Ive heard little bits around the internet about crockpots having lead. This has always concerned me since I use my crockpot often. Well we are thinking of buying a second one for when we have big crowds so I finally buckled down and researched it.
You probably know that NO level of lead is safe. The FDA has a maximum level of lead allowable in the glaze in the crockpot (which is higher than zero - thanks again FDA). The danger of the leaching comes when the crockpot is heated up - and then the lead goes right into your food. things like this are SUCH no-brainers and yet so many experts just wonder why our country and our children are so increasingly sick :(
you can check out THIS article form a reporter who found very dangerous levels of lead leaching from a womans crockpot
From what I could dig up
For sure have lead: Rival and Crockpot brands
Supposedly dont: Westbend, GE and Hamilton Beach
I have a Rival :( I personally think this is a serious enough issue to warrant getting rid of it and getting something that I know is safe. I have some emails in to the other companies to verify that they do NOT use lead in their glaze. Will update!
I also found this really neat report from testing plates. Unbelievably, many are HIGH in lead (outrageous!!!!!). Click HERE for that report. Thankfully the Corelle the kids use is safe.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Soap Nuts!!!!!!
I am **so** excited to share my new discovery!
If you dont know how toxic fabric softener is read THIS.
We use cloth diapers most of the time with the baby. Because our city has really hard water we've had issues with detergent build-up even with the "right" detergents for cloth diapers. That led to me to looking for something more natural and thats how I found....
Soap Nuts!
They actually arent nuts but the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree. They contain saponin, a natural cleaner used for thousands of years to clean clothes, just like the plants used by Native Americans for washing.
I ordered some to try and I LOVE them!!!!! They totally removed the residue and got them CLEAN. Same with our clothes. And you dont need fabric softener at all with these!!!! In fact, we had some hand-me-downs for Jayna that had a strong fabric softener smell. I am very allergic to it and I have had clothes before that I couldnt get it out of, no matter how many times I washed them.....but the soap nuts got it out!
The residue from regular laundry detergent (even the "free" varieties) is what makes the clothes stiff and creats a need for the softener in the first place! Soap nuts dont leave a residue.
And they can be turned into a powder or liquid and used for a ton of cool things, for example.....
- shampoo (im excited to try this!)
- cleaning jewelry
- washing pets
- natural pesticide/mosquito repellent
- natural windo cleaner
- dishwashing "soap" (excited about this too!!!)
Click HERE to see the site that Ive found to have the best prices. I just ordered a huge bag to use all the time! You can try a sample for 1 cent plus shipping. I may even buy some wholesale to sell if I continue to be as impressed as I am!
If you dont know how toxic fabric softener is read THIS.
We use cloth diapers most of the time with the baby. Because our city has really hard water we've had issues with detergent build-up even with the "right" detergents for cloth diapers. That led to me to looking for something more natural and thats how I found....
Soap Nuts!
They actually arent nuts but the dried fruit of the Chinese Soapberry tree. They contain saponin, a natural cleaner used for thousands of years to clean clothes, just like the plants used by Native Americans for washing.
I ordered some to try and I LOVE them!!!!! They totally removed the residue and got them CLEAN. Same with our clothes. And you dont need fabric softener at all with these!!!! In fact, we had some hand-me-downs for Jayna that had a strong fabric softener smell. I am very allergic to it and I have had clothes before that I couldnt get it out of, no matter how many times I washed them.....but the soap nuts got it out!
The residue from regular laundry detergent (even the "free" varieties) is what makes the clothes stiff and creats a need for the softener in the first place! Soap nuts dont leave a residue.
And they can be turned into a powder or liquid and used for a ton of cool things, for example.....
- shampoo (im excited to try this!)
- cleaning jewelry
- washing pets
- natural pesticide/mosquito repellent
- natural windo cleaner
- dishwashing "soap" (excited about this too!!!)
Click HERE to see the site that Ive found to have the best prices. I just ordered a huge bag to use all the time! You can try a sample for 1 cent plus shipping. I may even buy some wholesale to sell if I continue to be as impressed as I am!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Carters Tagless Clothes
I remember that my daughter always had a light rash on her upper back. I remember bathing her and wondering if she was allergic to something she was eating, or I was eating, etc. It turns out that this is a VERY common problem. Many moms have gone to their Drs only to be told its excema and given a cream for it. But its NOT excema....its a reaction to the chemicals they are using to stamp on "tags" in tagless baby clothes. Some babies have severe reactions (warning: graphic picts) similar to chemical burns :(
Stepping back from all the details I have to just say that this is something that never even crossed my mind (and im much more paranoid and suspicious than most after what ive learned about other products)! I always thought that organic clothing was over -the-top and not necessary. If I could afford it Id ditch everything we have and buy all new, organic clothes for all the kids (and especially our 8wk old!). The new baby has a light rash there too. He has some of the Carters shirts with the longer, white tag and I wont put them on him anymore (even though they are the cutests and fit the best of all his onesies). A lot of his other clothes are tagless too unfortunately.
It just makes me so sad :(
Nearly all baby clothes are tagless now. These stamps are reportedly made with materials containing phythlates and formaldehyde. YUCK! Its criminal. That junk is sitting on their skin all day and leaching into their body. Its so, so wrong.
You can bet that any clothes I buy from now on will have good 'ole fashioned tags. I read online that BabiesRUs' brand of clothes still have the real thing.
You can read more on Z Recommends . Carters is accepting postage-paid returns of their tagless clothing and the address info is there. I may take them up on that offer....
Stepping back from all the details I have to just say that this is something that never even crossed my mind (and im much more paranoid and suspicious than most after what ive learned about other products)! I always thought that organic clothing was over -the-top and not necessary. If I could afford it Id ditch everything we have and buy all new, organic clothes for all the kids (and especially our 8wk old!). The new baby has a light rash there too. He has some of the Carters shirts with the longer, white tag and I wont put them on him anymore (even though they are the cutests and fit the best of all his onesies). A lot of his other clothes are tagless too unfortunately.
It just makes me so sad :(
Nearly all baby clothes are tagless now. These stamps are reportedly made with materials containing phythlates and formaldehyde. YUCK! Its criminal. That junk is sitting on their skin all day and leaching into their body. Its so, so wrong.
You can bet that any clothes I buy from now on will have good 'ole fashioned tags. I read online that BabiesRUs' brand of clothes still have the real thing.
You can read more on Z Recommends . Carters is accepting postage-paid returns of their tagless clothing and the address info is there. I may take them up on that offer....
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Soapopular
Its been a LONG time (2 months!) since I posted.....our fourth blessing is here and keeping me busy with other things :)
but I wanted to share one of my favorite new products.....I know that we shouldnt over-sanitize ourselves because that can lead to more issues. I do believe that theory is correct and I never buy antibacterial soap for the house. BUT there are definitely times when soap and water arent convenient but I just cant stomach what may be on my childrens hands - like after playing at the park, after they crawl on the floor at the store looking for pennies (please let that phase end soon!), coming out of church, etc.
I hated using Purell because of the alcohol and mostly because of the fragrance. blech. I saw a test done on TV of a new product called SOAPOPULAR and was very excited to find it at our WalMart!
Its alcohol and fragrance-free. It doesnt stink and doesnt dry your skin. It lasts much longer than purell so it costs less. The foam also doesnt slide off the kids hands as soon as they turn them to rub them together! I love it - especially with a newborn in the house. I use it a lot and my hands feel soft and clean!
If you go to THEIR SITE you can even get a free sample. If you are kind of a germ-phobe like me, you have to check this out!
but I wanted to share one of my favorite new products.....I know that we shouldnt over-sanitize ourselves because that can lead to more issues. I do believe that theory is correct and I never buy antibacterial soap for the house. BUT there are definitely times when soap and water arent convenient but I just cant stomach what may be on my childrens hands - like after playing at the park, after they crawl on the floor at the store looking for pennies (please let that phase end soon!), coming out of church, etc.
I hated using Purell because of the alcohol and mostly because of the fragrance. blech. I saw a test done on TV of a new product called SOAPOPULAR and was very excited to find it at our WalMart!
Its alcohol and fragrance-free. It doesnt stink and doesnt dry your skin. It lasts much longer than purell so it costs less. The foam also doesnt slide off the kids hands as soon as they turn them to rub them together! I love it - especially with a newborn in the house. I use it a lot and my hands feel soft and clean!
If you go to THEIR SITE you can even get a free sample. If you are kind of a germ-phobe like me, you have to check this out!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Stained Concrete
We first saw stained concrete at our good friend's home. They pulled up all the carpet and stained the concrete. At first I never thought Id like it for my own house but as our carpet downstairs gets older/dirtier and we suffer more each spring with allergies, the idea has really grown on me.
We cant afford hardwood floors or even cork which are the healthiest options Ive found (less toxic offgassing than laminate and new carpeting especially if you use a non-toxic sealer on the wod). But stained concrete is a VERY affordable, VERY allergy-friendly option! And we can also install something else over it later.
I found a product online called SoyCrete. Its a non-toxic, enviromentally-safe concrete stain. It comes in many different colors and its easy to apply. They also make an eco-friendly top coat called Acri-soy and another one called Poly-soy. Check out the SoyCrete colors HERE.
If we dont move before the baby comes (lots of showings, no offers yet!) we'll definitely be pulling out the carpet downstairs and staining it. I like the "espresso" and the "Leather Brown" :) Im excited there is a healthy and affordable option!!!!
(We have about 700 sq. ft of carpeting downstairs - the rest is tile. We were quote about $6k to put in laminate flooring. Installying something ourselves would still be around $2800. The cost of the stain and sealer, with shipping, would be $262!)
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Dr. Bonners suing big companies like Estee Lauder
THIS recent article is very interesting....
We knew before that the requirements for labeling cosmetics and beauty products are loosely defined - to say the least. Well now someone is doing something about it! You may have seen Dr. Bonner soaps at your local health food store...... They are suing several large companies for basically distorting the term "organic" just like they have done with "natural".
The FDA requires food to be 95% organic to be labeled organic. There are no such requirements for healthy and beauty products. Some companies like Aubrey Organics (my fav!) and Dr. Bonners take the responsibility seriously and set requirements for themselves - Dr Bonner's uses the same 95% rule for their products. But other products use no standards at all.
In that article I learned that Aveno is owned by Estee Lauder - one of the companies getting sued. Aveno does have some natural ingredients and is seen by most as a healthier brand of lotions - BUT their products do contain many of the same chemicals as mainstream brands do. Its largely a marketing scam.
*Hopefully* this lawsuit will result in some firm standards for these big companies to prevent them from cashing in on the growing trend of being more "green" and seeking out safer products. They are ripping off the public and making tons of money on it and it needs to stop (remember my post on Johnson&Johnson's "natural" line?)
We knew before that the requirements for labeling cosmetics and beauty products are loosely defined - to say the least. Well now someone is doing something about it! You may have seen Dr. Bonner soaps at your local health food store...... They are suing several large companies for basically distorting the term "organic" just like they have done with "natural".
The FDA requires food to be 95% organic to be labeled organic. There are no such requirements for healthy and beauty products. Some companies like Aubrey Organics (my fav!) and Dr. Bonners take the responsibility seriously and set requirements for themselves - Dr Bonner's uses the same 95% rule for their products. But other products use no standards at all.
In that article I learned that Aveno is owned by Estee Lauder - one of the companies getting sued. Aveno does have some natural ingredients and is seen by most as a healthier brand of lotions - BUT their products do contain many of the same chemicals as mainstream brands do. Its largely a marketing scam.
*Hopefully* this lawsuit will result in some firm standards for these big companies to prevent them from cashing in on the growing trend of being more "green" and seeking out safer products. They are ripping off the public and making tons of money on it and it needs to stop (remember my post on Johnson&Johnson's "natural" line?)
Friday, May 16, 2008
Mother's Touch Paint
I was shocked today at Target when I saw a ZERO-VOC paint today called "Mother's Touch". Yay for Target!!!!! (this was a super Target - if you dont have one, Im sincerely so sorry, you are missing out. I love that place!)
They come in premade colors, beige, light pink, baby blue, etc.
It was $19.99/gallon which is HALF of what the zero-VOC paint I buy from Sherman Williams costs (although I always get a discount, this is still a much better deal). I will definitely be looking into this when we move into our new house!!!!!!
You may remember from my previous post on Green Paint that traditional paint contains many toxic chemcials and those toxins can leach into your air for YEARS....... YEARS! I really think that this is one thing to put extra money in for the sake of you and especially your children! I was so happy to see a more affordable option!
They come in premade colors, beige, light pink, baby blue, etc.
It was $19.99/gallon which is HALF of what the zero-VOC paint I buy from Sherman Williams costs (although I always get a discount, this is still a much better deal). I will definitely be looking into this when we move into our new house!!!!!!
You may remember from my previous post on Green Paint that traditional paint contains many toxic chemcials and those toxins can leach into your air for YEARS....... YEARS! I really think that this is one thing to put extra money in for the sake of you and especially your children! I was so happy to see a more affordable option!
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