Mar

31

Review: New Boon Bath Toys

Filed Under PVC Free, Phthalates Info, Product Reviews, Toy Safety | Comments Off

boon bath toysI recently got my hands on all of the new Boon Bath Toys for my son.  Our bath toy collection had drastically dwindled last year when I learned about PVC and Phthalates and promptly pitched everything we had.  Bye bye bath squirties.  Then, light shone down on me when I entered a giveaway at The Soft Landing (hey I like to win things too!) and I was totally giddy.

To start, these bath toys are totally cute, are BPA, PVC and Phthalate Free so you can be confident that your little one isn’t chewing on some off-gassing toxic piece of junk.  They’re done in the bright colors we’re used to from Boon products and I have to say, I even had a great time with them.

The Boon Scrubble Squirties are adorable (and also double as a good “car wash” if you have boys) and my favorite part is they unscrew so not only can you refill them quick, you can clean them.  Traditional bath squirters tend to get moldy and end up in the garbage since there is no real easy way to get them clean.  These wash up easy and you can mix and match them.

boonsplatBoon Splat Bath Toy works like a good old simple ring toss. The blue Splat floats on the water and my son and I take turns trying to get the rings on the peg.  He thinks its hilarious.  And of course the Boon Water Bugs Bath Toy is my favorite.  The little bugs float on the water and you can scoop them (or other things) up with the little net.  Overall good bath time fun!  When they get a little grimy you can run them through the dishwasher on the top rack and they’re good as new so these will last a long time.  Good job Boon!

Get Boon Bath Toys: Pick up any of the three Boon Bath Toy sets at The Soft Landing, and don’t forget to use our SafeMama coupon code “SF-10” for 10% off your order.

Mar

30

April Showers Bring PVC Free Rain Gear

Filed Under Green Mama, PVC Free, Product Safety | Comments Off

We got an email from a reader last week asking about rain gear.  I thought writing something up about it now at the beginning of Spring would be an appropriate time.  Traditionally, raincoats and hats are made with a PVC outer shell.   We try to avoid PVC for a multitude of reasons.

Dioxins: PVC or polyvinyl chloride (also referred to as vinyl) is one of the most toxic plastics made.  When created or burned, it releases dioxins which are some of the most dangerous synthetic chemicals out there.  They can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive system. It also may never stop off-gassing… ew.

Mercury & Phthalates: We are contaminated with chemicals released during a piece of PVC’s life including mercury, dioxins, and phthalates.   PVC is almost always made using phthalates to make it soft and flexible.  We avoid phthalates for some of the same reasons (reproductive health risks, potentially carcinogenic & hormone mimicking).

Environmental Bummer: PVC cannot be recycled.  In fact if one PVC container gets mixed into a batch of other plastics during recycling,  it makes that whole recycled effort a complete waste.   Producing PVC in plants has contaminated the air and ground water in surrounding areas with dioxins, which are dangerous to people and animals.

So What To Do?

I’ve looked around and found a few alternatives I think are better choices.  It seems to be the normal alternative for companies to use fabric coated with Polyurethane rather than PVC.  The reader who wrote in and I looked for the next step above that and came up empty handed.

In some situations, you don’t even need rain gear.  I’ve never bought my son a raincoat and we’ve survived on a simple windbreaker.  But if you live in really wet areas or need rain gear for a specific reason here are the ones we found that would be a safer choice.

puddlegearPuddleGear: This company has been around for a long time but was more recently taken over by a husband and wife team who really believe in the product.  All their rain gear is totally PVC and Phthalate Free and instead coated with ATEK – a Polyurethane-coated stretch fabric.  It’s a very light, soft, tear-resistant material and is wind and watertight. I had a chance to ask them about their Polyurethane coating,  they put me at ease:

“…when this particular Polyurethane is in its fully expanded state it is an “inert chemical”  meaning that it has no off gassing left to do.  Atek is fully expanded- and tested to be free of over 100 harmful chemicals.

Not all Polyurethane is PVC or Phthalate free- some who don’t heat seal their seams use PVC to make them waterproof…and Phthalates make the PVC soft.  Polyurethane is also a controlled application  when you make it so its not leached into the ground water like PVC plastics.

PuddleGear also gets certified by Öko-Tex – an organization that tests materials for over 100 harmful chemicals.  PuddleGear has jackets, pants, mitts and hats in sizes ranging from 6 Months to 9 years.  Order from their website PuddleGear.com.  Rain Jackets range from $50-$60 but are virtually indestructible and last forever.

  • aliengearAlien Kids RainCoat – PVC Free raincoats, cotton lined with a polyurethane shell.  You can find these at Hatley Stores on line and retail for about $40  These PVC Free raincoats come in a few different cute designs (I love the spaceships)and come in a range of kids sizes.  Find them at HatleyStores.com
  • llbeanLandsEnd Big/Little/Toddler Kids Solid Rain Slicker – Polyester-backed polyurethane shell fabric that’s more flexible than the usual PVC kind. Of course, it’s every bit as waterproof, with sealed seams to prevent leaks., cotton lined with a polyurethane shell. It’s unclear to us as to whether this is totally PVC Free based on what we learned from the folks at PuddleGear.  They retail for about $36.
  • landsendLL Bean Discovery Rain Jacket – For something a little less heavy duty LL Bean’s Rain Jackets might do the trick. These fleece lined jackets are covered with a waterproof nylon shell.  They are wind and rain resistant, as well as have reflective safety details.  LL Bean assures me that they seal the seams with nylon tape that is Polyurethane coated..jackets retail around $37.   Totally PVC Free.
  • ruggedbearRugged Bear Kids Pulyurethane Raincoats – These raincoats are polyester/cotton lined with soft polyurethane shell that is waterproof & windproof.  They heat seal the seams for additional waterproofing.  These are a bit more affordable than some other options retailing at around$20.

What About Boots?

bootsMost of the rain boots I’ve looked are made of rubber, but I have seen some made of PVC so make sure to read the materials before buying.  Rugged Bear carries a line of cute kids rain boots by FireChief made of natural rubber with a cotton lining, in bright fun colors for girls and boys.   They retail for about $18.   Check them out at Rugged Bear.

Healthy Child Healthy World has an article about this now as well, with some other alternatives to pick from.  Check out their article on their blog at Healthy Child Healthy World.

Mar

27

SafeMama Review: Rice “Cheese” Slices

Filed Under allergies | Comments Off

rice-vegan-familyI know, I know, how lame is this?  I’m writing a review about cheese.  That isn’t even really cheese.

Here’s the thing: if you have a child who has a dairy allergy, sometimes it’s the simple things in life that make them happy.  Like a grilled cheese sandwich.  I’ve made it no secret that I’m on a constant quest to find equivalent of what the other kids are eating for my toddler.  On a whim one day at the grocery store I purchased Rice Vegan Cheddar Flavor Slices.  The package looks exactly like your average wrapped cheese slices, but we don’t keep those in the house, so I was shocked when I presented a rice slice to my toddler and his response was “Yay! Cheese!”  This coming  from a child who, to my knowledge, has never really seen a slice of cheese before.

Rice Vegan Slices are produced by Galaxy Nutritional Foods,  a company specializing in cheese alternatives.  Their products are dairy, soy and/or gluten free.  Several products are vegan, like the one I’ve been using, for those of you looking for food options based on lifestyle choices as well.

So far in my house, we’ve tried the cheddar and pepper jack flavors.  Both contain jalapeno peppers, which I found to a surprising ingredient.  Both flavors were pretty good–and by that, I mean they’re flavorful, but different from their original counterparts.  One would not mistake the cheddar flavor for  actual cheddar cheese, however.  My son is only 19 months old and found the pepper jack too spicy for his liking but he GOBBLES the cheddar flavor (which still has a bit of a kick because of that jalapeno).

The packaging advertises that the Rice Vegan Slices have a “smooth melt” and I suppose this claim is relative.  Yes, the slices melt.  I’ve made quesadillas and pizza with them, but again, they don’t melt anything like  regular cheese would.  That might make for a dish that’s visually less appealing than what I’m used to, but as with most things related to allergies, I’m happy that I’ve found an acceptable “cheese” option.’

Get it: Check their website GalaxyFoods.com for retailers near you.

Mar

26

Eco-Easter: Environmentally Friendly Easter Tips

Filed Under Eco-Mama, Safe Mama Tips | Comments Off

eeggKathy had written the other day about Easter creeping up on us and where you can find natural and organic candy.   Some people may not celebrate Easter for religious reasons, or maybe you just don’t feel that you need to be a part of the commercialism aspect.   However, for those that do, I’m sure you’re wondering how to minimize your impact to the landfill.   My son is a little young for Easter and we’re not religious people, but I do like the aspect of doing something as a family, especially the crafty part of Easter.   And OK, maybe there’s also a part of me that wants a little bit of candy too!

We try to reduce and reuse as much as we can, so when it came time to purchase an Easter basket, I wanted something that I could reuse for years to come.   I came across many beautiful Easter baskets on Etsy that are not only affordable, but are definitely something that fits in with the need for tradition.

Easter grass: What Easter basket would be complete without some Easter grass?   I went looking for some natural recycled alternatives to the plastic stuff that you can buy anywhere.   There’s tons of great options like, shredded recycled paper, which you can either buy or make yourself if you have your own paper shredder.    If it gets destroyed, you can recycle it, or you can reuse it until it’s worn out.   The other thing I came across that’s eco-friendly and all natural, is raffia fiber.   Raffia is made from the raffia palm and then turned into rope or straw.  It makes a great packing material, but it’d be great for an Easter basket and durable enough that you could reuse it for years.

Egg Dyes: And what about Easter dyes?   I’m not a fan of artificial colors.  I try to use all natural food coloring.  I will admit that all natural food coloring is much different than the commercial Easter dyes that you use.   Even making your own natural Easter dyes will result in much more muted pastel colors, instead of vibrant bold colors we were used to as kids, but this might make for a fun science project for older toddlers and younger children.   Again, it doesn’t have to be about the commercialism and getting more unneeded presents.  It can be more about spending the time together.

Oh OK, and the candy too!

Mar

25

Dear Safemama: Natural vs. Conventional Edition

Filed Under Dear SafeMama | Comments Off

I have been slowly making the switch of all my daughters bath/body products to all natural/organic. My only concern is that I’ve noticed most of the organic and natural products Do Not have any safety seals on them as opposed to the others like J&J, etc.  Just wondering?

Here’s what I’ve learned about “safety seals” since starting this whole greener beauty care thing.   They mean squat, whether or not you buy conventional beauty products, or organic.   Now granted, there are beauty products that are USDA certified and in order for them to claim that, they MUST be at least 95% organic to bear that label.  Also, according to Stephanie and bubbleandbee.com, there are A LOT of steps, and precautions you have to take to not only get certified, but also do to maintain that certification.  Reading about it just made my head spin.

But overall, the beauty and skincare industry are unregulated and that includes natural skin care.   Sure, Johnson’s Baby has a “safety seal” but it really doesn’t mean much.   It’s one of the main reasons why we well people to read labels.   Take a look at the original Johnson’s Baby body wash.   It’s full of PEG’s, fragrance (phthalates, which they say they’re phasing out at some point), and Sodium Laureth Sulfate, to name a few.   Sure it’s “safe” to put on your baby, but do you really want to put that on their skin?  To me, that safety seal no longer really matters.

The bottom line is that we’re constantly telling people that learning to read and decipher labels will take time, but really this is your best weapon against choosing something that’s safer for you and your family.  Not to mention really empowering.  I can’t help but feel proud of the fact that I can take a glance at the back of a bottle and know what the ingredients are and whether or not I want to buy it for my family.    There’s also a certain level of trust there with companies that make more natural products.  I truly believe that while there are probably companies out there that are greenwashing, there are  more who have created a safer product because they had a reason to and wanted others to benefit.    Sure we have recommendations, but that only takes you so far.  In the end, it’s really all about what you feel is best for you and your family.   You are the primary safety patrol person!

ETA:  It has come to my attention via my pregnant cohort, that you were probably talking about the safety seals on top of the bottle.  I thought about that after I posted.  I’m not afraid to laugh at my own pregnant stupidity, as it’s becoming a regular occurance in this house (and I don’t have a direct answer for you on that actual question).    And to think she’s the blonde one!

Mar

24

Organic Candy This Easter: Natural Candy Store

Filed Under Food Safety, Product Recalls | Comments Off

easterHere comes Peter Cotton Tail…hopping down the organic bunny trail… Easter is on it’s way!  We have a couple weeks and I know I’m not the only one who’s been oogling the Easter candy selection at the grocery store.  I started to think about what is going into my kids Easter basket this year.  I’m lucky that so far my 3 year old doesn’t really care too much about candy, with the exception of the occasional Yummy Earth lollipop (I keep a stash in my bag for trips to the bank so I don’t have to succumb to the day-glow blue lollipops they hand out).

But this year I’ll be putting a few choice candy items in there along with the art supplies and matchbox cars.  I started to look online for organic jelly beans and hit the mother load in a website called Natural Candy Store.  They provide a wide variety of natural candy that ranges from organic to vegan to allergen free, which they’ve created a symbol system and a great way to sort through with their navigation.

I stocked up a couple of organic chocolate bunnies and organic jelly beans (ok ok so this is more for ME than him but I want organic candy too!)  They also have ready-made baskets for Easter too.  Score!

Gimme Some Candy: NaturalCandyStore.com

Mar

23

SafeMama Review: ChicoBag

Filed Under Product Reviews | Comments Off

chicobagI’ll be the first to admit, I’m horrible about remembering to bring reusable shopping bags with me to the store.  I’m better with the grocery store, but when I get home and unpack them, I hang them outside on a hook in the garage, so that I remember them for my next trip to the grocery store.   If I go to any other store, I usually kick myself for not thinking to keep some in the car.   My bags are generally a big jumbled mess and are a collection of various purchase and free store bags.    I didn’t have anything that was compact or easy to carry, especially with a toddler.

So imagine my absolute joy when I found out I won a set of ChicoBags over at Non-Toxic Kids.  I never win anything, so I was stoked about that too!

ChicoBags are a great alternative to plastic bags and also a great alternative to the reusable bags you buy at the grocery store.  I’m not saying those don’t do the trick, don’t get me wrong.   Anything that cuts back on the use of unnecessary plastic is a great thing, but they get lost, and if you’re like me, you never fold them up, rather stuff all of them into one bag, making them one giant mess.

I got my bags last week, and I have to say, I’m pretty impressed.   There is one tiny thing that I will say is a bummer, and that’s that they’re a little on the smaller side, but here are the things that rock about these bags and set them apart from other bags in the same league:

  • They hold up to 25 pounds.   A four pack will hold 100 pounds worth of groceries.
  • They come in their own built in pouch.  No worries about losing the pouch, and it’s hidden on the inside of the bag when it’s in use.
  • The pouch has it’s own mini carabiner, so you can hook it to your handbag, stroller, or any other place where you won’t forget it.
  • The handles are wide, so you can hold them without them hurting your hands.

I immediately put the bags on my handbag and have been putting them through the paces ever since.   They work great, and best of all,  I don’t feel as if I have an excuse to forget my bags anymore.

Get it: You can order ChicoBags from Two Knobby Tires.  Order two sets of four for $35.96, which qualifies you for free shipping.   Enter the code SAFEMAMA at checkout.   Code is good until March 31st.

Mar

22

Industry Poises to Ban Drop-Side Cribs

Filed Under Product Recalls, Product Safety | Comments Off

I’m a tad late in typing this up, thanks to a sick 3 year old – but I wanted to quickly highlight this.  The Consumer Reports blog reported about it, and I also stumbled on it over at Polliwogged and DaddyTypes (2 great GREAT blogs to be reading by the way) so you can get your fill of information.

But basically, here’s the deal.  Since the beginning of 2007, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced 19 crib recalls totaling nearly 4.3 million full-size cribs.  Faulty hardware has contributed  to the deaths of children who became entrapped and/or strangled in the gaps created due to the hardware failure. Almost 75% of the recalled cribs were due to failures of the crib drop-side hardware. (Source: ConsumerReports)

This move will likely take months and stricter rules regarding drop-side cribs (or the elimination of them all together) will be put in place.  When this ban takes place it will mean:

  • Existing drop-side cribs will no longer be sold (new OR used)
  • New cribs will be required to have 4 sides (or a fold down side rather than drop side for shorter people)

From what I can tell, existing drop-side cribs won’t be recalled (we’ll have to wait and see on that one) but you won’t be able to sell them to second hand shops and/or you’ll be stuck with a crib that doesn’t meet the most current safety standards. Of course this still needs to go through a few months of ironing so I’ll post the “in plain English” versions as they become available.

Please read the articles at Polliwogged, DaddyTypes and Z Recommends (for a much more nitty gritty look at the cuurent proposaed ban)

Mar

18

Dear SafeMama: Earth Friendly Uses for Olive Oil

Filed Under Dear SafeMama, Safe Mama Tips | Comments Off

This a question that we get from time to time, but not so much recently.  I’ve also gotten this from my friends and acquaintances as well and that is, are there any safe products out there to keep stainless clean and streak free?

Can I just say that for one, I’m over the stainless steel popularity?   I have it in my own home.  I was adamant about buying it when we moved into our house two years ago, because we lived in a rental that had a pretty sweet kitchen.  With stainless appliances.  I was pretty excited at first, but then I realized how hard it was to keep them clean.   They always had streaks and fingerprints, no matter how much I scrubbed them, and that was BEFORE I had kids.

So when we moved to our new house, and went to buy a new refrigerator, I went in, fully intending to order white appliances, when the sales guy showed me the “magic stainless steel cleaner.”   And of course, being the sucker that I am, said, “oooh, pretty, I’ll take it.”   Of course, I was suckered, but it was either get my new shiny fridge NOW, or wait for the backordered white ones (right, sure, backorder).

Of course, once I started to green my cleaning supplies, I didn’t replace that cleaner, as it didn’t really work that well anyway.  My poor appliances suffered, as my son got bigger and more grimy and mobile and nothing I used worked over the long term and everything was streaky.

And then I found a very simple and very safe solution.   It’s a little more time consuming and I will tell you, that I am the LAST person to keep up with the fingerprints on my appliances.  Being pregnant has made it worse, but I try to make the effort, and one of the things that I have found to help the clean up and prevention easier is something that everyone has in their house: olive oil.

To start, you take a spray bottle of 1 part vinegar, to 2 parts water.  Clean the stainless thoroughly.   At first, this may take a little time, and it will streak, but don’t worry.

After you’ve cleaned the grime off,  take a paper towel and moisten it with some olive oil.  You don’t need much, so don’t saturate.   Gently wipe the olive oil, making sure to cover the entire area.  You may need to reapply some oil to the paper towel a few times to get adequate coverage.   Then, get a clean paper towel and buff.   I would say to be eco-friendly and use some rags to polish and buff, but I’ve found that it leaves fuzz behind.  You really only need to do an olive oil treatment maybe once every three months.   So I don’t feel entirely guilty for using 6-8 paper towels a year to clean my appliances.

To keep clean in between olive oil treatments, simply use the water/vinegar solution.  The fingerprints will wipe off with ease, you won’t have streaks and you’ve not only used completely safe ingredients, you’ve used stuff that you probably already have and it only cost you a few bucks.

Mar

17

Review: Kids Konserve Lunch Sets

Filed Under Eco-Mama, Food Safety, Green Mama, Product Reviews | Comments Off

Now that my 3 year old is in pre-school, finding safer school supplies and lunch items came to the forefront of my life. I didn’t want to become part of the giant pile of waste created by disposable lunch containers and wraps so I went on a hunt to find better solutions that wouldn’t be a pain in my time-limited neck.

kitc_smallI got a chance to try out the lunch sets by Kids Konserve.  Their sets come with everything you need to take lunch with you and you come away with zero waste.  ZERO.  That’s something I’ve been working toward while keeping the materials I’m using safe.  The kit comes with a Velcro seal canvas lunch bag, a canvas place mat (this was great for me more than my 3 year old – especially at the park), a reusable sandwich wrap, 2 stainless steel containers for snacks, fruit or whatever really, and a stainless water bottle.. all in a stylish matching print.

I was really pleased with all the components and it works perfectly for lunch on the go.  The stainless containers seal air tight and keep things fresh, and the sandwich wrap miraculously kept my sons sandwich held together until lunchtime.  I’m trying to teach my son about helping the environment and keeping the planet clean so he gets a kick out of using this system and then bringing it all home to use again the next school day.

Kids Konserve has a bevy of other reusable lunch storage items like mini stainless tins (great for dips or condiments), insulated food thermos for warm or cold food,  and my favorite thing – party supplies.  The volume of waste created at parties is phenomenal.  They have sets of reusable party dishware for class parties, picnics or parties at home – all made of recyclable yogurt containers.  Cool!  Kids Konserve gets a thumbs up from SafeMama.com!

Get Kids Konserve: Pic up any of their items or lunch sets at KidsKonserve.com.  Bonus!  Save 10% off your order with the coupon code “safemama“.

The Earth Day Special for Schools:
Make money or save money – 25% off is for schools that choose to do a Waste-Free Challenge (either the school earns a 25% kickback or each family will save 25%, the school chooses.) Contact christy@kidskonserve.com to get it started.

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