Garnet Hill has just announced naturally flame-resistant sleepwear. According to product descriptions, these pajamas are made of "55% modacrylic/45% cotton blend that is naturally flame resistant without the use of chemicals." According to Wikipedia, "Modacrylic fibers, first produced in the United States in 1949, are modified acrylic fibers made from acrylonitriles." Modacrylic is flame-resistant; however, it is a synthetic fiber. Therefore, I do not feel Garnet Hill's new line of sleepwear ... continue reading...
Search Results for: chemicals
Don't Panic, It's Organic
There is no doubt that buying organic food is going mainstream, and baby food is leading the way. Organic Consumers Association reports, "Consumer Reports says going organic for your baby is a good choice. Baby food is usually made from condensed fruits and vegetables. This means that the pesticide residue can sometimes be concentrated as well. So you'll get higher levels than in regular food. In fact, studies have shown that children who eat organic food have lower levels of pesticides in ... continue reading...
Recycle Your Undies?
An article in the New York Times got me thinking about my family's clothing consumption and recycling. "Can Polyester Save the World?" discusses the trend of first world people to overconsume inexpensive clothing. Elisabeth Rosenthal writes, "With rainbow piles of sweaters and T-shirts that often cost less than a sandwich, stores like Primark are leaders in the quick-growing “fast fashion” industry, selling cheap garments that can be used and discarded without a second thought. Consumers, ... continue reading...
When Planting Trees is Not Enough
There was an interesting editorial in the NY Times yesterday written by Ken Caldeira, a scientist at the Carnegie Institution’s department of global ecology. He writes about the current trend of companies (like Dell) to plant trees in an effort to offset carbon emissions made during the production of goods. Yes, tree planting is not enough to save us from global warming, however it is a great activity to do with kids. Every spring, we receive overstock trees from the US Forest Service to plant. ... continue reading...
San Francisco Bans Certain Plastic Toys!
Sunday, November 19, 2006 (SF Chronicle) TOXIC TOYS/San Francisco prepares to ban certain chemicals in products for kids, but enforcement will be tough -- and toymakers question necessity Jane Kay, Chronicle Environment Writer Widely used chemicals with suspected links to cancer and developmental problems in humans are present in common baby products like the yellow rubber ducky, bath books and clear plastic bottles, a Chronicle analysis confirmed. The toxic chemicals, which are used to harden ... continue reading...