop short of recommending it as a product for all ages. Why? Because kids love to throw things and these pieces (especially the king) might make great injury-inflicting projectiles. You might want to stick to rounded, wooden pieces like I had. Here’s a description:

“Ramirez collects the leftover metal pieces off a die machine and shapes them into the pawns, horses, and parts of the kings, which also feature cogs from a car’s electrical system. The queens are made from screws, cogs and bearings from a car’s electrical system. The bishops are shaped from sparkplugs and the towers from cogwheels. The board is made from a sheet metal and features ornate iron wires and bendix caps taken from the cars’s electrical system.”

You can pick up a set for $97.95 here.

I’m sure we’ve all hit that wall of panic when we realize we’re supposed to attend a baby shower and have yet to find a gift. Instead of rushing out to the store, however, and scooping up some random toy — why not take a look at the beautiful and eco-friendly gift sets available from Green Baby Gift Box?

The company specializes in scouring the world for the best toys and clothes from truly sustainable and socially responsible companies — and then organizing them all by theme into gorgeous gift boxes. Think of them as your emergency “green baby” On Star! From the site,

Let’s face it—the typical first baby requires a lot of shopping, even if you’re the Queen of Hand Me Downs. Researching safety and materials on everything from pajamas to breast milk storage bottles can be exhausting for anyone, much less a new parent. And trying to find a “green” gift for a child or friend when you don’t shop that way yourself can be rather intimidating. Enter Green Baby Gift Box, your personal fairy godmother. We want your experience on our site to be magical. If you are interested in a custom order, can’t find something, or have a suggestion, just contact us by email or phone. We’re ready to help!

Their themes include “Daredevil”, “In the Swin”, “Tree Hugger”, “Snuggle Bunny” and many more. You can also feel great that your package is wrapped and shipped in nothing but 100% recycled cardboard and paper — and also put together in a “green” facility. Even better? Their entire range of products are now sale! Check ‘em out here.

via Treehugger

When it came to creating our nursery, my wife and I struggled with a lighting source. We finally found some cheap, inexpensive — but cool-looking — ceiling lights from Home Depot. Perhaps if I had spied the Illuminant Lamp earlier, it might have given more weight for an “Under-The-Sea” theme we had in mind. It looks very much like a jellyfish. In the end, we went with a forest setting, but this lamp would still look incredible in anyone’s modern apartment — or cave. Gizmodo gives us the details:

The lamp itself is suspended from the ceiling with fishing line and the LED shines up and reflects off the surface and the colored disks placed inside the shade.

It’s not yet available, but don’t be surprised if you see them one day — probably at Spencer’s. Very cool.

We’re big fans of Think Baby’s BPA-free feeding system and bottles — and now the stylish company has introduced a new range of “bottles” for active parents called Think Sport. As expected, the design is svelte and consistent with TB’s other range of products — but with a few extra features not necessary for the baby crowd.

For instance, each bottle is double-walled stainless steel and vaccuum-sealed to keep drinks warm or hot for house. Additionally, (and I’m a big fan of this touch), there is an internal mesh filter to prevent tea leaves from being consumed during drinking — and reduce blockage. Nice! As with everything else the company sells, the bottles are free of BPA, lead, PVC, nitrosamines, and phthalates. So drink happy.

For more information on the Think Sport brand, jump here.

Bonus: The company is also offering the opportunity for businesses to co-brand their bottles. The process looks pretty simple. If you’re interested in reading more, hit it here.

We’ve another wonderful giveaway today — this time courtesy of the crew behind the stylish and eco-friendly speesees brand!

This Prance Diaper Bag does a wonderful job of doubling as a beautiful tote — with plenty of pockets to make sure you’ve got everything you need when taking baby on the go. It’s made from 100% organic cotton — and also features a 100% organic sherpa Prance burp cloth; which invariably will come in handy.

Want to win? Simply sign up for our email newsletter. Don’t worry — we won’t be filling up your inbox with daily updates and all info is kept private. If you’re already a subscriber, hit the comments below and just drop us a line telling us why this bag would rock your world. The contest will end on Saturday, 12 noon EST. Good luck to all!

Green architecture activist Kamal Meattle recently gave a presentation at TED regarding three plants he would recommend for improved health and air quality. It’s a great video and worth watching — but it got me thinking about adding these plants to our own nursery. After all, as a paranoid father that wants only the best for his kid — and with the full knowledge that indoor air quality during the winter months is often poor — why not try something “organic”?

So, let’s look at the three plants recommended by Kamal Meattle!

Areca Palm: “The Living Room Plant”
These palms release copious amounts of water into the air, and remove chemical toxins too. They are consistently rated among the best houseplants for removing all indoor toxins tested. According to online info, the plant is non-toxic.

Mother-in-law’s Tongue: “The Bedroom Plant”
This is a truly perfect plant for anyone that is really terrible at growing plants. It grows well in low-light and requires little watering (only once or twice during the winter months!) According to the book “Baby Safe Houseplants and Cut Flowers”, the plant is mildly toxic — but only if your kid was eat something like 10% of his/her body weight of it. The general opinion over on GardenWeb is that your kids will be fine. Just teach them not to eat it — probably a good idea in general! This plant specializes in capturing CO2 at night and the converting it to Oxygen in the day.

Money Plant: “The Specialist Plant”
This plant does the job of filtering out removing Formaldehyde and other VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). It doesn’t require much care. Hardy and extremely tolerant of low light and dryness. Bonus: It is the most popular plant for “feng shui” because it creates positive energy (chi). Your baby will be super happy! (grin.)

I love the idea behind the Peekaru — which essentially keeps your baby bundled up while exposing only their head. It fits over all sorts of standard baby carriers using a zip. Of course, in certain positions, it also looks like they’re sticking out your stomach — throwing me back to that scene in Aliens when the creature exited via a similar route. But truly, what a nice snug — and eco-friendly way — to carry around your tot. From the website,

Made from 85% recycled high quality Polartec fleece, each Peekaru Original™ saves approximately 25 plastic bottles from reaching the landfill. In addition, Polartec fleece is Oeko-tex Standard 100 “for textile products of all types which pose no risk whatsoever to health.” Feel good knowing that while you are holding your baby close, you are also helping the environment.

They have sizes and colors for both women and men. You can pick one up for just under $80 here.

Baby K’tan

“The Baby K’tan has added security and back support as compared to the traditional sling, and added comfort and ease of use as compared to the traditional front carrier. Our unique design offers the wearer a 100% cotton carrier with NO buckles, snaps, rings or hardware, that otherwise make baby wearing complicated and uncomfortable. Our adjustable back support band offers the wearer extra back support and makes it easy to adjust baby or toddler’s weight distribution on both shoulders.”

We have a harness system with buckles and such at home — but I would love to give the Baby K’tan version a shot. Anyone else have good sucess with it?

You can pre-order the organic version here.

Don’t forget — you have one more day to win! Just sign up for our newsletter to enter!

One lucky person will receive almost the entire line of Potent and Pure Organic Skincare from Kiss My Face. This new collection is an impressive mix of wildcrafted and organic ingredients — created, according to the company, with the highest quality and most effective ingredients that nature has to offer.

The first order of business for nearly all new parents is scoping out the room that will become the nursery. It’s an exciting task to imagine your new child growing up in such a space — and invariably, the first question asked is, “What color should we paint the walls?”

An even more important decision timing-wise, however, is when you should paint with regards to air quality. Consumer Reports has a great article up at the moment that addresses this issue. Here’s a brief highlight:

Paint the nursery at least two months before your baby arrives. That allows time for fumes to subside before your baby comes home. Use a paint that’s labeled low-VOC or zero VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which are solvents that are released into the air as the paint dries and may be irritating to a baby–and some adults.

With so many options available these days, it’s important to really strive for that low-zero VOC label. Here are some great options for expecting parents:

• Freshaire Choice Paint

• Olympic Premium Paint

• Harmony Interior Paint

• Real Milk Paint Company