August 27, 2008: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (”CPSC”) is urging consumers to discontinue use of Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 Convertible “Close-Sleeper” Bassinets. At least two infant deaths due to strangulation have been reported. CPSC urges consumers to spread news of this safety alert because the company (SFCA Inc.) that owns Simplicity has refused to cooperate with the government and recall the bassinets.
According to CPSC, “The Simplicity 3-in-1 and 4-in-1 convertible bassinets contain metal bars spaced farther apart than 2 3/8 inches, which is the maximum distance allowed under the federal crib safety standard. The metal bars are covered by an adjustable fabric flap which is attached by velcro. The fabric is folded down when the bassinet is converted into a bed-side co-sleeping position. If the velcro is not properly re-secured when the flap is adjusted, an infant can slip through the opening and become entrapped in the metal bars and suffocate. This warning does not cover bassinets produced in recent months that have fabric permanently attached over the lower bar.”
Click here to learn more about this CPSC safety alert.
* Klean Kanteens are reusable, risk-free, environmentally responsible stainless steel bottles. They are perfect alternatives to plastic bottles.
* Klean Kanteens are toxin-free, BPA-free, and non-leaching. Kiss those health worries goodbye.
* Klean Kanteens are lightweight. Little hands will have no trouble holding onto them.
* Klean Kanteens are clean tasting. No yucky plastic taste.
* Klean Kanteens are dishwasher friendly! That’s good news for moms and dads who don’t want to spend their free time at the sink.
* Caps, sippy adapters and Klean Kanteen spouts are made of non-leaching polypropylene.
Growing up, a childhood friend’s mom used to “reuse” plastic sandwich baggies. Rather than tossing a plastic bag after school lunch, she brought it home for her mother to wash, hang dry, and reuse again and again. I remember thinking, “why, on Earth does that mother bother?”
Now, years later with eco-consciousness on the brain, I find myself thinking, “why on Earth wouldn’t I bother?” I can’t believe how many plastic baggies I use in my household, especially for Goldfish and Cheerios on-the-go snacks.
Whether you bring your lunch to work, pack a lunch bag for your preschooler or use plastic baggies for toddler snacks, have you ever added up how many plastic sandwich baggies you throw out each month in your household?
Plastic baggies may be inexpensive at the register, but they add up to huge environmental costs, especially in landfills. If you’re looking for plastic alternatives, check out these eco-friendly sandwich bags: Happy-Sacks. They are lined with coated nylon so moms and dads can easily wipe off gooey peanut butter and jelly residue.
Hey, Green Treehouse fans, what are your tips for a “green” lunchbox? We’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below.
Going green means minimizing risk of exposure to toxins. Check out this Parents TV clip featuring Pediatrician Dr. Alan Greene, author of Raising Baby Green, for quick tips on growing an eco-baby, including his number one tip: choosing an organic cotton crib mattress for baby.
Did you know that fragrances found in perfumes, cleaning products, beauty products, and in air fresheners usually come from petroleum-based chemicals? Did you know that there are millions of people who are highly sensitive (some more so than others) to chemicals and scents? Did you know that some places have “scent free” or “reduced” scent zones?
Chemicals in our environment can affect people in ways that we might not realize. Synthetic fragrances contained in shampoos, hair care products, and body soaps can induce headaches, mood changes or breathing difficulties. Some studies suggest that man-made fragrances are more than simply annoying–they claim that chemical fragrances can damage the body, like the nervous system, and even lead to cancers or depression, among other health problems.
When it comes to health, the environment, and air quality, even small decisions, like deciding what baby shampoo or body wash to buy, just might have a big impact on future generations.
Whether you have five plus years to go until your baby heads off to school or are sending your baby to kindergarten (or beyond) this year, check out the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (”CPSC”) Tips for Back to School Safety (August 19, 2008).
Here are two tips that made the list:
* Avoid Children’s Clothing with Drawstrings. According to CPSC, “Drawstrings at the hood or neck area are a strangulation hazard. They can catch on playground equipment and other items. Remove hood and neck drawstrings from upper outerwear clothing already in your child’s closet, and do not buy children’s clothing that uses them.”
* Confirm that playground equipment is safe. “Check with school officials to make sure that equipment has been inspected and maintained.” Parents can even listen to a podcast on playground safety here.
Move over sposies. The award winning bumGenius One Size Cloth Diaper design is now available in organic! It’s a totally easy to use design. Perfect for use by cloth newbies and die hard, experienced cloth diapering fans. the bumGenius “no-stuff” design offers stretch tabs for a perfect fit, along with simple hook and loop fasteners. Use it like you would a disposable diaper–but with the environmental bonus of reuse, over and over again. There’s no need for a waterproof cover. The absorbent layer is completely integrated into a waterproof outer layer. The bumGenius design is so brilliant, you’ll probably have to remind yourself that it’s cloth!
Oh, if you’re looking for the perfect baby shower gift…this is it! New moms will love putting this diaper on their newborns.
One of my favorite photographs is a picture of my baby playing in a laundry basket. While babies certainly add to the laundry pile, they also make laundry fun. Babies seem to love climbing into laundry baskets. Babies giggle when you play a gentle game of tug-the-towel or sock. Babies think it’s a hoot when they can topple a neatly folded and stacked pile of clothes. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, they still want to play with the laundry beyond the baby years–they still love climbing in the basket, but sometimes they also want to match socks or help fold laundry!
In the process of creating those childhood-laundry memories, you can also fight global warming and do a part to save the environment. How? Hang a clothesline. The non-profit, Project Laundry List, lists ten reasons why hanging your clothes to dry is a good thing. Saving money (”more than $100/year off electric bill for most households”), conserving energy and the environment, and fresher smelling clothes (without the possible toxicity created by chemicals or dryer sheets) are just three of those reasons. A clothesline of baby clothes or cloth diapers also looks cool, and sends a positive message to your children about the environment and your values. Plus, hanging clothes on the line with baby (think baby attached in a carrier) or your children makes for quality-time together and the creation of priceless baby memories.
During the 60s, not long after environmentalist Rachel Carson published her book Silent Spring, which brought attention to pesticides and environmental problems, The Banana Splits Show hit television. Given that the show was before my time, I had no idea what to think of the 100% organic t-shirt featuring a groovy, retro animal theme and “The Banana Splits” written in bubbly font that recently landed in my toddler’s hands. I knew I liked the organic part for sure. But that’s partly because I’m in love with anything organic. Since day one, I’ve outfitted my babies in organic when possible.
Thanks to the Internet, I figured out that the “The Banana Splits” was a t.v. super hit. I also learned that it’s coming back to television this fall (Cartoon Network). Obviously geared to the younger crowd, the show has me wondering generally about TV.
How do parents decide how much television children should watch? What is too much? I know some parents who limit t.v. to the length of their shower–they pop in a Baby Einstein DVD when they need a shower break. I know some parents think t.v. time actually brings about household peace (think less war, less sibling fighting, and more love). I know some parents who don’t allow their young children to watch any t.v., and still others who don’t really seem to impose any time limits.
Moms and Dads chime in… aside from saving electricity (and the planet), where do you draw the line and pull the plug?
If your preschooler wants to learn to lace (or you’re sick of tying shoelaces), check out this totally adorable Tie-Up Shoe by Plan Toys. I’m not sure who likes the shoe more–me or my child! It’s so cute.
By the way, I’m a huge fan of Plan Toys because it holds itself out as a green toy company. Plan Toys is committed to minimizing its impact on nature. Plan Toys are made from non-chemically treated, recycled rubberwood.
Angel Wing Sweater, by Oeuf
Organic Tights, by Trumpette
Organic SleepSack, by HALO
Organic Crib Sheets, by Q Collection
