Going PVC-free for back-to-school August 4, 2010

For 14 years, I was a 5th grade teacher. Every August, a few times a week, I’d go to my classroom and do my best to make it into a creative space for my new students. I was “getting greener” every year but just didn’t think of it that way – it was more like “recycling old things into new things” on the cheap! I wish I knew more about the dangers of PVC plastic back then and how I could have helped to eliminated it from my classroom.

The Center for Health, Environment and & Justice states:

“PVC is unique among plastics because it contains dangerous chemical additives. These harmful chemicals include phthalates, lead, cadmium, and/or organotins, which can be toxic to your child’s health. What’s worse is the danger these chemicals posephthalates and other toxic additives can leach out or evaporate into the air over time posing unnecessary dangers to children. Over 90% of all phthalates are used to soften or plasticize PVC products. Children are at risk from even small exposures to these toxic chemicals. That’s why it’s important to purchase PVC-free school supplies.”

• PVC products are often labeled with the word “vinyl” on the packaging
• To identify PVC packaging, see if it has the number “3” inside it, or the letters “V” or “PVC” underneath it. This means the product is made out of PVC.

The Center for Health, Environments & Justice’s (CHEJ) just put out its 2010 Back to School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies list. There you can find everything PVC-free from binders, notebooks, pencils cases, and much, much more.

But here’s a few PVC-free school items I’ve always liked:

Skip Hop

Snack Taxi

Klean Kanteen

• Sandwich or snack bags: Snack Taxi, Eco*Ditty, or some Etsy creations here and here.
• Rain gear
• Lunch boxes/bags: Crocodile Creek, Laptop Lunches, L. L. Bean, Skip Hop
• Backpacks: Lands End, Skip Hop, Jansport, Crocodile Creek
• Water bottles: Klean Kanteen, CamelBak, Thermos, Think Sport

I am not employed by any of the companies mentioned, nor was I paid to review these products.

Update: PVC-free Stroller Rain Cover February 19, 2010

UPDATE November 18, 2010: I’m sorry I don’t have a photo to include but I recently tried the Orbit Baby Rain Shield in this review on an UPPAbaby Vista stroller (the seat that reclines) and it had an “adequate fit”.

Just over a year ago, I wrote one of my most visited posts describing my difficult search in finding a PVC-free stroller rain cover. I first learned the hazards of PVC plastic when I read an article about PVC plastic shower curtains. I was concerned about the “off gassing” from the plastic that has shown to be harmful to the nervous system and increases the chance of liver cancer. The only rain cover I could find was made by Orbit Baby.

Orbit Baby has updated their strollers and is calling them the G2 – as in “Next Generation”. The fabric for their strollers uses Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 material, an international certification that sets limits for over 100 harmful chemicals, substances, and emissions in textiles. They have also added to their Infant and Toddler Seat accessory line the Green Edition Foot Muff, which is made of organic cotton/wool that meets car seat flame retardancy safety standards without any harsh chemicals.

The updated strollers have led to a redesigned of the Rain Shield that I originally wrote about. Orbit Baby sent me both their Toddler Seat Rain Shield and Infant Car Seat Rain Shield which I tested again on the many strollers at Babies R Us. Unfortunately, the new Orbit Baby Toddler Rain Shield doesn’t adequately fit on as many strollers as it’s predecessor did due to the redesigned shape of the toddler seat. There are, however, a few that passed the test. Here is a list of strollers that the Toddler Seat Rain Shield will fit on with photos of each:

• Bugaboo Cameleon and Frog
• Quinny Buzz – cover only fits when foot rest is set to shortest position
• Maxi Cosi Forary Stroller – cover only fits when foot rest is set to shortest position
• Maclaren Quest Sport Stroller – needs some homemade “craftiness”  to attach to the stroller handles as seen in photos from original post and cover does not reach to foot rest of stroller
• Maclaren Grand Tour LX – doesn’t leave a lot of room in the foot area, though, and doesn’t reach to foot rest
• UPPAbaby Vista Stroller – sorry, no photo

Bugaboo Cameleon

Quinny Buzz

Maxi Cosi Forary

Maclaren Sport Quest

Maclaren Grand Tour LX

The updated design of the Orbit Infant Car Seat Rain Shield fit well on all the car seats at Babies R Us. They were the:

• Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat, 32, and 35
• Baby Trend Gabriella Infant Car Seat
• Evenflo Serenade Infant Car Seat
• Combi Shuttle 33 Infant Car Seat
• Primo Viaggio SIP Infant Car Seat
• Primo Viaggio Gala Infant Car Seat
• Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat

You can continue to purchase both the Toddler Seat Rain Shield and the Infant Car Seat Rain Shield online through Orbit Baby and now wherever Orbit Baby Strollers are sold.

Both the Orbit Baby Toddler Rain Shield and the Infant Car Seat Rain Shield were given to me for testing by Orbit Baby. I am not an employee of Orbit Baby.

Product Review – The Safe Sippy 2 July 7, 2009

Discount code below!

Like most mothers, I’ve been through quite a few sippy cups. My daughter has tried BPA-free plastic ones, the stainless steel Klean Kanteen (which has always been a favorite), and recently, the Thermos Foogo Stainless Steel Straw Bottle. I chose the Foogo because I wanted a stainless option where my daughter didn’t need to tilt her head back to drink. I’ve always felt that’s a bit of a safety issue when a child is walking. I really like the Foogo, and so does my daughter, but the problem with it is that she always wants to press the button to release the top and although it says it can be used at 18 months, she’s just not strong enough to do it herself.

Well, I wish I had waited about 2 weeks because now there’s an old sippy available with a new twist – the Safe Sippy 2.

The Safe Sippy 2

The Safe Sippy 2 is the Safe Sippy original, but with the added option of a straw so it doesn’t need to be tilted to drink from. The Safe Sippy:

• is made of non-leaching stainless steel.
• has an 11 ounce capacity.
• has an easy grip insulating sleeve.
• has removable handles.
• is BPA, PVC, and phthalate free.
• has a no-spill valve.
• has a cover dome for the spout when you’re traveling, along with a travel plug to put directly on the spout so you won’t have an accidental leak.
• is dishwasher safe.

What I really love about this sippy, besides the list mentioned above, is that it fits in a typically sized travel mug compartment, the spout is slightly angled, and your fingers can easily fit into most of the mouth piece to clean it, although I do recommend using a pipe cleaner for the spout and straw. I’ve been using ones made by Dr. Brown.

I purchased this sippy cup through The Soft Landing, which is a favorite site and blog of mine for up-to-date, reliable information on many BPA, PVC and phthalate-free feeding supplies for children and babies. The Safe Sippy 2 can also be purchased at other US online sites and retailers and Canadian sites and retailers.

If you have the original Safe Sippy and want to purchase the straw and valve attachment, The Soft Landing will have them in stock 6 – 8 weeks from now.

The Safe Landing is offering readers 15% off any order through July 15, 2009 with no minimum purchase. Just enter “beinggreener15″ at checkout.

I am not an employee of The Soft Landing or Kid Basix, the company that makes the Safe Sippy. The product mentioned in today’s post was purchased for my own personal use.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

You can now say “Ommmm” with a clearer conscience. March 18, 2009

I’m probably the only “green girl” on the planet who hasn’t tried yoga yet. But if I did, I’d really want to use one of these!

YogaMatic Biodegradable Yoga Mats

YogaMatic’s yoga mats:

• are PVC-free.
• are ultra slip-resistant.
• are completely degradable (see additional information below).
• cannot absorb moisture so bacteria isn’t stored in them.
• can be personalized with your own personal photo.

YogaMatic provides its customers with a disposal policy requesting the return of worn mats to their studio by mail. In return they provide free shipping of a replacement mat purchased from their site.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

Food just seems tastier when you make a mess. March 13, 2009

As of a few months ago, my husband and I started taking Eco Girl out to dinner occasionally. But believe me, it’s still a stressful situation of trying to keep her happy with food in front of her and hoping she lasts long enough in the high chair for me to at least get some of my food down before she wants to get up.

I’ve tried putting food on a napkin in front of her – of course that doesn’t last long. Off it goes onto the floor. But then a friend told me about these plastic sheets you can tape down to the table that act like a placemat that won’t move. The idea of it is great but I just don’t like using one more “disposable”. I tried to come up with a reusable option myself but then learned that The Soft Landing, one of my favorite sites for safer feeding choices, carries just what I’m looking for!

BPA and PVC Free Kiddopotamus Tiny Dinner Placemat

The BPA and PVC Free Kiddopotamus Tiny Dinner Placemat:

• is made of durable material.
• is eco-friendly and reusable.
• stays in place with seven strong suction cups.
• contains the mess with rimmed edges.
• scoop catches spills before they land on your child’s lap.

When it’s not in use, it rolls up into itself and fits perfectly in a diaper bag so it’s always available when you need it. Not only is it great for restaurants but it’s also really helpful when you’re visiting places where there is no highchair and your child is sitting on your lap and eating at a table.

Problem solved. Now there’s just the whole “table manners” to tackle!

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

Just add salt, pepper, and a little BPA February 20, 2009

I posted a while ago about how I made my daughter’s baby food and how easy it actually is to do so. I mostly used a “food wand” blender to puree her food, but I’ve also used a food processor as well. If you’re someone who has a food processor or blender in your kitchen, you really need to check out Z Recommends post from a week ago. They’ve listed many food processors and blenders and have listed if they contain BPA, PVC, and/or phthalates. Be sure to check out an update they did yesterday on the Hamilton Beach products they listed. Do yourself a favor and head on over.

Photo from Flickr by Jodiepedia

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

The “Tilty” has made all the difference January 23, 2009

Ever since my daughter was 6 months old, I’ve been trying different BPA-free sippy cups. I’ve been through a few now and so far, Eco Girl just hasn’t been holding them on her own and she just doesn’t seem to get that she needs to tip them back. Perhaps it’s partially because she’s been using 8 ounce glass bottles and never seemed to hold them up either. All this time, I’ve been doing it for her, thinking they were just too heavy – now it’s a habit that has transferred over to her sippy cup.

I’m pleased to say, though, that I’ve found a solution! Have you seen the new Tilty sippy cup?!!!

It’s BPA-free,  PVC-free, and dye free. The great thing about it is that it’s designed so that you don’t need to tilt it a lot to drink from it. You should see how much she loves drinking from it on her own.

The Tilty cups are 7 ounces each and you get two in a package for $6.00. They are dishwasher safe and are made of Polypropylene.

One warning, though – the Tilty is not “drip free”. If you turn it upside down (or shake it, as Eco Girl likes to do sometimes), it will leak small drops.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

Which food containers are safe to use? January 21, 2009

I’m often asked what food storage containers are BPA, PVC and phthalate free. Just a few days ago, The Soft Landing put together a great list with pictures. Take note and keep it handy for future reference.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

A PVC-free stroller rain cover finally found! November 7, 2008

Update February 19, 2010: Orbit Baby has redesigned their strollers. The Toddler Rain Shield reviewed below has changed in shape and size due to this redesign. Please see my review of the current Orbit Baby Rain Shields to see if they will fit on your stroller or car seat.

Update to this post: See my review of Orbit Baby’s Toddler Stroller with Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 material.

Back in June, I read a study conducted by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice on PVC plastic shower curtains. The study determined that vinyl shower curtains contain toxic chemicals that can cause serious health problems to the liver, central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems. The shower curtains used in the study were purchased from popular stores across the country.

What really alarmed me was summarized in a Los Angeles Times analysis stating that:

“The study found that these shower curtains contained high concentrations of phthalates and varying concentrations of organotins and that they released as many as 108 volatile organic chemicals into the air, some of which persisted for nearly a month.”

Persisted for an entire month?!!! We shouldn’t be surprised, though. Have you ever noticed the lingering “smell” in your bathroom after you hang up a new plastic shower curtain? It’s a toxic cloud that’s permeating through your entire home. Needless to say, after reading the report, I went out and purchased a PVC-free shower curtain (100% EVA vinyl shower curtains are safer). You can find them at Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Target, Macy’s, Sears, and many online sites.

Now that you have some background information, I’ll get back to my intended story. It was only about a month ago that I was out with my daughter in her stroller when it started to rain. I stopped walking, took out the plastic stroller cover provided with the stroller, and proceeded to attach it. As I did so, I immediately remembered the report as I began to fasten the PVC plastic cover on. I wouldn’t keep my daughter in a room filled with toxic chemicals – why would I encase her in a smaller and denser volume of toxic air? I took the cover off and dashed home instead, thinking a little rain would be obviously less harmful that the alternative.

And so this started my search for a PVC-free stroller rain cover. I’ll tell you, it wasn’t easy. It was even hard to find one online. Believe me – I literally searched for four days. There’s a happy ending to this story, though.

Just when I was about to give up, I discovered that Orbit Baby makes a PVC-free, chlorine-free, and phthalate-free rain cover for both its toddler size stroller and infant car seat. I wrote to the company and asked them to confirm this, which they did. I explained my desire to find these items for myself and my blog readers. They generously offered to send me both covers so I could see if they would work with other strollers and car seats.

Below you will find a list of strollers and car seats that were on display at my local Babies R Us this week. I fitted the Orbit covers on each one to see if they “reasonably” fit. Only a few didn’t fit, as I describe in the list below. Remember, the Orbit covers are designed specifically for Orbit equipment, so none of the strollers and car seats were a perfect fit. In all cases, some adjusting was needed, and should you try to use the Orbit stroller cover with alternative equipment, you will need to attach Velcro tabs or ties yourself to the top of the cover near the handles of the stroller (velcro tabs are already on the sides of the covers).

• Bugaboo Frog Toddler Stroller
• Bugaboo Bee Stroller
• Quinny Zapp Stroller
• Quinny Buzz 3 Wheel Stroller
• Maxi Cosi Foray Stroller
• Maxi Cosi Perle Stroller
• Maclaren Techno XT Stroller
• Maclaren Lacoste Ryder Stroller
• Maclaren Kate Spade Ryder Stroller
• Maclaren Lulu Guinness Stroller
• Maclaren Quest Sport Stroller
• Maclaren Triumph Stroller
• Maclaren Volo Stroller
• Chicco Cortina Stroller
• Graco Tour DLX Travel System (without the car seat in it)
• Graco Ipo Stroller
• Graco Quattro Tour Stroller – Adequate fit but a bit short where the child’s feet will be
• Graco Metro Lite Stroller
• Baby Planet Endangered Species Stroller
• Peg Perego Aria Stroller
• Peg Perego Pliko P3 Stroller
• Peg Perego Uno Stroller
• Peg Perego Skate – NOT A GOOD FIT
• Chicco Trevi Stroller – Adequate fit but would need long Velcro tabs or ties to keep cover in place on top
• Chicco Cortina Stroller – Adequate fit but would need long Velcro tabs or ties to keep cover in place on top
• Chicco Capri Stroller- Adequate fit but cover is big on this stroller
• Combi Cosmo Ex Stroller
• Stokke Xplory Stroller
• Thea & Co. Wendy Bellissimo Stroller – Adequate fit but cover is large on this stroller
• Joovy Kooper Jogging Stroller
• Baby Trend Expedition Jogging Stroller – Adequate fit but large section of cover flops over due to shape of stroller
• Jeep Overland Limited X Jogging Stroller – Adequate fit but large section of cover flops over due to shape of stroller
• Kolcraft Liberty Limited Jogging Stroller – Adequate fit but large section of cover flops over due to shape of stroller
• Baby Jogger City Mini Single Stroller – Adequate fit but large section of cover flops over due to shape of stroller
• Baby Jogger city Classic Single Stroller -  NOT A GOOD FIT
• Phil & Ted’s “Sport” Stroller – NOT A GOOD FIT

• Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat
• Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP Infant Car Seat
• Graco SnugRide Infant Car Seat
• Infant Safe Seat Step 1 Car Seat
• Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat

Below are some pictures I’ve taken of the stroller cover on my own Maclaren Techno XLR stroller so you can see the fit and how I made some adjustments with the added Velcro strips near the handles of the stroller.

Side view

Front zippered window on cover

Tan Velcro tabs I added - Note how cover is doubled up in this area.

Velcro tab from Orbit

Unfortunately, these covers are not available in stores that carry Orbit equipment due to the fact that they come with the strollers and car seats already. If you’re interested in purchasing the Toddler Stroller Seat Rainshield or the Infant Weather Pack (car seat cover with mosquito net), you will need to do so directly through Orbit’s website.

In addition to Orbit being aware of the dangers of PVC and providing a safer product for consumers, the company has a number of “green” initiatives:

• Orbit has rid their supply of brominated chemicals and oil-based packaging inks.
• The company is selective about their travel and most of their employees get to work by carpool, bicycle, public transit, or hybrid vehicles.
• Orbit was the first business in Newark, California to request and pay for recycling.
• They offset 100% of their electricity needs through Renewable Energy Certificates and purchase carbon offsets to fund green initiatives for the environment.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.

Toys, toys, toys October 6, 2008

Everyone needs a little fun in the mix of life and that includes Baby. There’s plenty to choose from wherever you go – teethers, plush toys, and of course, tons of big, plastic things with annoying, repetitive music. It’s important to have variety, but trying not to over do it is key. Be selective and try to make each item have a purpose so we don’t continue to add excess to our landfills later.

With all the alerts about BPA, though, it’s also important to make sure your child’s toys are safe too. When choosing a new toy, be aware of the company that manufacturers it. Do they use safe materials and practices? Consider wooden toys with non-toxic finishes and when buying plastic items, do some research first. A few places you can start with are Z Recommends for teethers and bath toys.

Here are a few examples of toys I’ve been using and have been very please with so far. You can consider them for your own child or someone you know is expecting. Does your child have any favorite “green” toys?

Salto from Haba

Haba Bonita Clutching Toy

Under the Nile Organic Cotton Grapes

Baby’s First Blocks from Haba

Crocodile Creek PVC-free Rubber Ball

Ogunquit Wooden Rattle

miYim Organic Plush Baby Victoria Bunny

Please see my update to this post about a HABA product.

Copyright © 2008. Trying To Be Greener. All rights reserved.