These days, we hear a lot in the media about bisphenol-A, phthalates and PVC in children’s products, particularly teethers, bottles, sippy cups, utensils and other food-related items. One thing we don’t hear much about are those same chemicals in your children’s bath toys. When I think about all the bath toys my kids have had over the years, I have very distinct memories of certain items always being in their mouths and I cringe at how many of them were probably tainted with toxic chemicals. It’s enough to make a parent crazy. Luckily, some companies have taken the lead on making safer children’s products, including bath toys and our safety-conscious friends at Z-Recs have taken the time to do the legwork and compile some great resources about which bath toys are, in fact, safe. Take a look at The Z-Recs Guide to Safer Bath Toys and then check out the bath toys and other non-toxic goodness over at The Soft Landing. Everything they carry is BPA and phthalate-free!

Find It Here: The Z-Recs Guide to Safer Bath Toys

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By Izzy, July 15, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Kids, Resources, Toys

Some time ago I’d heard that it was common for fragrances to contain petrochemicals and other toxins but in my ignorance, I didn’t allow this bad news to tear me away from my beloved Angel by Thierry Mugler. It smelled so completely unique and delicious that you could instantly zero in on another Angel wearer in a crowd, inevitably leading to this total perfume bonding moment in which we would gush over our mutual love of the scent. So…imagine my shock and dismay upon learning that my most favorite perfume ever is allegedly made with the same ingredients found in pesticides & chemicals that attack the eyes, skin, central and peripheral nervous systems, respiratory, hepatic, hematological & reproductive systems along with damage to the DNA of sperm in adult males. In fact , a class action suit is being considered for Nordstrom employees who were unknowingly and continuously exposed to the aformentioned toxic chemicals while selling Angel. Oy. I guess it’s a good thing I could never afford to wear my most beloved scent every day (and now, of course, I don’t wear it at all). But what about your favorite fragrances — just how safe or dangerous are they? Our hardworking friends over at the Environmental Working Group have made it easy peasy for you to find out by consulting the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. In fact, there’s a section just for fragrances for both women and men and a number of very popular ones received the highest ranking possible for toxicity. Lucky for all of us, there are a number of very safely rated scents also listed because seriously, we shouldn’t have to make ourselves sick just so we can smell nice.

Find It Here: EWG Fragrance Safety Ratings for Women and Men

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By Izzy, July 11, 2008  
Filed under: Bodycare, Cosmetics, Resources

If you have kids, I’m betting you’re already painfully aware of the challenges of throwing a party that’s fun, as well as green, healthy and socially responsible. It’s a pretty tall order and frankly, I feel like I’ve hit a home run if I can meet just one of those last three. I know I’m not alone because I’ve heard plenty of parents lament over feeling pressured to top the previous year’s party with something bigger and better; with the latest character themes and lots of cool stuff in the goody bags (which, let’s face it, usually ends up being a lot of cheap crap from China). My own kid party dilemma is coming up again soon and, as per usual, I’m grappling with ways to throw a green, non-commercial, crap-free party that is still a lot of fun so when I read this article on KIWI magazine’s web site with ideas for kid’s parties that are eco-friendly, healthy or socially responsible, I was pretty stoked. It’s got a long list of ideas for party themes and games that have absolutely nothing to do with arcades featuring rodent mascots, fast-food places, expensive bouncy things or build-your-own overpriced stuffed animal places and everything to do with having genuine fun while doing good.

Find it Here: KIWI Online

[Image from Webweaver]

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By Izzy, July 3, 2008  
Filed under: Kids, Resources, Tips

When I found out that the chemicals used in conventional disinfectants can be toxic, I was compelled to start searching for safer alternatives. At least one mom out there has taken it a step further and has created and bottled her own non-toxic disinfectant! Mompreneur Christine Stewart developed her All-Natural Alternative to Antibacterial Disinfectants after finding out about the health hazards of using chemical cleaners. Modeled after the well-known Vinegar of the Four Thieves formula, Christine’s disinfectant is made from white distilled vinegar and certified-organic herbs and spices grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. That means you can spray it all over your house to kill germs and never have to worry about what kind of chemicals you (and your kids) are breathing in or getting on your skin. I’m actually considering sending a case of this stuff to my sister — she’s just completed a twelve step program for Lysol abuse and needs a good alternative.

Find It Here: For My Kids

Congratulations to Shirley, Bree, Beth and Kelly, winners of a bottle of All-Natural Alternative to Antibacterial Disinfectants courtesy of For My Kids!

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By Izzy, June 23, 2008  
Filed under: Clean, Organic, Win

When is the right time to replace an old refrigerator? Is it more environmentally correct to buy your beer in bottles or cans? And is it okay to knit a sweater with acrylic (petroleum-based) yarn? Bob “Mr. Green” Schildgen, writer of a column in Sierra magazine and author of Hey Mr. Green, is the go-to guy for questions like those, always answered with humor and a common sense approach to green living. Schildgen is proof positive that being green does NOT have to be serious or boring. And because he has all the research and experience of the Sierra Club behind him, you can be assured he knows that of which he speaks. Now the editors of Sierra magazine have taken the very best of the Mr. Green column and organized it in book form with categories like At Home, Food for Thought, Out and About, The Three R’s and The Big Picture, which considers how the environment, politics, religion and other issues intersect with each other. If you’ve got questions, Mr. Green has the answers in this thoroughly enjoyable book.

Find it Here: Hey Mr. Green

Congratulations to Bobbye F. and Marion B., winners of a copy of the book Hey Mr. Green donated by The Sierra Club. Additionally, Eco-Libris will plant a tree for each of these copies as part of their commitment to sustainable reading.

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By Izzy, June 18, 2008  
Filed under: Read, Resources, Win

Did you know that genetically engineered food crops actually require more pesticides and herbicides than non-genetically modified food crops? This means we’re ingesting more toxic chemicals on genetically engineered (GE) foods, which, incidentally, have never been proven safe for the environment OR human consumption. It’s also not labeled as GE so we can’t even avoid it just by reading the ingredients. This is why the True Food Network’s Pocket Shopper’s Guide to Avoiding GE Foods was created — because you have the right to know what’s in your food! The list, compiled primarily from direct communications with food producers, focuses on foods made with ingredients that are commonly derived from GE crops — the most widely grown being corn, soy, canola and cotton. The list also contains companies that have made a concerted effort to avoid GE ingredients and have company policies asserting their position on avoiding GE foods. Download the list, print it out and keep it handy for when you’re grocery shopping. According to the New York Times, more than 70 percent of car buyers do some research before making a purchase. Shouldn’t we put at least that much effort into learning more about the food we eat?

Find It Here: The True Food Network

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By Izzy, June 14, 2008  
Filed under: Eat, Learn, Resources

While I’m not much of a girly-girl, I confess to preferring my toenails polished over au naturale. My daughter, however, is far more fascinated by polished nails and asks me all the time to paint hers for her. There was a time when I would reluctantly give in and paint her nails with one coat of very light pink but after I found out how toxic nail polish actually is, I had to stop painting her fingernails and my toenails. Fortunately, there are now alternatives to conventional nail polish that are free of dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde and toluene. According to the Breast Cancer Fund web site:

All three chemicals are on California’s Prop. 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. Studies have linked DBP to underdeveloped genitals and other reproductive system problems in newborn boys. DBP is banned from cosmetics products in the European Union but the FDA has taken no such action in the United States.

In addition, the U.S. National Toxicology Program says formaldehyde is “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen. The EPA, meanwhile, restricts toluene in drinking water because it can cause nervous system disorders and damage the liver and kidneys. The FDA does not require that cosmetics products be tested for safety before they are sold.

After reading the above, I’m just damned glad I wasn’t painting my nails when I was pregnant with my son. I’m also glad somebody took the initiative to create Suncoat, an award-winning, quick-drying. water-based nail polish that doesn’t contain phthalates (DBP), toluene, formaldehyde, acetates or FD&C dyes. And? It’s manufactured right here in North America. When I get my next pedicure, you can bet I’ll be bringing my Suncoat with me.

Find It Here: Suncoat

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By Izzy, June 12, 2008  
Filed under: Cosmetics, Mama

Did you know that conventional store-bought fingerpaints can contain toxic chemicals, like Toluene and Ethylene Glycol, that can get into your child’s body through their skin? How this is even legal we don’t know, but the good news is you can buy safe, natural finger paints or even better, make your own with ingredients you may already have around the house. Let the kids help if they’re old enough and make an afternoon of it. Then, after the kids go to bed and the mess is all cleaned up, go ahead and treat yourself to a nice long bath or a glass of wine. Or both!

Natural Fingerpaint Recipe

• 1 cup of cornstarch
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/3 cup of grated soap (choose your favorite plain organic bar soap)

1. Melt grated soap flakes into a half cup of boiling water.
2. Add cornstarch.
3. Blend well and put aside. Allow mixture to thicken.
4. Divide into small containers and add coloring.

Natural colorings can be derived from the juice of frozen berries, beet juice, tea, onion skins (boiled) or other natural sources. You can store your fingerpaints in the refrigerator. for about a week.

Thanks for the Tip: LovetoKnow.com

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By Izzy, June 3, 2008  
Filed under: Kids, Learn, Preschooler, Tips

On June 4th at 6pm eastern, Discovery debuts the Planet Green channel. While Planet Green is new to cable, it will be replacing Discovery Home so just go to whatever channel that is on your system and you will find yourself watching what I believe will be the most awesometastically amazing thing to happen to cable TV in a really REALLY! long time because hello? Green television! Planet Green, which is aligned with the ultra-fab Treehugger.com in this endeavor, will feature 100% original programming that will include environmental news, humor, lifestyle and much more. And? I have it on good authority, straight from the head honchette of Planet Green, Eileen O’Neill, that there will be some programming relevant to parents and families, too. If this is a dream? Don’t wake me.

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By Izzy, May 30, 2008  
Filed under: Watch

Check out this bad-ass wallet — made from old truck tires and tractor inner tubes, there’s definitely nothing wimpy about it. Additionally, for those who forego animal products or don’t dig the highly toxic process used to tan leather, it’s leather-free and thankfully, 100% free of nasty plastic leather (AKA “pleather”), too. It would make a great gift for the vegan guy in your life or for a teenager who’s going through that “I hate everything conventional” phase that completely rules out shopping at any mall or department store. Best of all, though, is that it’s made of recycled materials and keeping stuff out of landfills. That alone is reason for me to buy one for my son, who will be able to use it in about, ohhhh, twelve years.

Find It Here: BTCElements

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By Izzy, May 20, 2008  
Filed under: Dads, Him, Recycle, Teen, Vegan

As someone who went camping just last weekend, I am fully qualified to speak about the complete and total annoyingness of dead flashlight batteries. Kind of makes me wish I’d had a ShakeLight flashlight that requires NO batteries at all. Just shake it for thirty seconds and get twenty minutes of light from an LED lightbulb which will last something like 100,000 hours before it needs replacing. As a bonus, the ShakeLight sports an impressive five-year warranty, is waterproof (look at stuff underwater!) and is also, oddly enough, bulletproof — in case you find yourself in the dark with Dick Cheney :)

Find It Here: Greenfeet

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By Izzy, May 16, 2008  
Filed under: Gadgets, Reduce/Reuse, Tech

Though I love fruits and vegetables now, I’m pretty sure I didn’t eat a single vegetable when I was a kid without some sort of protest. Maybe if my parents had been able to send me to bed in New Jammies, I would have started enjoying my vegetables a lot sooner. Made of super soft 100% organic cotton, New Jammies fruit and vegetable print pajamas for kids and babies feature brightly colored images of bananas, blueberries, carrots, peas, tangerines and apples along with cute little phrases like “Apple of My Eye” and “Pretty Peas Please.” The icing on the cake carrots is the little book that comes with every pair. Filled with pictures of happy produce, counting games, rhymes and a short story, it really does make fruits and vegetables look fun; like something kids would enjoy instead of something yucky their parents insist they eat — and take it from a former world-class vegetable hater, getting little ones on the path to healthy eating in a positive way is half the battle in the veggie wars.

Find It Here: New Jammies

Congrats to Emily H., winner of a New Jammies pajama set!

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By Izzy, May 5, 2008  
Filed under: Baby, Kids, Learn, Organic, Toddler, Wear, Win