Just like me you might have read an article last weekend reminding us of the problem with palm oil fields in Malaysia and Borneo. Elephants found dead in the jungle (there was the picture of a 3 month old baby elephant stroking his dead mother!), probably poisoned by farmers (elephants do cause a lot of damage).

It was a powerful reminder of the consequences of our large appetite for palm oil: deforestation, death of humans and animals, human rights abuse,... in a beautiful part of the world.

Palm oil is apparently found in about half the products we buy in our supermarkets so it is difficult to avoid. At least until we find some people like Stephanie Newman of Grass Routes who decided to make natural soap using herbs from her garden and without palm oil. We have been stocking Grass Routes soaps and Grass Routes lip balm since we started Really Eco Baby and we know that Stephanie is a bit of an expert on the effect of the use of palm oil. 

We need more companies like Grass Routes taking a stand and refusing to be part of the problem but as consummers we also need to jump at the opportunity when faced with a great ethical product and shun the cheap supermarket option. And believe us, your skin will feel the difference!

We thought we would have a bit of fun....

This video explains perfectly how the NapNap Voucher is a great way for friends and relatives to support new families. No more nappies to buy (saving you 100s of £££), no more stinky overflowing bins, no more chemicals on baby's bottom.

And look at them, aren't they much prettier than any disposable you can find?

You don't know anything about cloth nappies? No worries, the NapNap Voucher can be exchanged in over 25 online stores so parents can choose the nappies that suit them best. Give a NapNap Voucher to "cloth nappy newbies" or "already users", it will always be appreciated. 

If it's a special occasion, why not add one of our high quality new baby gifts, ethical mum to be gifts or baby gift boxes.

Find out more about the NapNap Voucher here and all the lovely retailers accepting it here.

NOTHING TO LOSE SCHEME: If your voucher stays unused after 6 months, you (the buyer) will get the credit back to use in our shop Really Eco Baby for absolutely anything you want.

If you are interested in eco parenting, this is the online magazine to subscribe to. Beautifully made and full of inspiration, this latest edition contains articles about gardening, the environmental cost of gender specific clothes and tips on how to calm the consumer in our kids.

We are glad to be regular contributor to this magazine and this month we tackled any preconceived ideas about cloth nappies.

Read all here or follow this link.

Chances are it is really cold where you are right now so as Christmas approaches, here is our favourite mulled wine recipe to start the festive season with a punch (ahah!).

Serves 8-12

1.5l (2 bottles) red wine

6 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half

juice of 1 lemon

150g brown sugar

500ml orange juice

100ml vodka

Orange slices, to serve

Gently heat the wine with the spices and lemon juice, until hot, but not boiling. Gradually stir in half the sugar, then the orange juice and heat for a few minutes, without boiling. Turn off the heat, stir in the vodka, taste and add the remaining sugar until it's sweet enough for you. Let everything mingle in a sociable way for 5 minutes or so. Put a slice of orange in each glass, before laddling in the grog. Reheat gently if necessary.

Enjoy!

For more luxurious treats, try Weleda skin food (for softer hands), Akamuti organic virgin coconut oil (perfect against that hot/cold drying effect on your skin), raw chocolate bar (so you can still indulge yourself without feeling guilty) or even any of our high quality and pretty gift boxes.