Jul

31

Article: No Effects from BPA.

Filed Under Articles, Bisphenol-A | Comments Off

I came across an article last week, that I’ve been sitting on for awhile now. I’m sure that by now, most people have heard that the FDA, along with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has deemed BPA safe, concluding that BPA is rapidly metabolized, and therefore, pose no harmful effects.

I think this article hit the nail on the head when they said, “Metabolism doesn’t inform safety.”

There was also another article that was released last week that shows no reproductive or developmental effects from BPA (the study was done on mice). This article bugged me on so many levels, that I don’t even know where to begin.

“A number of small-scale basic research studies reporting adverse effects of BPA have generated significant news coverage and public concern in recent months, resulting in an incomplete picture,” said Rochelle W. Tyl, Ph.D., a senior fellow at RTI who designed, conducted the new study. “To appropriately assess health risks, robust studies, performed under rigorous Good Laboratory Practice principles must be used.”

That would be well and good if this particular study hadn’t been funded by the American Plastics Council and the American Chemistry Council. I’m more inclined to believe the small scale studies that aren’t having bribes shoved in their pockets. Who wants to help me poke holes?

  1. Fetuses and infants are more sensitive… long terms effects will not ever really be known (which you can say about a lot of chemicals)
  2. The National Toxicology Program and the National Institute of Health have stated otherwise.

I’m not sure about you, but for me, that’s more than enough for me to make the decision to find an alternative to using BPA, especially when the alternatives don’t have to drain your savings account. Many parents just aren’t willing to take the risk, especially when there’s no real clear answer of how this will affect people long term.

This is obviously something where you have to make your own decision. We at SafeMama™ still stand behind being BPA free.

Jul

30

Dear SafeMama: Etiquette and Countertops

Filed Under Dear SafeMama | Comments Off

Q: This is more of an etiquette question… what is the best way you have found to ask family and friends not to buy evil Fisher Price toys or chemical laden bath products for your kiddos? I certainly want to be polite, but I don’t want their gift selection for birthdays and Christmas to go unused if it doesn’t pass muster. Maybe I should keep my trap shut and just say, “thank you,” like my mom taught me. :-)

In this day and age, it’s nice to see people who still hold regard for proper etiquette. That said, this is one of those fine line questions. Because you’re taught to accept a gift and say thank you. But in this instance, you’re trying to avoid filling up landfills and poisoning your child with toxic chemicals. I flat out told my mother that we were boycotting Fisher Price. But when it’s your mom, you can say things like that and not sound like a selfish brat. So you could do this a couple of ways:

  1. For people who want to just buy something despite your wishes to your feelings, you can ask for donations to your favorite charity in lieu of gifts. Kids don’t need toys. We have far too many, and my son prefers to empty out the kitchen cabinets for entertainment.
  2. For people who you’re comfortable with telling exactly what your child “likes”, Amazon has lots of options and of course the great wish list feature. You can put items on there to fit every budget and not sound like a greedy gift monger. After all, it’s not really all about the gifts, but some people want to buy presents. I love buying presents, but my feeling is, that I’d rather see it get used, than have the person toss it aside.

There are ways to tactfully explain to people in casual non gift related conversation your views on toxic plastic toys. But there will always be people that are going to buy something that is not only probably noisy (grandparents revenge), but also created a lot more pollution to make. And in that case, you can save it, and give to Goodwill or Toys For Tots at Christmas and teach your children a valuable lesson in giving to others in need. Everyone wins.

Q: I’m in the process of remodelling my kitchen, which includes countertops. Well, I have just found out that granite countertops are linked to RADON…now, I need to find something safe for our family. Is there a safe/green kitchen countertop out there? Please help!!!

It always seems like there’s something we have to worry about in regards to keeping our indoor air quality safe. The truth of the matter is, just about everything in your house probably poses a hazard. Your furniture, your paint, your carpet, and now, your countertops. Last week, the New York Times released an article regarding possible radon emitting from granite countertops. Radon, for those who aren’t aware, is an odorless, colorless gas that is caused by the breakdown of radium in the ground. Most people who have bought a house may remember having to get a possible radon test done. The Environmental Protection agency states that anything under 4 picocuries per liter of air is considered safe. The EPA also confirms that granite countertops are safe, however, not one to ever take anything at face value, you should still do your own testing via a home kit, which can be purchased at most hardware stores. Or you can have someone come out and do radon testing for you.

For those that are in the process of remodeling and haven’t put your countertops in yet, there are other alternatives that look great and are better for the environment too. Paperstone is a good option, which is made from 50-100% (depending on the line) post consumer waste. The only drawback to this, as I’ve been reading, is that the resin used to seal the counter is made from cashew shells, which could pose a problem if you or your family have nut allergies. Another option is Icestone, which is another eco-friendly choice as it’s made from recycled glass and concrete. I’ve seen a lot of Icestone popping up lately, and while to me, personally, it’s not as sleek looking as granite, it’s still really nice and I do like the fact that it’s made from recycled materials. Another option would just be poured concrete countertops. I’ve seen these before (in fact, if I remember correctly, Kathy had them put in a house, once, but maybe I’ve been drinking too many martinis).

Have a question for Dear SafeMama? Drop us a line. Don’t see your question answered? Sit tight, some of this stuff takes a little elbow grease to research. Or you can peruse past answers.

Jul

30

Congrass Passes Ban on Phthalates!

Filed Under Phthalates Info, Product Safety | Comments Off

Yesterday, Congress voted on the Children’s Safe Products Act which approved a nationwide ban on phthalates in products intended for children under 12. We’ve been waiting for this so we’re happy to say goodbye to phthalates DEHP, DBP and BBP… three chemicals used to soften plastics in children’s toys like bath squirties, soft books and “rubber” ducks. The Act is part of a final Bill to reform and improve the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). This is obviously good news and further confirmation that there is enough doubt in their safety as well as demand for strict regulations on children’s products. And don’t think you didn’t have anything to do with it. Members and supporters of MomsRising.org alone sent in over 100,000 letters to congressman urging them to support the Act.

However, this ban doesn’t take effect for 6 months. Big stores like WalMart and Target have already promised a ban of children’s products with phthalates from their stores, beginning in January 2009… but with this kind of timeframe, we’ll still see toys containing phthalates on store shelves through this year’s holiday season. That means, as SafeParents, we still need to keep a critical eye and shop carefully to avoid them. There will always be something to be wary of when toy shopping but this recent ban is a step in the right direction.

Related Article: ABC News Phthalates Banned from Child Toys
Related Blog Article: EWG Enviroblog

Jul

29

Safe Bottle Soap: BabyGanics Foaming Dish Soap

Filed Under cleaning products, product finds | Comments Off

We tested and approved (with much love and adoration) the line of cleaning products BabyGanics a while back. I still have several bottles of all purpose cleaner around the kitchen and bathroom for spot cleaning and am still really happy with it. Imagine my excitement when during a recent trip to Babies R Us, I discovered BabyGanics came out with a few new items. Parents are always asking us what detergents are safe to use for bottles and cups. It’s said, even by bottle makers that bottles can eventually scratch and crack due to frequent washing and they should be replaced when they are visibly worn. But to prolong the life of a bottle, it’s best to keep it out of the dishwasher (or at least top rack only) and use gentle soap and water for cleaning. BabyGanics now has a gentle safe foaming dish soap. BabyGanics uses minimal ingredients so that washing dishes is gentle on your baby bottles and gentle on the environment.

BabyGanics now carries a laundry detergent and a safe air freshener for those stinky diaper pails.

Pick it up: BabyGanics.com or at Babies R Us.

Jul

29

Organic Mattresses: Naturepedic Review

Filed Under Product Reviews, Product Safety | Comments Off

Naturepedic Organic Cotton MattressThe topic of organic mattresses is met with a rash of strong opinions over what’s safe, what’s safer, and whether it’s really something we should consider changing or embracing. Regardless of how you perceive it, it’s an investment one way or another. The bottom line is, your baby spends 10-16 hours a day face down on it. So there is some serious merit to wanting to eliminate any potential hazard your baby could be breathing. Traditional baby mattresses are covered in vinyl, (pvc) which in many cases contain phthalates to soften the material. That’s just the surface. Inside that mattress is polyurethane foam (hello Volatile Organic Compounds) which are then treated with PBDEs to add flame resistance to an otherwise highly flammable material. PBDEs (Poly brominated diphenyl ether) levels have been increasing in the past decade and who wants an infant breathing a potentially toxic substance? You don’t have to worry about this if you choose a mattress free of all these materials.

Enter Naturepedic. I had the chance to spend some time investigating organic mattresses and settled on one that I felt is an excellent choice, not only in safety but in performance. Naturepedic provided us with a No Compromise Organic Cotton crib mattress to run through a battery of tests and I am happy to say, they passed every single one. When it arrived I opened it up and was just taken back by how pristinely nice it looked. Seams were all perfect, no nicks or weirdness, and it was smooth and soft without that crinkly PVC feel to it. Definitely a winner of the first impression test.

The Liquid Test: Naturepedic crib mattresses have a food grade polyethylene plastic coating, which is an environmentally friendly material due to it’s non-toxic nature. We dumped leaky sippy cups on this bare mattress and I am thrilled to report that it did not absorb or cause any staining and cleaned up like a dream. A few leaky diaper tests were done as well, thanks to my yet to be potty trained 2 year old and it passed those with flying colors. To add a layer of breathability to it, I have an organic mattress pad and an organic cotton sheet on the mattress for sleeping, but my sippy cup test took place on the bare mattress itself.

The Durability Test: Babies are tiny, so the damage they can do on a mattress is minimal at best, but when your child grows, you really want a mattress that will hold up through their developing years. This was the one area I had concerns, prior to seeing the mattress in person, as to whether it would perform as well as any “top of the line” traditional mattresses.

For the sake of science, my 2 year old still sleeps in a crib. (Yes thats it…science) This means, a 30+ lb boy who jumps up and down like a wild banshee put this thing through the ringer. The older traditional mattress we shunned was starting to take a good beating, and really showed it from all this activity so I was curious as to how Naturepedic would hold up in comparison. We’ve been jumping on it for well over a month or so and I can say with much confidence that this mattress would do great in the long haul. It still looks perfectly new and is unwaivering in the wear and tear department.

The Sound Test: Here is where I was really impressed. Regular mattresses, at least in my experience have this weird crinkly plastic covered noise to them. I always kept them padded and sheeted of course but I could always hear him rustling around in there over the baby monitor. Naturepedic is the exact opposite. In fact, the first time I laid my son on it, it was as if the whole room was quieter. When he rolls around, I don’t hear a thing… except the sweet sound of him breathing. He sleeps a bit more soundly on this mattress than any other we’ve had.

The Overall Impression Test: I really like how this mattress feels… it’s solid and firm but comfortable in all the ways you want it to be. The construction is impeccable, and you can tell right off the bat that this is a serious mattress… not some hippie inspired sack full of hemp and recycled bottles. They take great care with safety standards, adhereing to all Federal laws and requirements. The CPSC recommends infants sleep on a firm, flat surface. Some of the other organic mattresses I’ve looked at have a thicker quilted appearance which could be a drawback if that concerns you. Naturepedic’s mattresses are flat and firm (but not hard) on both sides of the mattress.

Someone questioned me about Flamebreaker™, the non-toxic flame retardant they use to help buy time in house fires. There are, of course mattresses out there with absoloutely zero protection. However, I am 100% comfortable with Flamebreaker™ fire protection system which is based on baking soda and silica bonded to cellulose fiber. It buys time without exposing your child to harmful and potentially airborne chemicals/ Naturepedic’s mattress are without:

NO PBDEs
NO Brominated or Chlorinated Fire Retardants
NO Antimony
NO PAN (polyacrylonitrile)
NO Modacrylic
NO Dimethyl Sulfate
NO Boric Acid
NO Respirable Crystaline Silica
NO Potentially Harmful Chemicals or Allergenic Materials (i.e. Wool)

If that’s not enough, Naurepedic is wildly recognized by a bevy of associations including a certification from GreenGuard, and recommended heartily by our personal favorite organization (and a great resource) Healthy Child Healthy World.

I personally think an choosing an organic mattress is one of the first changes that need to be made, or in the case of expecting parents, should be a serious consideration. I realize, this is not a cheap decision. But the product you are getting is not only much safer for your baby, but it will endure your baby’s growth into a toddler and then some, and perhaps the young life of a second or third child. I’d see it as an investment rather than an expense.

If you aren’t in the position to buy an organic mattress, and let’s face it, not everyone is ready for that, you do have options. Tips when buying a traditional mattress:

  • Leave it outside or in a well ventilated area for some time in order to let the materials “off-gas” before baby sleeps on it
  • When the mattress doesn’t smell like materials or plastic, it’s ready to be brought back into the house.
  • Consider an organic cotton or wool mattress pad to add a layer of breathability and “buffer” between baby and the mattress surface.

Naturepedic’s Organic Cotton mattress has FAR exceeded my expectations and I am completely comfortable recommending them to anyone. My son is getting to the age where he is ready for a bigger bed so when the time comes, and he no longer fits in a toddler bed (which the crib mattress fits as well) I most certainly will be investing in a Naturepedic Twin Mattress for him.

Is this the only option out there? Of course not. But this is one I am very comfortable recommending for both safety, standards and overall product performance. For those looking for other organic bedding items, Naturepedic makes portacrib mattresses, bassinet pads, and changing pads as well.

Get yours here: Naturepedic No Compromise Organic Cotton Mattress
Tip: Check out the Shopping Mall for discount coupons!

Jul

27

SafeMama Review: The Great Bag

Filed Under Eco-Mama, Product Reviews | Comments Off

Every grocery store you go into now, has reusable bags. I don’t mind them so much, but I have a bevy of them, all from different stores, with accompanying in your face store logo. I’ll admit, while I try to remember to bring my bags with me, I hate that I’m advertising for someone else. And since I have bags from just about every store in my area, I guess that means I get around.

Unless of course, I’m flaunting myself around town with The Great Bag. Then every store will think that we’re an exclusive item and I’ll get away with shopping everywhere and look cute doing it.

When I opened up the envelope, I was amazed at how well these bags are made. They’re 100% cotton and 100% soft. What I really liked about the bags, besides the cute designs, is how sturdy they are. They’re all handmade in the USA, doubled in fabric for strength, along with reinforced handles. And they have really neat features such as hooks on each end to hook them onto the bag holders in the grocery store. Definitely not something you’d see on a chintzy reusable store bag.

The Great Bag just proves that you can be eco-friendly and stylish at the same time. And let’s face it, you never know who you might run into at the grocery store.

Get it here: The Great Bag.

Jul

25

SafeMama Review: Primo Water

Filed Under Eco-Mama, Product Reviews | Comments Off

Americans consume an insane amount of bottled water per year. Just for the convenience factor alone. And when we’re out and about and I’ve forgotten my reusable bottle, I’m just as guilty. But the worst part about the mass bottled water market, is that about only 20% of those plastic bottles end up getting recycled. 20 percent! When you think about how small that number is, and exactly how many plastic bottles end up in a landfill, it’s quite disturbing.

One company, trying to make a difference, took this information and ran with it. And Primo Water was born. Primo’s water bottles are made from genetically modified corn, using 65% less fossil fuels than conventional water. The water in our house has been affectionately dubbed “corn water.” The water itself doesn’t taste like corn of course. It tastes like good old fashioned water. And you can rest easier knowing that you’re making a difference as not only is the bottle made with less fossil fuels, but it’s fully recyclable, as well as compostable (but don’t try to do it yourself).

You can buy Primo Water in some grocery stores, and you should see them cropping up in more stores. I found some at my local Target as well.

Jul

24

Rewind: SPF Lip Balm Revisited

Filed Under Dear SafeMama, Skin Care | Comments Off

Well, after yesterdays Dear SafeMama snafu with the SPF ingredients I went on a hunt to find another lip balm containing SPF … but an SPF created by titanium dioxide rather than Oxybenzowhateverthecrap. I found two candidates. Welcome to Kathy’s Quest for Safe SPF Lip Balm. (You have to say that in a deep booming voice for full effect, by the way.)

First one by a company called Lavera who sells an organic lip balm with an SPF of 15 from 100% titanium dioxide. Their ingredients boast organic oils including Jojoba and aloe vera oils to supply extra moisture, and vitamins C and E to offer protection against the elements. Organic oils of olive, soybean, almond, sunflower, calendula and shea butter to maximize hydration.. and we all need some hydration, do we not? Lavera claim’s the lip balm to be waterproof, completely vegan and biodegradable. Excellent. Now onto the second find, with the assist going to SafeMama Beth…

Second pick is by (not everyone’s favorite but we can’t seem to escape it), Burt’s Bees. Burt’s Res-Q line is one of my guilty pleasures… we use the bug oil, and on occasion the Res-Q ointment for bites around here. Burt’s Bees now carries Res-Q Lip Balm with SPF 15 as well. The don’t use organic ingredients but the ingredients they use are natural and free of parabens, synthetic fragrances, and petrolatum. The sun blocking agent in this one is titanium dioxide (2.8%) giving an SPF of 15 for sunny, windy and dry adventures where lip block might be needed.

Our reader Beth tipped us off on the Burt’s Bees angle and she recommended Burt’s Bees Lifeguards Choice Lip Balm. This also contains titanium dioxide although no SPF number is given it does provide some protection. SafeMama Beth says “The only downside is that, like many physical blockers, I have to blend it really well or my lips look whitish. Thus, it’s not for everyday use, but good for a day at the beach.” Thank you Beth!

So there you have it. I take this lip balm business very seriously (*puts on her Blueberry BeeCeuticals*) so hopefully these are a couple decent alternatives. I am going to stay on the hunt…

Jul

23

Dear SafeMama: Lip Balms and Bath Mats

Filed Under Dear SafeMama | Comments Off

Q: There is a great range paraben & phthalate free lip balms out there, but I can’t tell if they have any sun protection in them. Are there any safe options specifically for lips?

If there is anyone more addicted to lip balms, glosses, tints, sticks, pots and pens… it’s me. I have literally 7-8 different ones in my bag at any given time. What I’ve found once I switched to using safer lip products that are free of parabens and petroleums and other icky junk is that they tend to not contain any SPF. Which hasn’t put a stop to my addiction, I just go without. But for some, that’s not an option and people want to protect those smoochers. I found two possible options, but I only feel comfortable recommending one of them. *buzzer* See below! Eco Lips… I stumbled on them recently but have yet to try it out. They use as many organic ingredients as possible and don’t use any petroleum, are non-GMO, free of hydrated oil, gluten, petrolatum, synthetic fragrances or other icky junk.

Eco Lips has a line of regular organic lip balms, a vegan option, tinted lip balms, and a few enhanced with b vitamins for healing.

*BRAKES SCREECHING* Stop the presses… In the words of Dr. Jake Houseman of Dirty Dancing “When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong…” SafeMama Beth wrote in to point out that the sun blocking ingredient in the lip balms are done with Octinoxate (7.5%) and Oxybenzone (3%). Oh well, back to the drawing board on this question. Oxybenzone is one of the sunblocking ingredients under fire with the EWG so I’ll have to pass on recommending those. The rest of the SPF free line looks delicious though. Sorry about that folks! They also carry a few with SPF 15 and SPF 30 in their Sport Balms. I’m going to have to give them a try myself… I could use something for the beach with SPF 15. They’re packaged in BPA free plastic (polypropylene) and are working on a 100% recycleable package soon.

I’ll repost this question tomorrow with another alternative.

Q: I have made sure my baby has safe tub toys, and a PVC free shower curtain. However, I can’t for the life of me find a safe tub mat, or tub treads!!! I’ve searched EVERYWHERE, and am shocked to not find anything listed PVC free, or phthalate free. Is there a mat I’m missing? Please help us have a safe slip free tub!

Boy have I looked. And looked and looked and to no avail. I have only found one company that sells a PVC free non slip bath mat and shower stall. VitaFutura carries a bath mat made of natural elastic material (Caoutchouc) obtained from the latex sap of trees (especially trees of the genera Hevea and Ficus). Suction cups cover the back for non-slip assurance and they have 4 colors available: Orange, Blue, Grey and Off-white. I ordered the blue for my bathroom to give it a try. I’ll report back my findings when I have some!

Get one here: VitaFutura

Have a question you’d like to see answered in our weekly Dear SafeMama column? Drop us a note! Haven’t seen your question answered yet? Hang tight, we might still be working on an answer.

Jul

22

Book Review: He’s Not Autistic, But…..

Filed Under Giveaways Coupons, Product Reviews | Comments Off

Ok, so this is the last I’ll post on Autism for now, but this is been something I’ve been meaning to review for a couple of weeks now. I stumbled across this book called, He’s Not Autistic, But… How We Pulled Our Son From The Mouth of the Abyss, By Tenna Merchant, M.H. I found this book through another blogger (Nature Mom Blog, I believe) and I was immediately intrigued. I ordered a copy of it and waited eagerly.

This book is almost as if it’s a look into a personal journal written in sort of a time-line form. The chapters are short and the book itself is a fairly quick read, but Tenna keeps you intrigued by her chronicles of her son’s first two years of life and how she tried to fight in bringing him back from the brink. Everything from her struggles with her pediatrician constantly pushing vaccines on her chronically sick baby, to finding homeopathic remedies, which is what ultimately saved her and her son. She sort of lost me at the end of the book in regards to God and working miracles. I definitely applaud anyone who has faith, especially after going through hell and back, but I’m just not a religious person. Spiritual, not religious. I’m not saying it’s not something to think about, however.

Tenna makes a lot of mention about homeopathy and alternative medicine. I think there have been lots of advances in homeopathy in regards to helping people who have been affected by a disorder that’s as a result of environmental factors, but also, this shouldn’t take the place of a qualified doctor when necessary. Finding a good doctor or pediatrician is important, and it’s possible to incorporate both into your life. I will say that she’s a great inspiration and made more interested in homeopathy. Her book is one that I will keep close at hand to refer back to.

Contest Closed! Win it: We’re giving away two copies of this book to two lucky winners, drawn at random. Simply send an email to safemama.contestsATgmailDOTcom with the subject “Book Contest.” If you’ve got an inspiring story, we’d love to hear it. Contest ends on July, 31st at midnight, Eastern standard time. Contest is open to residents of U.S. and Canada.

Congratulations Chris and Fernanda! Thanks everyone who entered!

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