The Green Familia » sue

TGF Rated Review: Seedboms

sue — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:00:27 +0000

What is it? Seedboms are ‘friendly bombs ready to explode with flower power’, designed as a fun way to encourage children to grow flowers. They are handmade in the UK from locally reclaimed and recycled materials such as post consumer paper and egg boxes. Inside each bomb there is a mixture of organic peat free compost, organic fertiliser and a selection of easy to grow flower seeds. Let your child throw their Seedbom into the garden and over time, it will break down and completely biodegrade, leaving the flowers free to grow.

Who is testing it? Me and my two daughters aged 3 and 5

In Use: The Seedbom is very easy to use so it’s ideal for children. First we soaked the Seedbom in some water so that it started to soften a bit. Then my daughters helped me look around the garden and find a space where they thought it would be nice to grow some wild flowers. They had fun throwing the Seedbom into place and both wanted several goes at throwing it before they were willing to leave it in place! They really enjoyed doing it with me and it’s nice to know that they will be able to keep enjoying it as the flowers grow.

Any negatives? None

Price and Availability: Seedboms are available from My Funny Bunny and cost £9.95 for a pack of 4. Each pack contains 4 different flower seed varieties – native wildflower mix, nasturtium peach melba, cornfield annual mix and sunflower incredible. The packs are easy to separate, so it’s easy to give individual Seedboms, for example at the end of the party instead of giving party bags.

Overall: A great, fun way of getting children into the garden and planting flowers. Also an exciting way of teaching children about how some materials biodegrade. My daughters were fascinated by the fact that the Seedbom would disappear eventually and kept wanting to go back and see what had happened to it!

Verdict: 4.5 / 5

TGF Rated Review: Guide to Bees and Honey

sue — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:00:26 +0000

What is it?

Most people have heard about the problems our bees are facing and about the steady decline in their numbers. More and more people are choosing to become beekeepers and have their own hives at home. Guide to Bees and Honey: The World’s Best Selling Guide to Bee Keeping, written by Ted Hooper, has just been updated and aims to be a guide for the beginner beekeeper as well as a reference book for those with more experience.

Who is testing it?

Steve, a beginner bee-keeper

In use

This is a detailed and comprehensive book probably aimed at an intermediate rather that absolute beginner. It is a 272 page book well illustrated with black and white photographs and drawings. First appearance is of a proper text book rather than an ‘idiots guide’. Though a book alone is no substitute for joining a club and getting hands on most bee keepers consult a number of sources and this is one of the better books I have seen.

The book is divided into four sections dealing with bee biology and behaviour, getting started, handling bees / dealing with problems and finally sources of food and harvesting honey. Of course as new problems and diseases evolve then so to do new methods of tackling them. That said there is an awful lot that doesn’t change and this book is full of years of careful observation and experience. There are hundreds of books on bee keeping but I can definitely see why this one is marketed as the the world’s best selling guide.

Any negatives

None.

Price and Availability

Guide toBees and Honey is available from Amazon for £9.01.

TGF Rating

4.5 / 5

TGF Rated Review: Method Home Products

sue — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 16:00:46 +0000

What is it? Method are well-known for their great range of natural household cleaning products. Their products contain natural cleaners derived from coconut and corn, and they are all biodegradeable. All their bottles are recyclable. We tested 3 different products: Pink Grapefruit All Surface Cleaner, French Lavender Hand Wash and Daily Granite Stone Surface Wipes.

Who is testing it? Me and my family.

In Use: My favourite product was definitely the Pink Grapefruit All Purpose Spray, just because it is so lovely to use and so useful – I wouldn’t be without it now! I have two children so I am always having to clear up after them in the kitchen and I hate to use anything with chemicals when cleaning surfaces where they will eat and help me prepare food. I have used several natural cleaning sprays but this is one of my favourites. It smells gorgeous – even my daughters commented on the lovely smell – and it really gets everything clean. It’s great that it’s natural as you don’t have to worry about rinsing surfaces after you’ve used it, so it’s very easy to use. It’s safe around food and biodegradeable too.

I have never really used cleaning wipes before, but having tried the Daily Granite Wipes, I’ve realised that they’re really very handy to have around! The wipes are made with tree pulp from renewably harvested woods, and are free from harmful solvents. They contain no ammonia or bleach and are safe to use on any surface that can be cleaned with plain water. The wipes are really thick and a good size, so I only ever needed to use one. They clean really well and as they are biodegradeable they can be flushed away or composted. I wouldn’t use these for all my everyday cleaning but they are brilliant when you just want to have a quick clean around as they are so quick to use.

The French Lavender Hand Wash was very popular in our house! My daughters loved the gorgeous purple colour and we all liked the subtle lavender fragrance. The hand wash comes in a pump dispenser so it’s easy and hygenic to use – perfect if you have young children as it’s very easy for them to use by themselves. I was happy for my children to use this as it’s triclosan free and contains natural cleansers so it’s very safe for them and is also very gentle. I have very dry hands which are easily irritated by many soaps, but this hand wash left my hands really soft.

Any negatives? I usually choose products that are SLS free, but the handwash contains Sodium Lauryl Sulphate.

Price and Availability: Daily Granite Stone Wipes cost £3.50 for 30 wipes, the Pink Grapefruit All-Surface Cleaner costs £3 for 828ml and the French Lavender Hand Wash costs £2.99 for 354ml. Method Products are available at most large supermarkets. They can also be bought online at Big Green Smile and The Natural Collection. To find other online suppliers and to find your nearest stockist, enter your postcode on Method’s Where To Find Us page.

Overall: I’m really impressed with all these Method products. They are easy to use and work really well, and they all contain natural cleaners so they’re safe for you and kind to the environment. Method products cost a little more but I do think it’s worth paying extra for them. I would happily use all these again and would definitely recommend them to others.

Verdict: 4.5 /5

TGF Rated Review: The No-Cry Separation Anxiety Solution by Elizabeth Pantley

sue — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:00:51 +0000

What is it? I have read several of Elizabeth Pantley’s books and am a huge fan of hers, as you will know if you’ve read my review of her No-Cry Nap Solution book. Elizabeth’s latest book, the No-Cry Separation Anxiety Solution, gives ideas and tips for gently easing children’s separation anxiety so parents can help their child part from them happily.

Who is testing it? Me and my two daughters.

In Use: The book is divided into sections depending on the age of your child and there are clear chapters and headings, so if you don’t have much time you can just read those parts which are relevant to your child. However I really recommend reading the whole book as I found it fascinating and there is so much useful, and interesting, information.

The book begins by looking at what separation anxiety is and the different forms it can take. It then looks at specific solutions for babies and toddlers, and for pre-school and school age children. Both of these sections are really useful and there are lots of different ideas to suit all children and parents. Many of the ideas are quick and easy to try so you can get started straight away while others need working on over time. The book comes with a ‘magic bracelet’ which is a really lovely idea. Elizabeth suggests several ways to use the bracelet and I am sure it would help lots of children.

I was particularly interested in Elizabeth’s suggestions for parents’ words and actions when they leave their children. It really made me think about the way I say goodbye to my daughter and the messages it sends her. Now I try really hard to be positive and happy when I leave my daughter at nursery and it really seems to make a difference.

As well as solutions for traditional separation problems, for example leaving younger children with child-minders, the book also deals with other events in your child’s life which may cause anxiousness e.g. attending sleepovers or going on school trips. My children haven’t had to deal with these yet but the book has given me lots of useful tips so that I know how to prepare them when the time comes.

Finally, my favourite part of the book was the section about parents’ separation anxiety! It was interesting (and very re-assuring!) to read comments from other parents about how they felt when they were separated from their children and it was good to know that I’m not the only one who feels this way!

Any negatives? None at all.

Price and Availability: The No-Cry Separation Anxiety Solution is available from Amazon and costs £7.28

Overall: I thoroughly recommend this book to all parents of babies and young children. Neither of my daughters suffer strong separation anxiety, but they have their ‘wobbly’ moments like all children. This book is full of really good day-to-day advice to help make parting with your child happy and stress-free for both your child and you and I now use lots of the ideas suggested in the book. If your child does have separation anxiety, you will definitely find something to help you as there are so many different ideas to try.

Verdict: 5/5

TGF Rated Review: Under Bath Thermostatic Mixing Valve

sue — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 16:00:18 +0000

What is it? Every year, up to 20 people die and nearly six hundred are seriously injured by hot bath water. Hot water in domestic systems is stored at 55 degrees C to prevent the growth of Legionella bacteria. If the bath is filled with just hot water, or if only the hot tap is turned on, it is easy for children to accidentally scald themselves. Third degree burns occur very quickly at this temperature, especially on children and old people as they have more sensitive skin.

To ensure that water from bath taps of any type is at a safe temperature, thermostatic mixing valves can be fitted under the bath to control the water temperature. The valve mixes the hot and cold water to a safe, yet comfortable temperature and, as it fits under the bath, it can be used with any style or age of tap. We tested the Home of Ultra Under Bath Thermostat CD362. This valve has TMV3 approval, meaning that it meets Government Health and Safety requirements for use in public buildings, schools, hospitals etc., so is more than suitable for domestic situations.

Who is testing it? Me and my husband. We have two young daughters so scalding is always something we are concerned about. Our bath has very chunky, easy to use taps and both our children are able to reach the taps and turn them on and off.

In Use: My husband fitted this valve himself, as he has done much of our plumbing work at home, but most people would probably need a plumber to install the valve. The valve itself is amazingly solid. It is installed under the bath, so no-one can see it or knows that is has been fitted. It’s ideal if you want to make your bathroom safe without changing any of your taps. The thermostat in the valve can be pre-set to keep the blended water at a safe temperature.

The valve works perfectly. No-one would know it’s there and it doesn’t make any sound, but the water from our hot tap now comes out hot, but not scalding. We set our valve so that the water temperature is high enough for us to have fairly hot showers, but so that it’s still perfectly safe for our daughters. The only thing we have noticed is that the flow on our hot tap has reduced quite a bit. For most people this probably wouldn’t be a problem, but we have got very low pressure in our hot water system, so any further reduction is quite noticeable. However, the taps and shower are still usable and we are happier to have the valve installed and know that they are safe.

Any negatives? The thermostat really needs to be fitted by a plumber, unless you are capable of fitting it yourself, and it’s quite expensive. However, the peace of mind it gives is worth every penny. Also make sure you consider the possible reduction in water pressure.

Price and Availability: The Home of Ultra Under Bath Thermostat costs £79 and is available from the Big Bathroom Shop.

Overall: The valve does it’s job perfectly and it’s great that it fits out of sight under the bath, so you can still have any style of taps you like on your bath. We’re really pleased to know that our water is now safe for our daughters and are pleased to have the valve fitted. I would definitely recommend it to others. We are now considering buying a smaller valve for our bathroom basin, to ensure that the water there is safe too.

Verdict: 4.5 / 5

TGF Rated Review: Faith in Nature Organic Chocolate Shower Gel and Bath Foam

sue — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:00:03 +0000

What is it? Faith in Nature natural hair and body products are made in the UK using natural aromatherapy essential oils and herbal extracts. Designed to combat stress and nourish skin, they are free from artificial fragrances, petro-chemical based ingredients, SLES and synthetic preservatives.

I tried Faith in Nature’s Organic Chocolate Shower Gel and Foam Bath. Organic chocolate contains antioxidant flavinoids to help protect against skin ageing, as well as seratonin and phenylethylamine, both associated with contented happiness.

Who is testing it? Me and my two daughters.

In Use: When the Bath Foam first arrived I flipped the lid open and asked my two daughters if they could guess what the fragrance was. They both guessed chocolate straight away! The smell is amazing – a really gorgeous, proper grown-up chocolate smell. It’s not at all sweet or sickly. My daughters were so excited and couldn’t wait for their bath that night! This bath foam creates lots of gorgeous bubbles and a little squirt goes a very long way. The bubbles lasted for the whole bath and both girls were thrilled with them!

I also used this as a shower gel and absolutely loved it. The gorgeous chocolate fragrance filled the shower and it really was very uplifting – it’s such a pleasure to use. The smell is just right, not too strong. As well as being a very effective cleanser, this left my skin smooth and moisturised.

Any negatives? Absolutely none!

Price and Availability: Faith in Nature Chocolate Bath Foam costs just £4.69 for a large 400ml bottle and is available from Eco Green Store. There are also lots of other Faith in Nature bath foams available – the Lavender and Geranium sounds gorgeous.

Overall: This is such a gorgeous bubble bath and shower gel. It’s very versatile – a great smelling, grown-up shower gel for me and a fun, natural bubble bath for my daughters. It’s a real favourite in our house now. It’s excellent value for money so I’ll definitely be buying more when our bottle runs out. I’m also going to give some of the other Faith in Nature products a try.

Verdict: 5/5

TGF Rated Review: PitRok Sea Minerals Shampoo and Conditioner

sue — Mon, 31 May 2010 11:00:35 +0000

What is it? Most people are aware that PitRok make excellent natural deodorants. However they also have a skin and hair care range too. The Sea Minerals Shampoo and Conditioner both contain Organic Seaweed Extract and Dead Sea Salt to help nourish and condition all hair types. Both products are rich in minerals and are free from SLS, SLES, propylene glycol, parabens, silicone or synthetic fragrance. They contain no animal derived ingredients and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Who is testing it? Me, with a little help from my husband!

In Use: Both the shampoo and conditioner come in recyclable plastic bottles with flip-top lids, making them easy to use. The shampoo has a lovely fragrance. I used my usual amount and it produced a good amount of bubbles making it easy to massage all over my hair. Initially I really liked this shampoo but after a while I found that my hair seemed a bit dull and didn’t seem as clean as usual. I found that washing my hair twice seemed to work and my hair felt much cleaner. On my husband’s normal hair, the shampoo worked really well and left his hair clean and shiny, but I did think that it might not be cleansing enough for my very thick hair.

However, the conditioner is one of the best natural conditioners I have used. I have dry hair and natural conditioners usually don’t condition my hair enough. The PitRok conditioner though, is very moisturising. I didn’t need to use too much and it left my hair tangle free and soft. I will definitely be using this again.

Any negatives: I didn’t feel the shampoo was particularly suitable for my long, thick hair.

Price and Availability: The Sea Minerals Shampoo and Conditioner both cost £5.95 for a 250ml bottle. They are available directly from PitRok.

Overall: I love the Sea Minerals Conditioner and, although the shampoo didn’t suit me, I think it would be great for anyone with normal hair. They are both very good value for money and are lovely to use. If you are looking for natural hair products, I would definitely recommend giving these a try.

Verdict: 4/5 (3.5 for the shampoo and 4.5 for the conditioner)

TGF Rated Review: Eco Cup

sue — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:00:52 +0000

What is it? The Eco Cup is an environmentally-friendly way to enjoy your regular morning cup of tea or coffee. Washable and reusable, the cup can be used again and again, ensuring that you don’t have to throw away any ‘disposable’ coffee cups. The Eco Cup comes with a silicone lid and a silicone sleeve – all the features of traditional disposable cups but without the waste

Who is testing it? Me, a tea addict!

In Use: When the Eco Cup first arrived, I was surprised at how big and solid it is. The cup is made from porcelain and is a really good size. It’s very easy to use. Just slide the silicone sleeve onto the cup then make your drink in the cup as usual. The silicone lid fits easily onto the top and helps keep the drink warm and avoid spillages. If you prefer, the cup is microwave safe, so drinks can be made in the microwave.

The Eco Cup works brilliantly. I like to have tea with me when I’m working in the garden, but it gets cold very quickly and I usually end up spilling some. The cup and lid kept my drink really hot until I had finished it without any problems, and the lid is very effective at preventing spills. It’s also a really nice shape to hold and the silcone sleeve stays cool. The cup is also easy to clean as it’s dishwasher safe.

Any negatives? None

Price and availability: The Eco Cup costs £9.95 and is available with either a white or brown sleeve from Ethical Superstore.

Overall: I really like my Eco Cup! It works brilliantly and is really good value for money. They’re great for using at home or work, as well as when you’re on the move . The Eco Cup would make an ideal present for a tea or coffee loving Dad for Father’s Day, or as an end of term gift for a teacher.

Verdict: 5/5

Just So Festival: The Festival for Families

sue — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:00:36 +0000

The Just So Festival is the dream-child of two couples who wanted to create a camping festival especially for families. The festival includes child-friendly entertainment, and activities aimed at giving children and their parents a fantastic and magical experience. The festival is set in 65 acres of unspoilt Staffordshire woodland and there are lots of different activity areas, all promising lots of great family fun.

The festival website has an interactive map so you can easily have a look round to find out what’s going on where. There are lots of wonderful activities planned for the festival, all of which I know my children would love! Older children will love the Parkour workshops, with some of the UK’s top free-runners. Younger children can enjoy a traditional fairground, complete with steam carousel, helter skelter and swing boats. Other higlights include a visit from the Royal Armories team with their ‘Never Mind the Pollocks‘ action-art event and the Fairy Queen Trail with the Fairyland Trust. There’s also plenty of music and comedy on the main stage to keep everyone happy and entertained.

As well as all the entertainment, the festival will have a large and comfortable nappy changing area with changing mats and wipes provided. They also promise that the toilets will be lovely! Although weekend tickets are already sold out, day tickets are still available. They cost £20 for adults (16+) and £10 for children. Under 5′s are free.

TGF Rated Review: Dulux Ecosense Paint

sue — Mon, 24 May 2010 16:00:18 +0000

What is it? More and more of us are trying to be environmentally-friendly and are thinking carefully about the carbon footprint of products we buy. Dulux have just produced two new paints as part of their Ecosense range, designed to give people an eco-friendly alternative when it comes to decorating their home. The new Ecosense paints have been developed with the environment in mind. Dulux have been working with Forum for the Future, a sustainable development charity, to help measure the environmental profile of new products to ensure that they are making real environmental improvements.

There are two Ecosense paints: Matt and Satinwood. The Matt paint is water-based and contains no added solvents (VOCs). It has a 50% lower carbon footprint than traditional Dulux matt paint. The Satinwood contains 90% less solvents (VOCs) and has a 35% lower carbon footprint than traditional Satinwood paint.

Who is testing it? Me

In Use: We are doing lots of DIY and building work at the moment so I have been looking around at different paints for when we are ready to re-decorate. With two young daughters I was very keen to try and use eco-paints as I hate the thought of using solvents around them, so I leapt at at the chance to try these new Dulux Ecosense Paints. I recieved three different pots of paint to review: Ecosense Matt in Pure Brilliant White and Malt Chocolate, and Ecosense Satinwood in Pure Brilliant White.

Ecosense Satinwood (Pure Brilliant White): Traditionally, paints used on wood and metal, such as gloss and satin paints, were solvent-based. However, new formulations mean than the Ecosense Satinwood has 90% less solvent. This makes it faster drying and eliminates the horrible smell usually assosciated with these types of paints. The paint went on very smoothly and easily. I painted some wardrobe doors and it left them with a lovely satin sheen. There was absolutely no smell at all as I was using the paint and no lingering smell as it dried, which was fantastic. Washing my brushes out was also very easy. I found that some warm, soapy water was all it took to get the brushes and my hands completely clean, so there’s no need to use harsh solvent cleaners.

Ecosense Matt (Pure Brilliant White and Malt Chocolate): This is a good quality, thick matt paint which gives really good coverage. It was completely odour free, whilst in use and whilst drying. There is a good choice of really stylish colours available. The Malt Chocolate that I tried is gorgeous!

Using both these paints was a very pleasant and easy experience. They are great to use and it’s easy to clean up afterwards. They are both high quality paints, as you would expect from Dulux, and left me with a very professional looking finish after just 2 coats. I was very impressed with both of them.

Any negatives? None at all

Price and Availability: The Ecosense Matt costs £19.19 for a 2.5 litre tin and the Ecosense Satinwood costs £12 for a 1 litre tin. Both are available from most large DIY stores such as B&Q and Homebase. There are 6 Satinwood colours and 21 Matt colours.

Overall: I’m converted! We’re going to be using a great deal of paint over the coming months as we finally start decorating our house and I will definitely be using the Ecosense paints. I have always been very keen on using eco-friendly paints but had ruled them out as most were just far too expensive for us to afford. Although these new Dulux paints cost slightly more than ordinary paint, they are still very good value and the extra cost is definitely worth it. It’s great to know that the paint we use on our walls will be better for us and better for the environment.

Verdict: 5/5