The first book on Million Tree-A-Thon is out there!

Many green books for kids are going to be published this month (well, Earth Day is coming), but the only one that not only will be printed on 100% recycled post-consumer waste paper, but will also have a new tree planted (see our logo on the cover?) for every copy of it, is 'The Green Parent: A Kid-Friendly Guide to Earth-Friendly Living' by Jenn Savedge.

And today, April 1, is the official publication date of 'The Green Parent', which is the first book to be published under the Kedzie Press' Million Tree-A-Thon initiative. Just a short reminder - in collaboration with Eco-Libris, Kedzie Press has launched last February the Kedzie Million Tree-A-Thon. For each book sold, Kedzie Press will plant one tree, with the goal of planting one million trees by December 2009.

We will review the book next Monday on our Monday's green books series, but in the meantime here's a short description of the book (from Kedzie Press' website):

The Green Parent is the perfect book for parents who would like to teach their children about living green. From how to save energy, to how to reuse and recycle everything, this resource offers advice for getting children involved in conservation, as well as products and services that can help parents raise more environmentally conscious children. Through a series of fun activities such as how to start a “light patrol,” how to make a “waste-free” school lunch, and how to build a “green” bird house—parents and kids will learn ways to make the biggest impact, save the most money, and discover how making even the smallest of changes can make a big difference.

Want to learn more? check out Jenn Savedge's blog: http://thegreenparent.blogspot.com/ and also watch her on NBC 4, Virginia: http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=235603.

If you want to order the book, you can do it online at Kedzie Press website.

Yours,
Raz @ Eco-Libris

Eco-Libris: plant a tree for every book you read!

Green Options - NoSweat Clothing Made By Palestinians, Distributed By A Jewish Entrepreneur

As part of Eco-Libris' ongoing content partnership with Green Options Media, we bring you today a post that was originally published by Angelique van Engelen on March 27th on Ecopreneurist. Though today's post is not directly related to books, I find it very interesting and inspiring to anyone who is from the Middle East and believes both in sustainable living and in peace.

Peace in the Middle East might be a near impossible dream but on-the-ground-efforts are all the more impressive for it. Take the initiative by Adam Neiman, a Boston-based Jewish entrepreneur partnering with a Palestinian clothing factory. Neiman's NoSweatApparel.com makes a ton of difference for dozens of Palestinians working the looms of an organic clothing factory in Bethlehem on the West Bank.

An important part of the Palestinian economy consists of organic cotton manufacturing but the conflict in the Middle East has badly impacted the industry. Neiman signed a deal with the organic cotton manufacturing company in Bethlehem after it had been forced to ax 30% of its workers. Many of the laid off workers returned to the Bethlehem factory after he stepped in. The deal included the creation of a trade union.

"We’ve found a rare piece of common ground -- more good jobs for Palestinians on the West Bank will help," the Boston entrepreneur was quoted as saying in a recent interview. "Economic development is no substitute for a diplomatic settlement but no settlement can survive without a sustainable Palestinian economy," Neiman added.

The press attention for Neiman itself alone underscores that he's achieving something; both Al Jezeera and the Jewish Advocate are raving about the initiative.

The company manufactures organically made, wholesale, teeshirts, shoes and trousers which are shipped out and marketed to the US, Canada and Israel. And NoSweatApparel.com is seeking distributors in Europe and Japan.

Neiman's business is a runner up winner of this month's Ideablob.com, a crowdsourcing site which awards $10,000 funding each month to a top voted business idea. Neiman says he's intent on using the money to purchase a batch of wholesale t-shirts from Bethlehem, "so our burgeoning network of high school distributors have a competitively priced product to sell to camps this summer and schools in the fall."