Starting Solid Foods

Esther is the happiest kid ever.  She is always smiling and loves to interact with people.  She can already wiggle herself around on the floor a bit and get into things.  Lucy likes to make her laugh and can really keep her going.  I can't believe our sweet baby is six months old already!  She's been trying to swipe our food and moving her mouth while watching our every bite, so we decided to let her try some things recently.

So far she's had mashed up banana (she's not quite sure what to do with it but she gets a big smile when we give it to her), frozen mango, and frozen peach in a mesh feeder (she loves that and really works hard on it).  We're taking a relaxed approach to feeding her, letting her try small bits of fruits and veggies rather than spooning lots of food into her mouth.  She still nurses frequently and up until about a year I'm not concerned about her needing anything other than mommy milk.  Here are some of the things we're using now:

high chair - Lucy and Julia both still use a Fisher Price Healthy Care Booster Seat, which we love but we didn't have another chair available to strap one on to.  In looking for a high chair, many have vinyl padded seats that we wanted to stay away from.  Vinyl is one of the worst plastics because of the phthalates that are added to keep it soft.  It can also contain lead.  The high chair we got from Ikea is made of polypropylene, one of the safest plastics.  Its still a bit big for her, so we tuck a towel in with her.  It is priced very inexpensively, and a tray is available for it as well.

bibs - Bibs are another place that lead can hide.  Wal-Mart even issued a recall for some bibs with high lead levels.  We got rid of all plastic bibs and have a stash of homemade ones that work great.  My bibs even have snaps on them so we don't have any more velcro chains in the wash.  If you're not interested in sewing, aden + anais has some great bibs that I'll post a review and giveaway for soon.

utensils - We have inexpensive Gerber bowls and spoons.  I double checked the Z Recs Guide to be sure they were all safe.  I do not put hot foods in the plastic though, and we hand wash them rather than using the dishwasher.  Esther also likes the mesh feeder we have.

cup - Gerber sippy cups work well for us.  I just got a new soft spout cup as the old version of this did have BPA in it so we tossed it.  Esther was so excited to have her own sippy cup and put it right to her mouth.  She doesn't actually drink out of it yet, but she is pretty proud of herself.

Happy 1/2 birthday Baby Esther!

Chlorine Shower Filter

Back when we bought our Berkey water filter, we also got a chlorine shower filter. We weren't able to put it up right away, but with all my nesting and "to do" lists in preparation for the baby coming, it is finally up. Installation was easy enough. The only slight drawback is that we had a detachable hand held shower head and it didn't work with this filter. It was also a low flow shower head to conserve water, whereas this one is not. Otherwise the shower filter works great and we can tell a difference in the water. The chlorine smell is gone, and although it hasn't been up very long, I think it may be helping our skin not to be so dry.

I decided that we needed a chlorine shower filter after all of my research on water filtration. You can read the What's In My Water series part 1, part 2, and part 3 for more information. Chlorine is added to water in order to clean it, but is actually a toxic chemical. While I'm thankful for chlorine and its role in preventing diseases and providing clean water, I do think its worth removing the chlorine before drinking or showering with the water. You can receive 6 to 100 times more chlorine by breathing the air around a shower or bath than by drinking the water. Big Berkey Water Filters has an informative article here on their blog about chlorine.

The shower filter lasts about a year and removes or reduces chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, microorganisms, scale and water soluble heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and iron. It also kills bacteria and inhibits the growth of mold, algae, and fungi. In an enclosed area like a shower, the chlorine in water can vaporize and be inhaled. The shower filter works by converting chlorine into a water soluble chloride. The chloride behaves differently than chlorine in that it cannot evaporate or be absorbed by the skin. More is explained about the process here.

I highly recommend Big Berkey Water Filters - they have great customer service. The first shower filter that we received ended up leaking from the silver band once we put it up. After an email to Big Berkey Water Filters about the problem, I had a new shower filter shipped to me right away along with a postage paid label to return the old one. If you're interested in purchasing a shower filter or Berkey water filtration system, we have a code good for 5% off of your order "oneword5".

Toxins In Toys: Plastics

This month I've been posting about Toxins In Toys and some of the changes our family has made over the past few years. We've talked about lead and where it hides. Today I want to focus on plastics a bit. There are several potential issues with plastic toys - Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, PVC, and more.

Bisphenol A is an endocrine disrupting hormone - a developmental, neural, and reproductive toxin. Very low doses of BPA exposure have been linked to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity among other problems. Exposure to BPA is widespread - it has been found in the urine of 95% of people tested in studies. Alarmingly, the median level of BPA in humans is higher than the level that causes adverse effects in animal studies. (information from an Environment California report)

Bisphenol A is found in hard clear plastics and has been in the news quite a bit for its presence in baby bottles, sippy cups, and the lining of canned foods. BPA can also be found in many toys including teethers and toys that infants may mouth. Although many newer toys are BPA free, anything you already have or purchase used should be suspect. We had to toss some rattles (things with the clear hard plastic parts on them) and baby toys that had BPA in them. I also have to wonder, even if plastic toys are now marketed as BPA free, what do they contain instead?

Phthalates are a human carcinogen, added to soft plastics to keep them pliable. Think teethers, bath toys, vinyl books... PVC often contains lead and phthalates and is the least recyclable plastic posing numerous health and environmental concerns. Phthalates in children's products are being phased out due to the CPSIA regulations.

Although the new CPSIA laws are aimed at making toys safer for children, the bottom line is that so many times I look at a toy and just don't know what's in it. Honestly there have been stays of enforcement on the CPSIA laws and I can't quite figure out which thing is banned and when. Many manufacturers are also selling off old products that will no longer be safe at a certain point when laws go into effect, but are okay to be sold now. Have you noticed the rubber ducks everywhere, packaged in with other toys and gift baskets? I got an Oriental Trading Company catalog recently and they had an enormous lot of rubber duckies for some insanely cheap price. No thanks.

I can go to the effort to contact every manufacturer (and I have quite often done so) and figure out whether or not my particular toy contains BPA, phthalates, or PVC, but more and more we are simply choosing natural toys that we know are safe. Toys are not labeled "contains BPA", nor are they required to be. Manufacturers aren't required to tell you what is in a toy and will sometimes reply to an inquiry with something along the lines of claiming that their toy doesn't leach BPA, or is non-toxic, or is compliant with government regulations at this time. Wording meant to creatively skirt the questions.

Plastics are petroleum based and are filling up our landfills and oceans. They are rarely recyclable and often break easily. Natural toys are much more durable, and often more open ended in their play options (no batteries, flashing lights, etc). Although natural toys can be more expensive, we have been focusing on purchasing one high quality item instead of several inexpensive toys that won't last long. Our house is small as it is, so limiting what comes into our home is a necessity. We do have some plastics - Lego is a reputable brand and uses a safer type of plastic, Green Toys uses recycled milk jugs to make their sturdy toys, and yes, we do have some (toxic) Little People just because the girls love to play with them. I have a basket of baby toys and these are all natural wooden or cloth toys. Here is a great article about natural toys.

As far as toy safety, I purchase toys from manufacturers that I trust. I don't necessarily trust the "natural" toys that are popping up at large retail stores. Just because something is made of wood doesn't make it safe. What type of glue holds it together? What type of paint is used on it? I look for a water based stain that shows the wood grain rather than a thick coating of paint that could be toxic or peel off. Things like art supplies, music, and books can still be purchased at super stores. Try thinking outside the box and invest in a zoo membership, aquatic center pass, museum gift certificate, or make a coupon book of visits to the park. The saying is true - homemade gifts are often the best. I've posted a few ideas for homemade toys on my blog and you can find more by searching the internet.

I hope this gets you started thinking about safe toy choices for your families. I have a couple more reviews and discount codes coming up, so stay tuned!

More About Lead, Safe Jewelry, and a Giveaway

I'm currently running a series of posts about Toxins In Toys. In my latest post, we talked about lead - where its found and more. I am subscribed to a recall email list and one of the things that I see recalled frequently because of lead is children's jewelry. Most of it is off brand jewelry that I wouldn't consider safe anyway, but the recalls do include some brand names such as American Girl, and Reebok. The Reebok bracelet was actually recalled because a four year old boy swallowed the heart shaped charm and then died of lead poisoning. The CDC has a report on the incident here. Here is a list of children's jewelry recalls.

As a mom of two little girls who love to dress up and be pretty, I'm definitely concerned about this issue. My girls do not have metal jewelry right now. Aside from the lead issue, I would also be concerned about charms coming off and posing a choking hazard to the new baby or little ones that visit our household. They do each have a special amber necklace that they can wear when they want to. They get so many compliments on their necklaces when they are wearing them, and the necklaces are a safe option for many reasons.

Amber is interesting in that it is not actually a stone, it is a fossilized tree resin, and has been used historically as a remedy for many ailments. When wearing a piece of amber jewelry, your skin warms the amber and it releases trace amounts of succinic acid which your body absorbs. Amber is credited for pain relief, restoring energy, strengthening the body's immune system, and more. You can read more about the benefits here. Personally, I'm undecided on how effective wearing amber is, but it certainly can't hurt. Its a natural substance, and looks great besides!

Inspired by Finn is a great little shop that sells amber jewelry. They sent us an amber necklace and bracelet for review. Here is a picture of Lucy with the necklace on:

We chose the light mix round bead necklace in 13 inches. The lighter colors are supposed to have more of the succinic acid. The string the necklace is made of is designed to stretch or even break if necessary. Each piece of amber is individually double knotted on the strand so that if the necklace does break you won't have little pieces flying everywhere. Lucy is very proud of her amber necklace and I can tell she feels very pretty when she's wearing it.

The bracelet that we received was for my mother in law. She has constant pain in her arms, neck, and shoulders from arthritis and other spinal problems. I asked her to wear the bracelet for a couple of weeks and let me know what she thought.

She said that the bracelet was somewhat helpful. She felt that it helped with the pain, although it was hard to tell. On a day where she did something strenuous and was in more pain, the bracelet didn't do much, but it did seem to help with everyday low level pain management. She's been wearing it every time I see her lately, so I it must be helping.

Its definitely interesting to read about the benefits of amber. I love these necklaces as a safe option for children's (and mommy!) jewelry. (Note: due to CPSIA regulations, the jewelry is recommended for ages 3 and up.) Inspired by Finn sells amber necklaces in adult and youth sizes, earrings, and more. As a side note, they have a huge selection of baby legs at a great price. (I have this organic wool pair for the new baby and they are so soft and nice.)

Inspired by Finn is offering one reader a necklace! If you'd like to enter the giveaway leave a comment on this post including your email address. The winner will be able to choose any necklace smaller than 16 inches. If you can't wait and would like to do some holiday shopping, you can use the code "blog" for 20% off. For extra entries, you can blog about this giveaway and leave the link in a comment, become a follower of my blog (or say that you already are), or both. The giveaway will close on December 11 at midnight.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay tuned for more on toy safety, toys reviews, and giveaways coming up soon.

**The giveaway is now closed. Random.org chose comment #13. Thanks for your interest!**

KidBean.com Product Review and Giveaway

This month I've been posting about Toxins In Toys and talking about some of the choices our family is making regarding toys. With our switch to natural safe toys, we've found some wonderful toy companies that have great high quality products. One of the stores that I've been impressed with is KidBean. They thoroughly research every company and product they sell, and will even tell you why they don't carry certain products. Here is a quote from their about us page:

"You can find natural, organic, earth-friendly children's products, like wooden toys and organic cotton baby clothes at hundreds of online retailers and an increasing number of local stores. However, you may notice that most of these products are made overseas from foreign components (such as organic cotton clothing made in India from Indian-grown organic cotton or wooden toys made in China or Germany). Were the workers who made them treated fairly? Which organic certification do they have (GOTS, CU, or..?)? What is the impact of their packaging? Are all the ingredients really safe?"

I love the questions they are asking! KidBean is a vegan company and very concerned about being green in every way they can. Just looking at the list of green things that they do at their office is inspiring. Also inspiring is the story of how the company started - a passionate mom wanting to stay home with her new baby girl, determined to start a business that sold earth-friendly, labor-friendly, vegan products. Today they are a thriving business with well over 750 products in numerous categories.

KidBean's toy selection consists of all wooden toys made here in the US. They focus on simple, open-ended toys that feed your child's imagination. The toys are all guaranteed to be lead free. Lucy and Julia had the chance to review the Uncle Goose Antics Ant Blocks recently.

Uncle Goose blocks are handcrafted in Michigan from basswood. They use child safe non-toxic ink on the blocks. The Antics Ant Blocks set has 16 blocks with ant trails, a queen ant and her eggs, little ant hill entrances, and even a spider. We are going to be studying ants as part of our My Father's World homeschool curriculum in a few weeks, so I thought this would be a fun set to have. I like the open-endedness of being able to create unique ant trails each time. It was actually not as challenging as I thought it would be since all of the pieces fit together in any way. Ross did point out that the ants were headed in certain directions and Lucy and I had them crashing into each other because we hadn't noticed that detail.

The girls both enjoyed playing with the blocks. Julia pointed to a couple of ants and said "maybe these are the friends and these are the mommy and daddy." In the photo she's yelling something about her king falling off the steps. Lucy had fun making a trail of ants running away from the spider and into one of the ant hill openings. The blocks are a nice big size - 1 3/4". We also received a sturdy canvas drawstring bag perfect for storing the blocks in. I'm not sure why, but they actually liked putting the blocks away in the bag - they normally don't do well cleaning up. Lucy and Julia give this toy two thumbs up for sure. The next morning after we had been playing with the blocks, Julia went straight to the closet and pulled them out again.

KidBean is giving away one set of Uncle Goose Blocks, your choice! (excluding the wagon) Uncle Goose makes a great selection of blocks including many other languages, bugs, and more. Visit KidBean and tell me what set you would choose. While you're there, check out their other great categories - bedding, clothing, diapers, and more. Leave a comment on this post being sure to include your email address. I'll close the giveaway on Dec 11 at midnight and use random.org to select a winner.

**The giveaway is now closed and a winner has been contacted. Thanks for your interest!**

Toxins In Toys: Lead

This month I'm doing a series of posts called Toxins In Toys where I will be talking about toxins including lead, phthalates, BPA and more. I will also include some reviews and giveaways from our favorite safe toy stores. With Christmas approaching, its especially important to take a moment to think about the safety of toys that your children are playing with and the new things that you bring into your home.

Everyone knows that lead is a huge safety concern. Children are routinely screened for lead poisoning, and most people are aware of the dangers. Lead poisoning can cause developmental delays, poor attention span, weight loss, anemia, and more. When thinking of lead poisoning, old paint, lead pipes, and soil contamination come to mind - but what about your child's favorite Thomas the train engine or plastic Dora figure? There have been literally millions of toys recalled lately for lead issues. I'm glad they are being recalled, but is every toy out there being tested? How many toys do I have in my home that could have lead in them? What if I have a toy that is recalled? I'm left with a $5 voucher for a new toy, and a child with lead in his or her system. At the bottom of the recall notices you can read "What to do if you have a recalled toy - take the toy immediately away from your child and contact such and such company for a replacement." Really? That's all?

Recently researchers have realized that even low levels of lead can have significant effects on children. The "safe" level today is much lower than it was in the past, and recent studies have shown that there is no safe dose of lead, it is highly toxic to the body. Lead exposure is of greatest concern when children are young enough that they are putting toys in their mouths. Even an older children can ingest lead by handling a toy and then putting his hands to his mouth to eat something.

There are two types of lead - surface lead and embedded lead. Surface lead for toys is regulated by the Consumer Products Safety Commission at no more than 600 parts per million. There are no regulations for non toy products however. Embedded lead is injected into plastic or vinyl as a stabilizer and at this point I am unclear as to whether or not that is regulated with the new CPSIA laws. Lead can be found painted on wood, fabric, and plastic, or injected into plastic and vinyl. Yellow and red colors are the most likely to have lead added to them as it makes the colors brighter.

Mega Blocks are one example of embedded lead - the yellow blocks were found to have lead in them. There was some controversy about the type of testing done and the blocks have not been recalled. You can read an article about this here.

Here is a good article about lead in toys from Sara's Toy Box.

Check the CPSC website for recalls and subscribe to their email list to be notified about recalls as the occur.

Healthy Stuff has tested toys, you can search their database to see if a toy you are looking for has been tested.

What struck me in looking through the recall notices is that these are toys I would buy and could easily have in my home. In later posts I will talk more about what our family has chosen to do in response to this information. In general though, we tend towards toys that are made of natural substances and from safe reputable companies. Hopefully this gets you started thinking about the toys in your home. Keep reading for more about toxins in toys.

(Note: the Dora and Elmo toys pictured in this post have both been recalled.)

Toxins In Toys

Two years ago in November, I wrote an article and posted it to my blog. It was the very first post and the reason I created this blog. Its called "Article on Toys, Lead, and Plastics" and you can find it here. I had been reading different things on the internet and kept coming across terms - BPA, phthalates, lead, and more - and was getting confused as to what all of the issues were, what was safe, and what was not. I knew that there were things in my home that could be unsafe, but couldn't figure out where to start looking for them.

One day I had a friend over visiting and she asked me if I had done anything about making changes in my home. I replied with "No, I haven't. Its all too confusing, have you?" She responded that yes, they had made some changes as far as buying safer pots and pans and eliminating some plastics from kitchen use. This inspired me to sit down and begin to figure it all out. I thought, "If she thinks this is important enough to try and figure it out and make her home safer for her family... I should too!" The article I posted back then was the beginning of our family's journey towards a safer healthier home. (Its not perfect, I misspelled phthalates in the whole article, and have learned even more about the issues since then, but it was a start and probably still worth your time to read.)

We've come a long way these past two years and have slowly made numerous changes in our home. I've become much more aware of toxins and where they hide and have been working on eliminating them. We are picky about toys and items that come into our home and try to make wise choices. I still feel overwhelmed at times and don't know how to completely eliminate certain things or am limited by cost. (I can't afford a brand new organic mattress, only organic clothing and all organic food for example.) Many of the changes I've made in our home and the research I've done, I post about here on my blog: the water filtration series, information about cloth training pants, staying healthy during pregnancy, product reviews and more.

Why do I do this? My kids. I absolutely love being a mom and am passionate about making my home as safe as I possibly can for my family. I can't change everything all at once, but I can keep learning, keep researching, keep trying and creating a safer healthier home in the process. Although there are some things that are out of my control, there are many things that I can change and steps I can take.

This month I'm going to be focusing my blogging on some of the potential toxins that can be found in toys and how this affects choices our family makes. We'll talk about lead, where it can be found, what phthalates are, and more. I will also be posting some reviews of natural toy companies throughout the month along with some giveaways and discount codes. Keep reading... hopefully some of it is helpful to you. Feel free to ask questions as we go and I will do my best to share with you what I've learned.

Nature Studies - Beaches and Bugs

I just posted a long list of nature studies resources we enjoy having in our home. A couple of items that we recently received from A Toy Garden deserved their own special mention. As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been searching for things (games, toys, books, etc) to make nature studies interesting and fun for my girls. We've had a blast with each of these two items and give them two thumbs up.

Sonya suggested that we review the Bug Bingo game because the bingo cards have so much information printed on them and the pictures are quite detailed and true. I wasn't sure if the game was going to be over Lucy's head, but it said ages 3- adult, so we decided to give it a try. Lucy and Julia both enjoy finding bugs outside and were very interested in playing this game.

At one point I asked Lucy if she had to go to the bathroom because she was dancing around and wiggling so much. She said no, she was just very excited about the game and trying to see all of the pictures. The game is very simple to play, there are large printed bingo cards, bingo marker chips, and flash cards with the bug pictures and information. One person holds up the flash card and each player checks to see if they have a matching picture on the game card in front of them. I didn't read much of the information on the backs of the cards because Lucy was enjoying just matching the pictures and I didn't want to overwhelm her with too much at once. She was able to play on her own, and even wanted to check Daddy's game card for him when he had to distract Julia from destroying the game. She didn't want to stop once she got five in a row so we kept going until we all had a Bingo and our game cards were filling up.

I really like that the cards have the information printed on the backs. I did read out loud a few sentences about a some of the bugs and we'll definitely read more of the information as Lucy gets more used to the game and is a bit older. For now I thought it was great that she was just learning the names of the bugs and by matching the pictures she was learning what each one looks like. There are even a few terms like "metamorphosis" included, which is fun.

We all enjoyed playing this game and will be using it often. There are six game cards included, so even Grandma and Grandpa can play when they come over. A Toy Garden also sells Nature Bingo, Ocean Bingo, and more. I think these might be appearing on Christmas wish lists in the near future.

The second item we received for review is the Green Toys Sand Castle set. We already had the tea set by Green Toys and absolutely love it. Green Toys is a wonderful company - their toys are made of recycled plastic milk jugs (a very safe plastic) and are BPA and phthalate free. There is no coating on the toy, so definitely no lead paint here. The toy even comes packaged in recyclable cardboard. The plastic toy itself is very durable and sturdy, I was impressed with the quality.

The set comes with a pail, shovel, rake, and castle mold. The pail has a thick rope handle and is a great size. Lucy had fun scooping water from the lake so that Daddy and Julia could fill the castle mold with wet sand and make castles. The mold worked well and made nicely formed castles. The shovel and rake are both quite sturdy and will hold up to quite a bit of use. We'll use this set at home to work in the garden, collect nature finds on walks, and much more.

I honestly wasn't sure what I would think about the sand castle set since we already own several pail and shovel sets that we use in our sandbox at home. After playing with it though, I'm ready to throw all of the others away and just use this set. Other sand toys crack and the handles snap off and they just aren't as sturdy and nice as this set, not to mention I'm sure the other ones we have are not a safe plastic nor in the slightest bit environmentally conscious. I much prefer my children play with something I know is safe and responsibly made. This is a fun set that I know will last for quite some time.

Visit A Toy Garden to find either of these fun "nature studies" items. Check out the autumn category for a large variety of fun fall items. (A Toy Garden also sells Fundanas, another of our favorite nature studies tools.) Thanks for the great recommendations, Sonya!

What's In My Water? Part 2

(read "What's In My Water? Part 1" here)

At this point, I knew for sure that we had to purchase a new water filtration system and continued my research to find the best choice. The prices I was looking at seemed high, so I decided to add up what I was already spending on my faucet mount filter and my pitcher filter:

My PUR pitcher cost about $10 for a filter replacement that lasts for 40 gallons. This equals 25 cents a gallon. Brita was costing me $20 for a replacement that filters 100 gallons at 20 cents per gallon. Over a year I guessed that we bought about 6 pitcher filters and 3 faucet filters totaling $120 ($10 x 6 + $20 x 3) This puts our kitchen water usage at 540 gallons a year - although I do tend to use the filters for a while after they are done before I get around to replacing them, so I'm sure we use more than 540 gallons a year. However, for my purposes, $120 was a good guess at what we were spending on water filtration each year.

Knowing what I was currently spending was helpful, but at the same time, I had discovered that there were contaminants in my water and I can't really put a price on that. Drinking clean water seemed like one of the most basic things I could do for my and my family's health. At some point I discovered the Berkey Water Filtration systems. I had researched and looked at many different systems and read all about how they filter and what they filter out. Over time I became convinced that Berkey was the system that removed the most contaminants.

The Black Berkey Elements (the parts inside of the Berkey that filter the water) are actually so powerful that they can remove food coloring from water, in fact that is one of the ways they tell you to test your system to see if its working properly. The Berkey Water Filtration system is used by UNICEF, the Red Cross, and missionaries worldwide to purify water - even raw untreated water. This system can be used in emergency situations to purify water, including chlorinated water from your swimming pool. Here is a list of contaminants removed and links to data from lab testing that was done. Black Berkey elements were tested with more than 10,000 times the concentration of pathogens per liter than is required by standard testing protocol. The test results showed absolutely no pathogens in the water, even when examined by microscope. The Berkey water systems are actually called water "purification" systems rather than "filtration" systems because of how powerful they are.

There were other filtration systems that I looked at, but many of them were made of plastic and could therefore be leaching harmful chemicals into the clean water. We liked that the Berkey system was available in stainless steel. Another bonus is that they do not need water pressure or electricity to operate, so having a Berkey system in my home meant that I would be prepared for an emergency situation as long as I could find water to pour into it.

Cost was a consideration, although it wasn't my big deciding factor. I was pleased to discover that Berkey was one of the more cost effective systems available. The initial price wasn't too high and the filters last for such a long time, that brought the cost down even further. Using the two filtration elements that come standard with a Berkey, the system can purify 6,000 gallons of water. Even if I used the high estimate of one gallon of water per person per day, that only gets me to 1,460 gallons of that used in a year. (365 days a year x 4 people in our household) Other systems I looked at were more expensive initially and required filter replacement at $100 each at least once a year. Brita and PUR were costing me 20 and 25 cents per gallon. Berkey comes in at 5 cents per gallon when you include the price of purchasing the system and only 1.6 cents per gallon if you're only figuring the cost of replacement filters.

This bring me to the end of part 2. Keep in mind that I'm not trying to sell you a Berkey water system, just sharing the research I did on the topic. In part 3 I will be sharing my review of the Berkey system in my own home as well as a discount code from Big Berkey Water Filters. If you're interested in reading more in the meantime, here are some great links:

Big Berkey Water Filters

Berkey Blog - tons of great articles on water contamination and further info on the Berkey

Berkey FAQ

What's In My Water? Part 1

Sometime this spring I started wondering "What's in my water?" and it sent me on a research mission. I already knew that we had lead in our water from old pipes - the water runs slightly orange every morning and very orange if we've been gone for a couple days. We had a Brita filter on the kitchen faucet and a PUR water pitcher in the refrigerator for this reason, but I started to wonder about the bigger water filtration systems and what was different about them.

I started by looking at the Brita and PUR websites and what contaminants their filters remove from the water. Brita simply states that "The Brita Faucet Filter removes microbiological cryptosporidium and giardia. It also reduces lead, TTHM, VOCs, lindane (pesticide), 2, 4-D, alachlor, atrazine (herbicide), chlorine (taste and odor) and sediment." PUR provides a more extensive PDF file comparing the different filtration options they offer and what contaminants each removes.

I then looked at other filters - Multi-Pure was one that first caught my attention. The list of contaminants that their filters remove was much longer than Brita or PUR's. You can see the performance data sheet here. Here is some technical data about the contaminants removed by Berkey water filters, another brand I was looking at. As you can see, there are some gaps when you start comparing lists - Brita and PUR just don't remove as much. I wasn't thrilled that there were all of these potential contaminants that could be floating around in my water because my filters weren't strong enough.

I also learned that how the water is filtered can make a difference. One website I was reading called water pitchers and faucet mount pitchers "feel good filters" because the loose carbon particles inside of them can become ineffective. The water creates a path through the carbon particles and therefore doesn't get filtered effectively anymore. The rate of flow through a filter can also affect what is filtered out. Water that is forced through a filter (like a faucet mount filter) at high rates of speed just doesn't get filtered as effectively. Filtration in something like a Berkey water system is designed in such a way that the water is in contact with the filtration media for long periods of time in order to be most efficient at capturing contaminants.

Looking at the different types of water filters, there are a few options that I knew wouldn't work. Reverse osmosis and distillation both remove beneficial minerals from the water and can be wasteful in the amount of water they use or cost a lot in electricity. Bottled water has been found to be no different than tap water and even less regulated (see the EWG research on this here). I've already said that I was unhappy with my faucet mount and pitcher filters.

I also began to wonder if I was making all of this up. I could look at lists of contaminants and choose the most effective filter available... but were all of these contaminants theoretical or was it really something to be worried about? I get a brochure from my water company every year that talks about how clean my water is and explains testing that occurs and that they have not had any violations of standards for clean water.

I eventually came across the Environmental Working Group's National Tap Water Quality Database. According to the EWG report, although a water company may be fully compliant with EPA standards, there were still 141 contaminants with no enforceable safety limits found in our drinking water. Furthermore, I can look up my water company and see a report of exactly what contaminants are in MY drinking water. Its definitely shocking to look at a list of industrial pollutants, water treatment byproducts, and unregulated chemicals that I've been drinking. The EWG Tap Water Database allows you to search by city for your water company and look at the report, click on contaminants, and learn about their health hazards. Comparing the list of what was in my water with the list of what Brita and PUR remove, it was clear that those filters were not doing the job I needed them to do.

Around the time of my research on this topic, I became pregnant with our third child. Being pregnant and having two little ones at home just made this issue all the more important to me. If a toxin is going to affect someone, its going to be the littlest people - my kids, and the tiny person growing inside of me. I'll end part one now and post again later this week with more about which filtration system we chose, cost comparisons I did, and lots more information.

Giveaway- Lead Free Lunch Bag

*** Giveaway is now closed.  Random.org chose commenter #1, Ang.  Now is your chance to use the discount code to reusablebags.com for 10% 0ff.  This expires May 11.  See the full post for details. ***

I first learned about the issue of lead in lunch bags while visiting reusablebags.com. The Center for Environmental Health in California has tested over 200 vinyl lunch bags and found many of them with high levels of lead (at least 1 in 5). Some even had over 10 times the legal limit for lead paint on children's products! Of major concern is the fact that the highest levels of lead were found on the inside of lunch bags where it can come into contact with food. Lead is a known neurotoxin with hazardous effects even at low levels of exposure. Soft plastics (PVC) are the worst kind, notorious for lead and other stabalizers that are added in their processing. PVC is hazardous from production to disposal and is referred to as the "poison plastic"... not something I want a lunch bag to be made of!

Thankfully there are safe options available. Reusablebags.com sells lead free lunch bags! My husband takes his lunch to school daily and was using a soft vinyl lunch bag that he had gotten from a company he used to work for. Our suspicion that it contained lead, along with the fact that it had his old company's name on it sent us searching for a better lunch bag.

I was impressed with the Acme Large Insulated lunch bag on many levels. It is lead and PVC free and its insulation is made of 100% recycled plastic. With a lifetime guarantee (seriously? on a lunch bag? yep.) and being hand made in the US, I think this is a great choice for a lunch bag. Reusablebags.com offered to send me one to review as well as give away one to my readers! Ross (my husband) chose the blue color above - if you win the giveaway, you'll get to choose your own color.

I'm glad we chose the large rather than the medium insulated ACME bag. Ross likes to take leftovers for lunches instead of sandwiches, so we needed to be able to fit containers of varying sizes inside. It comes with a reusable ice pack that slips down into a pocket on the inside. We didn't need the ice pack since the bag is fairly well insulated, but its a nice feature. I'm in love with the pink version and think it would be great for packing a picnic lunch for me and my girls.

We also received a Laken reusable bottle for review. Laken bottles are BPA and pthalate free and the caps are PVC free polypropylene. They are aluminum with a Poly Aramide lining and are actually 100% recyclable. The inner coating is baked on to prevent flaking or chipping and is taste neutral. The bottle is very lightweight and there are several fun designs as well as colors to choose from. Ross chose the silver .06L classic which is a good size for him.

Reusablebags.com is great website; I love that they have so much information in the FAQ section and the learn more tab at the top. You can find articles on waste free lunches, information on plastics and the environmental impact, and more. Check the FAQ section for more in depth information about the lead in lunch bags issue.

While you're there, take a look at some of the other great items they sell and think about how you can reduce your plastic consumption. That plastic Texas-sized blob in the ocean doesn't need to get any bigger. Try a snackTAXI reusable bag for your kids lunches, or a Wrap-N-Mat instead of ziplocs for sandwiches. To receive 10% off your order at ReusableBags.com just enter the code "onelittleword" in the coupon field at check out. Please note: This offer cannot be combined with other coupon offers and it expires May 11, 2009.

To enter the giveaway for the ACME large insulated lunch bag: leave a comment on this post, being sure that your email address is somehow accessible to me or is included in your post. For an extra entry subscribe to my blog in whichever way you choose and let me know that you did so and how (added me to your igoogle page, google reader, became a follower, etc). Please note this as a second separate comment so that you are given another chance to win!  If you're already subscribed in some way that counts too, just let me know that.

This giveaway will close Weds May 6th at 11:59pm and one winner will be randomly chosen. Thanks for stopping by my blog, feel free to browse around and let me know if you find any of it useful.

More in the Kitchen

Here are a few things we've done lately...

- got stainless steel measuring spoons and cups from Bed Bath and Beyond
-donated to ewg.org and got their holiday bag including a cast iron pan and Kleen Kanteen! The pan is a Lodge Preseasoned (which you can get for a decent price on amazon) and its worked well the first time I used it, much better even than my expensive nonstick Calphalon. I'm thinking of buying more. I haven't used the KK yet but I know I will use it constantly this summer. I need to buy the girls each one.
-found a new Pampered Chef stoneware pizza pan on Craigslist - love it! I want another one and then I'll toss all my cookie sheets.
-got a small bamboo cutting board at Meijer for $3 or so
-dishes- we bought a large set of Pfaltzgraff off Craigslist and got rid of everything else. We really like the set and it feels like an upgrade from what we had so we're happy.
-slow cooker - we had a very old Rival brand (which contains lead) we tossed and got a new Hamilton Beach for Christmas (they state they do not use lead or cadmium in their slow cookers)
-glass storage - I bought the Anchor Hocking set of 8 or so glass containers with the plastic lids and a small set of 5 with lids and we love them! Even if it weren't for the sake of not using plastic, I'd still recommend them to anyone. They dont hold food smells like plastic, are so much easier to wash and just look and feel much nicer. You can reheat foods in them without worrying.

And here's what we still have to do:

-find a safe muffin tin, either stainless steel, stoneware, or cast iron
-find child size silverware
-get another stoneware pan or stainless steel cookie sheets
-get more Kleen Kanteens for DH and the girls
-find a replacement for plastic spatulas/cooking utensils??? can you use stainless steel ones on stainless steel pans? right now we have plastic
-get a stainless steel collander to replace the plastic one
-figure out how to freeze food without using plastic?? Our glass storage stuff was to expensive to replace all the freezer containers with.

Thats all I can think of. I'm really enjoying using my new things and safetyfying the kitchen.

Article on Toys, Lead, and Plastics

What follows is a summary that I've typed up of the current research on lead, toys, and plastics. It is by no means complete, and a much of it is quoting from various websites. As I get time I may come back to it and clean it up some. If nothing else, the links at the end are worth checking out!

I’ve recently become increasingly aware of the dangers of children’s toys. Toy recalls are all over the news, and recent reports by reputable agencies such as the Environmental Working Group are finding toxins in our toys and homes. Although some of this may at first seem to be a big media scare, I’ve come to believe that it is in fact a real concern. CNN.com published an article in which a family underwent testing to determine what toxins their bodies were carrying. The children “had chemical exposure levels up to seven times those of their parents….He had two to three times the level of flame retardants in his body that's been known to cause thyroid dysfunction in lab rats.” Lead poisoning and other chemicals in our bodies are serious concerns; couple this with the fact that autism is on the rise – 1 in every 150 children is currently being diagnosed as somewhere on the autism spectrum, and you will realize that we are contending with a serious issue. I’m not implying that lead toys are causing autism in children, but I am aware that there are numerous health problems and autoimmune disorders that doctors cannot find a cause for and I do believe that they are related to our lifestyle and environment. Any attempt at making our daily lives safer and healthier for our children is worthwhile and a valuable effort.

Of course this brings to mind the question – are my kids safe? There isn’t exactly a definite answer, as there are many variables, but this question keeps nagging and prompts some action. I’ve spent many hours researching the issues and trying to wrap my head around what is safe and what could be unsafe, and what to do about it. I’ll start with the issues and then try to summarize and explain the position that our family is taking.

The issues:

Recalls – toys are being recalled left and right for lead paint in excess levels. I’m glad that toys are being recalled, but it leaves me wondering what next – do I have a toy that will be recalled next week, leaving my child with lead in her system and a $5 voucher for a replacement toy? Do I have a toy that was overlooked and will not be recalled, but actually contains lead? At the risk of making this article far too long, I’m including a quote from http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com, it’s the best summary of the lead issue that I’ve found so far. This article is from a blog about toys and toy safety that I recently came across; I’ve found it to be very informative and a great resource. Italics are my own added emphasis.

“The risk from lead occurs when a child put a toy in his mouth. This is of greatest danger to children under two because they naturally explore the world with their mouths, and also have fast growing brains. Low levels of lead affect brain development and can cause developmental delays in young children. Lead has also been shown to effect adult brains, is toxic to the kidneys and blood and is a powerful carcinogen. There are no symptoms for lead poisoning, so all children should be tested for lead exposure.

There are two types of lead contamination in toys. Surface (or coated) lead and embedded (or substrate) lead.

Most of the recent recalls are due to surface lead. The Consumer Product Safety Commission regulates surface coated lead and has set the standard at no more than 600 ppm (parts per million). There are no regulations for non-toy products.

Embedded or substrate lead is often used as an additive in such materials as vinyl or plastic, which is why Christmas tree lights now come with a lead warning label. Toys or children’s products with embedded lead meet all federal safety standards. Why? Because there are no safety standards.

Yet, health experts warn that even embedded lead has no place in products for children as even low level exposure poses a health risk. The CPSC reports that a four-year old boy died from lead poisoning after ingesting a jewelry charm with embedded lead. Wal-Mart and Toys R Us voluntarily recalled bibs this year due to concerns regarding embedded lead.

Things to know about lead in toys:

• Lead is not only a problem with metal toys. Lead can be painted on wood, fabric and plastic as well as injected into plastic and vinyl.
• Plush Toys are NOT guaranteed to be safe. While most fabric toys do not have lead, you do need to watch out for fabric that has been painted. The recalls of fabric blocks and a plush Curious George doll underscores the possibility of lead contamination in fabric toys.”

For the full article, see: http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com/2007/11/lead-in-toys.html

Mega Blocks have been found to contain embedded lead but have not been recalled.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2007/10/maxi_lead.html

A Utah news station did some testing and found lead in dinner plates currently being sold at WalMart: http://www.kutv.com/content/gephardt/story.aspx?content_id=d567af85-e5fc-4343-bc6a-a7c3bc47ba9f

One thing that stood out to me in flipping through the recall list on cpsc.gov is the fact that these are toys that I would buy and could easily have in my home. The list of recalls is huge, and these aren’t just about a piece breaking off, most of them are lead related recalls.

Plastics- Plastics have come under scrutiny again lately because of the discovery of a toxic chemical, Bisphenol A, which has been found to leach out of plastic containers including commonly used water bottles and baby bottles. Another concern includes products (children’s teethers and toys) made with PVC including pthalates, chemical compounds used to make the PVC soft which can leach out of the toy and into a child’s body.

Bisphenol A (BPA)- Bisphenol A is an endocrine disrupting hormone that has been found to leach out of certain plastics and the lining of canned foods.

“Bisphenol A is a Developmental, Neural, and Reproductive Toxicant

• Scientists have linked very low doses of bisphenol A exposure to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes, and hyperactivity, among other problems.
• For example, in one recent study, a single, low dose of bisphenol A administered to a newborn rat resulted in hyperactive behavior.

Exposure to Bisphenol A is Widespread

• Bisphenol A is most commonly used to make clear polycarbonate plastic for consumer products, such as baby bottles. Through use, this plastic breaks down and leaches bisphenol A into liquids and food to which it comes into contact.
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found bisphenol A in the urine of over 95% of people they tested.
• Alarmingly, the median level of bisphenol A in humans is higher than the level that causes adverse effects in animal studies.”

From http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/reports/environmental-health/environmental-health-reports/toxic-baby-bottles

BPA is found in polycarbonate plastics, labeled #7 in the triangle recycling code stamped on the bottom of an item. Most Nalgene bottles are #7 plastic, as are most baby bottles. However, manufacturers are not required to list the type of plastic their items are made of. One website has taken the challenge of figuring out which baby bottles, sippy cups, and pacifiers are made out of this harmful plastic. (http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/11/z-report-bisphenol-in-baby-bottles-and.html) Some companies use polycarbonate in certain products and not others, and other companies will not even respond to inquiries to disclose this information. There are no regulations in place on this issue, so companies could change their products at any time and include polycarbonate plastics even if they currently do not use them. There are a handful of responsible companies who are concerned about the issue and are committed to not using polycarbonate plastics.

Pthalates – Pthalates are found in PVC products and are a human carcinogen. Toy manufacturers have been pressured in the past to stop using pthalates, but it remains in some toys and kitchen plastics and is a danger. Teethers, bath books, and other soft plastics can contain pthalates. Again, companies are not required to disclose the use of PVC in their products. PVC often has lead added for strength, is the least recyclable plastic, and poses numerous risks to the environment and human health.

What to do? When I try to wade through all this information on plastics and what is safe and what isn’t, it starts to get a little crazy! For example, one website lists that Glad Cling Wrap and Saran Wrap are supposedly safe, but one should avoid Reynolds Wrap because it is made of a different type of plastic…. and so on. I’m in the process of trying to figure out which plastics in our kitchen and toy box are safe and what isn’t. Many items aren’t labeled and that requires trying to contact the company for information on what type of plastic certain items are made of. I’m left wondering if the other types of plastic in my home are actually safe, or if the toxin just hasn’t been identified yet. Plastics are petroleum based and are filling up our landfills and oceans, which is another reason to avoid them. I’ve referenced an article below that talks about the sheer mass of plastics in the ocean and how its harming wildlife and humans.

This brings me to the practical steps that our family is taking. Research in these areas is ongoing and confusing at best. However, there are real dangers involved. We will continue to research and educate ourselves on these issues. Ideally, changes need to be made on a corporate level, but in the meantime we’ll start at home by making the best decisions we can based on the information we have. Some of these are clear choices, and some are goals that we are working towards. Replacing every plastic item in our home is unrealistic. Taking a closer look at what plastics we use in our kitchen and the toys that our children play with seems like a logical first step.

Kitchen- As far as kitchen plastics, we have removed numbers 3, 6, or 7, and will not be using items with those numbers. Plastics should not be used in the microwave, and we are looking into alternates for food storage containers, such as glass. Cling wrap is best avoided as well. I’m still trying to figure out which type of plastic many of our baby items are (bowls, soft tip spoons, cups, etc). We will be replacing anything that is found to be PVC or #7 plastic, and any future purchases (sippy cups, bibs, etc) will most likely not be plastic to avoid this issue entirely.

Toys- Based on what we have learned, we would like to avoid purchasing plastic toys altogether. We have already started eliminating some of what we have. While we are not throwing everything plastic out the window, in the long run we would like to be able to provide safer alternatives. Although this means that practically everything at places like WalMart and Target is off limits for our home, we are finding that this is a step that more and more families are taking given the recalls and the possible dangers (embedded lead, surface lead, PVC with pthalates, BPA).

Aside from eliminating plastic toys due to safety hazards, simplifying our lives a bit more by having less is another reason. We have a small living space and often feel cluttered as it is. Replacing a large number of plastic toys with a few higher quality play things will help us in more ways than one. Several brands offer non-toxic products, most of which are made of wood and other natural fibers. Some can be found at specialty toy stores and most can easily be ordered thru online retailers. Items such as books, music, and art supplies can still be purchased locally.

We are constantly researching and making the best decisions we can for our family. We appreciate your help and understanding as we work through all of this.

Resources

CNN article on body burden testing:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/10/22/body.burden/index.html

Article on PVC and pthalates:

http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/ftoys.htm

BPA:

http://www.thegreenguide.com/doc/114/bpa

BPA in specific sippy cups and bottles:

http://zrecs.blogspot.com/2007/11/z-report-bisphenol-in-baby-bottles-and.html

Plastics Guide:

http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?refid=77083

More about plastic containers, including specifics on what products to avoid:

http://www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=44&sec=3

Plastic Oceans:

http://www.bestlifeonline.com/cms/publish/health-fitness/Our_oceans_are_turning_into_plastic_are_we_2.shtml

Why Not to buy from China:

http://www.maplelandmark.com/imports.shtml

What to Do (specific steps to take in avoiding harmful plastics):

http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/environmental-health/stop-toxic-toys/toxics-fact-sheet

Sara’s Toy Box:

http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com/

Sara’s Toy Box article on gift ideas from super stores:

http://saras-toy-box.blogspot.com/2007/11/gifts-ideas-from-super-stores.html

Article on Natural Toys

https://www.threesisterstoys.com/t-aboutnatural.aspx

Toy Websites:

Oompa.com

Threesisterstoys.com

Palumba.com

Magiccabin.com

Novanatural.com

Moolka.com

Rosiehippo.com

Atoygarden.com

A quote from palumba.com: “Toys made from natural materials such as wood, silk, wool or beeswax have a warm and honest quality. For example, a doll with a woolen body becomes warm in the embrace of a hug while synthetics remain cold. A wooden block has the weight that one expects to encounter when lifted. It tells a truth about the nature of the object whereas a plastic toy gives a false impression of weight and mass. Young children are learning about our world through their senses. It is our responsibility to provide an environment that tells the story of our world honestly.”