Just to get us all thinking about our impact on the Earth…Here are some statistics from The Clean Air Council.

*In the U.S., 4.39 pounds of trash per day and up to 56 tons of trash per year are created by the average person.  Only about one-tenth of all solid garbage in the United States gets recycled.

*Each day the United States throws away enough trash to fill 63,000 garbage trucks.  Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour.

*Americans throw away enough aluminum cans to rebuild our commercial air fleet every three months, and enough iron and steel to supply all our nation’s automakers every day.  Throwing away one aluminum can wastes as much energy as if that can were 1/2 full of gasoline.  Sixty-five billion aluminum soda cans are used each year.  Recycling an aluminum soda can saves 96% of the energy used to make a can from ore, and produces 95% less air pollution and 97% less water pollution.

*U.S. businesses now use about 21 million tons of paper every year. That’s about 175 pounds of paper for each American.  America is home to 5% of the world’s population, yet it consumes 1/3 of the Earth’s timber and paper; making paper the largest part of the waste stream at 37.5% of the total waste stream.  One ton of paper from recycled pulp saves 17 trees, 3 cubic yards of landfill space, 7,000 gallons of water, 4,200 kilowatt hours (enough to heat your home for half year), 390 gallons of oil, and prevents 60 pounds of air pollutants.

*Enough hazardous waste is generated in one year to fill the New Orleans Superdome 1,500 times over.

*As of 1992, 14 billion pounds of trash were dumped into the ocean annually around the world.

*Forty-three thousand tons of food is thrown out in the United States each day.

*The average American, in one lifetime, uses: 18 tons of paper, 23 tons of wood, 16 tons of metal, and 32 tons of organic chemicals.

Let’s all consider what we can do to change these staggering statistics and make the Earth a better place for our children!!

Congratulations to Peggy H., subscriber and commenter #129 who is the winner of the $200 Life Without Plastic SWAG!!  Like many of you, Peggy enjoyed the LifeWithoutPlastic Blog which we encourage everyone to keep up with!!  We hope you enjoy your Green Jump Start!!

Thanks to our good friends from Life Without Plastic and to our lovely readers who we know are making their best effort at being Earth Friendly too!!

We found a fun and informative way to quiz yourself on what kind of ecological footprint you leave on the Earth. 

Click here to try it out yourself!

We know we sure have some work to do!

How about you?

All of your friends will turn green with envy when you win this week’s SWAG!!  With the help of Life Without Plastic, we are swagging you with $200 worth of earth friendly products!  So here’s what one lucky winner will receive…

To enter, visit www.LifeWithoutPlastic.com and take a look at their products.  THEN simply leave a detailed comment on this post saying what you think about their products, their website and/or their company!  Make a difference by investing in a company like this one AND telling them what you think!!  Our generous sponsor wants to know YOUR OPINION!!!

This SWAG ALERT will be open for daily entry until Monday, April 20th at midnight PST.  Our same fabulous SWAG ALERT rules apply, including EXTRAS, but if you need a refresher on the details just CLICK HERE or visit our “SWAG INFO” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page. Winner will be chosen from the comments posted and our subscription list on Tuesday via random.org.

With Earth Day right around the corner, everyone is considering how they can be more green.  We have found a company that helps you feel safe, fill your home with quality (and quite attractive!) products and do what’s right by Mother Earth.  When it comes to quality products that will keep our kids safe and help us keep up with what’s hot, we just can’t get enough!!

LifeWithoutPlastic.com is more than an online boutique full of safe and practical plastic-free products.  With an informational Blog and many resources about the dangers of certain plastics to you and the Earth, LifeWithoutPlastic.com is an Earth Lover’s dream!  Here are a few of our fave’s from their great line of Earth Friendly products!

Everyone’s carrying the hottest new alternative to the plastic water bottle and Life Without Plastic has just what you need to join the craze!  The Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle is a must have for anyone looking to rid themselves of the retched plastic water bottles.  It is said that a plastic water bottle can take up to 1,000 years to begin to decompose when buried.  Do you want to be associated with that kind of damage to the Earth?  We didn’t think so!  For as little as $18-$20 you can purchase a Klean Kanteen and be a part of the solution!  What we love best…the adaptable tops which can be used as your child grows!  A sippy cup, a sport bottle, a water bottle to stick in your child’s lunch box (or your own!!)…definitely a Favorite!!

We have enough to worry about as parents without the added concern of plastics possibly contaminating our children’s food!  What good is a healthy meal if you then place it on an unhealthy plate or bowl?!  That’s why we love their dishes for kids.  So many cute and fun styles to choose from, no worries about what may be leaching into your child’s food and just plain fun for the kids!!  My boys love pretending to be cowboys eating around a campfire as they eat their dinner off of the stainless steel dishware!!  And you’ll be saying a little Yee-Haw of your own when you see that the prices are incredibly affordable!

So get in your cupboards and just go ahead and toss out those cracked, warped and stained plastic containers!!  (You know the ones I’m talking about, don’t pretend that you don’t have any!)  We found the best alternative to the cheap reusable plastic containers that are not only unsafe in comparison, but do not last nearly as long as their high quality, food grade, stainless steel replacements!!  Life Without Plastic’s Food Storage Containers are practical, convenient and safe!  You can use them to store your left-overs or take along as a lunch box.  We just love these!

When quality and safety meet with keeping the Earth clean and green…LifeWithoutPlastic.com is there!!  You can be too by visiting www.LifeWithoutPlastic.com and get your family on the road to being plastic free!

We know how much everyone just loves our EXTRA ENTRIES for our SWAG ALERT Giveaways including V.I.P. SWAG … so now there are 2 more fabulous ways for you to get some!

1.) Tweet about our SWAG ALERT Giveaways on Twitter and follow us too!  Our Twitter name is Bellaziza and Crista has Twitter up most of the day so do say hello:)!

2.) Place our newest button up on your website or blog!  It will even be automatically updated with our latest V.I.P. SWAG every quarter!  You can find it on the bottom right of our website or just copy this code into your page: <a href=”http://www.bellazizasfavorites.com” target=”_blank”><img src=”http://www.bellazizasfavorites.com/vipswag-sm.gif” width=”150″ height=”214″ /></a>

Happy EXTRAS, and good luck!!!

Hello fellow Bellaziza readers! My name is Sarah Camp and I am honored to have been asked to be a writer for Bellaziza’s Favorite Things! You may recognize my name because I do a lot of design work for BFT through my company Camp Creative Group. I’ve been working with Crista and Bellaziza for quite a while now, and it’s going to be great to be on board as a writer in addition to the design aspect!

I’m looking forward to bringing a unique point of view to Bellaziza’s Favorite Things.  My passions, aside from all things design, lie in music and technology. I am a total technology BRAT!  My husband is too and between the two of us, we end up getting a hold of just about every new whatchamacallit the absolute moment it comes out!

I will not only be writing reviews, but I am planning on writing some really helpful articles as well on topics such as photo editing, cooking, building your dream business and more!  Also, look forward to the gorgeous Bellaziza inspired blog themes that we’ll be releasing for those of you with your own WordPress blogs!!!

Enough about what I will be bringing to the table – more about why!  As I mentioned before, I have a husband and two dogs.  I do not have any children!  I know, that’s a crime, right?  Well, not entirely as we have been trying for over four years.  We genuinely want children more than anything and are keeping the faith that one day it will happen.  I have been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome which definitely hinders things a bit.  Last year I did finally get pregnant with the help of the drug Clomid, however tragically we lost the baby. We’re trying again though, and I will definitely be keeping you all updated on our journey, and our success!!!

Because of our strong desire to have children, and the pain we have experienced along the way, I know that when that lovely day finally comes, I want only the very best for our little ones! In the mean time I’m all about being the best aunt ever to my niece and nephew, who will be my little assistants when I review:). I want to make sure they are safe and that we make the best choices when purchasing anything for our children.  As The Best Aunt Ever, I also have a responsibility to my niece and nephew to make sure they have nothing but the best!

Everyone needs me to do something for them.

“Mommy, I need this…”

“Honey, I need that…”

“Make this boo-boo better!”

“Come quick!!”

The thought of adding another needy person to my list is definitely NOT one of my Favorite Things!  But there is “someone” who has been quietly tugging on my pants leg, needing me to notice them, if just for a moment in my hectic day.  Her name is Mother Earth.  Now I will admit that I am not exactly a “tree hugger”, but when it comes to taking care of the planet that my boys will someday inherit, I’ll hug every tree on the block!!

I don’t like the phrase “Save Mother Earth” though.  I mean, SAVE?  Doesn’t that sound incredibly dire and, well, impossible?!  So how about we take it down a notch for our sleep deprived, get off my pant leg, if there is one more thing added to my “I feel guilty about this” list I am going to lose it, ever-loving minds!!!  Whew…I feel better already!

It’s not about acting out of guilt, so let the guilt go and take some small steps to make a difference for our precious planet…out of love!  This is the Earth that we will leave our children and the generations after them.  Don’t you think it’s worth it?  Take one small step this week, then another small step the next week and before you know it, you’ll be free of green guilt and full of green love!

Watch for my Tasha Goes Blue-Green post next week where I will share some tips on small things that we have done to make a difference.  Because, seriously, If I can do it…

“In our every deliberation we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.”  This is a quote from The Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy and is Seventh Generation’s motto.  While providing safe and effective cleaning products for you and your family, Seventh Generation is also being mindful of their affects on the Earth.

Seventh Generation creates household and personal care products that are healthy and safe for the air, the surfaces, the fabrics, the pets, and the people within your home.  But they aren’t like all the other cleaning companies out there!  There can be enormous differences between mainstream products and those from companies like Seventh Generation. While most people know what “natural” and “organic” mean in terms of foods, many are just beginning to understand that there are similar choices to be made with other items they purchase, such as cleaning products.

In a world of unregulated cleaning products, it’s nice to know that Seventh Generation happily lists all of their ingredients and what they do, even though there are no regulations that require them to do so.  You might also want to compare the instructions and cautions on the Seventh Generation product to one of their competitors. We think you’ll find quite a difference, and see how their products can help contribute to a healthy lifestyle.

We love the commitment that Seventh Generation has for our safety and the caring of our planet.  It’s certainly easy to call Seventh Generation a Favorite Thing!!

It is our responsibilty as parents to teach our children about the importance of appreciating the Earth.  That’s why I never mind when my kids ask to play PBS Kids’ Eeko World (Environmental Education for Kids Online)!  Eeko World features an engaging and interactive format that invites children to explore, experiment, and collaborate as they learn about conservation and the environment.  So check it out with your child…you’ll both have fun and learn something new!

We know that for 2 or 3 weeks our website was painfully slow. (HATE that!)  We had our ‘techs’ working on it , and trying to figure out what the problem could be (in addition to working on the redesign – shh! Don’t tell! It’s coming soon!).

Well, they found it!  We finally  figured out what was causing the site to absolutely crawl and fixed it! In the process, we’ve also had our hosting servers upgraded to be able to handle the huge surges in traffic that we’ve been getting from time to time.  You guys really DO heart Bellaziza!  Most of you have probably already noticed the difference in load-time, but we just wanted to invite those of you who haven’t to come visit… BUT, try not to be alarmed at the lightning fast load time!

Sarah

PS – Yes, that absolutely IS a Bellaziza Barrette in Isabella’s hair.  She just turned three and is so funny taking after her mommy, BFT Editor Crista, on the computer…working on more of Bellaziza’s Favorite Things!

Oooh yes, we’ve done it again!  You thought the $1,000 Toy Makeover was great, but a gorgeous and luxurious dream crib from celebrity favorite Bratt Decor!?!?  Too much?  Not for our fabulous readers!  Just think of how jealous all of the other babies will be!!!  We’re swagging one lucky reader with their choice of the Dick, Jane or Casablanca crib in their choice of color!  It’s about a thousand dollars worth of crib, so do pay attention here:)!

To enter, FIRST, you must be a Bellaziza V.I.P.! This is done by subscribing to our updates via email.  Most of you already are, but without subscription and that V.I.P. status, you will not qualify to win this SWAG.  You can CLICK HERE to sign up.

Bratt Decor has asked that you, our fabulous readers, let them know what you think of their products, company and website!  Maybe suggest what you would like to see included in their products, their website or any other efforts made by their incredible company.  How would YOU suggest they improve? To enter, please visit www.Bratt Decor.com and comment on this post answering their request.

This V.I.P. SWAG ALERT will be open for daily entry until Monday, June 29th, 2009 at midnight PST. We will announce the big winner on Tuesday, June 30th.  Our same fabulous SWAG ALERT rules apply, including EXTRAS for referring new confirmed subscribers only. If you need a refresher on the details just CLICK HERE or visit our “SWAG INFO” page by clicking the tab at the top of this page.

Thanks in advance for your feedback on behalf of our wonderful friends at Bratt Decor, and GOOD LUCK TO ALL!!!

Sweet dreams Baby, we’ve SO got you covered!  You’ve been waiting so patiently for 101 and here it is!!!  We’ve looked all over for our Favorite Crib and we are in good company with our choice of celebumom favorite Bratt Decor!  From cribs to dressers, cradles to big kid beds, Bratt Decor truly has it all.  Their quality is unmatched and their unique style is absolutely breathtaking.

We reviewed the Casablanca Premiere Crib in Venitian Gold… WHICH, ahem, just happens to be the same crib that diva-turned-mommy Jennifer Lopez’s babies Max and Emme dream in too!  Just one look and there’s no wondering why.  It’s truly fit for royalty.  Each and every detail was captured with such magnificent quality and craftsmanship that it makes it a shame that your little one will only be in it for a few years!  Oops, they thought of that too as it fully converts into a toddler sized day bed (no additional kit necessary too)!  But do they come in a Queen or King?  I want to be spoiled Bratt!!!

The most unique feature of the crib is that the bar of scrollwork at the bottom of the crib actually pushes in to release the gate!  It’s so nice when the mechanics of something are hidden behind flourishy scrollwork, isn’t it?!?!  It was really quite easy to set up too.  The instructions were very clear and fit nicely with the included allen wrench into a permanent plastic pocket between the crib mattress and the springs for when you go to disassemble and reassemble.  VERY smart thinking.

It easily adjusts to multiple levels and the side raises and lowers so smoothly that that alone justifies a finer crib purchase, in our opinion.  How does anyone justify spending over half of the cost of this gorgeous work of art on a mediocre crib that will barely last through even one child?  For us, it’s better to spend more and buy only once.  Bratt’s cribs are truly heairloom quality their prices are reasonable and their designs are timeless.  It’s absolutely the perfect crib in our opinion, and therefore another one of Bellaziza’s Favorite Things.

For more information on any of Bratt Decor’s eight different collections of gorgeous childrens furniture, please visit www.BrattDecor.com.

Easter is coming and Spring is here!  Leave it to Martha to bring us the best desserts to celebrate this blossoming time of year!  Visit www.MarthaStewart.com for more lovely Easter food and decorating ideas!

Rich Chocolate Cake with Truffle-Egg Nest

Martha says, “Truffle eggs tinted robin’s-egg blue top this sumptuous cake that has been laced with espresso powder for a subtle mocha flavor, layered with whipped ganache, and topped with a shiny dark-chocolate glaze.”

Tasha says, “Espresso and Mocha and Chocolate…oh my!”

Chocolate Cake with Crepe Paper Flowers and a Phyllo Nest

Martha says, “Delicate crocuses seem to sprout forth from a rich chocolate cake — a sure sign that spring is here.”

Tasha says, “Pretty and yummy…can you go wrong?”

Carrot Cheesecake with Marzipan Carrots

Martha says, “Rich cheesecake topped with marzipan carrots takes warm spices and cream cheese icing (carrot cake’s best features) and reinvents them.”

Tasha says, “You had me at cheesecake, and have a very happy Easter!”

Congrats to Britt F. who “has our fabulous button!” and is the winner of the Anka High Chair!  Thanks for placing our button Britt, and enjoy your SWAG!!!  We really hope your little sweetie enjoys his/her new dining accommodations!

Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks as we celebrate Earth Day at BellazizasFavorites.com and bring you the best ways for your family to go green!