Level headed information hits the airways

I was so pleased to hear a civil conversation on the Leonard Lopate show on WNYC yesterday. He interviewed Yale professor, John Wargo who has written a new book on environmental exposure and toxic load. I am eager to read this book and see if it is as immediately available as the author was during the interview yesterday. It becomes clearer to me every time I hear an expert discuss this topic, yet I am reminded how utterly obvious the basic concepts are. Ironic that this interview came the day after a new report suggesting that autism is now as prevalent as 1 in 100. Tragic, but not surprising. I hope you'll visit this site and take a listen.

The Diaper Dilemma

I was recently listening to a public radio interview with an individual who has worked on environmental issues her whole life. I admire this woman because she has taken a bold stance on sustainability and was in the game before it was fashionable. So I was totally shocked to hear her say that she uses disposable diapers. (hear the needle scratching the record) What?

Now, I don't know what her situation is and I work not to judge this particular choice because there are a number of elements that go into it. But that can be challenging for me given what my family has done in this department. So let's focus on that as the example rather than speculating on why an environmental activist would choose disposable diapers.

We knew we wanted to avoid the waste of disposable diapers. I had also read about the questionable materials and thereby the chemicals in disposable diapers. I wanted my daughter to have natural fibers against her skin as much as possible. I also liked the idea of Elimination Communication so my kid didn't have to sit in her own waste much. Supposedly disposables work so well at keeping baby dry, that potty training can be even harder when the time comes. I hated the idea of spending gobs of money supporting companies that perpetuate disposable diapers and frankly, didn't know how often we would be able to take the garbage down our 4 flights of stairs.

So we decided we'd do cloth diapers and hired the local diaper service (which in my understanding is NOT more eco-friendly than disposables because they wash them 10x). I don't believe they exist any longer and given our experience, this is no surprise. We started laundering them ourselves when our daughter was about 7 weeks. To my big surprise, this was not the traumatic and cumbersome process I thought it would be. Admittedly, diaper needs change as time goes by, but generally the purpose and process are the same. Using EC, we had some weeks when we hardly used a few dipes a day, other weeks when it seemed we went through our whole stash. The point is, it's really not that much more work than taking out the garbage and making it to the store to buy a big box of stuff you'll throw away. What is the big deal about 1-2 extra loads of laundry per week? And we don't even have laundry in our building, so for us, it includes hauling them down the block to the laundromat.

If you're at the point in your pregnancy where you're pondering this decision, or if you've had it with diaper rash and the stink of plastic pants, consider good old fashioned Chinese prefolds and the fabulous *new* diaper covers. No pins, no fuss. Or you could get fancy and try the all-in-one diapers or pocket diapers. And if you are committed to elimination communication and the time is right, you can graduate to trainers that make potty stops when you're out and about a breeze. Laundering is easy too, but you do need to modify your technique and detergent to make it gentle enough for baby.

We very occasionally will use a disposable if we're out for such a long time that carrying enough clean (and then used) diapers isn't practical (like when we fly), but even that is hard for me. We use Tushies brand because I have read they are the safest.

I wish couples knew that this was completely feasible. If we can do it in a 5th floor walk-up, anyone can.

All Stainless Steel Bottles NOT Alike

Just when you thought you had your bases covered, new information comes to light. It has been reported that SIGG water bottles until recently were coated with plastic. Really? When you know that your customers are paying a premium to buy your product in large part because you are trusted to make safe, reliable products and you decide its worth it to undermine that? What a big disappointment. Of course, it also reminds us that knock-off products may be the same.

EWG comes through again with information and action. Check out their letter to SIGG and request for a bottle exchange program posted on Huffington Post. Tree Hugger.com has an excellent article with information on other types of aluminum bottles and what were found with testing. SIGG reports that their bottles tested safe, meaning no BPA was found to leach. But what if the bottle is dented causing the plastic coating to open up? How long does it take for this coating to degrade? What if one uses this bottle for other types of liquids that react negatively with the coating causing it to break down?

Bottom line is that if I'm going to bother hauling around an aluminum bottle, it's to avoid having to drink out of a plastic one. Though SIGG stopped lining their bottles in 2008, for me it's damaged the brand name perhaps irreparably.

Other options for bottles that I understand are not coated with plastic:

Klean Kanteen

Green Bottle

Camelbak

The Water Geeks

Hazards at the Laundromat?

I've known for a long time that choosing a laundry detergent that doesn't contain petroleum products was a green idea. And foregoing dryer sheets, softener and bleach are also healthier for the environment. But I didn't realize the full impact of the choice we make when it comes to our laundry.

Living in an apartment, I have used a laundromat now for almost 10 years. The sickeningly sweet smell of massive fragrance I'm hit with when I walk through the door is disturbing at best. Really, I made my husband do the laundry for most of my daughter's infancy because I refused to keep her in the laundromat for an hour inhaling so much scary stuff.

For the last 5 years, we have opted for safer soap. But I just realized that the brand I thought was a good option contains optical brighteners. Listed as 'cellulose optical brightener' it's one of the easier ingredients to spot on the label. My understanding is that this bonds to the fabric (and potentially your skin?) and reflects light making you see clothes that are brighter and whiter. I understand that much of the UV protective clothing on the market is treated with optical brighteners as well.

We have had to choose our detergent carefully when caring for cloth diapers. Certain ingredients can leave residue that reacts to urine and can cause painful rashes on baby, so it is important to know what's in your soap for lots of reasons.

I'm all for clean clothes, but I believe that we use far too much laundry science in the process. We have to remember what re-enters our water supply as well as how chemicals that are next to our skin all day long might be doing to our hormonal health.

Some detergents that make it easier to avoid the scary stuff (petrochemicals, surfactants, optical brighteners, phosphates, dyes and perfumes) are:

Ecover

Bio-Kleen

Seventh Generation

Earth Friendly Products ECOS

These are becoming more and more available in grocery and box stores. Labels can be misleading and many corporations are greenwashing their products, so be careful what you purchase.

Yes, many of these products are more expensive than other options. But I believe most of us use more soap than we need and thus end up with more soap residue in our clothes. When fragrance from the person who used the wash machine before me ends up on my clothes, it seems an excess! So perhaps the compromise with a more expensive product is to adjust the amount used per load and stretch it out.

Grist has a concise piece on the subject complete with product specs and costs.

Good People, Good Products

I had the distinct pleasure of speaking to a group of super moms (and a couple dads) recently on how to minimize our exposure to everyday nasty stuff.

I reached out for the help of some companies that make really excellent products and I'd like to thank the following for the information and support they provided. Check them out!

Motherlove (products for the new mom)

Dr. Bronner's Castile Soaps (castile soaps)

Jade & Pearl (sea sponge tampons)

Glad Rags (reuseable cloth feminine products)

Boon (bpa free plastic bath toys)

Preserve (bpa-free toothbrushes)

Natracare (organic feminine care products)

Healing-Scents (cosmetics and essential oil products)

Klean Kanteen (stainless steel bottles)

BornFree (bpa-free baby bottles, sippy cups and teethers)

Stones of Healing; Nursing Necklaces and Wellness Jewelry

Lifewithoutplastic.com (stainless steel containers, plates and cups)

Zosimos Mineral Make-up (cosmetics)

Organic Grace (organic mattresses)

Laptop Lunches (safer ways to send lunch to work and school)

Poofy Organics (natural cleaning products, toiletries, cosmetics and more)

Many thanks!!

Morning Cup of Plastic Joe

Everyday I come across something new I hadn't thought about that might be contributing to my toxic load. Today, I realized that no matter what kind of coffee maker I use, the piping hot brew is poured through plastic before spilling into my cup. Sounds minor, but think about how many years most of us have at least one cup of coffee every day. If you don't make it yourself and your lucky, you drink it from a cardboard cup with a PLASTIC top. Now I've strained to get organic, fair-trade coffee only to consume unknown chemicals as it comes through a plastic strainer.

Because plastic is everywhere (and truly, it is unavoidable for most of us) I have to make the extra effort to think of new ways to manage things.I happen to use a French press to save energy and because I'm infinitely impatient when it comes to my morning coffee. So I lift the plunger enough to pour the coffee without touching the plastic. If you use an automatic machine, take the top off the carafe before you pour. I don't know the chemical make-up of the plastic used in these products. It's always fairly hard. One suggestion I found was a Chemex Coffee Pot. When I get tired of lifting up the plunger, I'm going to have to try this. Hey, every little bit counts.

Plastic, plastic, plastic!

Bisphenol-A is a hot topic these days. Recently, Connecticut and Minnesota passed legislation that bans the sale of baby bottles and sippy cups made with BPA. Chicago and Suffolk County (NY) have also made similar efforts. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has done exceptional work reporting on this very issue. I was initially made aware of BPA by the outstanding work (that I believe has prompted the vast majority of publicity on the subject) of Environmental Working Group which offers a quick-tip sheet on avoiding BPA.

While this legislation is a good first step, it begs to be expanded. Everyone knows that kids put everything in their mouths and babies, when teething, chew on everything. So it would make sense to get plastic out of the way of our children in everything from baby bottles to spoons, toothbrushes and toys. Perhaps with the reshaping of CPSIA we will finally get to a safer place for products our children use but I can only imagine that will take a long time to fully transpire.

Manufacturers (as usual ahead of lawmakers) won't miss an opportunity to profit and are now offering new non-plastic options for baby bottles, sippy cups and tableware. I particularly like BornFree's stainless steel bottle and Sanctus Mundo's stainless steel meal set. It is the best not to have to worry about the chemicals that might be leaching off plastic into my babe's food. If she flings it off her tray, it won't break. And if her sippy cup is in the sun while we're in the park, I don't have to worry about the plastic heating up and off-gassing into her water. The biggest drawback to stainless steel is its weight, but so far that has not posed any challenge for us. (Though I'll admit I did take a hit to the toe during a particularly energized moment.) I like BornFree's bottle over others because the spout is made of BPA and phthlate free plastic. I can't wait for Klean Kanteen to come out with their new sippy cup. It was said to be schedule for release in June, but that hasn't happened yet.

We have a pacifier clip that we use to keep select items from flying out of my daughter's stroller. While it is primarily wood beads, there is one small plastic connector piece. Guess which piece she likes to chew on the most? Ironic, I know. So if given the option, I know she'd go for plastic to chew on. We have opted for regular table spoons, cool washcloths and wooden teething rings to help with her teeth pain.

So my question is, when are we just going to ban the use of these toxic chemicals completely instead of spending an enormous amount of time, energy and money picking individual products on which to apply new rules? Perhaps because a straight line has not been drawn between exposure to bisphenol-A and disease, this issue has not be considered a matter of public health. Why should chemical and product manufacturers profit while their products may be endangering the health of their customers?

Without legislation, where does that leave those who don't know about the dangers of BPA or who don't have the means to choose higher priced and safer products?