Unidentified mushrooms growing in your yard where you don’t want them? Easy. Edible mushrooms growing orderly in your garden? Not so easy. But you can make growing mushrooms easier with Gaiam’s Pearl Oyster Mushroom Kit.

All you need to do is place the kit in a dish and add water. Within two weeks, mushrooms will grow. After the kit has run its course you can use it to encourage mushroom growth in your compost pile or garden. Mushrooms make a great addition to lots of meals and while they used to be overlooked as a nutritional source, it turns out fungi have a lot to offer. Studies suggest they can reduce cholesterol levels and that they have anticancer properties.

Growing food in your own backyard is just about one of the most eco-friendly ways to fill your plate. With a green garden, there’s no carbon cost of transporting the food and you’ll know what natural fertilizers and pest products were used.

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Daily Greenz #65

With all the buzz about toxic toys in the news, Santa’s helpers all around the
country are scrounging for safe gifts for kids this holiday. Fortunately, this
year there are a variety of toys on the market that are both safe for your
child and the environment. When shopping for toys, avoid toys that are made
from plastic, especially the dioxin–producing  PVC, which releases toxins
into the environment throughout it’s lifecycle.  Toys made from PVC’s may
also contain phthalates which studies link to hormone disruption and even
cancer. Also, try to buy toys that use water based and low–VOC or no–VOC
(volatile organic compounds) paints. Batteries are extremely toxic as they
break down in landfills, so try to find toys that don’t require batteries. To find
these wonderful green toys, shop local independent retailers who are more
likely to put more care into the products they carry. Look for toys made from
FSC–certified wood that will last for generations.

Here are some of my favorite toy picks for this holiday season:

1) Wooden Blocks Extra Large Starter Set from Haba. $89.00

What could be more timeless than a good set of wooden blocks? This set has 102
pieces of untreated, natural beech wood of varying shapes and sizes. They come
in a reusable fabric bag, practical for storing and transporting.Visit hazelnutkids.com to purchase.

2) Vegetable Garden from Plan Toys $14.95
This little gardening set comes with a watering can, wheelbarrow, spade, and 2
vegetable beds with removable lettuce, carrots, radishes, and turnips. It is
made from preservative-free rubberwood and non-toxic water-based paint. Check out stores.planethappytoys.com to find out more.

3) Crazy Crayons
Crazy Crayons are made from non-toxic recycled crayon stubs! Each crayon is
unique and come in 100’s of shapes and themes, and custom designs are even
available upon request. Visit crazycrayons.com for more info.

4) Madagascar - Starter Set from Xeko $19.95

Xeto is "an outrageously fun, new animal trading card game that’s driving
kids wild." It won the 2006 Toy of the Year Award from Creative Child
Magazine and the 2006 Seal of Approval from The National Parenting Center. The
game is made from recycled paper and soy–based inks. As an added bonus, 4% of net
game sales are donated to Conservation International. Go to stores.planethappytoys.com to order.

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