When do we want them? NOW!

As a Conservative, I have never had the chance to march in rallys and chant in memes.  As a Cuban, the idea of doing so is very appealing.  As a Chicagoan, there usually isn’t any parking.

But if I were to dress up in a slogan T Shirt, burn my Hanro bra, wave a placard about wildly, and stick daisy’s in barrels, it would be for a cause such as this: getting that bloody bollocks insidious PVC out of our precious and vulnerable children’s school supplies!   And as soon as I am invited to the Million Mums March, I shall do just that.

Until then, if ever you were a child, have loved one, or have one, please, please, pretty please with organic cherries on top, sign this petition, and spam your friends via email and Facebook to do the same:

“Yesterday we and our friends at MomsRising announced that over 10,000 parents have organized to petition retailers to take toxic PVC school supplies off store shelves.  Momentum is building!  You can join them by signing the petition here, if you haven’t already.  Parents across the country are banding together to give their children a safe back to school sendoff by keeping toxic school supplies out of children’s backpacks and organizing to keep those toxic binders and lunchboxes off of store shelves.”

More on PVC, and these fine folks who are fighting it: http://www.besafenet.com/pvc/index.htm

Sadly, this includes Trapper Keepers.  Fer sure.

Dano should arrest most of the folks who make cloth baby books, as most contain – and I am sorry to reveal this – foam and chemical dyes, as well as being Made In China (which basically = unregulated). In fact, there is only ONE company making organic cloth baby books, that I am aware of (please correct me, I so want to be wrong): luckily, it’s a good one: Peter Rabbit.

On this side of the pond, I have stumbled across these too adorable cloth baby books that are made of recycled notions. I can’t vouch for the fact that they are “organic”, but they are, presumably, less toxic than a book that has foam in it, or recent dye.

(Vinyl baby/bath books are so dangerous, that many states are trying ban the chemicals in them. Just don’t buy them and throw any that you have away. Full stop.)

Less Toxic Stroller

After learning how toxic carseats, that little lungs, (which intake twice the air and therefore, toxins, that adults do), were inhaling with wee little noses pressed up against them…I was on the hunt for a safer stroller.

Truth be told, I always envisioned my child being pushed along the park walks, under a canopy of weeping cherry trees, in a classic black pram as the blossoms floated down like pink snowflakes. (Seriously. I saw this.) I longed for a Silver Cross Balmoral Pram the way men lust after Bugatti’s. I really, really, really, really wanted one.  However, my husband is from Wisconsin and would have returned there to find a new wife who called him “Sir” had I skipped home with a  two thousand dollar pram.  My son would have to do with some modern contraption, inevitably, from Scandinavia.

After realizing that I was not going to have a beautiful Balmoral (or English nanny with Callas-esque singing ability, or rose covered cottage in the Cotswolds), I began research.  At first, I thought that we should get the Orbit (www.OrbitBaby.com), as it has certified less dangerous materials:

“Most inner upholstery fabric of all Orbit seats is certified by theInternational Oeko-Tex® Association, a Europe-based institution founded to guarantee “confidence in textiles.” Specifically, Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 is a set of criteria that limits over 100 potentially harmful substances and chemicals, ensuring that our upholstery fabric is especially easy on both your child’s skin and the environment.”

and, also from their site:

“As required by state and federal safety standards(NHTSA FMVSS 302 and California TB 117), all car seats must meet stringent flame retardancy standards. Many manufacturers meet these requirements by treating their fabrics with toxic brominated and chlorinated chemicals, like PBBs and PBDEs, that can be harmful to children. In contrast, Orbit meets all flame retardancy standards without these potentially harmful chemicals.”

However, despite all the wonderful reviews, I soon discovered from several Whole Foods moms that I would stop in front of the Gluten Free pasta case, that the carset bit was “heavy”.  Let me just preface by admitting that I haven’t been to the gym since Ross loved Rachel. These bright eyed Yoga Moms looked healthier than east German gymnasts – so if  THEY thought the carseat was a bit was too heavy – I was doomed.

Back to Google….

Gluten free muffin in hand, I came across this very helpful article which reviews the top 5 eco-friendly strollers: http://tinydecorblog.com/blog/2009/02/04/eco-friendly-baby-strollers/ 

After reading several more reviews, I settled on the Uppa Baby stroller, which, importantly, boasts an organic bassinet:

“Green Minded

In an effort to ensure a better environment, UPPAbaby is devoted to developing products that are eco-friendly and safe for your children. It is in this spirit that we are proud to introduce our new, eco-inspired Organic Bassinet. The carrier is fully lined with a blend of cotton and soybean fiber, so every inch of material that touches your baby’s sensitive skin is a wholesome, hygienic alternative to synthetic fabrics. Aside from being eco-friendly, soybean fiber boasts many other properties that are beneficial to the safety and comfort of your baby:

• Dry and Comfortable:Same moisture absorption as cotton with superior moisture transmission, keeping your baby warm and dry. 
• Durable and Warm:Soybean fiber has a stronger tensile strength than wool and similar warmth retention. 
• Cashmere Feel: Soft and light, it has the feel of cashmere but its smoother – it has been touted as the “vegetable cashmere!”
• Anti-Bacterial: Soybean protein fiber possesses many amino acids necessary to the human body.  It activates the collagen protein in the skin and contains anti-bacterial agents making it a true sanitarian fiber. “

See for yourself: www.UppaBaby.com

Now, the one thing I did order from Orbit was the WORLDS FIRST AND ONLY PVC FREE rain shield.  (Read about nasty PVC’S: http://www.besafenet.com/pvc/about.htm)  It seems that the Orbit rain guard fits most strollers, it fit my Uppa Baby perfectly (of which I would post a photo, if I could sort out how to exactly).  Here is a link to get your $50 piece of mind (it comes with a mosquito net as well): http://www.orbitbaby.com/products/weatherpack.html

The Uppa Baby Stroller was just shy of $700.

Lesson #2: Ask other moms about what they dislike about a product you are considering.  Struggling with a heavy carseat/stroller during the Chicago winters would not have made for a happy mama.