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Missions We Support

I had a chance to learn about the Hopscotch Kids brand at the Green Soiree earlier this month.  As a girlie girl, I was so impressed with their story and their products that I was excited to share them with you.  I had but one problem.  I have two boys.  Neither of them were willing to sit for me to test the product out so I brought the cute little kit over to my friend April‘s house where she has not one, but two cute adorable girly girls who I had a feeling would be more than willing to sport green nail polish for a few days.  They were happy to oblige and she provided me with great feedback.  After testing the Eenie Meenie Miney Moe out on her sweet 2 year old daughter Tess, here is what she had to say:

Packaging: Adorable!  The polish, remover, and buffer came in a darling little box, stuffed with pink paper shreds and cotton.  The items were all the perfect size for little hands.

Nail Polish: We tried “Eenie, Meenie, Miney, Moe” a rich Kelly Green color.  The consistency of the polish was nice and smooth.  The color was consistent with the bottle after only one coat and the polish dried very quickly… a real plus for childrens’ nail polish.  It’s important to note that this isn’t a long wearing nail polish and meant more for the fun of doing it than for formal polishing.  April said it flaked off in big sheets with the first tub.  Hopscotch Kids suggests painting nails before going to bed so that Hopscotch Kids Water Colors has time to truly bind to the nail.

Noel from Hopscotch Kids says “Thanks for such a great review! We’re so glad April and her girls enjoyed it.  You can get the same lasting results as traditional polish, you just have to prep a little differently. Be sure hands are totally clean and moms should do the buffing and painting. Buff each nail with the rough side of the buffer and rinse and dry well to remove buffing dust. Then apply 2 thin coats of polish and you’re done! Polish will be dry enough to play within 3 minutes. As with any nail enamel, keep those little hands out of water until the polish has cured.”

Polish Remover: This was my favorite item.  It smells nice, and it does the job!  I even removed residual traditional nail polish with it, but it was very gentle.  It did not sting in paper cuts or hangnails like regular remover either… also a plus for a childrens’ product.
Buffer/File: This was more of a buffer than a file.  It was very fine and gentle… no complaints.

Overall: I would rate this product a 4 out of 5, with my only negative comment being the way the polish wears.  My test subject was 2 yr old Tess, and she LOVED the whole thing!  She used the file herself and even painted a fingernail (and finger!) herself!  If your purpose is the journey and a fun experience with your little one, then this product is a great choice.  If you are looking for long wearing nail polish that stays nice for at least a few days or for an event or party, better go with the old fashioned, foul smelling, full of chemicals old stuff!

Traditional nail polish can contain formaldehyde, phthalates, toluene or other petrochemical solvents which are not what we want our little ones exposed to.  Especially considering that more times than not we find our kids with their hands/nails in their mouths. Another plus, Hopscotch Kids Nail Polishes rated a 1 in the EWG Skin Deep Database! Hopscotch Kids is a great alternative to mainstream polishes and would be a great gift for that special little girl in your life.  Only the best for our babes, right?

Win It!

I have a package (pictured above) with one bottle of Eenie Meenie Miney Moe, a Water Colors Polish Remover and a Nail Buffer that is begging to go home with someone else with a cute little girl.  Here is how:

To Enter to Win a Hopscotch Kids Nail Polish Gift Set: (REQUIRED to be elligible)

Visit Hopscotch Kids and tell me in the comments what color you’d love to have for your little princess!

For Extra Entries (Leave a comment for EACH ONE you do or they will not count)

• Fan/Like Hopscotch Kids on Facebook (first initial, last name on Facebook)
• Follow @HopscotchKids on Twitter (Leave Twitter name in the comment)
• Fan/Like  SafeMama on Facebook
• Follow @SafeMama on Twitter
• Subscribe to SafeMama.com via FeedBurner email (you’ll get notifications via email when we update the site)
• Tweet this giveaway (CAN BE RETWEETED ONCE A DAY – Just leave the link to the tweet itself each day in the comments):  I want to #win a Non-Toxic Nail Polish by @HopscotchKids from @SafeMama! #Giveaway ends 9/6 http://tinyurl.com/252seg3

One winner will be selected at random using Random.org. Giveaway open to US residents only. Entries will be accepted until September 6, 2010 at midnight EST.  Good Luck!

Thank you to my good friend April of CoConut CirCle Photography for testing these out on her cutie pie Tess and for providing such great photos!

I was bestowed the honor of hosting a green event this year before BlogHer 2010* got underway, The Green Blogger Soiree.  The 3 Green Angels encouraged me to hostess this fantastic event that allowed a cross section of our powerful green community to gather and connect in a quiet setting before the madness of BlogHer began. Set at the lovely Remi Rialto in New York, we gathered about 50 green voices and a bevy of fantastic sponsors and representatives to trade tips, network, get all green n’ geeky, and put faces to the names of people we have been blogging, talking and working with for years. It was a great group of inspiring women that I was fortunate to be in the presence of.

The 3 Green Angels Photo by Beth Terry, Fake Plastic Fish

Attendees Condo Blues, Green Talk, Mindful Momma, Green & Clean Mom, Crunchy Domestic Goddess, Fake Plastic Fish, and a nice waiter from the Rialto (they were fabulous)

Had to share this one because finally, The Soft Landing and SafeMama meet in person. I love her! Photo by Melissa Moog of Itsabelly

(L-R)Calley from The Eco Chic, Rhoost and Kelly from Diaper Shops and The Cloth Diaper Whisperer Photo by Melissa Moog of Itsabelly

Babies 411, The Social Studies Group, SafeMama, The Soft Landing. Photo by Sommer of Green & Clean Mom

There were so many more attendees and photos of the event so please check out the rest below (note the “cookie” river which I parked my butt next to for a good 15 minutes).

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

We had some amazing prizes to give away, thanks to our sponsors, and the event went off without a hitch (aside from having to lug all the parting gift bags by hand from the neighboring hotel – those were heavy!) and everyone enjoyed participating and getting to know each other. It wouldn’t have been possible without our great sponsors of course so I’d like to take a moment to thank them and briefly introduce them all to you:

ThinkBaby: ThinkBaby creates BPA, PVC, Phthalate, Icky free baby gear like bottles and feeding gear.  Not to mention they just released their fabulous new ThinkSport and ThinkBaby Sunscreen! A great company with a great line of products for kids and baby. They are also the creators of the ThinkSport stainless steel water bottle for kids and adults.

Earth Mama Angel Baby: Everyone knows that being pregnant means you want nothing but the best for your growing little angel.  Earth Mama Angel baby provides skin care and new mama wellness products that are 100% natural and uses Certified Organic ingredients.  You know you’re getting some of the safest and effective products available. From Mom and Baby skin care and breastfeeding aides to wellness and pregnancy teas as well as postpartum care for the new mommy.  If you haven’t given their Happy Mama Body Wash a try, I recommend you do!

Firebelly Lawn Care:  Firebelly offers safe and organic pest control and lawn care,  is something we all struggle with.  Effective and safe is what we strive for and is what Firebelly is all about.  They hope to lead the way in changing the way we care for our lawns and our earth – without harmful and toxic pesticides and fertilizers.  Their six step program aims to help you build your soil profile to make healthy grass and plants!  A fabulous alternative to all that toxic junk.

Scotch Naturals / Hopscotch Kids: Oh how I love this line of products.  I’m kind of a girly girl, so show m a bottle of nail polish and I’m happy. But what makes me happier is when that nail polish isn’t loaded with formaldehyde,  toluene, phthalates and toxic ingredients. Better yet, this fun line is full of cute colors and are all totally safe and have fun colors designed for kids.  They also provide a natural water based polish remover too. Perfect for those cute little girls in your life – and they have party packs!

Zoe B Organic: Zoe B was started by a green mom who cared for our planet and her family.  Valerie Lecoeur designs a majority of her products and also sells trusted and tested brands like Natursutten, Kidishes and Eco Nuts. She is an innovative and trusted member of our green mom community and she’s preparing to introduce the world’s first biodegradable beach toys soon!

Swaddle Designs:  Swaddle Designs offers a variety of swaddling blankets and soft accessories for baby.  Swaddling is an important technique for new babies to help them feel secure and warm (without overheating them!).  Swaddle Designs offers a range of soft and organic cotton blankets made with certified organic flannel.  And these are soft, people. My son has already adopted it and claimed it as his own.

Orbit Baby: Ohhh Orbit Baby!  How I adore thee! Orbit Baby is near and dear to my heart when I went hunting for baby gear that wasn’t doused in flame retardants and paid special attention to materials the way other companies don’t. Orbit Baby uses Oko Tek Certified fabrics and materials as well as organic and PVC free accessories.  They are also implementing a recycling program for those that have outgrown their Orbit Baby.  They generously offered one of their new G3 strollers as a giveaway prize to one of our lucky attendees! Love Orbit Baby!

Plum Organics: Plum Organics is a common item in our house.  My kids love them and so do I!  I seriously don’t know if my kids would ever eat spinach otherwise. Anyway, Plum Organics has a range of baby and toddler food that will satisfy any picky palette. Made with organic ingredients and unique flavor combination, these packets pack a punch of vitamins and minerals our growing babies need. Paired with the innovative Boon Spoon attachment these are on-the-go life savers. From baby food to training meals – delicious, healthy and wholesome is what its all about.  And organic of course!

Beaba: Beaba creates a wide range of innovative baby products.  You might know them best from the Beaba Babycook – the BPA Free steamer and baby food maker and accompanying accouterments like silicone freezer trays and dishware. They also create a range of toys, dishes, and gadgets like bottle warmers and potties! The best part is that they do it all in style and with really wel selected colors.  I can always appreciate kid items with unique colors.

Seventh Generation:  Seventh Generation, where the earth is their “baby”. In case you have been living under a rock, Seventh Generation is a pioneer in the earth friendly arena.  Providing earth safe products like household cleaners that aren’t toxic for you your family, pets or the earth, as well as biodegradable diapers, wipes and household paper goods (love their paper towels for when you need to have a roll handy!).  What we all love the most, perhaps, is their open policy on full ingredient disclosure.

Kinderville: Kinderville is a fabulous company that makes silicone food gear such as food storage jars, freezer trays, ice pop molds and dishware like cups and bowls.  I’ve been lucky enough to check a few of their products out and I have to admit they are sturdy, colorful and fun to use.  All their products are microwave and dishwasher safe and silicone is of course, BPA, PVC and Phthalate free. Kinderville is one of my top choices in dishware.  Their ice pop molds are great!  Kinderville has just released their newest product, divided plates!

Rhoost: I was recently introduced to Rhoost before the Soiree and now all of our attendees have the chance to check them out too. Rhoost creates stylish alternatives to childproofing tools including corner protectors and cabinet locks that don’t cramp your style. I have a review of these coming up next week.  None of their products use adhesives so they don’t wreck your furniture.  Safety, functionality and style… and of course BPA and PVC/Phthalate/Lead free.

The Social Studies Group: The Social Studies Group is a social media research company that has been carrying out primary and secondary research, as well as providing strategic marketing and business consulting services, for close to a decade-and-half. They have been involved with brand names that you would recognize in your kitchen cabinets, on television, etc. They offer social media research services that can add value and help pinpoint your mission as a brand. They can provide customized monitoring of your brand, your competitor, keywords and demographics. If your brands needs focus and a powerful edge against the competition, The Social Studies Group is where you should start.

Itsabelly Baby Planners: Need a baby planner?  Planning for a baby can be a stressful time.  There are so many questions and products to wade through that it can be immensely overwhelming.  Itsabelly can help you wade through it all with their intense expertise in product safety. I recommend their services hand over fist. If you’d rather just take the first step, you can pick up a copy of their fantastic book Itsabelly’s Guide to Going Green With Baby do help you learn about greening your nursery and your baby’s new life ahead. It’s a great resource every new mother should have!

EcoStore USA: EcoStore USA, if you aren’t familiar with them yet, is a wonderful company that specializes in eco-friendly and safe cleaning products that actually WORK.  I can’t say enough positive things about this company.  Their passion for what they do is evident in their products and their attitude.  They love their products, and you should too.  I habitually use their dish soap and laundry detergent for my messy house.  If you haven’t given EcoStore USA a try, I encourage it.

GreenSmart: I have to admit I was a little (ok a lot) jealous of the folks who won a GreenSmart backpack at the Green Soiree! I totally want one!  GreenSmart creates eco-friendly bags (like backpacks, lunchbags, messenger bags and laptop sleeves) that are stylish, functional and of course made of eco-friendly materials like recycled PET bottles.  Their NeoGreene is much more environmentally friendly than Neoprene by using 25% less petroleum, 25% less energy and completely eliminates the need to use toxin laden solvent adhesives to bind the fabrics to the Neogreene. I’m definitely on board with that!

Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families: The Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition represents more than 11 million people including parents, health professionals, advocates for people with learning and developmental disabilities, reproductive health advocates, environmentalists and businesses from across the nation. This coalition is united by their intense concern over  toxic chemicals in our products, our homes, our businesses and our world.  We want chemical reform, stricter testing and chemical standards and we want better control over the toxic substances that are so carelessly used on a day to day basis.  Join them in helping us make the changes this world and our families so desperately need.

Revolution Foods: When I got home I ran out to the store to use some Revolution Food coupons because the first thing my son did when I got home was eat the samples.  Revolution Foods makes delicious organic lunch box snacks that you can feel better about sending to school with your kids.  True I try to send fresh fruit and wholesome items in my sons lunch box but if you need a treat or yummy snack on the go, these are what I plan to reach for. (These would be awesome for party gift bags too).   Whole grains, organic fruit, no HFCS and no artificial ickies makes this snack pass the mommy test.

Green Irene: Green Irene does so many wonderful things I don’t know where to start.  They are an Eco-Consulting firm specializing in helping people green their homes and offices.  Need a green contractor? Ask Green Irene.  Need to find an Eco-Consultant? Ask Green Irene.  Need a green makeover for your home or office? Ask Green Irene!!! And now that have expanded to cleaning products.  They just launched a line of eco-friendly safe home and office cleaning products that work using plant-derived enzymes instead of toxic chemicals.  They are passionate about their work and it shows.

Lunapads: Many of us have reviewed Lunapads before but if you are new to the whole “greening” your feminine care regime I encourage you to check out Lunapads.  Lunapads, distributors of The Diva Cup, have a full line of reusable and stylish pads and panties.  These washable cloth menstrual pads are the way forward to ditching disposable products forever. Not only better for the environment, but better for your health too.  Have an eco-positive period!

Thank you to all who attended and to our sponsors for making it all possible and so eco-fabulous. I was truly thrilled to be the selected hostess and hope we can do it again soon.

*The Green Soiree was not in any way affiliated with BlogHer.

Having two kids, and two dogs, and a whole lot of in and out foot traffic, I hate having carpet.   It makes me feel grimy and dirty and it holds pet odors, dander and hair like crazy.  Unfortunately, when we bought our house, 3,000 square feet of hardwoods were just not affordable.   So, we replaced the old worn carpet for new, just so that my new baby didn’t have to crawl around on other people’s funk.

Fast forward three years later, and my carpet, well, it smells like dog, and dust.   Our carpets are cleaned regularly but you need something to keep them smelling fresh in between.  And you can do that safely and effectively with this quick tip:

What you’ll need:

A large shaker container.  You can re-purpose your old grated cheese container, which would be perfect for this, or an old spice container that has larger holes.

• 1 cup of baking soda
• 10-20 drops of your favorite essential oil.

That’s it.   Put the baking soda into the container, add the essential oil, and shake to mix it all up.   Sprinkle it on your carpet and rub it in.   Let sit for maybe five or so minutes to let it absorb the odors and then vacuum up.   Your carpet shouldn’t smell overpoweringly like essential oil, but it definitely shouldn’t smell like stale dog, either.

Another quick tip is to make sure you clean your vacuum regularly.    We live in a day and age where vacuums are so disposable.   My mother blows through one every six months to a year!  That’s insane to me.  I think of all of those vacuums piling up in landfills.  You can make your vacuum last so much longer than that.   We bought our Dyson Animal 5 years ago.   Sure, you say, for the price you pay, it should last that long.  Yes, it should, and it was entirely worth the price we paid for it, but it’s not without a little elbow grease.

Every six months, I not only clean out the hepa filter, I disassemble most of the vacuum (anything that has tubes or anywhere dirt gets trapped), and I give each part a good scrub in super hot water and soap.  Any tubes, I soak in hot water and a little bit of bleach.  Not a lot, just a little.  I let the parts soak over night, and then give everything a good thorough scrub.  I have a vacuum that looks and works as good as the day I bought it.  I don’t have to waste money on a new vacuum, and I keep another one out of the landfill.  It’s a win for everyone.   You don’t have to have the Dyson to do this.  Just remember:

• Clean or replace HEPA filters according to the manufacturers recommendations.
• thoroughly wash all tubes and hoses at least once a year.
• always inspect the brushes every six months to make sure there’s no lingering hairballs that are making it work ineffectively.
• Never let a bag or canister go beyond the fill line.  The vacuum has to work harder, putting strain on your motor.

Got any other tips to keep your carpets fresh or your vacuum running smoothly?  Leave ‘em in the comments.

My green friends will all nod in agreement that making your own home cleaning products is a cinch… it’s just a matter of having a few items on hand.  There are literally thousands of uses for the basics and it’s a worthy investment for those on any kind of a budget because a little will go a long way.  Instead of buying expensive hand soaps (that may or may not contain chemicals or contaminants) you can easily whip up your own.  Picture spending $6 on a hand soap at Whole Foods and then picture spending about that same amount of money on a few key ingredients that will keep your hand soap dispenser filled for months on end (instead of a few weeks).

This morning I whipped up some Lavender and Sweet Orange hand soap in less than 30 seconds and here’s how to do it.   You will need liquid Castille Soap .  For this I used Dr. Bronner’s Lavender Pure-Castille Soap which you can buy at Target, Whole Foods, health stores, or online.  Target carries tiny 1 ounce bottles, or you can purchase the bigger bottles (I recommend getting the Unscented Castille Soap if you go that route).

Essential Oil – You will also need Sweet Orange essential oil for this particular recipe but just about any essential oil will do, especially if you are using unscented castille soap…. just think of the possible scents you can concoct.  You can pick up essential oils at health food stores and online.  What’s great is a few drops go a long way so it lasts forever and has many many uses. Other oils I keep handy for DIY recipes include Clary Sage and Tea Tree (have antiseptic and antibacterial qualities), and Lavender.

Water – distilled water seems to be best for this kind of thing but I just use filtered water because hello, I have 2 kids, I don’t have time to distill water, and I would rather not buy it and waste more packaging.  I’m just washing my hands not performing surgery.

Foamer Pump – You can easily re-purpose foamer pumps from old hand soaps or you can buy them.  I haven’t had a foamer soap in my house in a long time (I said goodbye to dial ages ago) so I bought a 3 pack from Bubble & Bee last time I bought shower gel. You can also buy on Amazon.  I hate to buy extra plastic but these get used over and over and it eliminates the need to buy more stuff.  You can make any number of things to use in foamer pumps like body wash, shampoo, etc.

Do It Yourself:

• 6 ounces water
• 1 Tsp – Tablespoon Lavender Castille Soap (you can adjust this amount to how much soapiness you prefer)
• 8-10 drops of sweet orange essential oil
• Shake gently, the end. (You’ll want to give the bottle a brief shake before each use to remix the oils evenly… nothing crazy just a one, two shake will do it)

This is gentle on skin and smells really fresh.  I keep this near the sink in the kitchen… I like orange and citrus scents in the kitchen which is great for after handling fragrant food like garlic or onions.  It’s super gentle too which is key for those of us washing their hands all day long.  Between diaper changes, nose wiping and cooking I wash my hands 57 times a day. Hi sandpaper hands.

This is just one of a zillion possible combination that can be achieved.  Earth friendly, bio-gradable, chemical free, gentle and safe for everyone. Happy Sunday everyone

I have some great news! You may recall we did a review and giveaway of a CitizenPip Waste Free Lunch Kit a while back.  We loved it (and still do). Part of the deal was that CitizenPip offered our readers a discount code and promised to donate $300 on behalf of the blog/site with the most coupon codes redeemed between 11/1/09 and 12/31/09.  And that’s us!  Thanks to our readers making their discounted purchases, we get to choose one of three charities that will receive $300.  Thank you to those who helped make that happen!  Since you were the ones responsible I’ll let you decide.

Poll is open until Friday!

Looks like the people’s choice is Healthy Child Healthy World!

It is my absolute pleasure to introduce you to a company I just recently learned about, CitizenPip.  CitizenPip specializes in waste-free lunch supplies that are safe for you and the kids.  I know what you’re thinking, “Not another reusable lunch box“.  Ok yes but I really adore so many things about this product that I had to share it with you.

CitizenPip makes adorable (for kid or adult) insulated lunch bags made of all safe materials.  The “bag” which is more like a lunchbox shape is deeper than conventional lunch boxes (much deeper than our old Crocodile Creek) so it fits containers better and there is no shoving or smushing involved.  They have 3 cute designs with chic colors.  For review, we received a Lunch Bag and a Soup-to-Nuts kit to put it to the test.  I sent it to school with my almost 4 year old who really knows how to beat stuff up. Better yet, all the items are BPA, PVC, Phthalates, and Lead free so no worrying about any of that.

The Soup-to-Nuts set comes with 4 airtight BPA Free plastic containers, one of which is the right size for a sandwich. THANK YOU CitizenPip.  One of my biggest peeves about these new reusable lunch systems out now is that they hardly ever come with a container to fit a sandwich!  In my son’s lunch I fit a full sandwich, a cut up apple, grapes and some Annie’s Bunny Crackers.  It also fits a big stainless water bottle so I got everything in there without any trouble.  The Soup-to-Nuts kit also comes with an insulated food jar perfect for warm or cold foods, a stainless set of utensils, and a set of 4 cotton napkins.

What I loved the most: Deep lunch box, perfect size food containers, stylish, and safe (All items are BPA, PVC, Phthalate and Lead Free!).  Even better is my kid liked it too.  A couple of the teachers that supervise after school lunch-bunch stopped me to say how much they liked his lunchbox and wanted to know where to get it.  Thumbs up!  We’re CitizenPip kids here now!

Get

You can purchase a CitizenPip Waste Free Lunch Kit on CitizenPip.com.  And from now through 12/31/09 use the code “SAFEMAMAgives” on orders over $50 and get a free fork+spoon set (just add them to your cart before checkout).

Give

Citizenpip will plant one tree in partnership with Trees for the Future for every $10 spent.  AND, Citizenpip will donate $300 on behalf of the blog/site with the most coupon codes redeemed between now and 12/31/09.  How cool is that?  We can choose from one of these green non-profit organizations:

• Trees for the Future
• Environmental Working Group
• Healthy Child Healthy World

Win

One lucky reader will take home a CitizenPip Square Meal Kit!  Here’s how to enter:

Visit CitizenPip.com and tell us in a comment on this entry which lunch kit you like the best! (We have the “Eat” lunchbag and we love it!)

For extra entries (leave a separate comment for each extra entry, leave links to your tweets/buttons):

• Follow @CitizenPip on Twitter
• Follow @SafeMama on Twitter
• Re-Tweet this Giveaway: Win a CitizenPip Square Meal Waste Free Lunch Kit from @safemama (http://tinyurl.com/yjtfot7)
• Add our SafeMama button to your blog or website

Giveaway Closed!

Despite refusing to sit on the Easter Bunny’s lap at a local mall (and frankly, I don’t really blame him), my son has become slightly obsessed with all things bunny-related lately.   Aside from a few cookies, I’m planning on filling his Easter basket with some toys and books, and while I generally try to stay away from purchasing stuffed animals (I swear those things multiple like…well, bunnies) I figure a stuffed bunny is in order here.

Lots of toy stores are featuring bunnies right now, not surprisingly, but I am always reluctant to buy a toy that’s filled with mystery content.  So I turned again to miYim.   Back when we decided to wean my son from his beloved pacifier at bedtime, I was looking for a stuffed animal that he could cuddle with instead.  Specifically, I was looking for an organic stuffed animal.  I found a monkey at miYim that fit the bill.  Organic stuffed animals tend to be firmer and “less plush” than their synthetic counterparts, but so far my son hasn’t seemed to care about that.  So I was happy when I found a miYim bunny at my local toy store and found a couple more online.

There’s the BabyVictoria Plush Bunny, the Baby Victoria Knit Bunny,  and the Victoria Plush Bunny plus the Bunny Lovie Blanket and  Bunny Crib/Stroller Toy for the youngest of bunny-lovers.  All miYim products are made with organic and natural cotton materials.  You can read more about their product safety here.

Get It: Check the miYim website store locator.

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.

PuddleGear: 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.

What About Boots?

Most 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.

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.

I 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.

We’ve been getting a lot of emails regarding Method Baby products, since they were released last year.   At least 3-4 a week.  At first, we wanted to do a little more research on them, and then, as we discovered more about them, kept putting it off.    But we can’t really hide behind the curtain anymore about Method.

After looking through the ingredients, I, personally would choose a different brand.    I haven’t heard anything back regarding whether or not they use phthalates after repeated attempts to get a confirmation.  I could just be asking the wrong person, but the scents, when I’ve smelled the products, to me, aren’t associated with anything natural.  Green apple is an artificial scent.   They also use benzyl alcohol, which gets a 6 in the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.    And while there are a few natural ingredients in there, there are some ingredients that are rated as zero, but it’s because there’s no research to the ingredient itself to show otherwise.   Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride.  Does that sound like something that you find in a grassy field of poppies?

Is it a better, “safer” choice?  We don’t have a concrete answer, given the lack of data to the ingredients listed.   I realize that this is something that might be disappointing to a lot of you.   Method is easily available and generally inexpensive.   However, the more we learn about Method’s products, the more we starting to see that they’re not exactly as clean as they make themselves appear.

I’m a firm believer in getting what you pay for.   If a company promoting natural “green” products is going to go the route of putting cheap chemicals in their products,  then in my opinion it’s not worth it.   There are tons of great brands out there that truly want to make a product that’s safe and effective.   I also realize, that in these tough economic times, we’re all on a tight budget.   You can find alternatives (or inexpensively make your own) out there that won’t break the bank.  This is also another instance of why we tell our readers to learn to read labels.   Learning to decipher them takes time, that’s true.  But if at first glance, you can’t pronounce half of the ingredients on the label, ask yourself if it’s worth it.

Update: From an environmental chemist at the Method Home company:

“Regarding your point about phthalates – we specifically require that no phthalates are used in all method products – both in packaging and in formulation. This is even more important in the baby products given the developmental risks of phthalates. In fact the first line of our fragrance design guide is that they must be free of phthalates. For fragrances we rely on blends, such as the one used for the green apple scent, to be designed to be safe for babies. The question is less whether the ingredients come from nature or not, but whether they cause allergies or other adverse reactions in use. By carefully selecting approved ingredients, we can be sure that the fragrances and formulations will be safe for people and the environment.”
SafeMama Response: “We are happy to hear that Method doesn’t use phthalates in their baby products!”
“Benzyl alcohol is a component of a very gentle preservative system, that works well and can be used at below 1% of the formula. The cosmetics database, although a good general resource, does not contain any information about specific uses of the ingredients they review, nor the level at which they are used. To make sure we best understand any ingredient we use, we work some of the best material scientists in the world – Dr Michael Braungart and Bill McDonough and their teams at EPEA and MBDC. The assessments we get from them inform our health and environmental understanding of every ingredient and are more detailed resource than the cosmetics database. We’d be happy to share the assessments for the baby ingredients with you if you’re interested – they do get very technical, from skin irritation potential to processing concerns to biodegradation and allow us to be very confident of ingredient safety.”

SafeMama Response: “This is what we know about the ingredient: [From Chemical of the Day] Benzyl Alcohol can act as a skin sensitizer, and, according to a 1998 study can ‘can instigate immune system response that can include itching, burning, scaling, hives, and blistering of skin.’  It is also a known neurotoxin. It rates a 7 now in the Skin Deep database. ”

‘As for the Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride – you are right, this is a detailed name. The ingredient indeed does not come from poppy fields – it comes from natural guar beans. This ingredient is made by converting the starch from the guar beans to make it effective as a thickener and as a conditioner, even when used in low percentages. This is a safe, non-toxic ingredient that is naturally derived and effective.”

SafeMama Response: “What we are curious about is how these guar bean is “converted”… I can only assume it is converted by the use of a chemical interaction, correct? We have all been told “It comes from a plant, don’t worry about it”  when in reality, it started as a plant and then was pulverized beyond recognition through the use of chemicals and could now be contaminated by that processing.  Nitrosamines, formaldehyde and 1,4 Dioxane come to mind…”

We are waiting to hear back on these points…

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