5 Green Gifts for Mother's Day 2012

Mother's Day is a great time to celebrate the one mother we all have in common: Mother Earth. So when choosing thoughtful, loving gifts for Mom keep the planet in mind too. It's easy, it might just take an extra little bit of green thought. Here are five eco-friendly gifts for Mom this Mother's Day to make her smile.

1. Make a meal. Our top pick would be Mother's Day brunch made with local and organic ingredients for a lazy Sunday morning. Even better, try these make ahead brunch recipes and guarantee the meal itself will be all about relaxing for everyone involved. Not only will you save gas and money not going to a restaurant, but do you really want to stress over a reservation for Mother's Day?
2. Give a gift she'll use. Any green-minded Mom would appreciate a handy little eco-friendly bag like our zippered Rume Mom Reusable Baggie. PVC-free and lead-free, it's also tested food-safe so, like Mom, it can do pretty much anything. This bag is great for carrying everything from snacks to makeup in a purse, bag, backpack, glove compartment, pocket or suitcase. Plus, it's personalized with the word 'Mom' on the front in 50 different languages making it educational and charming, what Mom wouldn't smile at that?
3. Pamper Mom. Luxurious Aloe Jojoba Bubble Bath paired with Rice Bran Oil Moisturizing Lotion and a pack of Three Blossoms 100% Soy Tea Light Candles scented with lavender, chamomile and orange blossoms make for a relaxing biodegradable bath experience with pretty, calming scents she's not soon to forget. Top it off with some natural nail polish in one of spring's hottest shades plus a bottle of spray soy remover and there's no need for her to drive all the way to the salon.
4. Buy her a drink. The eco-friendly, reusable kind, of course which means tap water in a new bottle. For a sleek-looking stainless steel option go with Oprah's favourite: a double-walled S'well bottle for sustained insulation and beverages that keep cool for literally hours and hours. If a glass bottle in a colourful and funky protective silicone cover is more her style, try the original Lifefactory water bottle screw cap and the new Lifefactory flip cap bottle for travel. For active Moms, collapsible Vapur bottles are a great option for rolling up and zipping into a pocket when empty during a hike, bike or walk.
5. Give a hand in the garden. Whether it's a hanging basket, patio pot, window box or even an apple tree in a bag, more greenery can only be healthier for the environment and Mom too. Join her outside and help do some planting. Try choosing native plants for the garden that require little water or fertilizer and no pesticides. A great gift for the oenophile Mom is the Wine Lovers Pocket Garden Kit and for the cat lover, a Wheat Grass Garden in a Bag.

Our Earth Day Deal for You

Earth Day has come early at Lavish & Lime and we’re celebrating all weekend long with a special Earth Day Deal! Take 20% OFF sitewide on everything – all our eco-friendly and non-toxic alternatives from waste-free lunch gear to natural cosmetics – plus receive a FREE compostable toothbrush with code #EARTH through April 22nd. The toothbrush becomes organic soil in 180 days. We think that’s a pretty cool gift for you, and for the earth. Happy Earth Day weekend to you all!

5 Ways to Care for Our Planet

Thinking about our impact on the planet this Earth Day, means rethinking activities we do every day and doing our best to minimize any negative effects they might have. Here are five simple ways to make a difference and show the planet you care.

A blue heron dining out on the sunny Sunshine Coast at Sechelt, BC.

1. Choose biodegradable sunscreen that, unlike many traditional chemical sunscreens, does not harm coral reefs and other marine plants and animals. According to National Geographic News, 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of chemical sunscreens wash off swimmers' bodies annually, significantly contributing to the growing worldwide coral bleaching problem.
2. Refuse excessive packaging and choose recycled packaging whenever possible. With increasing consumer demand, more and more companies are coming up with consumer packaging alternatives made with recycled and recyclable materials. Companies are also rethinking the direct impact of their packaging on our health, as seen with Campbell's recent announcement to introduce BPA-free soup cans.
3. Opt for reusable straws over disposable plastic straws that often end up as potential choking hazards for wildlife. Plastics do not biodegrade, they photo degrade, breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil, oceans and entering the food chain when eaten by animals. Scientists estimate each plastic item could last in the environment anywhere between 400 to 1000 years. A non-toxic option for reusables are stainless steel straws.
4. Reduce plastic bag use. You may have mastered the art of remembering your reusable shopping bags on grocery runs, but what about all those plastic produce bags? Reusable produce and bulk bags are the next step we can take to help reduce the profileration of plastic bags in our landfills and oceans - bags that never go away. In the ocean, many marine animals mistake plastic bags for food and swallow them, with painful and often fatal consequences.
5. Commit to doing something for the earth on Earth Day. Pick up a piece of litter, or 20. Make a meal with wholly organic and local foods or these all natural, organic Earth Day cookies. Walk instead of drive. Join an organized event or group dedicated to the environment like the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. It's a great way to do your bit, teach your kids by example -- and recognize the importance of keeping in mind the impact of your actions on the planet on Earth Day and every day beyond.
   

Wordless Water Wednesday

Mother Nature: a tireless teacher.

Win 1 of 5 S'well Bottles - Earth Day Giveaway

World Earth Day is April 22nd and we want to help make it S'well! Here at Lavish & Lime we've teamed up with our friends at S'well – makers of the popular S'well stainless steel water bottle (one of Oprah's favourite things) – and have five S'well bottles to give away to five lucky earth conscious winners in our Earth Day Giveaway. Did you know 88% of plastic water bottles are not recycled? Those that are take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade and may leak toxic additives into the groundwater. Plastic bottles are becoming the fastest-growing form of municipal solid waste in Canada and the U.S.* This Earth Day and every day, we want to help you help the earth and reduce the use of plastic water bottles. Tell us what other litterless lunch item you'd choose for a waste-free pairing and one of our double walled, stainless steel, ergonomically designed and ultra sleek S'well bottles could be yours!

*************************THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED**********************
WIN IT!
Tell us what other item from our waste-free lunch gear collection you'd pair up with a S'well – and you could win a S'well Water Bottle in the colour of your choice. Choose from green, pink, blue, red, silver, yellow or black, as stock availability allows. You can browse all of our Lavish & Lime waste-free lunch gear here.

Leave your answer in a comment below or email it to us at customerservice(at)lavishandlime(dot)com with 'Earth Day Giveaway' in the subject line. This giveaway closes at midnight PST, April 30th, 2012. **Please be sure to include your name and email address so we can contact you if you win.**

Extra Entries:
Leave separate comments for each
- Like or comment on a post about this Giveaway on our Lavish & Lime Facebook Page - the more likes and comments, the more chances to win
- Share a post about this Giveaway on Facebook and tell your friends
- Click the 'like' button our Green S'well Bottle product page
- Follow us on Pinterest
- Subscribe to receive our Lavish & Lime email newsletter
- Follow us on Twitter and tweet:
#Win 1 of 5 insulated ss S'well bottles in our #EarthDay #Giveaway http://bit.ly/HR1YuS via @lavishandlime @Swellbottle
*you can tweet once per day



The winner will be chosen in a random draw. Deadline for entries is 11:59pm PST Monday, April 30th, the giveaway closing date. The winner will be notified by email Tuesday, May 1st. Open to residents of both Canada and the U.S. who are over the age of majority in their province, territory or state of residence. Prize must be accepted as awarded and may not be transferred or exchanged. It is not redeemable for cash and is non-refundable.




*Source: Project Blue Roots and Shoots Canada Water Campaign

Disneynature's Chimpanzee Movie - A Family Review

First off, let us say hot buttered popcorn is surprisingly appetizing at 10am on a Saturday morning. Thanks to Walt Disney Pictures Canada, we found ourselves munching our way through a bag with the kids at the Vancouver screening of Chimpanzee, Disneynature's latest offering for Earth Day. We promised our friends at Disney a review, so here it is – a family perspective on Chimpanzee, starting with the youngest of the clan.


"Oscar was cute when he climbed up the trees. It was cute when he didn't break the nut with the log. It was cute when the Mom fed Oscar. It was cute when Oscar and his friend played. I didn't like when Freddie and Scar attacked each other. I want to watch it on TV next!"
~ Daughter 2, age 5

"It was fascinating to watch and you didn't know what would happen next so it kept you in suspense. My favourite part was watching Oscar learn how to crack a nut. He kept on on trying to crack it with bigger and bigger logs then finally he used a rock. I didn't like the part with the Leopard. If I could, I would take my friends to go see this movie, but this time in 3D so then it would seem like you're actually in the jungle!" ~ Daughter 1, age 9

"The best wildlife documentary I've seen. The cinematography was excellent and seeing the outtakes at the end, it was like there was an entire movie in just how the film crew achieved such spectacular results." ~ Dad, Colin

''Mesmerizing cinematography, riveting drama, suspenseful, educational - an hour and a bit well spent. Tim Allen revs things up with an added dose of humour as narrator. I was surprised at how much I learned about chimps – from how they weave sleeping platforms and hunt monkeys to cracking nuts with natural tools – and how much their mamas are like us! ~ Mom, Louise

Disneynature's Chimpanzee opens April 20th and for every ticket purchased during the first week of release, Disneynature will make a donation to the Jane Goodall Institute of Canada to help protect chimpanzees.

WIN 1 of 21 Passes to Disney's Chimpanzee - Canada

Enter to win tickets to the advance screening of Disneynature's Chimpanzee and be one of the first in Canada to see Disney's latest film for Earth Day 2012! We've teamed up with Disneynature to give a total of 21 lucky families the chance to see this exciting new true-life adventure narrated by Tim Allen at special screening events in Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver this Saturday, April 14th. Simply tell us what you'd pack in our reusable Monkey Lunch Bag to keep your little chimps happy and you could win a family pass for four!

About the Film:
Meet little Oscar, a 3-year-old Chimpanzee who'd rather make mayhem than join his parents for an afternoon nap. For Oscar, every day is an adventure. But when Oscar's family is confronted by rival band of chimpanzees, he is left to fend for himself until a surprising ally steps in and changes his live forever. Chimpanzee opens in theatres nationwide April 20th in time for Earth Day. Click below to view the trailer.



THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED -- THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!

To Enter:
Leave a comment below telling us what non-toxic, healthy things you'd pack in one of our new reusable Monkey lunch bags and you'll be entered to win a family pass to the advance screening of Disneynature's Chimpanzee. Alternatively, email your list to us at customerservice(at)lavishandlime(dot)com with 'Chimpanzee Tix Giveaway - Your City' in the subject line. ***Be sure to include your email address and tell us which city you'd like to enter for: Toronto, Waterloo, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg or Vancouver***

Deadline for entries is noon PST, Friday, April 13th. Winners will be notified via email that afternoon. Winners will be emailed PDF tickets later that same day to print and take to the screening event being held in their city at 10:00am the next day, Saturday, April 14th.

Extra Entries:
Leave separate comments for each
- Comment on a post about this Giveaway on our Lavish & Lime Facebook Page - the more comments, the more chances to win
- Share a post about this Giveaway on Facebook and tell your friends
- Click the 'like' button our Reusable Monkey Lunch Bag product page
- Follow us on Pinterest and create a board named 'Pack a Monkey @ Lavish & Lime' then pin all the things you'd like to pack in our reusable Monkey lunch bag. Be sure to include our monkey bag on your board: http://bit.ly/HuLudQ (plus any of our other waste-free lunch products you covet!) and **tell us the link to your board**
- Subscribe to receive our Lavish & Lime email newsletter
- Follow us on Twitter and tweet:
Win 1 of 21 family passes to @Disneynature #Chimpanzee screenings Canada-wide http://bit.ly/HsWffN via @LavishandLime
*you can tweet once per day

The skinny? Disneynature films are amazing and well worth seeing. Your family and friends will love you even more for winning free tickets and taking them to see this one. Good luck!

African Cats Advance Screening Ticket Giveaway (the fine print):

• Giveaway closes 11:59 am PST Friday, April 13, 2012, the contest closing date. No purchase necessary. More than one entry per person can be counted with bonus entries, but winners will be limited to one prize (family pass of four tickets) per person. To enter, tell us what items you'd pack in our reusable Monkey lunch bag. Leave a comment on this blog post or email it to customerservice(at)lavishandlime(dot)com to enter.
  
• For bonus entries, comment on or share a comment about this giveaway on Facebook, like the monkey lunch bag page at lavishandlime.com, follow Lavish & Lime on Pinterest and create a board named 'Pack the Monkey @ Lavish & Lime', subscribe to the Lavish & Lime e-newsletter or tweet about this giveaway.
  
• Winners of the 21 family passes to Chimpanzee provided by Disneynature (three passes for four people for each of seven cities) will be chosen by a random draw by a representative of Lavish & Lime (the Contest Sponsor) at approximately 12pm on April 13th. Selected entrants will be notified that day by email as set out on their entry comment. As the screenings take place on April 14th and time is of the essence, if a selected entrant cannot be reached by 6pm April 13th or declines the prize, another entrant will be selected.
  
• This contest is open to residents of Canada who are over the age of majority in their province or territory of residence. Prize must be accepted as awarded and may not be transferred or exchanged. It is not redeemable for cash and is non-refundable.
  
• Contest Sponsor is not responsible for cancellation of any of the associated screening events.

5 Ways to Clean with Lemons

Naturally at Lavish & Lime we have limes on our minds, but when we do think lemons, we think cooking or lemonade - especially at this time of year. Yet, there's so much more we can do with lemons than simply eat them, especially when it comes to cleaning. Here are five handy tips for using lemons around the house instead of potentially toxic and smelly chemical cleaning products. For more natural cleaning ideas, click here.

Lemon slices in a bowl of water leave your microwave spic & span.

1. Fridge
Store half a lemon in your fridge to help control and eliminate unpleasant smells.

2. Garden
Pour lemon juice around areas frequented by ants to repel them.

3. Fresher Air
Mix equal amounts of lemon juice and water in a spray bottle and use as an air freshener for a chemical-free air freshener for your home.

4. Furniture Polish
Mix two parts olive oil or cooking oil together with one part lemon juice for an effective and incredibly fresh-smelling furniture polish.

5. Microwave
Put lemon slices in a bowl of water and heat in your microwave for 30 seconds to a minute then wipe out the microwave. Stains will be easier to remove and any old food odours will be neutralized.

Wordless Wednesday: Never Too Many Spring Flowers

We love spring flowers not just because they mean warmer weather is on its way, but because they add a splash of colour to a landscape that's been otherwise dreary for some time. This colourful window box filled with happy little daffodils sits atop the entrance to Pike Place Market in Seattle, brightening up a very rainy day. We took this photo during our Lavish & Lime spring break tour of the Pacific Northwest.

Flip Off with New Lifefactory Glass Bottles

We've been anxiously waiting and now they've arrived! Glass bottle maker Lifefactory has introduced a new flip cap lid that makes on-the-go much easier, and drier. The bottle itself is made of the same non-leaching, 100% recyclable glass as is the original Lifefactory glass water bottle, but now the wide mouth screw cap features a silicone spout with its own flip off cap for drinking. The ultra funky and colourful silicone cover still hugs the outside of the BPA-free bottle to help protect from breakage but now you have your choice of a hexagonal or circular design. These new flip cap glass water bottles come in two sizes: 650ml and 450ml plus loads of great colours from pale pink to chocolate brown and everything in between. Don't get us wrong, we still love the Lifefactory original bottles with the wide mouth screw caps -- they're just sitting on our desks now, instead of being taken out and about. For more and a drop demo video, click here.