Recycled Crayons for Valentine's Day

On a recent trip to the supermarket, I took a stroll down the valentine aisles.  Holy Canoli, that’s a lot of garbage is all I have to say about the experience.

The good news, amongst the THREE aisles full of valentine-y JUNK, I located 3 different boxes of eco-conscious Valentine cards (the little classroom trading cards).  Each had a different earth message, one was about saving the rain forests, another was about recycling, and the third was about animals.  They were labeled as using recycled paper and soy based inks.

I still wasn’t convinced to buy them.

We like to make our Valentines around here… it goes hand in hand with our handmade holidays theme.  In the past we’ve made heart shaped playdough, used pencils to anchor a paper greeting, and made traditional doily heart cards.

This year, we’ve decided to reuse all the (hundreds) of crayons we have laying around the house.  I purchased a heart shaped silicon mold (which we will use for all kinds of projects and goodies).  It was $8.00.  Since I have four school aged children, it was less expensive than packages of paper cards.  I opted for silicon because its much easier to push the new crayons out… and easy to clean. (You can find molds and tins at thrift stores and yard sales.)

Next, we simply removed the wrappers and broke up all the scrap crayons we had.  Then when placed them into the mold, baked at 200 degrees F for about 20 minutes and allowed to cool.  The trick for me was to place the mold onto a cookie sheet, this helped prevent spillage when moving.  Once the crayons reached room temperature (about 30 minutes), I popped them out and started the next batch.

For the “card”, we are cutting heart shapes from scrap paper… cereal boxes make great firm backing, then we cut another piece that has one clean side and glue them together (printed sides facing in).

If you want to get really fancy, tear up a bunch of scrap paper and use it to decoupage the cardboard hearts (mix glue & water, and simply paint each torn piece of paper to the backing, overlapping for desired look). I don’t recommend the decoupage option if you have to make a lot of cards… it is a bit messy and time consuming, but the finished look is adorable!

Then we wrote on the back of each heart and attached a crayon to the center using a piece of rolled tape. The good news is… not only are these cards recycled, they are also recyclable!  The crayons will hopefully get used down to nubs and then can be melted into new shapes, the paper cards can go right into the recycling bin.  Another tip is to include a short how to paper so that parents can make their own crayons in the future.

Have a Happy Eco Valentine’s Day!

Photo Credit: Yours truly.  The card on the left is a cereal box backing with decoupage scrap paper, the card on the right is a cereal box backing with Sunday comics on the front.

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Recycled & Fun Valentines to Make With Your Kids is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Photo by sonyaseattle

Stop the erectile dysfunction commercials!

Ugh, it happened…after years of seeing erectile dysfunction (ED) commercials on TV, my eight-year-old daughter finally asked, “What was the commercial about?” I told her to ask her father, but he wasn’t home, so I was stuck. I’ve always been honest, so I told her it had to do with penis problems (not bathtubs).  She went, “Eewww,” and that was that. I was lucky she didn’t ask me what kind of penis problems.   Really, I’m surprised she hasn’t asked before now with how prevalent the commercials are on TV.

Beyond personal annoyance at seeing men talk about their penis problems daily on TV, I think it is really inappropriate these commercials are not limited to adult programing or late night.  In fact, why do we think it is ok for our children to be confronted with any pharmaceutical commercials?

If consumer products weren’t so heavily laden with chemicals, perhaps erectile dysfunction would not be such a problem for men.  BPA has already been linked to ED.  According to Green Living Ideas:

Grim news about BPA is constantly emerging. From heart disease to aggressive behavior, this endocrine disruptor is found in everyday products from tin cans to water bottles. Now men have something to fear from the chemical used in many plastics: sexual dysfunction.

According to new study published Human Reproduction, a peer-reviewed journal, exposure to BPA in the workplace can cause male reproductive problems.

Well, I suppose we have a few more years before my five-year-old son asks questions about Cialis and Viagra. That may or may not be a more difficult conversation to have.  I also wonder how much these ED commercials contribute to male paranoia about their sex organ’s eventual failure and how that may contribute to the distorted views of sex present in much of American society.  OH, just stop the erectile dysfunction commercials on TV!

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Green Mama’s Rant: Stop Erectile Dysfunction Commercials on TV! is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Taken from “What’s the Big Deal with Idling”
by Stephanie Hastings–President at Naperville for Clean Energy and Conservation

According to the U.S. EPA, the personal automobile is the single largest polluter. Motor vehicles are responsible for about half of the toxic air pollutant emissions in the United States.

But what about when our cars are idling?

When our vehicles idle the combustion of fuel in our engines is incomplete. Incomplete combustion causes our vehicles to create more tail-pipe pollution than when our vehicles are traveling at normal speeds. Believe it or not, idling for just 20 minutes generates the same amount of hazardous emissions as driving nearly 320 miles!

It is safe to say vehicle emissions are unsafe and that unnecessary emissions are even more of a concern around schools. A Respiratory Health Specialist from Edward Hospital (Naperville, IL) spoke on the topic of vehicular emissions and this is a summary of what she had to say:
• Consistent exposure of vehicle emissions can cause a decrease in lung function, most commonly seen in elderly adults and children.
• As children grow, their lungs and lung function grow along with them and substances in the air they breathe can decrease the potential their lungs may achieve.
• Pound for pound of body weight, children breathe 50% more air than adults (e.g. breath at a faster rate)
• Children’s breathing zones are lower to the ground where exhaust tends to accumulate.

Again–because emissions are heavier than air and have the tendency to spill out onto the ground around our cars. Children’s breathing zones are not only closer to the ground than adults, but some schools’ “fresh” air intake vents are both low to the ground and in close proximity to where buses and vehicles line up during the drop-off and pickup procedure. In the cold winter months the heating units within each classroom control how much outside air is brought into the classroom. Illinois state law requires these units to pull in at least 10% of outside air at all times. Thus, contact with harmful pollutants and particulate matter can be present both near the street and inside the school’s classrooms.

Idling at school drop off and pick up wastes 1 gallon of gas per week per car and dumps 19 lbs. of CO2 into our air? According to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (Florida Section) restarting a V6 vehicle consumes approximately the same amount of fuel as idling for five seconds. Therefore, idling is worse than restarting your car, so let’s all cut our engines whenever we can. It will not only improve the air quality in and around our school for the students and teachers, but it will also save us a little coin. And these days, keeping our kids healthy and saving money is a big deal.

Joe’s footnote: For readers of Jennifer Lance’s wonderful website, EcoChildsPlay, this article falls under the ‘preaching to the choir’ category. ECP readers are typically not the ones idling when (or even driving to) pick up their child(ren) at school. Therefore, as with any other informative article on ECP, share this with as many “others” as possible. This article would do well to be sent to PTA Presidents, principals, teachers, idlers, etc…

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Idling During School Pick Up Bad for Kids, Earth is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Carbon Capture and Storage or has Elvis already left the building?
Follow Joe’s cartoonery at JoeMohrToons.com and on Twitter at @GreenCartoons.

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Hank D and the Bee: Carbon Sequestration is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Can you imagine having to quit school because you have begun menstruating?  That’s exactly what faces many girls in Uganda.  A donation to Globalgiving can change that.  Just $30 “buys sanitary pads for one girl for one year ensuring that she stays in school”, and I just made a donation on behalf of Eco Child’s Play (ECP).

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

Many rural Ugandan girls drop out of school at puberty because of a lack of sanitary pads, teen pregnancy and early marriage. Only 38% of today’s kindergarten girls in Uganda will complete primary school. Only 13% will attend secondary school. This project will improve access to education for poor rural girls in Kabarole District, Western Uganda through peer education programs, improved sanitation and the self-sustainable production of locally produced, ecologically friendly sanitary pads.

Activities

We will keep girls in school which in turn will affect the entire community through local production of cheap, ecologically sound sanitary pads, training to student to act as peer leaders about reproductive health, and much more.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $57,029
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $142,971
Total Funding Goal: $200,000

This project is part of the Kasiisi Project, which has built many schools in the area.  One way they are empowering girls is not only providing eco-friendly maxi pads but also reproductive education:

b) Girl’s Reproductive Health

i) MakaPads

In 2009 Vanderbilt University students Alice Bator and Sarah Quirk, directors of The Kasiisi Project Vanderbilt, interned for month on the MakaPad project in Kampala. MakPads are locally produced sanitary pads made from papyrus paper. The aim of The Kasiisi Project Vanderbilt is to start production of this sustainable, affordable source of sanitary pads in Kabarole. Trials of the new pads are underway in Kasiisi Project schools.

ii) Peer Education

The Jane Goodall Institute (Uganda) runs programs that train girls to be a reproductive health resource for their friends. Children mostly learn about sex from their friends. The peer counseling program takes advantage of this avenue of information and helps ensure that the facts passed on are correct. Kasiisi Primary School has girls who have taken this training. Alice and Sarah carried out interviews to determine the level of knowledge of reproductive health issues, ease of access to accurate information and support, girl friendly latrines and washing facilities and adequate supplies of sanitary pads and underwear. Their data will be used to improve and extend both the sanitary pad and peer education initiative.

Some of the questions young girls asked Alice Bator show the great need for sex education:

Q: Is it ok to sit in the sun when I have my menstrual period?

Q: My school gives me pads, but what do I do when I go to secondary school. I cannot afford to buy one for myself.

Q: Is it normal to get my period for more than 3 days?

Q: If someone with HIV coughs on me, can I get it?

Q: Can I share clothing with someone with HIV, or will I get HIV?

Q: If I count the number of reeds on my wall can I decide how many days I will get my period?

Q: I only have one pair of knickers and I have to walk to school when I have my menstrual period. I do not have pads at home and by the time I get to school my knickers are spoiled and then I have nothing to wear with my pad. What should I do?

From the start, ECP has felt it important to give back to the world.  From Kiva loans to donations to organizations like Women for Women International, we’ve tried to make small gifts occasionally in an effort to be socially responsible. We are proud to help support school girls in Uganda buy purchasing them eco-friendly menstrual products.  I wish I could buy locally produced maxi pads from natural fibers.

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Affordable, Eco-Friendly Sanitary Pads for Ugandan Girls to Stay in School is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Author’s note: This post was written by Elyas Bakhtiari, a freelance writer we’re happy to have under contract at sustainablog.

Have you ever heard someone use the phrase, “I want these floors so clean you can eat off them?” Before taking them up on the offer, you might want to ask what cleaning products they used.

Most hard-surface floors and stained carpets are cleaned with conventional chemical cleaners that can be toxic and incredibly bad for the environment. Cleaning products are responsible for nearly 10% of all toxic exposures, especially for small children, and are largely the reason that the air inside a typical home is 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside. A 2002 U.S. Geological Survey found that 69% of U.S. streams contained persistent detergent metabolites and 66% contained disinfectants. Our efforts to keep our homes clean are ironically making our air, water, and general environment dirtier.

Steam cleaners are a growing green alternative to conventional chemical cleaners. Instead of the nearly 63 synthetic chemical products found in the average American household, steam cleaners rely on just two ingredients–heat and water–to deep-clean surfaces without sacrificing the pathogen-killing effectiveness of chemical cleaners.

Is there an environmental trade-off with steam floor cleaners?

There are certainly environmental consequences associated with the manufacturing of commercial steam cleaners (as with any product). And the average model consumes quite a bit of electricity: it takes between 1,200 and 1,500 watts to heat up water to cleaning temperature.

They also aren’t cheap. A multi-functional model, like the Eureka Enviro Steamer, is nearly $225. Handheld and portable steam cleaners are available for much less, but their utility is limited.

But when you consider the hidden economic costs of conventional cleaners, you’re getting a deal. In addition to polluting our shared air and water, chemical cleaners are associated with long-term health risks as well, including asthma. These risks aren’t priced into the cost of chemical cleaners, but they should be.

Steam cleaners won’t be the right tool for every cleaning job; however, a combination of steam cleaning and environmentally-friendly cleaning products (which are made from natural ingredients) can virtually eliminate the need for synthetic chemicals.

If you plan on eating off your floors anytime soon–or more importantly, if you have small children who already do–it might be time to make the switch.

Elyas Bakhtiari is a freelance writer currently working with long-running blog and green shopping site sustainablog.

Image credit:

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Steam Floor Cleaners: A Greener, Healthier Alternative? is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Photo by Steve Snodgrass

Toxic Dump in Kings County, California causes birth defects.

As a parent of a child that was born with a birth defect, you ask yourself “Why?”  In most cases, there are no clear answers, but for families in Kettleman City, California the cause may be a toxic dump.  A federal inquiry of the dump has been launched by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has followed suit by calling for a “a thorough investigation” by state officials.

Aided by the environmental group Greenaction, residents filed a lawsuit to stop the expansion of the toxic dump in January 2010.  In addition to the lawsuit, the group had been putting pressure on the governor to investigate “one of the nation’s largest hazardous waste dumps” for causing the birth defects in the community.  The Silicon Valley Mercury News reports:

Schwarzenegger’s intercession comes more than a year after activists petitioned state agencies to investigate whether a large toxic dump near the community might be causing cleft palates and other defects among the mostly low-income Latino residents.
The dump, operated by Houston-based Waste Management, is the largest hazardous waste facility west of the Mississippi.

Community members say that five babies out of 20 live births in a recent 14-month period had facial deformities. A review by the Kings County Public Health Department found that six of 63 babies born over the same period to mothers living in the town had various birth defects.

According to the official governor’s press release:

The investigation will include interviews with families in Kettleman City who have children with birth defects, the scientific review of soil samples and a full examination of medical records. CalEPA will be present to assess possible environmental contaminants in the air, groundwater and soil that can cause birth defects.

I wish the families in Kettleman City luck in finally bringing toxic dump owners to justice and ensuring a healthy environment for their children.

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Schwarzenegger to Investigate Poor Latino Children’s Birth Defects From Toxic Dump is a post from: Eco Child's Play

It’s natural for parents to be protective of their children.   Some parents clearly lack this instinct, but often the pendulum swings to overprotection in many families. Little Johnny can’t climb trees because he might fall and break his arm, or Little Johnny is not allowed to use a knife in the kitchen because he might cut himself.  Of course, we need to protect our children, but Peter Cornall, head of leisure safety at the UK’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, explains that taking risks “great learning benefit“.

The discussion on the benefits of dangerous activities for children was prompted by the publication of Fifty Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do). I have not read this book, but it provides risk-taking activities for children that help them decipher between what is really dangerous and what is simply “unfamiliar”.  Author Gever Tulley explains in the Telegraph:

Of course, we must protect children from danger but when that protection becomes over-protection, we fail as a society, because children don’t learn how to judge risk for themselves.

Let children practise climbing trees, and they will learn to do it safely. If you never let them climb a tree, they will eventually do it anyway, possibly in the most unsafe manner. Or they may never do it at all, which might be the greater tragedy.

I don’t want my children licking nine-volt batteries, but I do think there is some truth to the thought that we need to learn from experience.  Often, children brought up by overprotective parents are the ones that rebel harder in high school and do do dangerous things like binge drinking, drag racing, heavy drug use, etc., in my experience growing up.

Cornall goes on to explain:

We have almost transferred the occupational health and safety model to children’s lives, but childhood is about learning to develop and overcome fears. It is important that kids learn what stings, what hurts, what is slippery and so on.

We live in a society that is strongly influenced by fear.  Children need to grow up with a reasonable sense of fear, instead of doubting their abilities and shaking their confidence when faced with the risks of living.  Finding that balance of protection is important in parenting.  We don’t want our children to get hurt, but we don’t want them to lives controlled by irrational fears.

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Parenting 101: Danger has “Great Learning Benefit” for Children is a post from: Eco Child's Play

Photo by accent on eclectic

Even organic produce needs a thorough washing.

Editor’s Note: The following post originally appeared on Healthy Child Healthy World’s blog. We feel very strongly about this non-profit’s mission: “We are igniting a movement that inspires parents to protect young children from harmful chemicals. Eco Child’s Play is partnering with this organization to share valuable content with our readers.

The FDA says that all fruits and vegetables, including those that are organically grown, could benefit from a thorough washing to remove soil, surface microbes, and pesticide residues. While food safety experts admit there’s little chance of getting really sick, they still recommend that people with compromised immune systems or developing immune systems (fetuses and children) should thoroughly scrub all produce.

Here are some quick tips for prepping your produce.

1. Look for produce that’s not bruised or dented. These blemishes are pathways for pathogens.

2. Wash your produce right when you bring it home. It’s easiest and most efficient to wash everything at the same time. Store produce away from other foods like meat or fish that could contaminate them with microbes.

3. Skip the soap. The US FDA advises skipping soap since fruits and veggies are porous and can absorb soaps or detergents. Most experts agree that a quick water rinse works just fine. If you’re more comfortable going the extra mile, use a non-toxic wash. Or, make your own by filling a spray bottle with 1 Tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar for every 2 cups of warm water. (Vinegar washes are not ideal for soft skinned produce like peaches or apricots). Spray, scrub (or rub briskly), and rinse.

4. Use a scrubber for produce with firmer skin, like carrots, potatoes and squash.

5. Wash foods with inedible peels. Even though you don’t eat the rind, it comes in contact with your cutting board and knife, which will touch the fruit that you will eat. And, don’t assume that pre-cut fruit is any safer. Who knows where employees’ hands have been?

6. Consider tossing the outer leaves of leafy greens, such as lettuce and cabbage before washing. And, even if you purchase greens that say “pre-washed” or “triple-washed,” it doesn’t mean it’s free of pathogens. Wash it again for good measure.

7. If you’re on the go, you can wash your produce in a public sink or purchase non-toxic disposable wipes, like those from our Trusted Partner Eat Cleaner, specifically intended for washing produce.

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Wax, Pesticides, and Pathogens: Quick Tips to Prep Your Produce is a post from: Eco Child's Play

GREENWASH ALERT!

1.  Small Steps Recycled Paper Products

Marcal Small Steps motto is “Paper from paper, not from trees”.

For over five decades, Marcal has been saving trees and reducing landfill by making its paper products from recycled paper.  Marcal uses paper collected from curbs in residential neighborhoods in cities and towns across America; from the small blue baskets in office buildings, unwanted junk mail, and waste from printers; all in an effort to do something good.

Small Steps makes:

• Recycled Everyday Napkins
• Recycled Hypoallergenic Facial Tissues
• Recycled Dinner Napkins
• Recycled Paper Towels

Would I buy these products? No, even though purchasing recycled paper products is a “small step”, removing these unnecessary products from our homes is better step for the environment. I shamefully admit to buying recycled paper towels, but I seek out unbleached ones and they last in our home a very long time (except when paper towel loving grandparents visit).  We occasionally buy facial tissues too, but this is pretty rare.  Cloth napkins are so much nicer than paper ones.

Editor’s note:  Thanks to one of our readers who commented below, we were alerted this may be greenwashing on the part Marcal.  The EPA asked the company to pay $1 billion for pollution clean up of a New Jersey river, and the company filed bankruptcy.  Small Steps may be a genuine effort by the company to go green, or it may be simply greenwashing in an attempt to change the polluting image of the company.  Given the company quote above that they have been saving trees for five decades, I strongly suspect greenwashing.

2.  Derma e Very Clear Natural Facial Products for Problem Skin

Whether you are a teenager or an adult like me that sometimes has blemishes, natural treatments for problem skin are the way to go.  Using Tea Tree, Willow Bark, Rosewood, Lavender, and Chamomile, these products are soothing to the skin while still addressing blemishes and break outs. All of these products are made in the USA.

• derma e Very Clear Problem Skin Moisturizer: “Derma e Clear Skin 3 Problem Skin Moisturizer is a daily moisturizer that provides a proper balance between moisture and oil, thus preventing clogged pores and bacterial infection while hydrating the skin.”
• derma-e Skin Care Very Clear Cleansing Scrub: “Derma-E Very Clear Cleansing Scrub 4 Oz. Removing dead skin cells to unclog pores is essential for healthy, balanced and clear skin. This gentle yet effective scrub utilizes Aloe and Apricot Kernel Meal to exfoliate skin. Used once or twice a week, this formula will help draw out impurities, resolve bacteria and stimulate new cell growth for clean, clearer skin.”
• derma e Very Clear Spot Blemish Treatment: “Unburden your skin of bothersome blemishes with derma ® Very Clear Spot Blemish Treatment. It uses natural extracts and oils to reduce harmful bacteria and pore-clogging oil without causing dryness, peeling, or irritation.”
• derma e Very Clear Problem Skin Cleanser: “Punishing your acne-prone skin isn’t the answer. derma ® Clear Skin 1 Problem Skin Cleanser uses effective, natural antibacterial agents combined with skin-soothers to reduce excess oil and harmful bacteria without irritating your skin.”

Would I buy these products? Yes, they are priced similar to other natural beauty products ($10-$20), and although I cannot vouch for the claims, when I have a breakout, I am willing to try anything.  Also, these products have low scores on the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep database ranging from two to three.

3.  Leather Work Gloves for Children

My son is a little helper. From the garden to the woodshed, he’s out there with us doing all of the chores of country living. We have bought several pairs of cotton work gloves in the past, but these gloves never fit right, get lost, aren’t like Mommy and Daddy’s, don’t last, are not very protective, etc. It seems only fair to give children real tools, like leather work gloves.

Young children want to help you carry garden clippings, clear brush and weeds, and do other work in the yard. Sturdy, well–fitting leather gloves protect their hands and help them grip tools firmly.

Would I buy this product? Yes, I actually did. I bought a pair of these gloves for my five-year-old son and am very happy with their quality.  Plus, they only cost about $5.00.  Of course, if you are a vegan, you would want a cloth alternative.

4.  My Professional Workshop Wooden Toy Tool Bench by HaPe

Might as well continue the working theme! This tool bench is my son’s absolutely favorite place to hang out when playing.

Big building projects call for big workbenches and that’s the idea with My Professional Workshop. The 78-piece set includes an abundance of screws and wood pieces to construct things with the hammer, screwdriver, vice, and ruler.

We’ve reviewed several toys by HaPe in the past, and all of them have been extremely well made and of high-quality.

Would I buy this product? Yes, I actually did.This is a big ticket item (about $100), and as a parent, I have always been hesitant to shell out the big bucks not knowing if it is really a toy my child would play with or not.  For my son, this toy was worth every penny. We’ve had our workbench for two years now, and the interest has not worn off. We have added other tools to it along the way, and it consistently promotes extended creative play.

5.  Glob It On:  Natural Paint Colors Made From Organic Plant Extracts

Every child’s art supply comes with the assurance that it is “non-toxic”, but I have often questioned how true this statement really is; however, I don’t question the toxicity of Glob It On Paints!  This may be one of the coolest products we have reviewed in a long time.  Made from organic plant extracts, Glob comes in powder form that you mix with cold water to the desired consistency.

Finally, eco-friendly paints made from natural ingredients. Created with a focus on sustainability, these water-based paints and pigments are biodegradable.
GLOB™ is made from colors found in nature.  Our botanically crafted products are colored by fruits, vegetables, flowers and spices.

The vibrant pigments in GLOB™ have been used by different cultures throughout the ages in artists’ paints and body products.

Using cosmetic and food grade ingredients, our products are truly non-toxic.

GLOB™ paints are unmatched in quality and environmental synergy.

The colors are truly vibrant, and the paint mixes up easily.  I enjoyed painting with our Glob samples .  Mixed up paint needs to be stored in the refrigerator, because they are truly all natural, but you can easily just mix up a little at a time based upon your needs.

Would I buy this product? Yes!  Yes!  Yes!

Disclosure:  The products described above were sent to us as free samples, unless noted differently in the review.  Prior assurances as to the nature of the reviews, whether positive or negative, were not given.  No financial payments were accepted in exchange for the reviews.  The reviews reflect our honest, authentic opinions.

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5 Green Products: Greenwashed Recycled Paper Products to Natural Paint Colors Made From Organic Plant Extracts is a post from: Eco Child's Play