Unless you are lucky enough to send your child to a school with organic lunches and a farm to school program, you probably pack your child’s lunch. We’ve reviewed numerous lunch boxes and lunch systems, but in the end, I usually just grab random items and throw then together in my hurried mornings. Despite my haphazard lunch packing routines, I am really excited about the Munchgear Soup to Nuts Kit (so are my kids who are fighting over who gets to use it tomorrow.
The Munchgear Soup to Nuts Kit made by Citizenpip (such a cute name) is an “everything in one kit” that, in my opinion, provides more flexibility and durability than a Laptop Lunch. The Soup to Nuts Kit includes:
- 1 insulated lunch bag with nametag and carabiner that easily attaches to a backpack
- 1 stainless steel water bottle and insulated food jar
- 4 BPA-free airtight food containers
- 1 stainless steel fork + spoon set
- 5 100% cotton napkins
[read the full article...]
Phthalates, as you know, have been ordered removed from children’s goods, which includes food contact materials. But they’re still found in common items, such as shower curtains, personal body care products, and various medical products, among many other things. Phthalates soften plastic and bind “fragrance” to the products that contain it. [Hint: look for PVC and fragrance, and you'll find phthalates.]
So what’s the big deal? They’re endocrine disruptors, which means they interfere with the normal functions of hormones. Phthalates have been linked to early onset of puberty in girls, obesity, lower sperm count and testosterone level, under-virilized boys, and male genital deformities such as hypospadias (in which the urinary opening is located somewhere besides the head of the penis, like the underside). Whee!
And now they’ve been linked to preterm birth. Makes you wonder if we should kick the chemical out of all products, doesn’t it?
[social_buttons] [read the full article...]
Oh Plah! is French for “Here you go!”. This nifty bracelet is a colorful addition for a fashion forward Mama and does double duty as a toy to entertain a fussy baby. Oh Plah! is free of lead, PVC, BPA, and phthalates.
My kids were always wanting to play with whatever was attached to my body and sometimes we ran out of the house without stashing a toy or two in the bag, so wearing a safe toy would have been a great help in our world.
There are no small or movable parts on this bracelet… it is one piece of durable, flexible material. The bands are designed to stand up to lots of bending and chomping. It can be cleaned up simply by washing in warm, soapy water. In addition to being free of nasty chemicals, this bracelet meets or exceeds all CPSIA regulations and it is made in the U.S.A. [read the full article...]
A Swedish study found that the rate of autism is higher for children in houses that have PVC vinyl flooring. The children in the study were apparently affected by the phthalates that are emitted from the material.
Infants and toddlers who had vinyl floors in their rooms were twice as likely to develop autism spectrum disorder (ASD) than those with wood or aluminum floors.
[read the full article...]
Have you ever had a need for custom printing? Now there is an eco-friendly company that can fulfill these needs. Ecoprintworks uses sustainable organic products, from t-shirts to totes, and water-based inks for their screenprinting. Ecoprintworks is one of the few companies that uses Permaset Aqua, a solvent free, water-based ink from Australia. Most printers use PVC-based plastisol ink. PVC is largely regarded as one of the most harmful of plastics. Permaset Aqua are Oeko-tex certified class I meaning they are safe for children’s garments under two years of age. [read the full article...]
by Derek Markham on February 15, 2009 · 6 comments
In a effort to limit my family’s exposure to BPA and phthalates, I’ve tossed all those freebie plastic water bottles and replaced them with aluminum Sigg bottles. I banned questionable toys. I store and heat my leftovers in glass containers. I took down our cheap plastic shower curtain and put up a fabric one. I even got rid of the rubber ducky.
Frankly, I was feeling pretty pleased with myself.
Until I saw a post this weekend at ZRecommends which shares the results of their research into which brands of food processors and blenders contain BPA, PVC, and phthalates.
As a quick refresher: bisphenol-A, or BPA, and phthalates, plasticisers used to soften PVC, are components found in many common plastics. Studies have linked exposure to BPA and phthalates to hormonal issues such as early puberty and changes in breast tissue, as well as to some cancers.
And while I was well aware of their presence in toys, sippy cups, bottles, food storage containers, and a myriad of other places in the home, it really had never occurred to me that they might also be lurking within the devices I use for food preparation. [read the full article...]
