Best Green Companies for Your Kids

I don't have children yet but I have about 5 years of experience under my belt with them. Working in a daycare and being a nanny really helped me to understand kids and know what is important for them to live healthy lives. Whether they are your kids or someone else's all America's children play a big part in this country. It is our responsibility as parents, teachers, mentors and family to give them the best ingredients of a happy life. They learn from all of us. I can't stress enough how important healthy food and natural products are to a child's well being. In April's issue of Working Mother they list the best green companies for America's children. I really liked this article and was impressed that the magazine featured it. Here are the companies:

Annie's Homegrown
You might know this company by it's mac 'n' cheese but Annie's Homegrown has a nice array of products that your kids will sure to love. The company was founded 21 years ago by Annie Withey who herself is a mother of two. It's line of products are all natural and grown without pesticides, fungicides or synthetic fertilizers. From meals to snacks, Annie's mission is to create real, authentic food. Not only do they support over 75 organic family farms they also donate products to programs that educate children on organic gardening. In addition, their Cases for Causes gives $50,000 in scholarships to students who plan to study sustainable agriculture. They use recycled packaging for all their products and helps out the earth by supporting NativeEnergy. I have personally eaten some of their food and it is really tasty. Next time your in the supermarket try one of their products. I promise you won't regret it!



Clorox
I must say that I am not a fan of Clorox. Just thinking about bleach makes me sick. Yuck! All those chemicals! But I have to give credit to the company for the small steps they have been taking to help the environment. First of all, they bought out Burt's Bees. Then it brought us Green Works which is a line of natural plant derived cleaners. Because of this their profits rose by 23 percent. It just goes to show that despite a recession people want better products in their homes. Last year the company also agreed to stop using and transporting chlorine gas which causes air pollution. They partnered up with Sierra Club which now endorses the Green Works label. Besides all this, Clorox hosts clothing swaps for children in hopes to eliminate some of the 23.8 billion pounds of clothes that end up in our landfills each year. Now thats a great idea! Although, I am not a fan of the brand Clorox I have to admit they are making wiser decisions. In a perfect world, their chemical filled products would be taken off the shelves and the company would just sell the natural ones. But I guess this is better than nothing!



Intel
For the last 15 years this company has supported education and renewable energy. They invest about $100 million a year to education alone with a focus on math, science and technology. Between their science fairs and their own Climate Savers Computing Initiative they give support to teachers, students as well as underprivileged communities. Trying to create more efficient computers at reasonable prices is yet another focus of the company. Their new Intel Core design eliminated 15 million tons of carbon dioxide over the past three years! If that wasn't enough they earned the top spot on the EPA's Fortune 500 Green List last year due to the use of renewable energy. Almost half the company's energy is produced by solar and wind sources.



Starbucks
I don't drink coffee but this company surely got my attention. Their mission to help protect the planet is proven by the work of its Social Entrepreneurs Fund. In 2008 alone it issued $2.1 million in grants to organizations that support young innovators. They also partnered up with Save the Children to do their part in helping to educate coffee farming communities and improve health. Their plan is to raise their sourcing of responsibly grown and ethically traded coffee to 100 percent by 2015 and make all their cups 100 percent recyclable or reusable. You also might notice the stores getting a makeover. With additions like eco water fixtures, energy efficient lighting and the use of renewable sources for energy they will be sure to make an impact. Plus, all their new stores are being built according to LEED standards. These are great steps to a better future!



Johnson & Johnson
This company has been around for a very long time. They surely have stepped up to the plate when it comes to helping the planet. Focusing on climate issues it reduced its use of fossil fuels by 34 percent and have been investing in renewable energy sources. The company has the highest amount of hybrid vehicles in the world! Their philanthropic efforts have made a difference in women and children's lives everywhere and with their help programs for health literacy like Safe Kids Worldwide really get to make a difference. They are a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and its Aveeno line has partnered with TerraCycle to host national recycling drives.



Here are some other companies to look out for: Northstar Moving, Rain Bird and Green Truck