Eco Child’s Play

Here in Los Angeles kids go back to school just after the Labor Day weekend. I’m finishing up the shopping for school supplies and clothes. Shopping for lunchbox items has been a little more complicated. It’s no secret that I’m a big Tupperware fan but Tupperware doesn’t fulfill every need in this house.

The good folks at Enviro Products sent over a stainless steel food container. I was a bit skeptical at first, because my son is the only one who packs a lunch and sometimes these things are too difficult to unlatch. It turns out I had no reason to worry, the latches are firm but easy enough for an elementary school boy to maneuver and there’s no metallic taste. It’s a large container, and I’d love to see one that’s sandwich sized, because that would keep the sandwiches from flailing around and falling apart. It’s perfect for pastas grains and fruits. My kids seldom want soft skin fruits like peaches or nectarines in their lunch boxes because they’re ruined (smashed) by lunchtime. Read the rest of this entry »

In an unprecedented move, one of the lead researchers who tested Gardasil has spoken out against the vaccine.

Dr. Diane Harper tested Gardasil through Phases II and III of the trials and was part of the media blitz behind it, publicly touting its ability to prevent HPV.

But now, she cautions parents to be well aware of the risks and effectiveness before they decide their daughters should get the shot, according to CBS.

The rate of serious adverse events on par with the death rate of cervical cancer. Gardasil has been associated with at least as many serious adverse events as there are deaths from cervical cancer developing each year.

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My kids love to cook… Mama doesn’t always like the mess and I often think, “I can do this so much faster by myself“.  That said, I’m trying to get better about bringing the kids into the kitchen with me.  A recent fun food project we created were Natural Soda (pop) cupcakes.

The resulting treats are very springy in texture, similar to a sponge cake with a light flavor from the soda choice.  We use chicken eggs but go sans dairy and gluten due to Celiac and allergies.

Warning: these are not low in sugar or fat, so bake at your discretion.   Soda Cupcakes:

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Do you put an infant to sleep on its belly or on its back? Over time, the advice on how best to prevent SIDS with infant sleeping positions has changed, yet parenting magazines have not kept pace with the changes.   Do these misleading images negatively affect parents in choosing the safest sleep position for their infants?  Pediatrics, the official magazine of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is concerned. Read the rest of this entry »

A flurry of emails has been flying around the web warning that cell phone use could be risky business for you and, if you have one, your baby. As an avid multitasker who has mastered talking on the cell phone while doing ten other things, baby in hand, I decided to do a little research to see, well, what the research says.

After poking around on this issue, I can tell you that I’m worried. I’ve passed a few of the articles I’ve found to my husband and he’s so worried that he is planning to deactivate our wireless router and hard-wire both of our computers this week-and he’s constantly turning my Blackberry off. This causes a bit of bickering given how dependent I’ve become on that damn little device. It’s the number I use for my consulting business, I use it for email and texting when I un-tether myself from my computer, and, like most people, my friends and family try me there first. Now, friends think I’ve forgotten them and clients think I’m a flake because I don’t answer their calls and don’t return messages for days until I’ve discovered them (my mommy brain can’t seem to remember to check messages if my phone isn’t on to tell me that I have them). The bickering stops as soon as my husband says “Would you rather scramble little Emerson’s brain?”

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Here in Virginia, health officials are pushing the vaccine that protects against HPV. As the Washington Post reports, the Commonwealth wants Gardasil administered to every girl entering the 6th grade. Parents here can opt out simply by refusing to give their girls the shot.

But fears of adverse affects still abound. This month, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that in the 2.5 years between June 2006 and December 2008, there were

12,424 reports of side effects, or 54 reports per 100,000 doses given. That included 32 reports of death, or 1 per 1 million girls vaccinated, though it’s unclear whether the vaccine or something else was to blame.

An NPR report also stated that we’re not sure how many of those deaths were due to preexisting conditions in the teen girls, such as blood clots:

All of these people had a known risk factor for having blood clots. Most commonly was that they were on some sort of estrogen birth control. But obesity, traveling, immobility and some of these people had genetic risk factors for getting - for having blood clots, as well.

So…we’re blaming the girls for their deaths? For their previously unknown medical conditions? Not only are we as yet uncertain of Gardasil’s safety, we also have no clue about its efficacy, especially long-term.

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This week at the CDC’s National HIV Prevention Conference in Atlanta, the government agency will discuss whether to recommend routine circumcision for all baby boys to protect them from the disease.

Research is split on whether routinely cutting boys at birth will protect them from sexually transmitted diseases, including AIDs and HIV. Most research points to a decrease in diseases only in high-risk populations where such diseases are prevalent.

One of the groups lobbying against such a blanket recommendation is Intact America, a newly-formed group in the U.S. with the aim of lowering the circumcision rate.

But those who state simply that “circumcision prevents STDs” may need to get their facts straight.

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Everybody does it.

Now do it a little greener, make a 2 minute video and win a chauffeured night on the town for two, compliments of Astroglide, along with two gift baskets full of sexy, eco-friendly goodies and Astroglide gear to spice up the night. Read the rest of this entry »

Since I’ve been working with Goddard Child Development Centers I’ve become very aware of the ways that a good daycare center can be greener. Goddard (who is co-sponsoring The Top 10 Eco-Toys Contest with Eco Childs Play) has worked hard to green their day care centers. Many of my colleagues in the Green Moms Carnival are looking at ways to green the centers that their children attend. And our editor, Jennifer Lance published some guidelines back in January.

But it’s Back-To-School Time so it’s time to take another look. My list focuses on easy things that you and most daycare centers can do to make life just a little greener.

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Like most families, you’re probably being bombarded by the media regarding swine flu: precautions, symptoms, and the availability of the shot.

First, you need to know this: most widely available doses of the swine flu vaccine will contain thimerosal, a mercury-laden preservative that has been removed from most vaccines on the Recommended Immunization Schedule over fears of neurological effects.

Also, there are ways you can protect even the littlest members of your family, without giving them a vaccine.

What? It’s either stock up on the Tamiflu or line up for the vaccine? Not so fast, there…

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