Everything about the new Franklin Goose storefront is eco-friendly, even down to its CFL light bulbs and dual flow bath toilets. The Franklin Goose building was built in the early 1900s and was previously an art gallery. Pieces of the original building still remain, and those that Franklin Goose took down will be recycled through the Ace Recycling building construction debris company. All of the wall and floor paints used are no or low VOCs. Even the Franklin Goose displays are all reclaimed from the Richmond area. There are also plans to have a garden, a composting area, and a rain barrel. Franklin Goose takes the 3 R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle) to the next level.

What makes Franklin Goose so unique is that they are more than just a store- they are a community. Franklin Goose started out by giving $5 credits for every product review its customers made in March. Almost 1 million dollars in store credit was issued, helping thousands of families afford cloth diapering and other organic luxuries they couldn’t purchase before. Now, they have moved into our neighborhood and are ready to reach out to Richmond.

Franklin Goose will have ongoing group meetings in their upstairs Community Room. There will be diaper swaps, speakers, natural parenting classes, recycled art projects, and even talks given by eco-friendly merchants. Kozy Carrier will be talking about baby wearing on September 18. Franklin Goose would love to help assist any natural, organic, and eco-friendly parenting groups, so please stop by and say hello.

Franklin Goose offers more than just your average baby store. They have an online gift registry, which if you come into the store, they will help you set up and even email to your friends and family. They will have someone there who can assist you in making the right choices for your family’s needs. Whether your registry be for a new baby, birthday, or holiday shopping, Franklin Goose will make sure your needs are met.

You will also be able to call and schedule an appointment to discuss your natural choices for any age child, just like a personal shopper. If you are in a hurry, just had a baby, or have more than one child and it’s hard to shop, you can call ahead to place your order and a Franklin Goose employee will meet you curbside with your purchase.

The Franklin Goose grand opening is set for October 1. The staff THE  looks forward to meeting the community, so please stop by and introduce yourself prior to the opening. Or give a big HONK HONK when you pass by their 3401 W Cary address.

Please visit www.franklingoose.com to get a sneak peek of what is to come! If you need more information please email support@franklingoose.com

Things that you can recycle that you wouldn’t think about:

• Do you DIY when it comes to changing out automobile fluids? Oil and anitfreeze are recyclable and most oil change or auto service companies accept used motor oil from the public. Used motor oil can be re-refined into a brand new product that can go back into your car, recycled into clean lubricant or burned as fuel. As long as the used oil hasn’t been contaminated with other fluids. Used antifreeze can also be recycled by filtering out contaminants such as lead, then restoring the original properties through stabilizing additives.
• Recycle wallet trash! Most gift cards, credit cards, discount cards, hotel key cards are made with PVC plastic and can be recycled. The magnetic strip used to be an issue, but now companies have begun to accept them and melt them down to reuse.
• Before you throw out your cooking oil… This is a tricky one for most people. Pouring it down the drain harms many wildlife creatures while also causing damage to your pipes. And throwing it away is just as harmful to the environment. Now that people are researching biofuel, there is a need for used oil. You can use www.earth911.org to find a oil recycling center near you. Just store the oil in a container until you are ready to drop it off.
• We’ve all seen the horrible pictures of birds with the 6 pack beverage ring caught in its beak. Most of the rings are made out of plastic #4 which is a recyclable plastic. If your curbside only picks up #1 and #2 plastic, you can mail your rings to Hi Cone.
• Did you know that you can recycle your make up containers? Most are made with #5 plastic, so instead of trashing, just clean them out. Origins accepts any type of makeup containers. Mac will take back its containers and will issue a free lipstick with every 6 container returns. Aveda will take bottle caps, which are not recyclable, and use them for their packaging.
• Want to get paid for trash? Go to TerraCycle.com and learn how you can recycle candy bar wrappers, chip bags, drink pouches, coffee bags, and lots of other wrappers and get paid for it! There are thousands of locations accepting your trash.
• Most people throw away old keys, but now you can help a cause. Keys for Kindness accepts all metal keys to help raise money for Multiple Sclerosis.
• Save your hair and donate! Many places accept hair to help make wigs for cancer patients. It takes up to 8 pony tails to make 1 wig. Pantene Beautiful Lengths will take 8 inches, Wigs for Kids accepts 12 inches, Locks of Love will take 10 inches, Childhood Leukemia Foundation will take 12 inches,  Children with Hair Loss will take 8 inches, and Matter of Trust will take any length.
• Don’t throw out your old or broken electronics. You can find e-cycling programs that will accept computers, tvs, video games, cell phones, and other electronics at www.epa.gov Most electronics contain hazardous materials like lead, mercury, nickel, cadmium, and lithium which can leach into the soil and contaminate the areas water supply.
• Appliances are also recyclable. If you purchase a new one, have the store deliver so they will take your old one. You can also call Salvation Army to pick up working items. You can find out more ways to recycle metal at RecycleMetal.org
• Aluminum foil, metal and plastic clothes hangers, stainless steel products like pans and tea pots, and even empty aerosol cans (at some locations) can be added to your recycling bin.
• Packing materials, CD and DVD cases, plastic electronic casings, mixing bowls, tooth brushes, legos, detergent bottles, egg cartons, produce bags, and bread bags can also be recycled.
• You can find places in your area that take batteries, pesticides,  mercury, and light bulbs by going to the www.epa.gov site.

What about food recycling? Do you compost? If so, what foods do you recycle?

If a landfill isn’t properly cared for, ground water and surface water can become toxic.  Even after a landfill is closed, we still have to worry about toxic gases being released which can cause degenerative diseases. Lots of people are doing their part by using reusable paper towels, taking tote bags to shop, taking their lunches in reusable bags, using cloth diapers, recycling, and ditching plastic bottles for stainless. Here are some other ways that you can reuse at home:

Buy recycled or second hand products.

• Buy, trade, or get second hand furniture, electronics, ethical toys, books, shoes and clothing. Be sure to check out the recall list by the CPSC before purchasing any second hand baby products.
• Buy books, paper, and even puzzles made out of recycled paper. There are tons of great companies that also use soy inks.
• Green Toys is a great company that uses recycled milk cartons to build all of their toys and feeding products.
• RockLovePeace, The Measure, Soft Star Shoes, and TreeBottom are a few companies we carry that use recycled fabrics or donate leftover scraps.
• Franklin Goose will have a diaper swap each month at the store to keep reusable cloth diapers from going into landfills.

Fix instead of replace.

• Instead of buying new chairs or couches, choose a new fabric and reupholster yourself.
• Sew holes in your clothing or make patches instead of tossing.
• Turn tee shirts or favorite baby clothing into a quilt.
• Make your own pillows, clothing, dolls, puppets, and other toys out of old clothing or even curtains. You can also buy iron on printer paper to make your own picture books out of white tee shirts.

Reuse your own trash:

• Make bird feeders out of milk cartons.
• Keep your glass containers to make your own juices, teas, or sauces.
• Save baby food jars for homemade food or to keep buttons, pins, and anything small you wouldn’t want your child to ingest. Also great to put little candies in for party favors.
• Make stilts, phones, or musical instruments out of aluminum cans. Make sure they are BPA aluminum cans!
• Save yogurt containers to store pasta, sugar, flour, and even leftovers.
• Save peanut butter jars to make your own jams, applesauce, or even store candies.
• Compost leftover food.
• Save spray bottles to make your own cleaners. They are also great to spritz yourself in the heat. Or you can add lemon juice and lighten your hair while in the sun.
• Save everything from a cereal box. The boxes make great magazine holders if you cut the top off and wrap with paper. You can also use the box to ship something small. The cereal paper is great to keep to substitute for wax paper or to even pound chicken. But be sure to check with the cereal company to find out what their paper is coated with. You would want to reuse any that is contaminated with 2-methylnaphthalene.

If you do decide to make a new purchase, make sure to donate it to friends, family, thrift stores, or even Good Will. There are great books available that discuss various art projects that you can create with things you find around the house. What are things that you reuse? Do you have any fun art projects that you have created with recycled goods?

• Cut off anything that uses electricity when leaving a room. This is a very simple way to cut back the use of energy and even a 3 year old can be taught to do. Make sure all windows and doors are shut when the air conditioner is running or turn it off. Want to save even more energy? Unplug everything when not in use. Buy energy star products. Use CFL or LED light bulbs.
• Cut back on water usage. Do you boil enough water for 6 cups of tea or coffee when you only need one? Or do you leave the water on while brushing your teeth? You can save gallons of water every week by paying attention to how much water you are wasting. Want to save even more water? Get a rain barrel to capture water to feed plants. They also make eco-friendly shower heads that help conserve water while showering.
• Just say no to plastic! Get reusable bags for grocery/farmers market shopping. Always carry a extra tote bag for any kind of shopping or put small items in your purse. Use reusable snack bags or bento boxes for lunches.  Buy biodegradable trash bags and diaper pail liners. Want to save even more plastic? Opt for organic plush, wooden, rubberwood, or recycled toys. Buy glass bottles for any juices, milk, water, or sodas.
• Recycle everything with a code or check www.earth911.org to find out what is acceptable. Most plastic toys, baby products, certain furniture, books, magazines, and junk mail can be recycled.  If you eat out, make sure to recycle the plastic cups- including Starbucks cups. If you buy milk in glass containers, check to see if your grocery store takes them back. Most local farmers pick up the glasses to reuse. Want to recycle even more? Have your friends over for a clothing party where you can swap clothes and even kid toys. Whatever is left over, donate to Good Will or the Salvation Army. Make sure you don’t trash something that is in decent condition or unused.
• Reduce your laundry/clothing waste. Make sure you run full loads at 85F instead of 140F. This cuts electricity by 1/3. Purchase a energy efficient washer and dryer. Buy second hand clothing and when done, pass them along again. Want to reduce even more? Wear unstained, non-smelly clothing more than once. Knit your own clothing or buy from WAHM’s. Line dry instead of using a dryer.
• Cut down on driving. Make sure you do all of your shopping in 1 day. Carpool to work or when going out. Take the bus if you are going more than 5 miles. Turn your car off while waiting in carpool lines or while someone runs into the store.  Want to do more? Bike or walk to your destination.
• Cut out store bought household cleaners. You can use lemons and vinegar for pretty much everything. Make sure you use recycled paper towels or better yet a cleaning cloth that you reuse.
• Reduce your baby’s footprints. Buy cloth or biodegradable diapers, cloth or biodegradable wipes, and cloth or biodegradable inserts. Breast feed or use glass bottles. Skip the battery operated toys, mobiles, and wipe warmers.
• Don’t eat out. Buy local organic produce. Join a CSA. Compost all leftover food. Have your own garden.

These are just some suggestions. What do you do to reduce your waste? Or what would you like to work on?

Here at Franklin Goose, we believe that breastfeeding is one of the greatest gifts you can give your baby.

Breastmilk is a baby’s perfect food.  The composition changes as your baby grows, providing the proper balance of nutrients for each stage of life.  The AAP recommends exclusive nursing for at least the first six months of life, and continued nursing throughout the first year and beyond.  The World Health Organization recommends nursing for at least the first two years of life.

Breastfed babies experience fewer allergies, illnesses, and ear infections.  Breastmilk is easily digestible, so breastfed babies experience less gastrointestinal discomfort.  Research has shown that breastfed babies even have an advantage when it comes to IQ scores!

There are health benefits for mothers who breastfeed as well.  Nursing decreases a mother’s risk of post-partum depression and breast cancer.  It can also help a woman return to her pre-pregnancy weight more quickly.

In addition to the health and nutritional benefits of breastfeeding, there is an undeniable emotional benefit for both mother and child.  Babies feel loved and secure through nursing, and any mother who’s nursed a toddler surely knows that it can become a useful parenting tool.  Breastfeeding helps mothers and babies become securely attached, creating healthy bonds that can last a lifetime.

If you’ve made the choice to breastfeed your baby, you may be wondering what you’ll need to get started.  Franklin Goose has a broad selection of breastfeeding products that will help you get your nursing relationship off on the right foot.  We carry breast pumps and accessories, bottles, reusable and disposable nursing pads, nursing pillows, nursing covers, soothing gel pads for sore nipples, and everything you’ll need when your baby is ready for the transition to solid foods.  We are going to be expanding the Feeding Products section of the Franklin Goose website, so look for new products in the upcoming months!

Here are some of my favorite Franklin Goose products for breastfeeding:

Breast pads:  Most women find that they need breast pads to soak up excess breastmilk in the early days of nursing.  Franklin Goose offers several options.  We have Organic Caboose OnGuard reusable breast pads made of organic wool and organic cotton, or if you prefer a disposable option, we carry Lansinoh disposable nursing pads.

Nursing pillow: A nursing pillow can be an invaluable tool to a nursing mother.  It will help you position your baby properly at your breast, ensuring comfort for you, and a good latch from your baby.  We carry a super soft organic nursing pillow made by Organic Caboose.

Breast Pumps:  If you plan to return to work after the birth of your baby, or if you’d like to share feeding duties with your loved ones, a breast pump will help you express your breastmilk.  Experts recommend that the best time to introduce a bottle of expressed breastmilk is between 3-6 weeks of age, once breastfeeding has been well established.  Franklin Goose offers two types of breast pumps, both made by Lansinoh.  We have a double electric pump (great for mothers who are working full-time, or exclusively pumping) and a manual pump (best for occasional use).

Bottles: When you do decide to feed your baby expressed breastmilk, you’ll need to choose a bottle.  We’re proud to carry only BPA-free bottles.  We offer some fabulous glass bottles made by Born Free as well as Sweet Pea.  These are great for the environment and come highly recommended by many experienced mothers.

Pain relief:  An effective latch should cause a mother no pain.  However, some mothers do experience discomfort during nursing in the early days.  Breastfeeding is a skill that both mothers and babies need to learn together.  If you are feeling any discomfort, don’t despair!  Franklin Goose has got you covered!  We carry two great products from Lansinoh.  The first is Lansinoh Lanolin – a product that many veteran moms swear by!  We also offer Lansinoh’s Soothies Gel Pads, which provide cooling relief for sore nipples.

Franklin Goose is passionate about breastfeeding, and we can help you establish a strong nursing relationship so you can give your baby the best start in life.

In our “Quick Start” registry you can find items we have chosen as suggestions for your breast feeding accessories as you get ready for your new little one. Ifyou have any questions while you are registering please don’t hesitate to ask us, we have several breast feeding experts who can help answer your questions. We also have a community forum where you can ask questions of our experts, our merchants and our members. You can find it here: community.franklingoose.com

In honor of our breastfeeding post we are working with Ninny’s Nappies to giveaway one of her great nursing covers!

For the first and manditory entry, please share with us the “lifesaver” product that you used while you were breastfeeding, and / or a product you would like to see in our breastfeeding section.

For a few additional entries, the mandatory entry must be completed.  Please leave an additional comment for each extra entry.

1 Entry – Follow our Blog via Networked Blogs
1 Entry – Fan us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/franklingoose
1 Entry – Follow us on Twitter! @franklingoose

1 Entry-Vote for us on best green blogs! Then come back and tell us you did.
The deadline to enter is Wednesday, August 18th at 5 pm EST.  The winner will be announced on our Facebook page, so please check back there to see if you are a winner!

When we moved into the space for our store half of the floor was an old brick looking tile, some of which was painted with carpet glue underneath. The rest was carpet, and underneath, mystery. The carpet was in bad condition on the floor, so we knew it couldn’t stay. The question was what to do. We came up with a plan to pull up the carpet, send it to the recycling facility, and then paint the floor with a cool design. We would use no VOC paint and just go right over the imperfections in the floor.

Well, as often happens in construction what was under the carpet turned out to be worse than we expected. The carpet glue was extremely thick, and there was concrete underneath and not more tile. The concrete wasn’t in the best shape and so now we were facing budget busting decisions. Our options are limited as we are trying to stick with our beliefs in being eco-friendly and having as little impact on the environment as possible.

Our options were, to concrete the entire floor and stain it or leave it bare, not our favorite option as it is more expensive, and also time consuming as the prep to get the floor perfect would be cumbersome. Another option was to use reclaimed wood on the floor but that was even more expensive and would add a lot more time onto our opening date. The third option was  a floating cork floor, which required no glues and was eco-friendly. The fourth option was to lay concrete only in the bad spots and stain it to match the tile, and then clean the floor of all its carpet glue and imperfections, which would require chemicals. The fifth option was to lay concrete only in the bad spots, love the floor for its imperfections, and paint over them and the carpet glue. This was our best option, very low impact on the environment, so perfect! But, the primer can not be no VOC. It will have VOC’s that will off gas in the time we are doing construction and be fine when the store opens, not what we had intended.

So, we had to weigh the options. In the end, we went with the last option. It was a difficult decision because the cork looked, for all intents and purposes, like the best option, no glues, a renewable resource and no chemicals to clean the floor. But, upon further investigation, the cork is shipped here from China, and then from the warehouse which is somewhere in the states,  AND the floor would have to be leveled because it is not even enough. The rest of our options require chemicals to clean the floor which are not a good choice, so in the end we decided that the off gassing of a few days on our primer was less of an impact on our environment and our contractors than any other option.

So, it won’t be perfect, it won’t be smooth, but it will be lower impact, and for us that is the most important. So as you visit our store, excuse the imperfection, forgive us the VOC primer. We will do our best to offset the impact.

We feel it is important for all of us to be honest that it isn’t always possible to see what is the least impactful, that sometimes what can look like the best decision for the planet isn’t actually the best. A lot of factors go into what is the “best” thing for our planet, and all things should be considered. How far does it travel to get to you? What goes into the making of the product? What about the impact on the people making the product? What about the labor and the impact on the people installing it? How quickly does the “renewable” material grow and replenish? What impact does it have on the earth? We have to make concessions along the way and can only do the best we can, and when we have choices that aren’t perfect, we should strive to offset that decision by doing more where we can.

Tell us about decisions you have faced like this? How did you decide what to do?

I’m very specific when it comes to purchasing toys for my son. I prefer toys that are natural, PVC free, phthalate free, and lead free. When I saw the ImagiPlay Rolling Snail Sorter on Franklin Goose I just had to have it for B. I thought he’d really like this toy but I didn’t know how much he would truly love it. When it first arrived B. played with the Snail Sorter for two straight hours! As a toddler, he doesn’t usually play with the same item for too long. I was in awe. On top of that, he wouldn’t go to sleep that night without the Snail Sorter. After he fell asleep for a while I put the toy away. He woke up, found the Rolling Snail Sorter, then went to back to sleep. I don’t think sleeping with a wooden toy would be very comfortable but apparently B. doesn’t mind.

So far, I haven’t seen a toy with more ways to play than the ImagiPlay Rolling Snail Sorter. First, B. pulls the toy around by itself without the shape sorter on it’s back. Second, he pulls it around with the shape sorter on top of the snail and listens to the blocks clack. Third, he takes off the snail shell and fits the shapes into the holes. And last, B. opens the shape sorter shell, takes the blocks out and then puts them back in again. He even uses the toy like a toy car by rolling the snail up the wall. B. has found so many ways to play with this toy. No wonder it keeps his attention!

Here is a breakdown of the 3 most toxic chemicals found in plastics:

BPA: A chemical building block used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Studies have linked BPA to hormone disruption, increased breast and prostate cancer cell growth, and early onset puberty and obesity.

PVC: A strong plastic polymer that can be made flexible through the use of plasticizers. Our bodies are contaminated with poisonous chemicals released during the PVC life cycle, such as mercury, dioxins, and phthalates, which may pose irreversible life-long health threats. When produced, burned, or heated, PVC plastic releases dioxins- a group of the most potent synthetic chemicals ever tested, which can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive systems.

Phthalates: A group of chemicals used as plasticisers in PVC and other plastics that are known to be testicular toxins and can disrupt hormones, damage the kidneys, liver and cause asthma.

Since BPA, PVC and Phthalates can leach toxins, it’s especially important to pay attention to products that will go into children’s mouths. When these toxic plastics are put in higher temperatures the chance they will leach out is much higher. BPA is not only a threat to bottles and toys, it is turning up in our food and beverages. BPA easily leaches into our food because it’s a unstable polymer- meaning its chemical bond can be easily broken down by heat and acidic conditions. So if you buy tomato sauce in a aluminum can, the chances of the BPA leaching are higher since tomatoes are highly acidic. Not to mention sodas!! Once the chemical bond breaks, BPA can leach out of plastics or the lining of aluminum cans. You want to avoid all aluminum cans as much as possible! Some scientist have even found BPA leaching from the ink in receipts.

The safest alternative to plastic is glass. The only problem with glass around children is the fact that it can break. Luckily there are amazing companies like Silikids that have created silicone covers- Siliskins for all glass bottles.

Silicone is  non-toxic and hypo allergenic. Silicone has few open pores, so it does not harboror promote bacteria or fungus growth. Because of its high heat resistance, silicone can be boiled to sterilize, is dishwasher safe, and washer and dryer safe. Silicone does not fade or retain odor, and is sturdy and easy to clean.

Silicone is basically made up of silicon, a natural element present in sand, quartz and rock, which, after oxygen, and is the most abundant element on earth. Silicon is transformed into silicone when combined with oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. Because it is an inert material, it does not react with food or beverages, or produce any hazardous fumes.

The prize today is 2 Siliskin bottle covers, one small and one large.  To enter, please post a link to your favorite feeding item on Franklin Goose.

For extra entries you can become a Fan on Facebook for 1 entry

Follow us on twitter @FranklinGoose and leave your name for 1 entry

Follow our blog via Networked Blogs (on the left side bar) for 1 entry!

Please post separate comments for each extra entry. 

MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN EACH ENTRY! THIS WILL MAKE IT EASY TO CONTACT THE WINNER!

The giveaway will close Friday, 6/30/10, at 5 pm EST.