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Jan
31
Eco Vessel Insulated Straw Bottle Review (& Giveaway)
Filed Under Healthy Home, Product Reviews | 102 Comments
- Fan/Like SafeMama on Facebook (leave first name, last initial for verification)
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): I just entered to #win an EcoVessel Insulated Straw Bottle from @GLassBabyBottle on @SafeMama http://tinyurl.com/78lg9no
- Wash the cookware with hot, soapy water and a stiff brush. (It is okay to use soap this time because you are preparing to re-season the cookware).
- Rinse and dry completely.
- Apply a thin, even coating of MELTED solid vegetable shortening (or cooking oil of your choice) to the cookware (inside and out).
- Place aluminum foil on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any dripping.
- Set oven temperature to 350 – 400 degrees F.
- Place cookware upside down on the top rack of the oven.
- Bake the cookware for at least one hour. After the hour, turn the oven off and let the cookware cool in the oven.
- Fan/Like SafeMama on Facebook (first name, last initial)
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): Enter to #WIN Clementine Natural Paints from @MyLttlGreenShop on @SafeMama! #giveaway ends 11/18
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): Enter to #WIN Patagonia Shoes from @OnlineShoes_com on @SafeMama! #giveaway ends 10/17 http://tinyurl.com/5shhe33
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): Enter to #WIN a $50 Gift Card from @PurePlayKids on @SafeMama!#giveaway ends 7/18 http://tinyurl.com/42pfhlt
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- Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments): Enter to #WIN a @Naturepedic Crib Mattres on @SafeMama! #giveaway ends 5/24 http://tinyurl.com/6ypazmk
I want to change gears from the dramatic stuff to something a little more fun. I have a ton of things to post in the coming week. So to kick it off, I wanted to talk about sippy cups. Ok I know we have exhausted the sippy cup angle around here in years past but I have fell in love with a new product and wanted to share it with you. Might as well do a giveaway to lighten up the mood and to welcome all my new readers. Hi!
For years we have been firm Klean Kanteen users. I love them. They’re the perfect size and they look cool and my kids like them. My oldest son, when he started school this year, was asked to bring “a drink” to school every day for snack time and for playground recess. I tend to try and avoid juice boxes for school because of a few reasons but mainly, it’s too much sugar and my son fills up on juice and is too full to eat any food. It’s a lose lose situation. So we fill a water bottle for school and he uses that.
We tested out a flip top Insulated Stainless Steel Straw Bottle by Eco Vessel which was sent to me by my friends at The Glass Baby Bottle. This is my new favorite thing. It’s stainless steel, which is what I loved about our Klean Kanteens. But this is a double walled bottle, so it stays cooler longer. The straw top has a flip close mechanism to prevent leaks, which happens sometimes with the sport top on the KK. It looks cool and much more “grown up”. My son is 6 now and not wanting everything to look like a “sippy cup for babies”. The plastic elements are BPA Free and made of recycled materials.
I really love knowing I sent my son’s drink for the day in an insulated bottle so that he can have a cool drink when he needs it. It fits perfectly in the side pocket of his backpack. It comes in 3 colors… Purple butterfly, Dark Blue and Silver (which we have… it’s a neat shade of silver too).
Eco Vessel also makes insulated sippy cups in Pink, Blue and Silver which work with the Avent sippy adaptors like the Klean Kanteen does. I wish the handles were adjustable but I love the insulated feature most of all.
Where To Buy: You can purchase Eco Vessel Straw Bottles at The Glass Baby Bottle… I love to support their shop. It’s a family owned and run business and you are supporting a sweet loving family by shopping with them. They are great people and care very much about customer satisfaction.
Win One!
Because they’re awesome, The Glass Baby Bottle is giving a SafeMama reader their choice of any color Eco Vessel Insulated Straw Bottle!
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Visit The Glass Baby Bottle and tell me in the comments what products you found there that you would love to have or really really NEED!
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Open to US readers only. Entries will be accepted until Feb 08, 2012 at midnight EST. Good Luck!
Jan
20
One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to green my kitchen. I go through the trouble and expense to buy organic food and use safer dishware, but that all goes out the window if I’m using a pan that could be leaching harmful toxins into the food I’m preparing. (I am no Eric Ripert but I do fry an egg or two around here.) I, like you, am skeptical of all the new “green” cookware on the market. Which ones are really safe? Which brand is the best?
Logic Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet by Lodge Cast Iron
Are they really that safe at all? One of the safest cooking surfaces is cast iron. But I’ll be honest here… I tried it and failed miserably. I had one small cast iron skillet to try out and I was clueless on how to season it or store it… it rusted and our food started to taste weird. I knew I was doing it all wrong. I decided to ask Kristen from MightyNest to clear my head on all of it, and she did. They recently added an entire Kitchenware section to their store so I knew they’d be able to help. I’m sharing with you my mini-interview with MightyNest.
Q. There are a lot of “green” pans and cookware on the market. How does a consumer know which ones are truly safer?
This one is tricky as well. The first step is to avoid Teflon, or other conventional non-stick coatings a synthetic polymer called polytetrafluoroetheylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), is a chemical used to bond the coating to the pan. Toxic fumes released from heated teflon-coated pans (at medium to high temperatures) cause enough air pollution to kill a pet bird! These fumes can also cause people to develop flu-like symptoms called “Teflon Flu.”
The “green” pans we have researched say the information is proprietary and won’t disclose what the polymer they are using is. It is still a synthetic coating, although a better option that teflon, I don’t feel like I can fully recommend it since I don’t understand exactly what they’re using. At MightyNest we only sell products that we know everything that is in them, so we haven’t pursued these products. Many companies explain the coating as “ceramic.” You would still want to verify that the pan has no PFOA’s or PTFE’s, and they didn’t simply add ceramic particles to the coating. If you find a “green” pan you are interested in contact the manufacturer and try to ask as many questions as you can and see if you feel comfortable enough with the responses to make a purchase.
Q. What are the best alternatives to nonstick cookware?
Good old-fashioned cast-iron is the best alternative. It it has great heat retention, affordable and is extremely durable.
Q. Do you have any tips on using cast iron? I have a small one and it rusted, what did I do wrong?
Cast iron is a safe alternative to conventional non-stick, but it does require a little more maintenance and it is heavier. We use Lodge cast iron pans. They are made in the USA and come pre-seasoned (with Kosher certified soy-vegetable oil) so they are ready to use. Before cooking, apply a vegetable based oil to the cooking surface of your pan and pre-heat the pan slowly (always start on low heat, increasing the temperature slowly). Another tip is to avoid cooking very cold food in the pan, as this can promote sticking.
Cleaning Tips: After using it, clean your pan (don’t let it sit there for a couple days!) using hot water and a stiff bristled nylon brush (no soap!) – We have a separate brush just for cast iron pans, that way it doesn’t have any soap on it from washing other things. If you have some really stuck-on food you can put some water in the pan and boil it a bit to loosen it up (although I have never had to do this). Also to prevent rust, dry the pan with a towel before putting it away. You may need to re-season your pan if it is not releasing food easily. To remove rust - scour off the rust using a very fine grade of sandpaper or steel wool and then follow re-seasoning steps below:
To re-season a cast iron pan:
THANK YOU Kristen from MightyNest for these great tips and advice on safer cooking. MightyNest carries a wide variety of safer cooking products and accessories. Check out their cast iron selection and their somewhat new Kitchenware section on MightyNest.com. Stay tuned for part of of our interview where we discuss utensils and bakeware!
Jan
19
SafeMama on The Honest Company Launch
Filed Under Healthy Home, Product Safety, Skin Care | 34 Comments
Hi everyone! I’ve been so busy but I am researching my little heart out so bear with me. I have gotten a ton of email from all of my loyal SafeParents on what I thought of the new products that were launched this week by Jessica Alba and Christopher Gavigan’s new company The Honest Company. I have been waiting with baited breath for the launch of their products and I know many of are wanting to know my thoughts…
Are the products really good? Or greenwashing? Is it worth buying? What do you think about the ingredients? Would you buy it? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
I can answer some of those questions, but I have not received any advance samples of any of the products so I can’t give you any first hand information. But I have spent some time reading their website and can provide some insight based only on what they have published.
A little back story… Jessica Alba has been a wonderful representative for mothers everywhere who want and demand better regulation of chemicals in our every day products. As a mother herself she has gone to Capitol Hill to use her influence to lobby for these changes. She teamed up with Christopher Gavigan of Healthy Child Healthy World to bring safer products to the main stream. I love them both for doing this. As SafeMama I really do support their efforts because I know they are coming from a good place… but I also have my loyalties rooted in you, my readers. My obligation is to you, to ensure that you get a straightforward idea of products that you use for your families. So The Honest Company, while I am supportive and happy to see their appearance on the market, will get put through the SafeMama Ringer just like everyone else. No special treatment. First, the positive:
Cleaning Products
I don’t have much to gripe about with the cleaning products. They look safe and effective and have a very limited amount of ingredients which is a plus. The dish soap simply states its made of ”Ingredients: Water & coconut oil derived surfactants”. It seems a little vague but it’s all we can tell so far. I’m really curious to see how they perform. Will get back to you at a later date and possibly a separate review of those.
Diapers & Wipes
The Honest Diapers are adorable and I am curious to check them out. They are made with plant based materials with a core of corn starch and acrylic polymers. The outer shell is comprised of plant fibers and spandex. They are a safer alternative to regular disposables. Do not be fooled into thinking they are biodegradable though. If I had a choice between these and Pampers, you are right in assuming these would be a much safer choice for baby. There are no phthalates from perfumes or dyes and no PVC or chlorine. They look promising if you are not into cloth diapering, these might be a good choice for the price.
The Honest Wipes are biodegradable and they look great, but there is not a detailed ingredients list published so I can’t comment on the ingredients until I have them in my hands.
Skin Care Products
The positive: All the Honest Company skin care products are free of SLS, parabens, phthalates, synthetic fragrances & dyes, formaldehyde, petrochemicals & common allergens. Plus!
I am pretty happy with their approach, using organic ingredients when possible and focusing on making a product that isn’t loaded with petro chemicals. However, in a few products here and there I found some things that I know you try to avoid, as do I, so I might be more selective about which ones I order. (I hate that this is taking on a negative approach but what can I do).
The baby skin care mainly is decent and chock full of lovely acceptable ingredients like Organic aloe and shea butter but did find a few minor things that bothered me. Sodium Benzoate (some experts believe that the presence of a benzene ring mixed with other ingredients, like vitamin C, could create a carcinoenic by product – that may not be the case here but there is a tangerine ingredient and citric acid present with it so I thought it was worth mentioning. Studies have shown Sodium Benzoate to be safe, but because of the other ingredients listed I was weary. ) is present in a few products, the hand wash contains Cocamidopropyl Betaine and Phenoxyethanol - both of which I have struggled with and had many arguments with product makers over the safety of them. I still firmly maintain that they are not ideal. They’re not awful in the grand scheme but if you’re being picky….
These discrepancies are found in the types of products most natural product makers struggle with: Water based products and foaming products. Products that require water as an ingredient are to make the product thinner like lotions. The drawback is that it requires a preservative and that’s where we tend to find trouble. Sodium benzoate is a preservative, Phenoxyethanol is a preservative and so are parabens. Preservatives are needed in water based products to lengthen the life of a product and to keep harmful bacteria from developing.
Products that need to have a foaming action are another one. You need a surfactant to make that luxurious bubbly foam we all enjoy. But many times those surfactants (usually it’s SLS in mainstream products) that are the troublemakers. Companies reached for Cocamidopropyl Betaine as a “safe” alternative but I’ve read otherwise. Some people might not find it troublesome. Some do. That decision is yours.
When it comes to the easier products like Healing Balm, The Honest Company has come through. But safe healing balms and rash creams are easier to find. Theirs is Certified Organic which is a nice bonus. I’m also relatively pleased with their new Honest Sunscreen which uses non-nanoparticle databa zinc. Some will argue that the Vegetable Emulsifying Wax is undesirable and should have a higher score in the EWG Skin Deep database but I don’t have a firm opinion on that yet.
Overall, some skin care products look great, – fantastic even, and others look like they tried and fell short on a few ingredients by probably listening to a chemist that said “phenoxyethanol is better than parabens so you can use that”. Which is correct, but if we’re going for 100% safe we want nothing remotely controversial in our baby’s skin care.
Would I buy them?
So. Again, I respect the intentions of this company… transparency of ingredients and practices, their mission to provide more affordable safer products to parents, is wonderful and I support them in this endeavor. But I always promise, like The Honest Company, to be HONEST with you about the products you use and buy. I will hopefully be able to examine things more closely in the future and I hope this answers some of your questions about what I think of their new products.
I would buy some of their products, yes. Are they perfect? I think that’s an unreasonable expectation. but not everyone agrees with my perspective on things. For some, it might be exactly what they are comfortable with. If it’s a matter of The Honest Company versus Johnson & Johnson … The Honest Company wins hands down every time.
Nov
29
Gift Idea: Safe Yoga Essential thinkSport Yoga Mat
Filed Under Healthy Home, Product Reviews | 1 Comment
I’ve been getting fit this year. Part of that means doing some Yoga which I’ve fallen in love with. I run now (without being chased by a bear) and Yoga seems to align my body and keep things in working order better than I could with any other exercise. So once I started
Yoga regularly, my Yoga mat became more important. Initially I started out with a basic mat I bought at Target because I was too much of a phobe to use the gym mats. It seemed fine at first until I started wondering what it was made of. I had heard that years ago they were all made of PVC… but surely they weren’t made of that now, right?
What I discovered was two things. One is that some yoga mat makers are very careful about how they describe their mats. They rarely say PVC free but almost always brag about being Latex free. Some of the “eco” mat versions tout “Does not contain 6 of the most harmful phthalates”. So, does that mean there are other phthalates in it? The “non-harmful” kind? Others are made of natural rubber. One major brand says their mats are phthalate free but I never see the words PVC or Vinyl free in any descriptions. thinkSport specializes in safe products so I knew this one would be a good bet. I was right. This yoga mat is free of Bisphenol-A (BPA), PVC, Lead, Phthalates, Dioxins, and biologically toxic chemicals. Thank you thinkSport!
The second thing I learned is that I require a thicker yoga mat. The basic mats are 3mm thick. But one kneed or tailbone on a 3mm thick mat makes my body angry. So I needed a thicker mat. I was elated to find out that thinkSport, the makers of some of my favorite non-toxic sport and baby products, came out with a thinkSport Yoga Mat!!! The clouds parted, a rainbow appeared.
I hurriedly brought my new thinkSport Yoga Mat to the gym to try it out. I *love* this mat. Love it. It’s thick enough to cushion my joints and not so thick that its like carrying a tree trunk. The texture is really soft but provides excellent grip for all types of yoga or Pilates practice. Despite being sweaty, I never have slipped. There is no crazy off gassing scent and it looks really sharp. They also have great colors to choose from. I knew thinkSport wouldn’t let me down.
This would make a perfect gift for someone and I plan on gifting this to someone else this year too. thinkSport will be under our tree this year!
Get Yours (Or Gift It): You can find the thinkSport Yoga Mat at Abe’s Market for $39.99. Mine is the Ice Blue color and it’s really pretty and hasn’t shown any dirt or wear and tear despite my regular beatings. You can also get the yoga mat as a gift set paired with a matchin thinkSport Stainless Water Bottle!
Sponsored by Abe’s Market
Nov
8
If you’re like me, you love it when your kids bring home those little hand print painted crafts they make at school. I often wonder what’s in the paint they are putting on my kids hands.
Unless you want to supply the class with natural paint, it’s one of those things you kind of deal with and get over it. But at home, it’s another story. I like to make sure that when I am supervising craft time at home (which I need to incorporate more often, I’ll admit) I like to choose products that I know are not full of petrochemicals and dyes.
I’ve been a long time fan of Clementine Art supplies since I first tried out their Natural Modelling Dough in a play dough showdown I did a couple of years ago. (I also think their Crayon Rocks are nifty and a good stocking stuffer for the kid who has everything) So when My Little Green Shop asked me to do a giveaway of a set of Clementine Natural Paints I was thrilled! If you haven’t investigated My Little Green Shop yet I encourage you to go take a peek. They have an adorable array of kids and baby gifts that make this a great place to shop for unique gift ideas.
Anyway, my little guy and I tested them out to see how they perform. I suited up my son and we went to work. They have the same consistency of a tempura paint and they apply well. I thought they’d be too thin or drippy but they have a nice feel to them and are easily applied to paper or canvas. The colors, in my opinion, are stunning. The set comes with Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, green and Purple but they are less primary looking and have more of a wall color appeal. I would seriously consider using that red on an accent wall in my house. So the shades aren’t traditionally primary but they’re gorgeous. They dry a little lighter and still look great. My little man had a blast painting with them during our test. The only thing I would change is to put them in taller squirt bottles so you could put some colors out for the kids without trying to pour them from the round tins. But really not a deal breaker.
Clementine Natural Paints are made with natural ingredients and mineral pigments so I don’t worry about harmful dyes and petrochemicals. Just having pure artistic fun.
Get Yours: You can pick up Clementine Natural Paints and other safe art supplies and crafts from My Little Green Shop – I love supporting this shop because she truly cares about product selection and is passionate about living green. I hope you’ll support this family run business too.
Win a Set of Clementine Natural Paints
My Little Green Shop is giving away one set of Clementine Natural Paints to one lucky reader!
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Visit My Little Green Shop and tell me in the comments what you found there that would be a great gift for someone over the holidays!
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Open to US and Canadian readers! Entries will be accepted until November 18, 2011 at midnight EST. Good Luck!
Oct
9
I was just discussing the implications of Tide with a reader recently. She asked me “Is it really that bad?”. I’ll be the first to admit that my laundry detergent was one of those things you had to pry out of my hands (and then I cried a little at the thought of dingy clothing). There are safer alternatives to use on laundry that are better for both you and the environment. We could all live without the habitual exposure to fragrance phthalates and chemicals. (Do it for the fish, man.) In fact I even have a cheat sheet with an entire list of options. Some work better than others and some are safer than others when it comes to ingredients.
But one product will forever stand out as the most natural option out there and tons of people swear by it’s effectiveness. That product is Soapnuts. If you are not familiar with these little gems, they are Sapindus Mukorossi shells which contain sapindus – a natural surfactant. Surfactants are what product makers use to make a product create “suds”. This surfactant is inherent in the Sapindus Mukorossi seed shell. They are hypoallergenic, biodegradable, antimicrobial, cruelty-free and ideal for HE washers. Soapnuts clean just as good as a commercial chemical detergent. 1 lb is enough for more than 160 loads of laundry as you can reuse each Soapnut up to 5 times.. You can reuse each nut up to 5 times. To use them all you do it put 5 Soapnuts in a little cloth washer baggie and toss it in with your clothes. That’s it. Lay them out to dry after and reuse. You can put them in your compost pile when you’re done. So cool.
Some people might this this is a crazy way to wash your clothes but it’s really cool and your clothes stay clean and don’t smell like an over-fragranced flower field. (I can no longer stand the smell of regular laundry detergent.)
Where can I get these wonderful things? You can buy Soapnuts in Abe’s Market (160 loads of laundry) or you can get a smaller 1/2 pound bag of Soapnuts (80 loads).
Sponsored by Abe’s Market, one of my new favorite places to shop for natural products.
Oct
8
Eco-Friendly Patagonia Shoes from OnlineShoes.com (Giveaway!)
Filed Under Eco-Mama, Giveaways Coupons, Healthy Home | 199 Comments
Finding eco-friendly fashion can be somewhat of a challenge, especially if you don’t want your wardrobe to look eco-friendly. So when I was introduced to Patagonia Shoe Company, I was really impressed with the quality of their shoes. I have one lone pair of eco-friendly sneakers I bought 2 years ago that I love, but a girl has to have options!
Patagonia Shoes makes comfy functional footwear and uses recycled materials when they can, as well as working to reduce their environmental footprint. They accept all clothing and shoes back through their Common Threads Initiative program that either recycles or repruposes the materials. You simply ship your items back to the company. They even encourage customers to buy or sell their shoes second hand to extend the life of the product. What company does that? One that actually cares, I think.
Right now, in conjunction with OnlineShoes.com, Patagonia is donating $10 to Healthy Child Healthy World (an organization dedicated to creating a less toxic world) for every pair of shoes sold from now until October 17, 2011. So what’s a girl to do? Buy shoes of course. It’s for a good cause…. RIGHT? I am currently sporting a super cute pair of short boots for fall – The Patagonia Addie Ruffle Boot in Peat Moss. They’re constructed of 70% natural hevea latex in the sole and heal and 70% recycled polyurethane footbed. They are stitched from the outside to reduce the need for solvents and adhesives. They are comfy and look adorable with jeans. (That’s the most important part, right?).
How About a Pair Of Patagonia Shoes for You?
OnlineShoes.com is giving one of my lucky readers their very own pair of Patagonia Shoes, along with a copy of the Healthy Child Healthy World Healthy Home Book.
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Visit OnlineShoes.com and tell me in the comments which pair of Patagonia Shoes you like! (I think the trail shoes are awesome too – love!)
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One US winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Entries will be accepted until October 17, 2011 at midnight EST. Good Luck!
Congratulations to commenter #51 Lisa!
Oct
5
I am always on a quest to find the best reusable containers for just about everything. One thing I refuse to do is buy bottled water. It’s wasteful and unnecessary and I just can’t bring myself to spend money on a case of plastic bottles. It pains me. So I rely primarily on my reusable water bottles to get me through work outs, work, and whatever else I’m doing. I try to keep a bottle of water near me at all times. After using a couple different ones I really fell in love with using glass. But it wasn’t always the most convenient (especially at the gym.. have you tried using a wide mouth bottle while working out? It’s not fun.).
I saw on the MightyNest Facebook page not long ago they were introducing the Takeya glass water bottle and I had to try it. It was imperative because it looked so cool. MightyNest sent me one to test out. I was head over heels immediately. Here is what I love about it:
The smaller opening makes this much easier to use at the gym. I really like my Life Factory glass bottle too since you can fit lots of ice in the wide mouth opening. But it makes it hard to use on the go. I spill on myself pretty frequently if I’m not sitting down at my desk. With the Takeya, it’s a better size so I don’t spill half the container down my shirt. The opening is just large enough so that I can put ice in it too. I have an ice maker that makes those moon shaped ice wedges which fit in nicely. I don’t know if big cubes would fit but you could certainly try shoving them in there.
The silicone sleeve is a really nice feature. It prevents slipping and breaking and provides some mild insulation. It comes with a carrying loop and a screw on cap which keeps this puppy leakproof. I’ve had it banging around in my gym bag with no problems with leaks.
It looks cool! I loved the look of this bottle from the start and since I seem to be on a purple/plum color kick right now the purple Takeya fits right into my color scheme. (That’s so superficial but it matters, right?) The Lime green and Blue are pretty snazzy too. I won’t be getting rid of my other water bottles, they still get used. But this one is my little companion for now. It’s just too cute!
I probably don’t need to say it but glass is really one of the best materials for storing liquids. It doesn’t leach any harmful chemicals into your water and is safe to toss in the dishwasher (though I haven’t had to. I just hand wash it and refill). The other materials are all BPA and PVC free too.
Get One: You can purchase a Takeya glass water bottle from MightyNest.com… they have other glass water bottles too in their selection. Use “Safe10″ for 10% off your purchase.
Jul
8
City Planner Blocks from Pure Play Kids (Giveaway!)
Filed Under Healthy Home, Product Recalls, Toy Safety | 181 Comments
I was looking around my house not long ago and wondering how I ended up with so many plastic toys. It shows up and it accumulates. My biggest peeve with most plastic toys is not that it may not be recyclable or clog up a landfill, but that many times the plastic stuff only entertains them for a short period of time.
City Planner Blocks
The bells and whistles and sounds and automatic features don’t really challenge a kids imagination much. It might keep them busy for a few minutes. The toys that keep my two boys busy the longest, are the ones that rely on their imagination like blocks and building toys.
I was recently introduced to Pure Play Kids that specializes in just that. Toys that are designed to spark the imagination and learning through play time with natural toys and games. For review they sent us a set of City Planner Blocks by Haba for the boys to check out. I love blocks and my kids do too, so I knew these would be a big hit. The blocks are made in Europe with beech hardwood and finished with natural water-based lacquers.
The set includes the basic blocks needed to create all kinds of towering cities or low lying structures, and it includes people, trees, dogs and benches to complete the scene. All the pieces are fun (though some are small so the set is recommended for kids 3 and up) but if your kids are like mine, they always come up with their own ways of using building supplies to fit their scenario. My older son (5) created a winding labyrinth of roads to park small cars in and drive through.
My son playing with City Planner Blocks by Haba
On another play day he used them in conjunction with another set of plain blocks we have to enhance a long tunnel into a construction site. They are still in regular rotation around here because they have more possibilities than the Handy Manny Workshop he begged for and used maybe twice. The City Planner Blocks have provided tons of playtime and fun for my son. I will forever stick by my conviction that simple toys are the best investment.
Pure Play Kids has a great selection of toys that are selected because of their safety and their ability to bring out their creativity and imagination at play time rather than just keeping them busy. But the beauty of that is this style of toys will do both. You can expect to see Pure Play Kids on this years Toy Guide come the holidays.
Get Them: You can order the City Planner Blocks set or any of their great toys from Pure Play Kids!
Win!
Pure Play Kids has so generously offered to give one of my SafeMama readers a $50 gift certificate to their shop! Thank you Pure Play Kids!
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Visit Pure Play Kids and have a look around. Tell me in the comments what toys or games you would love to have for your kids (or for a friend/relative)!
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One US winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Entries will be accepted until July 18, 2011 at midnight EST. Good Luck! Thank you Pure Play Kids!
Congratulations Colleen M, commenter #103!
May
11
Kate Ferry of SacredBee.net is providing her debut guest article for SafeMama.com on the topic of Mattresses and Off-gassing. Please read on to learn more from our knowledgeable writer!
The term “off-gassing” has become a hot-button topic when it comes to considering clean air in our homes and environment. Off-gassing, or outgassing as it’s also referred to, is the release of gas that was dissolved, absorbed, frozen or trapped in a material. It usually refers to noxious or harmful chemicals and is particularly worrisome when it occurs in a closed environment with stagnant air.
One of the most common household items that gives cause for consideration to many concerned parents and adults is the bed mattress. Infant and children’s mattresses are particularly important because of the length of time and extended periods that little ones spend sleeping.
When I was pregnant with our first child, I hadn’t delved deep into an eco-conscious lifestyle or avidly perused every known article on toxic chemicals and children’s exposure. I couldn’t reason the need for an expensive mattress or a certain thickness when it wasn’t possible to poll the one who would be sleeping on it and ask her preference. So, the crib mattress we purchased was the “blue light special” on Aisle 8 and it was sufficient.
But, then Beckett was born and our lives changed forever. This life, this shining light, was ours to raise, protect and nurture; and every decision – no matter how minute – was analyzed. Including her exposure to potentially harmful substances and chemicals. Our family embarked on a life-altering journey in January 2010 and began to make our lives and our home “greener”. I began feverishly looking for a replacement mattress. But, the price tags of all-natural and organic mattresses made me shudder. As luck would have it – I snagged a name brand organic, all-natural crib mattress on Craigslist for less than half of the normal retail price and it was brand new!
Here’s the thing – I know I’m not alone when it comes to considering mattress safety and our children. And, I know that I am not the only one that lives on a budget and spends dollars wisely. So, where’s the middle ground between affordability and safety? Is there really a need to consider and spend bigger bucks on all-natural and organic when it comes to mattresses? Is it possible to buy cheaper and off-gas the noxious chemicals? These are questions I’m considering and hope to answer here for you.
Why is off-gassing in mattresses a concern?
There are two portions of a mattress that can off-gas. The first component is the foam and synthetic materials that the mattress is composed of. These include the polyurethane foam, icynene foam and biobase foam. The make-up of polyurethane foam is the primary foundation in almost all mattresses because of its unique quality to remain bouncy almost indefinitely. The polyurethane foam off-gasses “isocyanate” – a key agitator in the making of polyurethane that creates the foam bubbles. Studies have shown the exposure to isocyanate results in headaches and other irritations, but does not have a proven health risk.
The second component are the chemicals used to glue, stain and coat the mattress. Mattresses manufactured in the United States are required to be fire-retardant and the industry standard for complying with these regulations is a mixture of known carcinogenic chemicals. These chemicals include boric acid (used in rat poison and roach killer) and antimony trioxide. Carcinogenic chemicals by definition are known cancer causing agents.
The final component is an indirect result of the fire-retardants and the polyurethane make up of the mattress. The chemicals used in both processes are magnets for fungus and bacteria. These organisms can off-gas some of the most toxic byproducts as they consume these very materials and chemicals.
One of the assumptions people often make about off-gassing is that the “new product smell” is an indication of whether or not a mattress needs to be or has been properly off-gassed. I contacted and perused the websites of five major mattress manufacturers and only one of them acknowledged “a new product smell”. Taking the chemical make-up and potential exposure to toxic substances out of the equation, it would be foolhardy to say that new mattresses do not have a smell. What that smell is and what you do about it are two different questions and at the bare minimum, the idea of “airing” the mattress should be addressed by the companies.
TEMPUR-Pedic, one of the leading memory foam mattress companies addresses the “new product smell” with the following explanation. I certainly wouldn’t call it reassuring.
“Some people notice a slight odor to their new mattress – this can come from our TEMPUR material manufacturing process. This smell is normal and usually disappears before the product reaches you. Sometimes, however, this smell may still be noticeable. It usually disappears after a few weeks.”
What can you do to avoid off-gassing exposure?
There are three different ways to limit your and your child’s exposure to off-gassing chemicals. Each one fits into a different budget and works within your personal level of concern and vigilance towards your exposure.
Keep reading to win this mattress!
The first is to purchase an organic mattress that utilizes natural materials, including wool, to meet the fire retardant regulations set forth in the U.S. The waterproof barrier used in these mattresses is a food-grade polyethylene that provides more than adequate protection against accidents and leaks. The number one choice for organic and natural mattresses out there is Naturepedic. With materials that are safe and non-toxic and a price point of between $250 and $400, the mattresses are relatively affordable.
The second option is to purchase a standard mattress that utilizes polyurethane foam and traditional chemical-based fire retardants. If you choose this option, your best choice is to allow your mattress to off-gas before you sleep on it. How long you choose to off-gas the mattress is up to you. It is impossible to know when the exposure level to the toxins is safe and/or has tapered off because each individual mattress has a different make-up of materials and chemical treatments.
A third option, and the most price conscious is to wrap your standard mattress. You can purchase a barrier that envelopes your mattress completely and blocks, to a certain extent, the chemicals being released during off-gassing. One of the most reputable companies for a mattress cover is BabeSafe.
Off-gassing in mattresses is a very real concern and one that is of particular interest to parents with little ones and those who are expecting. It is a gray subject matter, to say the least, because every single person is different and every single mattress is different. There is no clear evidence or concrete data on the health hazards towards humans from specific exposure to certain brands of mattresses. Tests conducted in Europe have shown serious health effects on animals and they have chosen to phase out traditional fire retardants completely. The single indisputable fact is that carcinogenic substances are being put onto and into standard mattresses as fire retardants. If and how you choose to protect yourself against this exposure is up to you.
WIN!
Want to win a Naturepedic Organic Ultra Crib Mattress? Kate of SacredBee.net has coordinated a lovely giveaway for one of our very lucky readers to win a Naturepedic Organic Ultra Crib Mattress.
Here’s How To Enter (Required):
Leave a comment here telling us something you learned from Kate’s article on mattress off-gassing.
For Extra Entries:(You must leave a comment for each extra entry for them to count and you must have already completed the required entry method above):
One US winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Entries will be accepted until May 24, 2011 at midnight EST. Good Luck! Thank you in advance to Sacred Bee and Naturepedic for this fabulous giveaway.
Congratulations to Toni commenter #170! Thank you everyone who entered and tweeted the giveaway. I wish we could give an organic mattress to everyone!!!
Didn’t win a Naturepedic?
Stop by MightyNest.com or Lullaby Organics to buy your own. Both offer a 10% off coupon on their ads above! That’s a decent savings combined with free shipping.
Lullaby Organics has a good deal going on right now: Use your coupon code for 10% off (code: SAFEMAMA), plus get free shipping and a free organic cotton crib sheet with crib mattress purchase or free organic cotton complete sheet set with mattress set purchase (twin-queen size).
Please welcome our new Guest Writer Katy Ferry! Kate Ferry is a freelance writer living in Custer, Washington. In 2010, her family made the choice to support a more eco-conscious lifestyle by supporting local, buying organic, reducing their waste and eliminating their exposure to toxic chemicals in the home. When she is not at her full-time job number crunching for a local school district, she can be found tending to her beehives, knee-deep in the garden, wrangling in her two-year-old daughter or relishing in the joys of pregnancy with the expectant arrival of her second child in October. You can find more of her work and information on her family’s project on her website, www.SacredBee.net.
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