Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Honor the Earth Giveaway Hop featuring If You Care Earth Friendly Products! Review & Giveaway - Ends 4/22 (US/CAN)



Welcome to the Honor the Earth Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering and DeDa Studios. Each of the 50+ participating blogs has a prize package worth at least $20 that will help you live a more eco-friendly lifestyle. After you enter my green giveaway, be sure to visit all of the other amazing blogs listed below the Rafflecopter form. Let's learn more about the sponsor for my giveaway!



If You Care is a company that truly treasures the earth and produces some fabulous environmentally friendly products for your kitchen and home! Slowly by surely I'm changing brands and products in my house to safer, healthier options. Luckily for the earth, many of these better alternatives to conventional products are environmentally-friendly too. The two tend to go hand in hand!

The components used for each product are toxin-free, chlorine-free, produce minimum waste, and are made of sustainable, renewable, or recyclable resources. If You Care products are Totally Chlorine-Free (TCF), and I love how they intend for even the unbleached packaging they use to be recycled or reused again. If You Care is extremely thorough in their product descriptions about what each product is made of, and how it protects the environment too. They didn't just make these products to start a business and try to make money. Their was a lot of research that went into creating these products to ensure they are chemical-free and safe for the environment, all the way down to the vegetable-based inks used in for package printing. Check their website for TONS more information about their products, but here's a small tidbit for a quick overview:
"If You Care is committed to protecting the environment by producing high-quality alternatives to conventional kitchen and household products. The materials we use are specially chosen to reduce their impact on our environment. We use unbleached paper, recycled materials and wood and paper coming from sustainably managed forests. We replace petroleum based ingredients with natural and renewable resources. We use paper from pulp and paper mills practicing the highest levels of clean water management. Every care is taken to ensure that each step– from factory to store shelf – conforms to strict standards for the conservation and protection of our greatest asset – the environment."

If You Care sent me a review package consisting of their Parchment Baking Paper, Paper Snack & Sandwich Bags, Large Baking Cups, Sponge Cloths, and a fun t-shirt with the If You Care logo.  
Parchment Baking Paper - 70 sq ft/$5.99 - This parchment paper is a natural brown color which means no chlorine is used, and is coated in Silicone, which is abundant in nature. Ever wonder why your parchment paper is white? It's bleached with chlorine which is dumped into our lakes and streams. Or what makes conventional parchment paper non-stick? That's the quilon which contains heavy metals like chromium that can be toxic when incinerated. Um, I don't think I want to eat anything I baked on that stuff either!! This parchment paper is awesome, and works just as well as conventional parchment paper. I did bake a batch of cookies and they just slid right off of the parchment paper. I've also been reusing it when I freeze organic strawberries for smoothies. They peel off without a problem and I can still use it again!
Paper Snack & Sandwich Bags - 48 Bags/$4.79 - These have the same look as the parchment paper, only without the silky smooth silicone on them. The borwn, naturally greaseproof paper is made from unbleached pulp of Scandanaian spruce trees. They will keep whatever you put inside fresh for up to 6 hours which is perfect if you send your hubby or kiddo with a lunch everyday. I admit, I'm guilty of using plastic lunch bags quite often, despite my attempts to switch to cloth bags and other reusable bag options in the past. I've switched to glass for pretty much all of my leftover and other containers, but plastic baggies are the one plastic thing still lingering in my face that needs to be switched. Don't even get me started on the estrogenic effects of plastic which makes it even more necessary for me to avoid plastic (especially with my hormone issues....more to come on that in future posts!). I also like that these are disposable (without the guilt of plastic) because let's face it, I don't have time to hand wash reusable ones every single time!

Large Baking Cups - 60 Baking Cups/$1.99 - Again, they're not white because they aren't bleached with chlorine! Besides, since when do white baking cups stay white after being baked? It really doesn't matter unless you're going for a decorative cupcake. I haven't had a chance to make anything with these yet, but I plan on making some breakfast muffins to put in the freezer very soon. I have no doubt these will work as expected. They also come in mini and jumbo sizes for all your muffin and cupcake needs!
Sponge Cloths - 5 per pack/$5.00 - Sponge Cloths are made of 70% cellulose and 30% unbleached non-GMO Cotton. These are an excellent cloth for cleaning the kitchen, wiping down baseboards, or dusting tabletops when moist. They are stiff when dry, but instantly become soft when wet. I compared these with my Skoy Cloths (which I love) and they seem to be manufactured almost identically based on size, texture and quality. Each biodegradable cloth is equivalent to 15 paper towel rolls based on how long it should last. You can definitely extend the life of each cloth with proper use and care, and apparently they can be machine washed up to 300 times! This is money well spent for sure! They absorb a lot more than paper towels too. If you're a paper towel user, I challenge you to switch to these Sponge Cloths and see the difference. You're cleaning will be more effective, and you'll be sparing a few trees along the way.

Overall I'm thrilled with what I've received from If You Care, and I'm definitely very excited about their line of earth-friendly products for the kitchen and home! They have a bunch of other products including aluminum foil, kitchen bags, coffee filters, waxed paper and a lot more that I'm excited to switch to!

Buy It: Find a retailer near you, or check out Vitacost.com (AND get a $10 off code for Vitacost when you sign up through this link! That's some cheap baking supplies!)

Win It!
One winner will receive an If You Care Gift Pack! 
Includes various items from the If You Care product line including (but not limited to) parchment baking paper, recycled foil, sandwich bags and an If You Care t-shirt!

Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter! Then check out the linky below the form and hop through all the participating blogs and enter their giveaways too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product(s) to facilitate this review. No other compensation was received. This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook.

57 comments:

Krystyl said...

I'd love to try the mini baking cups

Ashley H said...

the coffee filters! thanks!

Unknown said...

I would like to try the snack/ sandwich bags and the parchment paper

k. said...

I'd really like to try the baking cups.

cupcake mama said...

Defineately the Cupcake Baking Cups!
mmjohnson555@gmail.com
Rafflecopter: Mechele JOhnson

Anonymous said...

i would choose the Sponge Cloths - looks like a good deal!
anne hill
calliope_123 at hotmail dot com

Melissa said...

I'd love to try the Recycled Trash Bags!

huntermb3 at gmail dot com

BethElderton said...

I'm using the foil right now. Great product. I'd like to try the parchment paper and the sandwich bags, too.
bethelderton59 at gmail dot com

jill24295 said...

I would like to try the Parchment Baking Sheets
jill24295@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Certified Compostable Trash Bags would be great around here.

rierie11booger (@) yahoo.com

Deb Hornick Gotham said...

I would like to try the parchment baking sheets and the recycled trash bags. Thanks so much for this opportunity!!

stacey dempsey said...

the aluminum foil and parchment paper I would love to try
STACEY DEMPSEY ON RAFFLECOPTER

aperry said...

Cone coffee filters

gibberish said...

I'd like to try the parchment baking sheets and the coffee filters too.
gibberish (Julie G.)

Brittney Minor said...

I would like to try the composted trash bags!

debijackson said...

the coffee filters

jodi lasher said...

the snack and sandwich bags and the cloths...

Journeys of The Zoo said...

I made some reusable cloth bags but I'd like to see if the paper snack and sandwich bags work better (for somethings).

journeysofthezoo at hotmail dot com
http://journeysofthezoo.blogspot.ca

beverly e said...

The parchment baking cups!

Ehlara said...

I'd love some of the baking supplies to help teach my daughter about environmentalism while I teach her to cook :)

Lala77 said...

The compostable trash bags and recycled foil.
bookloon at gmail dot com

amy craft said...

jumbo baking cups

Chrystal @ Happy Mothering said...

Parchment baking paper

nicolesender said...

I'd like to try the FSC Certified Parchment Baking Paper FSC-C005046.
nicolesender(at)yahoo(dot)com

polly said...

i would like to try their wax paper & baking cups
pkeintz@gmail.com

Belinda M said...

I would like to try the FSC Certified Firelighters

bluebelle0367(at)hotmail(dot)com

belinda mcnabb

Anonymous said...

I'd like to use their coffee filtres. The store I go to only sells the bleached, non-recycled ones - ugh!

Noelle said...

I'd like to try their cheesecloth. I've been thinking about trying to start making (simple) cheeses.

jenny said...

bakeing cups

steffie said...

id love to try the baking cups, the regular and mini, and the parchment paper. thanks!!

Gala said...

I would like to try the composted trash bags and baking cups
galyettina at yahoo dot com

amymccarty1985 said...

I would really love to try the Recycled Trash Bags :) amymccarty at hotmail dot com

Nina H said...

I want to try the baking cups!
hungrymonkey09 at gmail dot com

Kristen said...

I'd like to try the baking cups.

Tannis said...

I would like to try the parchment paper

Marti Tabora said...

I would really like to try the sponge cloths.

corey said...

I think my wife would like the mini baking cups.
coreybrennan26@hotmail.com

Kylie Carlson said...

I'd love to try the unbleached cheesecloth!

Gricelda said...

Mini Baking Cups

Jen said...

I'd love to try the sponges.

jenboston22 at gmail dot com

Debbie P said...

I would like to try their Baking Cups.

tavernie said...

I wanna try the Sponge Cloths!
ptavernie at yahoo dot com

Stacy said...

I'd like to try the Cheesecloth

April said...

I want to try them all! I use a flat container for my lunch sandwiches but often the men use them for food storage so I'm left with plastic baggies. I love baking so the parchment products are also looking interesting. The men use paper towels like they are going out of style so I'd love to try switching them to the cloths.

clc408 said...

I already use the parchment paper and I'd like to try the Compostable Trash Bags

Shannon Jaymesmom Gallagher said...

I would love to try the household gloves! My daughter goes thru a lot of the dollar store ones doing dishes.

Shannon M Gallagher on rafflecopter

sweetpea18 said...

i'd like to try the parchment paper.

heatheranya at hotmail dot com

Kasee said...

I do a lot of baking. I would love to try the baking cups!
kaseejohnson@verizon.net

Cheap Is The *New* Classy said...

The baking cups and coffee filters! Thanks for the giveaway!

Dawn
www.cheapisthenewclassy.com

katfam95 said...

I'd like to try the cupcake/muffin liners.

katfam95 at aim dot com

Nicole C. said...

I would love to try the Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil.

choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

Katherine said...

i would love to have their Cheesecloth!

katherinedibello (at) gmail (dot) com

lmurley2000 said...

i would like to try their sponge cloth

lmurley2000@yahoo.com

Amanda said...

I'd like to try the Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil, Parchment Baking sheets, Waxed Paper and the Basket Filters.
tvpg at aol dot com

Bernie said...

I would like to try the baking cups. I love baking.

Sue2Sueper said...

I would like to try the basket coffee filters.

Meegs said...

Definitely their sponge cloths, since we are trying to move away from paper towels.