Natural Pod for a long time, and I can’t believe I hadn’t written about them yet! Natural Pod has an amazing array of natural and safe toys, dolls, clothing and accessories for kids of all ages. With products from materials such as wood, felt, silk, wool and organic cotton, you can’t go wrong giving your child these open-ended, imaginative-based toys sure to jump start their creativity.
I’m especially in love with Natural Pod’s collection of blocks and stacking toys. We checked out the Tree Branch Blocks - from the moment the blocks were poured out of the bag, my girls found them irresistible. They couldn’t believe they were “really” trees, and it took some explaining about how and why they make tree branches into useable blocks that don’t splinter or smell like wood. The blocks come from naturally felled Alder trees, kiln dried and sealed. They take a little getting used to for building, since the blocks are not uniformly shaped, but it’s part of the fun. And my kids decided to make the little blocks into chairs, for a doll picnic in the woods. Their friends are totally intrigued by them - who knew anything besides plastic cut outs could be so cool?
To help give your kids a truly memorable holiday (and hopefully help out a bit this holiday season), Natural Pod is offering 10% off your first order! Use the code “GCM08” during checkout, now through December 31st, and order early! Natural Pod is based in Canada, so shipping may take a bit longer. If you become as hooked as I am on Natural Pod and their message of natural play for children, you’ll really appreciate their recently launched blog, charting their background and where they’re headed to bring beautiful toys to your family. Happy reading and shopping!
The process by which development applications are heard is important - and this case in Ontario has the potential to change the playing field in Canada for those who oppose developments…
canadianconsultingengineer.com - Liability chill might freeze out opponents to development
A controversial hearing at the Ontario Municipal Board that could set a major precedent for developments is set to resume in December.
The developer of a new marina and resort on Big Bay Point on Lake Simcoe east of Barrie is claiming $3.6 million in legal costs against a local ratepayers’ group and its lawyers who opposed its plans.
One of the important rights a citizen has is to participate fairly in discussions about proposed developments in accordance with the legal structure dictated by the various levels of government. This situation is likened to the US cases called “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation”, or SLAPP for short - where only the rich (read - the developer) have any chance of participating.
Technorati Tags: Barrie, Canada, Development, Lake Simcoe, Ontario, Ontario Municipal Board, SLAPP, Society and Culture
Asking kids how they feel about environmental problems can be a wake-up call for many adults. A child’s sadness and anger at pollution issues and worries about the future can be deep and profound. Collaborating with well-known manga artists, Japan’s Environmental Ministry has collected drawing from all over the country. I saved some of the images below the fold, hoping we can learn from their thoughts and ideas….
There is perhaps no better wardrobe investment for Winter 2008, than a super stylish pair of eco chic boots. Shoes and accessories should carry over from year-to-year, so it really pays to do your homework when selecting covet-able footwear that will keep you looking fab for more than just one season. We have picked out a few of this season’s cutest vegan and ethical fashion finds so that you can easily ‘boot up’ in sustainable style while also keeping the wintry slush at bay.
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Credit: Pelli Clarke Pelli
In a blog post on design applications of water resource management, New York Times design blogger Allison Arrieff included a photograph of a glass office building currently under construction in San Francisco with veritable living walls. Intrigued, we decided to research the project at 110 Embarcadero, and learned it belongs to the design firm <a href=”h…
Slow-moving ocean and river currents could be a new, reliable and affordable alternative energy source. Engineers have made a machine that works like a fish to turn potentially destructive vibrations in fluid flows into clean, renewable power.
How does a swarm of bees find its way to a new nest site when less then 5 percent of the community knows the way? Filming bee swarms as they relocated to new nest site and analyzing the insects’ apparently chaotic course, scientists have found that “streaker” bees fly through the swarm at high speed to guide it.
Flash floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States, and because of their unpredictability they’re the leading weather-related cause of death for Americans. They usually arrive with little or no warning, but researchers are now trying to predict where and when they will occur ― using lightning.
Researchers have developed an ocean bed seismometer that operates using a data acquisition and storage system based on CompactFlash memory cards such as those used in commercial digital cameras. The machine’s low energy consumption means it can operate independently for two months at depths of up to 6,000 metres.
On May 12, 2008, at 2:28 p.m., China’s Szechwan province changed forever. In the space of 90 seconds, an earthquake equivalent to 1,200 H-bombs pulverized the earth’s crust for more than 280 kilometers. Entire cities disappeared and eight million homes were swallowed up. This resulted in 70,000 deaths and 20,000 missing. According to one researcher, this tragedy could have been avoided. “There hasn’t been one earthquake in Szechwan province for 300 years. Chinese authorities thought the fault was dead,” he says.
