We love our PBS in this house. From my son’s Elmo obsession (which is bordering on addiction) to family-friendly favorites Antiques Roadshow and Austin City Limits, to Masterpiece Theater (most recently premiering the Complete Jane Austen Collection!), there’s actually quite a bit we tune into or program to the DVR. It’s because of this channel that I think I might actually survive if anything ever happened to my satellite.

I’m sure I’m not an ideal viewer because I don’t make financial contributions during fundraisers and telethons. Your PBS programming was definitely not in any way brought to you by viewers like me. However, I’ve now found a great way to, well, indirectly contribute and get a cool gift in return.

Philosophy has partnered with PBS and created the Tree House Hand Care Kit. Adorably packaged, it comes complete with two red delicious apple scented hand care formulas, one a pump lotion and one a tub of hand creme, that will “leave hands silky soft and delicious smelling.”

Philosophy has pledged to donate 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of this kit directly to PBS. If that isn’t a generous show of support, I don’t know what is. It must be made just for people like me who love PBS and love Philosophy products! So maybe once I purchase this kit I can feel a little less guilty about watching all the great public television shows, right?

Get your own and show your support! $25.00 at ShopPBS.org

Recycled bags are a great choice for the “green” mom. This bag is made of recycled plastic bags from the streets of New Delhi using a non-toxic process. Not only is the bag a great eco-choice, but the bags provide an income for the local New Delhi women who make them! World of Good will also donate 10% of their profit to a non-profit organization that improves living conditions for the local artesians who create these great bags. It’s a win-win purchase!

$24.95 at Amazon

The World Food Programme Feed bag is another great choice. The purchase of one Feed bag feeds a child in school for one complete year. Not only does this give underprivileged children the nutrition so badly needed, but it also keeps them in school longer and increases their quality of life….for a lifetime. For more information on the World Food Programme, go here.

The bag itself is made of burlap and cotton, is reversible and was inspired by the bags of food distributed by the United Nations around the world. A very hip way to contribute to those less fortunate than ourselves in this world….something any mom would approve of.

$59.95 at Amazon

I’ll admit that a manicure or a pedicure is a glamorous treat when you have kidlets running around. Still, the occasional pedicure does indeed sound attractive when I think that sandal weather is just around the corner. But with all this new awareness about the nasty chemicals in makeup and skin products, it made me think twice about slathering on all that nail polish or worse yet, seeing all that polish on young girls!

Solution? Nubar, the carcinogenic-free nail polish! That’s right…no formaldehyde, no toluene, and no phthalates. My personal favorite is the Support the Cure 4-Pack of gorgeous pinks (10% of this one goes to St. Jude Children’s Hospital!!), but you can also find a variety of individual colors to suit your mood.

They also have plenty of other nail products in addition to polish - like the Cucumber Cuticle Oil. I, for one, plan on toting these little beauties with me on my next visit to the nail salon. Ahhh, a professional pedicure using my own safe nail products…..my toes are going to love summer this year!

Easter Sunday is only 3 weeks away, and this year why not make a positive difference by purchasing a fair-trade basket?

So much cooler than the generic baskets you could buy at your local store, the baskets below are produced by skilled artisans in impoverished or war-torn countries, and the proceeds from the sales helps them to feed, clothe, and provide for their families.

I’m a true believer that everyone can do something to impact the world. No effort or contribution is too small, especially when it will directly impact the life of someone less fortunate. And let’s face it, no matter how hard our lives get, we’re still very fortunate people in this country.

So why not purchase one of these beautiful, one-of-a-kind baskets and fill it up with goodies for your child on Easter morning? Then reuse it as a great, useful home accessory for the rest of the year and feel good about the small difference you made every time you look at it.

Take this opportunity to set a great example for your children and teach them about kindness, giving to others, and global change - especially on a day like Easter, which has seemingly become just another commercial holiday.

This may be the most important Easter Basket you ever buy.

Bamboo Treat Baskets from Vietnam

This set of bamboo baskets is created by locals and distributed by Mai Handcrafts, a company started by two social workers who were concerned about improving the lives of street children and single mothers in Ho Chi Minh City and ethnic minorities in mountain hamlets. Assistance is offered to their 300 artisans in the areas of quality control, marketing, and export procedures. They are paid generous wages, now earning between (US)$50 and $70 a month in a country where the average monthly income is (US)$20-30.

$7.50/set from AGreaterGift.org

Handwoven Market Baskets from Ghana

This weaving method is a traditional skill handed down from father to son in the Bolgatanga region of northern Ghana. The sale of each of these baskets generates much needed income for the craftsmen and their families. 16.5″ diameter.

$29.00 each at the Global Exchange online store.

Fruit Baskets from Ghana

Made of heavy elephant grass, and the handles are reinforced with small amounts of cured leather from locally raised goats. Goat is the primary source of protein for people in Ghana, and families who can afford them raise a handful on their small family farms. About 8″ high (excluding handle) and 12″ diameter.

Available in Orange or Magenta. $24.00 at OneWorld Projects.com

Date Palm Leaf Baskets from Bangladesh

These are woven by hand in the southwest part of Bangladesh by women who received training from Development Wheel. Their sale provides vital income to these women, who are mothers that work at home, allowing them to save for the future of their families. Talk about empowerment. 3.75 x 7.75 x 7.75 inches. $9.95 at OriginalGood.com

Rwandese Baskets

From OneWorldProjects.com:

“Rwanda, a tiny land-locked country in eastern Africa, tragically is best known for the horrific genocide that occurred
in 1994. Nearly a million people, or about 10% of Rwanda’s population, were killed.
…In the immediate aftermath of the genocide, females represented 70% of Rwanda’s population since
so many men had been killed. After some time had passed, the women were faced with a
decision of either collapsing of inconsolable pain, or moving on together to rebuild their lives.
…Today widows come together to make exquisite traditional baskets and create economic opportunities
for their families. As they sit and weave, they heal in body, mind, and soul, and position themselves and their families for a more stable future.”

The traditional Rwandese basket with its conical top and “zigzag” stripes is the centerpiece of their rebuilding, and a national symbol that even adorns the official Rwandese seal. These baskets are made of sisal or banana leaf, and range from $30-$48 at OneWorldProjects.com

Handwoven Basket from Darfur

Since 2003, the Darfur region of Sudan has been engrossed in a complex conflict, leaving more than half a million people dead and almost two million displaced. It is a highly volatile region. A small glimmer of hope and change has been born with new basket weaving projects, created so those living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps have an opportunity to improve their lives while preserving their cultural traditions.
These baskets, made from palm grass and natural dyes, are handmade using indigenous designs and techniques. Traditionally they’re used to carry food and water, yet their bright colors and intricate patterns make them natural decorative pieces. 7.5″ x 6″ (sizes may vary)

$58.00 at the Global Exchange online store.

Find even more at Baskets of Africa, offering about a gazillion handmade, gorgeous baskets from many different regions of Africa, and AGreaterGift.org, a good organization whose mission is to “promote the social and economic progress of people in developing regions of the world by marketing their products in a just and direct manner.” On their site you can even do an Artisan and Farmer search for products, so you can support specific areas or causes and know exactly who your purchase is going to help.

Tags: fair+trade+baskets, green+easter+basket, eco-friendly+easter+basket, handmade+easter+basket

Okay, sports fans, tonight is the NBA All-Star Game and basketball fanatics from around the world will be tuning in to watch the action in New Orleans this year. If you have a budding basketball star in your midst, this bib is a practical, yet unique, way to announce it.

If you look closely you’ll notice the depiction of many multi-cultural children…that’s because the bib is sold by my new favorite place to shop: iCelebrateDiversity.com.

This organization’s sole purpose is to promote cultural diversity through educating our children and communities. They offer resources and educational materials for parents and teachers alike to help us bridge cultural gaps for ourselves and for our children. Given the tools, our children can change the world. Fear and hatred of cultural differences is so passe.