S.O.S on the Chemical River De-Nial

I have to admit, I like to be an ostrich with my head in the sand as much as the next person. I really do think this is an all-too-human trait. We really don't want to dwell on the possibility that something well, less than optimum may come out of any situation. This is exactly what I did with the information that my Aunt send me months ago.

It was revisited with the CNN article about a toddler being inundated with chemicals and how plastic toys can turn my son into a eunuch. It totally hit home. Looking at my lovely young boy I knew I could and must do a better job knowing what is coming into the house, but I didn't really want to know....do you know what I mean? So, I took a deep breath and took my head out of the sand and took my first step and checked out the Skin Deep website. This organization test skin products to see which products contain harmful chemicals and rates them on a scale of 0-10. They rate shampoos, deodorants, moisturizers, baby products, and for the reason my Aunt initially sent me the link, sunscreens.

Well, it wasn't pretty I can tell you that. My most beloved products came back with many a chemical hazard. Carmex lip balm....(7) contains chemicals found to cause cancer, reproductive/developmental toxicity, on and on...simply terrible. My spoiled rotten Chanel moisturizer...same thing....(7) terrible. On and on it went. The only sunshine I could find on this day was that the soap my son uses, California Baby, was great! I do believe we read something a few years back that prompted us to switch from Johhson and Johnson Baby Wash (surprisingly bad at a 6) to the California Baby (a less worrisome 1). Like all the "natural" products you will have to pay a big time premium for "safety" as a small bottle will cost you $10. A bit steep for sure, the price for sure is worth the peace of mind.

I have to warn you this cosmetics database is completely addicting. I went through tons of products in our home and tossed them out. I felt a tad guilty about the waste, but how could I give these away knowing the reason why I was tossing them. Based on the results I even had to throw away an unopened bottle of Johnson's Baby Lotion! Baby lotion!

This purge joined the trash with the plastic ducks and the more squeezable toys that were in my son's toy box. This was due to the prevalence of phthalates and the new research coming out about the potential health risks, especially to boys. I really sometimes feel like I am turning into a class-A nut, but I think it is just the ostrich wanting to go back to the safely of a nice dark whole in the ground.

This chemical concern had been brewing for a while with me. About 6 months ago I switch my use of cleaning products to stuff I could get at the Whole Foods or other like stores. We love the new dish soap of Seventh Generation Liquid Dish Detergent in lavender and mint. We had bad luck before with a more "natural" product as it really didn't work that well, but this one is great. We also have used the Mrs. Meyers brand of scrub and general cleaner. Nice stuff, but again very expensive. I am really thinking that I need to invest in some spray bottles and make my own cleaning products as was suggested a few months ago by a reader. There are many variations but basically you need baking soda, vinegar and detergent and you got yourself a clean house at a very low cost. Also a word of warning about using air fresheners just don't use them, they also contain phthalates. Surprise huh?

I visited the Organic Mattress Store in Sudbury and was very pleasantly surprised how nice and comfy they were. I am also shocked at what natural latex (from rubber trees)feels like..well it feels like foam. The nice man at the store gave me a little history of why we have synthetic latex made from petroleum. During WWII Japan occupied the Asian producers of rubber and the US needed to find an alternative to the natural latex, hence the latex we are all familiar with today. There is one major problem with the synthetic latex, since it is made from petroleum. It is highly flammable. That is why flame retardant chemicals are needed.

Flame retardant chemicals such as a the class PBDE are a nasty beast. These chemicals are found in breast milk in alarming rates especially in the US and well, it is not really known what harm they can cause (the industry I am sure is not interested in knowing) but it is looking more and more that it can harm brain development and thyroid function. Oh my, my husband and I both have thyroid disease. Looks like we really need to get serious about removing this chemical as much as possible from our home. It is really difficult since so many products contain this retardants. I am going to start with our son's mattress and clothing. No more flame retardants for these. Out with his cute fleece winter pj's :(.

So I did go on a big replacement spree for myself and family. We are definitely going to buy an organic mattress and will just have to suffer through the really high price. They are made in the USA, but you will need to pay the "real" price of goods, not the deflated price of a product made in China. I am trying new shampoos, deodorants, skin cream, lip balm and soon, makeup. I will use them for a while and give you an update on my progress and whether I can stand them for one more day, or if I fall in love with them and they are my new favorite things. I have bought some locally made products as well and will be included in this new "review". Please post any human-friendly products that you love and would recommend!

I know this is really a bit of an intense few entries, but I feel it is so important. I am taking small step towards change and this one really does require a bit of sacrifice. I am not trying to guilt you into anything, but I am alarmed and wanted to let you know. You are my peeps, and we have to look after each other :)

If CNN Covers It...

I know that my last post was a bit alarming and I was a bit overcome with anxiety. I fully planned on writing today a little more upbeat post filled with tips on avoiding Chinese goods, a foodie tip or two, etc., etc. But then, I opened the CNN.com homepage. The top story was on chemical poisoning of children. There goes my upbeat, Reading eco beat.

My friend in NJ has already forwarded this story to her email list as I was reading it. I know this will hit many parents hard. Not only does it cover phthalates, but other nasties such as PBDES, Bisphenol A, PFOAs and PCBs. Now you have to be a chemical engineer to be a parent! Go to the CNN article for an overview of these agents.

So my friends, lets learn. Don't turn away from these fundamental questions about what exactly is in the clothing, toys, shampoo, bedding of our children because it is most unpleasant and horrible to think about. Things can't change overnight, but we can join together to get some answers and change some policies in Massachusetts!

Toys Companies Will Harm Your Babies

You remember the movie the Matrix when Neo takes the red pill and can never again believe in his "reality". Well, after researching the many toxic policies of US governmental agencies in cahoots with corporate greed, is like taking the red pill. The government which I really believed would protect us from harm is actually the antithesis of protector. I have read the most disturbing article called, "Toxic Toys" that is in the Nov. 5th issue of The Nation.

I really think that may need immediate action on your part. Please take the time to read the entire article, especially if you have boys. This chemical class (phthalates) used to soften plastic in baby toys have been BANNED in Europe for 8 years yet the USA continues to be the only "developed" nation to freely allow companies (most made in China) to poison our children! This can totally harm their endocrine system and cause damage to their adulthood. Please go through your children's toys and toss out the one's that are "questionable." Why take the chance with their health?

I am made as hell and I am not going to take it anymore! I will be writing letters to our representatives. Repeat it with me WE ARE MAD AS HELL AND ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE! Please do the same. Perhaps if we can organized we can change things at least in Massachusetts. In the meantime, we all have the power to vote with our dollars. Knowledge is power, my friends!

Greening the Giving

Last Christmas my husband and I literally took away presents given by Santa, wrapped and under the tree, from a blissfully-occupied-with-too-many-other-presents son. We stored them in the attic to be given instead for my son's birthday. Months before the big event, I would put away a little of this and a little of that and well,that added up to a whole lotta-lotta. Now bring in the grandparents and uncles and we have got ourselves present overload.

This year I am a different person. Let's just say I have evolved in my thinking about giving. I was embarrassed that I went so overboard and confessed to a friend of my guilt. She told me she limits her children's gifts to 6. Wow, I never thought of an actual limit as a marker, (right...it seems such an obvious no-brainer) but as it turns out limiting choices can lead to more happiness for both the giver and the receiver. So now I have my own limiting devices....due to current conditions of the toy industry (lead, safety flaw, etc., etc) and my newly developed personal convictions. So my limiters are :

• Locally made is best


• Made in USA


• Not made in China


• China made if it is a necessity and if no alternate is found.
  

So I have been searching and searching for ideas that will appeal to a young child and have come up with some terrific options (not too many!) for the holiday season.

My husband and I decided that my son should have a "big boy" bed instead of his toddler bed, and we have successfully convinced him that he really should ask Santa for one. We found terrific options at Winchendon Furniture which carries many different brands of furniture that are actually made in Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. If you have not been to the furniture stores in Gardner and surrounds, I highly recommend them. They really make it easy to go local if you decide to go that route and I was told by more than one associate that many,many people are coming in and asking about buying American made furniture. As it turns out we went with a set that we found on craigslist.org. It is a Maine manufactured bed, that uses eco-friendly paints, and is being reused by us! How green!

We are leaning towards getting an "organic" mattress due to our concerns over the flame retardant chemicals mandated by federal regulation. I am still early in my research, but I know that there are a few American manufacturers of wool, cotton and latex bedding which includes some Amish makers. This weekend I hope to check out the first such "organic" bedding store in the area. I do know that our ideas for being healthy are going to cost us a lot of "green" as these mattresses are not cheap!

We have also found some bedding that will be perfect for our train fan that is made in Ohio. Oh...I can't resist showing you the train that is made in the USA (see photo) and is available at the same site as the bedding. Great find, me thinks!

Yes, we still believe in toys :) and I think that this really is the largest challenge. A vast majority of the toys are made in China and there are few alternatives that are actually made in USA and even fewer made locally. So, I have had to really solidify my convictions. Is a German toy made in Thailand any better that an American toy made in China? Why? What's the point if they are both travelling so far to reach us here in Reading?

Here's my thinking and of course my very own opinion. Most of the recalls of toys have been manufactured in China and they seem so have a system wide problem that really is quite larger that we can get our minds around. The economic changes have taxed environmental, safety and human right issues to such a point that it poses a danger for everyone involved, but most especially the Chinese people. So in my world it is best to stay away from products produced in China. I have been really please to see that others are of the same thinking and are actively blogging about our options such as http://www.notchinamade.net/ , http://www.nomoremadeinchina.com/ and http://www.chinafreechristmas.info/ . Talk about feeling like the bee girl! I could go on and on about which companies are China-free, but why reinvent the wheel. They really do a great job in helping parents make decisions about their buying and have many ideas for seasonal giving and more.

While you could shop for these toys on the internet, such as Amazon, a great place you may want to shop first is locally owned Mud Puddle Toys in Marblehead. After speaking with the owner I get the feeling that I am not the only one with this new "list" of requirements for buying. In fact, I overheard another shopper asking about "not made in China"...I kid you not. They carry many alternatives to the big toy stores and some are even made in the USA. Take an afternoon and spend some time in this wonderful shopping district with cafes and cute small boutiques and a wonderful old fashioned toy store that wants to tap into the new awareness that parents are experiencing.

Tonight starting at 7:00 p.m. the Masonic Temple Hall on Haven St., is hosting the Newcomers and Neighbors annual shopping night . For the past few years it has been filled with hand-made items from local folks. Last year I bought some local handmade soaps and chocolate sauce. Yummy on both counts. I am sure this year will be no exception to the wonderful array of businesses. So you can get an early start on some of your shopping!

I hope I did not stress you out talking about the holidays and it is not my intention to make you feel guilty about choices you make. I am far from being little Miss Perfect Eco Reading. I still use paper towels like a mad person and I still buy bottled water. (See, I too have my developments in waiting). I just wanted to help do the research about topic that I know many of you have been talking about:)

Peace.

Ant in a Clown Mask

I have really tried to keep these post upbeat and jovial, but underneath my clown makeup lies the the serious face of an ant with a mission. Each day brings a new piece of unfortunate evidence that perhaps I am on to something with sustainability. Perhaps what I try to do with Eco Reading is important.

Such evidence could be that the EPA has approved a new horrid pesticide that Nobel scientists and some 50 others are begging to be banned because of the"potential danger to pregnant women and children, the elderly and farmworkers."

Or evidence could be that really...corporations will kill or maim you for a buck as demonstrated so terribly by Home Depot and the product Stand ’n Seal. Basically this sealer used on tiles will melt your lungs but hey.....this was just a simple mistake, right!?

Or perhaps I can point to the evidence right here in my very own cul-de-sac. Another neighbor has cancer. This makes it 2 on our street this year (that I know of) the first being a teen. I guess I have just had enough of enough.

So you see my Reading friends, things can and do get to me, and I try to combat it by being a good ant and sharing with you the knowledge that had been hard won. There are such happy finds in the sea of bad news and there are folks about us who also want to take a step off this corporate nonsense of profit at all costs.

I have been busy getting prepared for the winter as a good ant should. I am finally going to use all of my freezer space this year thanks to all the food I have collected locally this season. In the past few weeks I have done the following:

• picked and dehydrated apples (Red Apple Farm)
  
• stored my winter squash in the garage (Farm School share, home grown, and Mr. A.)
  
• bought 12 pounds of potatoes from Red Apple Farm


• bought dried beans from the Marblehead Farmers Market


• bought and froze sausages from Drumlin Farm, Lincoln


• froze strawberries, corn, beets (Marblehead, Farm School, Drumlin)


• bought and froze varied pork cuts from Stillman's Farm via Marblehead


• chopped and froze basil in ice trays (Farm School and homegrown)

• bought and froze goat cheese from Crystal Brook Farm (via Marblehead Market)

I have been so very busy! I still need to find some beef so my work is not ending anytime soon! I know that some of you may say...hey you have been spending not only time but a whole lot of green to be "green". Yes, it is an investment upfront but I fully expect that my food bill will go down this winter or at least I hope it to :)

So it is not too late to take stock of your stock and get yourself into an ant state of mind. I have just returned from 7 acres farm in North Reading and he has tons of winter squash and the end of season tomatoes. The farmers market in Marblehead will be going on for a few more weeks, and today there is a farmers market in Lexington until 6:30 p.m. . I am ever so grateful for the friends who tip me off to many offerings in the area and help me along on my quest. I hope that I can do the same for you.

Bring Out Your Inner Bee

I don't know about you but sometimes I really do feel like the bee girl in this video. Perhaps that is why I write Ecoreading. I can talk to my fellow bees and not feel as if I am doing a tap dance in my eco costume and no one really get what I am driving at. Well, I have great news, you too, are not alone. This Thursday evening, the Reading Chapter of Cities for Climate Protection is hosting an event filled with fellow bees. Find out the postive steps that Reading is taking to combat climate change and take charge of making small changes in our community. You can participate with your ideas at "conversations" with other like-minded folks who want to see things get better. So don't be shy and head to the Senior Center this Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. and embrace you inner bee.