Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Posted by Janelle Sorensen
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When Christopher was writing the Healthy Child Healthy World book, he referred to his wife as being a lighter shade of green than him. I thought it was a clever way to talk about where people are on the spectrum without judging who’s doing more or less. Every shade of green is beautiful because every act of green-ness is an act of goodness.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Posted by Janelle Sorensen
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While the federal government drags its feet on chemical regulation and manufacturers and health groups continue to spar on human safety, Wal-Mart has suddenly emerged as the new FDA. Good news for Arctic animals who are finally experiencing a decline in their toxic body burden, but US kids are still at risk from coal, food coloring, and living near busy streets. In the end, global warming may be our biggest health threat.
• Surprise, surprise, the US is Lax on Chemicals. Thank goodness international trade is forcing manufacturers to assess safety according to the stronger EU rules in order to be able to continue selling there. Will they sell us the good stuff, too?
• The EPA currently tests drinking water for 90 contaminants. After reviewing 7,500 other contaminants, they have identified the worst 129 things that they’d like to test your water for. These include pharmaceuticals and chemicals used in cosmetics, perfumes, automotive coolants and pesticides. The list also covers explosives such as TNT, and rocket propellants that fuel the space shuttle such as perchlorate.
• Chemical companies and health groups spar on human safety as Congress continues to review an amendment to ban phthalates from certain products. The situation has been deadlocked since last December.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Posted by Healthy Child
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Our friend Jane McKay from TruKid, an all natural skin care line for kids, explains the difference between traditional sunscreens and their newer, safer counterparts.
When choosing the safest sunscreen, it’s not only important to know which offer the best protection without relying on toxic ingredients, it is also important to understand what the terms “micronization” and “nanoparticles” mean.
Most of us are familiar with the white noses of lifeguards and parents using non-toxic sunscreens are used to the ghostly pale residue left behind after a good slathering. This whitening is caused by zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, which create a powerful physical barrier to the sun’s rays, but it is cosmetically unacceptable to many people. Historically, in order to sidestep this undesirable result, chemical absorbers were developed to replace these ingredients.
Chemical absorbers are compounds that penetrate the skin and then absorb UV irradiation. These compounds (like PABA, oxybenzone, and benzophenones) have been used for many years primarily because they do not create a whitening effect. Increasingly, scientists have come to realize that they provide incomplete protection against UV-A rays. In addition, some chemical filters degrade after prolonged sun exposure, can irritate sensitive skin, and cause other long-term environmental and health impacts.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Posted by Christopher Gavigan
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It should come as no surprise to manufacturers, retailers, and regulators that, when given the choice, parents opt for plastics and products that do not contain hormone-disrupting chemicals. The real surprise is that while we wait for our government to catch up with our own common sense approach to protecting our children's health, they won't acknowledge mounting scientific evidence and require manufacturers to divulge what's in their products so we can make informed choices.
I can grudgingly tolerate the dogma of unfettered capitalism, simply because at this point it is so entrenched that to ask otherwise would be a waste of energy. I have totally exceeded my patience level with our government's pandering to corporations by, first of all, allowing them to use chemicals that have not been comprehensively tested for safety and, second of all, allowing them to hide product information from consumers.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Posted by Natalie Cadranel
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We need your help to urge House members to support a critical children's health measure—and to prove that our kids are more important than oil profits.
Right now, a bipartisan Congressional conference committee is deciding whether to include a ban on phthalates in toys in the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act. Please write to the four members of the committee who are currently undecided or blocking the inclusion of the ban on phthalates in the CPSC Reform Act, and urge them to protect the health of America’s kids by voting yes on this amendment.
The Breast Cancer Fund has made it easy to act now. Visit their site to send pre-written faxes to the four committee members today.
Thank you!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Posted by Matthew Parker
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Picture this: While at the grocery store with your children, you walk past their favorite section--the cereal and snack aisle-- and the onslaught of requests for Twinkies, Pop Tarts, Cheetos, or Jell-O begins. As any conscientious parent focused on the long-term health of your child, you politely silence their pleas, and instead look for healthier alternatives, such as yogurt, fruit snacks, or a mutually agreed upon cereal. The problem with these compromises, however, may be more sinister than saving a few calories.
In a recent report by ABC news, mother of four Robyn O'Brien nearly lost her 9 month old baby to an allergic response to scrambled eggs. This harrowing experience prompted her to inspect what she was feeding her children. At the onset, O'Brien did not necessarily know she was in for a an education on food allergies. But she soon learned that artificial dyes used in sugary cereals, candies, dairy products, and other items marketed solely at children may be, in part, responsible for the spike in children's hyperactive reactions to certain foods.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Posted by Janelle Sorensen
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This week in the world: your life is worth less but your green home can win money, the benefits of Vitamin D and the risks of DEA, risky micromaterials and safer craft materials.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Posted by Christopher Gavigan
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We are excited to introduce: EcoSearch.Org. It’s the first search engine dedicated to supporting charities attending to environmental awareness and preservation – donating 100% of profits, yes 100%. Healthy Child is one of the select few charities to benefit – along with Heal the Bay, Sierra Club, National Resource Defense Council, TreePeople, and Rainforest Alliance.
You can simply search on EcoSearch.Org just as they would any other search engine. The search results come directly from Google®, so they get the same high quality search results that they get from Google’s website. You can even add EcoSearch to your web browser’s search box. EcoSearch generates ad revenue, and generously donates 100% of its profits. For every million users, they are able to donate almost 15 million dollars to charity every year, so please visit EcoSearch.org and use it whenever you search!
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Posted by Jeremiah McNichols-Guest Blogger
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Teething infants will put just about anything in their mouths, which makes dedicated teethers a practical toy purchase that will quickly become an obsession for your little one. Thankfully, after decades of sketchy plastics as the sole recourse for infants with the primal urge to chew, several companies are offering more natural options that are free of questionable chemicals and are much kinder to the earth in their production.
The two standout materials for infant teethers not made of plastic are wood and cloth, and the thing for parents to remember is that "teethers" need not be a fixed category, but is anything that is small enough for your baby to handle and gnaw on safely that gives them pleasure in doing so. Under the Nile has been making their Baby Buddies for years now, and Sckoon makes a cute lookalike, both made of organic cotton. Under the Nile has a wide range of stuffed vegetables too; their carrot was one of our first baby gifts and remains a favorite in our household (the green parts double as hair).
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Posted by Healthy Child
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Leading medical & health experts team up with celebrity parents to help you create a cleaner, greener, safer home and lifestyle.
Is there a topic that you'd like us to research?
This website is Carbon Neutral.
