Mega Bloks: PVC-containing bloks in a PVC-free bag…

11 Jan 2014 16 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources

81ubGYWSi6L__SL1500_

My son received the 80 piece set for a Christmas gift from my Husbands parents. My side of the family is very aware of, and totally respectful of my wishes regarding made in the USA & (mostly) wooden play things for my family. I immediately assumed the Mega Bloks were going to be made in China, but was surprised to see they were made in Canada. OK, not terrible I thought, Canada has decent standards from what I know. My son dumped them out & within minutes of receiving the gift, Mega Bloks was suddenly part of his vocabulary, and Mega Bloks were suddenly all over our house.

I studied the bag for info on the Bloks. The bag boasts “PVC-free Eco-bag”. Cool. But, what about the blocks–the item my child will be playing with? So I wait for Christmas to get over & call their NA headquarters in Montreal, Canada. I get a recording that says to leave a message & they’ll call back, which I did. A week went by with no call back (I tried calling here & there only to receive the same “we’re busy, leave a message”). So I left my question on their FB page. Several days went by & they answered all messages around mine, but not mine, so I reposted it.

Q: What type of plastic are your blocks made of? Are they PVC & BPA-free? The bag advertises as PVC-free, but I find it odd that the info on the blocks is hard to come by, I see no info regarding it on your site, unless I’m missing it.

A: All Mega Bloks products meet United States and Canada Toy safety requirements for BPA and PVC. We do everything we can to keep them safe for kids of all ages.

Q: My question is whether they are PVC &/or BPA-free. I’m not familiar enough with the safety standards, but know that they may have an allowable limit, which is different than containing none

A: Our toys adhere to US toy safety standards and we are proud to enforce higher internal safety thresholds than required by the standards, but we cannot confirm that the blocks do not include trace amounts of PVC. We assure you that our toys are safe for our families and yours.

(It took me 3 posts to get to the bottom of it, here’s the ultimate answer: https://www.facebook.com/megabloks/posts/10152153976931703?comment_id=32101605&offset=0&total_comments=1&notif_t=feed_comment)

A different post on same topic shared on my wall yesterday: https://www.facebook.com/megabloks/posts/10151568026906703

What ticks me off the most? That they “assure” they are safe, although they cannot even confirm what is, or isn’t in them. No words can convey my frustration with that! WHY would they advertise the bag as PVC-free, when the blocks themselves contain them? To gloss over that fact… To create a smoking mirror… This frustrates me to NO end. I know that in the post or 2 I’ve done about this to date, while trying to get to the bottom of it, many parents have expressed frustration- they fell for the “PVC-free bag”, and assumed the same of the blocks. I’ve learned it’s never safe to assume anything, but feel their marketing ploy on this one is very deceptive!

While my son, who these were a gift for, is nearly 3 & not putting these in his mouth, his 6 month old Baby Sister is in the stage where EVERYTHING goes in her mouth. If it were not for her presence, I may just let my son keep these blocks, as he really, really was enjoying them. However, another issue that arose was I felt as soon as they were introduced to him the wooden block set he received a week prior from Smiling Tree Toys was a little less interesting to him, and that made me sad. And, I immediately loathed the mess they made around the house, as I was finding blocks everywhere. So, I packed them up one day during nap time & to my pleasant surprise he hasn’t asked about them once. We’re back to building towers & pyramids with his lovely, safe, handmade in MN wooden blocks, and I couldn’t be happier. I am going to send the Mega Bloks back to his Grandma & Grandpa’s, where they came from, and ask them to keep them there to play with while he’s visiting them. I will explain to them why I don’t want them in my house, which I’m happy to do as I know it’ll ensure we don’t receive any more Mega Bloks in the future! I REALLY, REALLY want to raise awareness on this issue, as I feel this company is “greenwashing” their products. I was surprised, after posting that we’d received these for a gift, how many replied that they’d received them too… So, please share this info on your page, and especially with other Mama/Dada groups you belong to.

My mission to stick to wooden toys with safe finishes, organic cloth toys, or plastic toys from Green Toys (free of PVC, BPA, phthalates & lead) has been greatly reaffirmed! I’m looking forward to adding more wooden blocks to our collection from Smiling Tree Toys with the next Buying Club order in February.

Sources regarding concerns related to PVC:

http://healthychild.org/easy-steps/reduce-your-use-of-pvc-in-plastics-and-other-household-products/

“Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or vinyl, is one of the most environmentally hazardous consumer materials ever produced.” http://chej.org/…/documents/PVC_Consumer_Products.pdf

http://www.healthystuff.org/chemicals.chlorine.php

A good resource with safe alternatives: http://www.safbaby.com/lead-free-pvc-free-and-fire-retardant-free-toy-manufacturers

My safe toy list: https://ecofriendlyusa.wordpress.com/made-in-usa-2/toy-list/

Work in progress: https://www.facebook.com/megabloks/posts/10152160438621703?comment_id=32137367&reply_comment_id=32152066&offset=0&total_comments=9&notif_t=feed_comment

Request for 3rd party verification: https://www.facebook.com/megabloks/posts/10152176171066703?comment_id=32246783&reply_comment_id=32250107&offset=0&total_comments=5&notif_t=feed_comment

How to Choose Disposable, Made in the USA Diapers

06 Jan 2014 5 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources

unnamed

 

A couple of weeks ago I asked for a volunteer to write a post about disposable diapers, as I get questions on my page often: what to look for, which are made in the USA, etc. I was happy that Sarah Mazzone volunteered to write a guest-post for us. She has her own site with a similar mission to mine: Made in the USA Challenge. For more info on cloth diapering, with made in the USA options, please check out this resource from my website: https://ecofriendlyusa.wordpress.com/made-in-usa-2/cloth-diapering/

Here’s the info she shared with us regarding disposable options:

What to look for in a safer, more eco-friendly disposable diaper.

None of the following environmentally conscious features eliminate the impact diapers have in landfills. They do decrease or remove common toxins used and are produced with safer manufacturing practices. All disposable diapers use a material call SAP, an absorbent gel that has been shown to be toxin-free, but not natural. Here are some of the things to look for when evaluating a disposable diaper for a safety and sustainability implications.

Chlorine free – Diapers are often bleached white with chlorine, releasing the toxic carcinogen dioxin.

Fragrance free – The ingredients “fragrances” and “perfumes” are unregulated and could mean many possible chemicals. Many artificial fragrances contain chemical irritants.

Dye free – Dyes are also unregulated and can cause skin rashes. They are used for wetness indicators and colorful designs on many conventional diapers.

Phalate free – Phalates are well known toxins found in many plastics, including the liners in many conventional diapers.

Contain no lotions – Most lotions used in disposable diapers are used to protect skin but are petroleum based.

How to choose made in USA diapers for your baby.

 Cloth Diaper Options

The purpose of this post is not to debate cloth versus disposable diapers. You can research the issues easily with an internet search. The issues with cloth diapers made in China has been explored thoughtfully by Kim of Dirty Diaper Laundry, who has also compiled a through list of cloth diapers made in USA and Canada. This is a great resource for those who choose the cloth diaper route.

Made in USA Conventional Disposable Diapers

Most conventional disposable diapers are American made. These diapers are the easiest to find and are the least experience. However, conventional disposable diapers typically do not include any eco-friendly features and often contain the toxins listed above. Major brands of conventional disposable diapers that are made in USA include Huggies, Pampers, Luvs, up&up (Target store brand) and Cuties.

Made in USA “Green” or “Alternative” Disposable Diapers

Pamper’s Swaddlers “Sensitive” – Marketed as a healthier, more eco-friendly version of conventional Pampers. “Green” claims include the inclusion of aloe, hypoallergenic and “blanket like softness”. Contains chlorine, latex, fragrance, and dyes. Not compostable or biodegradable. Clearly a greenwashed product that does not seem superior to the conventional version.

Huggie’s Pure and Natural – Labeled as “natural” and “with a touch of nature.” Made with a portion of organic cotton and liner made with some “renewable materials.” Contains chlorine and dyes. Not compostable or biodegradable. Mostly greenwashing, with some improvements to their conventional version.

7th Generation – Popular brand of green diaper. Fragrance free, chlorine free, no petroleum-based lotions, packaged with recycled materials. Contains sustainably harvested wood pulp fluff. Not biodegradable or compostable. A fairly green product, best option for a made in USA totally disposable diaper.

G Diaper – Hybrid diaper consisting of a cotton pant with a disposable plastic-free insert. Contains harvested wood pulp. Cotton pant is reusable, insert is flushable (dirty diapers) and compostable (wet diapers). The best option for a green made in USA diaper that is partially disposable.

Other green disposable diapers that are not made in USA: Nurtured by Nature (Mexico), Nature Babycare (Turkey), Babyganics (“imported”), Earth’s Best (Mexico), Honest Company (Mexico), Bamboo Nature (Denmark).

Other Resources:

For more on 7th Generation vs. G Diapers, check out this Sustainability Report by the University of Vermont.

More on the use of SAP in disposable diapers from the G Diaper site.

Sources: Good Guide, Diaper Dabbler, Baby Gear Lab

Sarah Mazzone is a writer, nurse and Mom from Philadelphia, PA. She founded Made in USA Challenge in April, 2011 to detail her mission to find goods made in USA and become a more conscious consumer. She actively seeks out items made in USA to help strengthen our economy, protect our environment, safe-guard families from toxic products and minimize exploitation of workers in developing countries. Follow Sarah’s journey on her blog, Made in USA Challenge, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Harvard Study Finds Fluoride Lowers IQ

04 Jan 2014 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources

The question of fluoride came up the other day, and a Mama wanted credible sources to turn to in order to help her decide what is best for her family. I think most of us would agree Harvard is a credible source, and someone shared a link to a study they did, which had pretty significant findings:
“The children in high fluoride areas had significantly lower IQ than those who lived in low fluoride …areas,” “Choi et al. write, “Although fluoride may cause neurotoxicity in animal models and acute fluoride poisoning causes neurotoxicity in adults, very little is known of its effects on children’s neurodevelopment. They recommend more brain/fluoride research on children and at individual-level doses.
“It’s senseless to keep subjecting our children to this ongoing fluoridation experiment to satisfy the political agenda of special-interest groups,” says attorney Paul Beeber, NYSCOF President. “Even if fluoridation reduced cavities, is tooth health more important than brain health? It’s time to put politics aside and stop artificial fluoridation everywhere,” says Beeber.”
Please share this, it’s IMPORTANT info!! Link to full article: http://canadianawareness.org/2012/07/harvard-study-finds-fluoride-lowers-iq/

Adventures in Babywearing

03 Jan 2014 14 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources, Reviews

Some people consider babywearing a recent development or new fad. I’ve had people say to me “that’s so cool, we didn’t’ have those when I was raising my children”. Of course they were around, just not everyone was aware of their existence, but babywearing is an ancient practice. It just makes sense! Different wraps have evolved in different regions of the world: wrap, sling, mei tai (tie on) depending on the climate, the type of work the mother is doing, etc. I LOVED reading this history of babywearing, which includes many great photos: http://www.slingbabies.co.nz/Site/History_2.ashx. With my 1st child, babywearing was convenient here & there, especially when traveling, shopping, etc. and I loved having his forehead close enough to kiss! With the addition of his little sister, it’s not just a convenience; it’s an essential part of our daily life. Baby Girl is 6 months at this time, and I’m starting to wear her a little less as she spends more time on a blanket on the floor, in her chair, etc. I still wear her ~6 hrs/day, down from 8+ her first several months. She naps in her carrier while I do dishes, fold laundry, or play with Big Brother. Or, she just hangs out in it, peering out & paying attention to everything Mama is doing. I absolutely love babywearing and wanted to share my experience with the few carriers I’ve tried. There are many, many carriers available. My main goal was to try each of the different styles: wrap, ring sling, mei tai, modern buckle system. It’s very possible my preferences will change as my baby grows. Althea was 10# 2 oz. at birth,  at 4 months she was 16#, at almost 6 months she’s 19.

Here’s a great article regarding the criteria that make a good carrier: http://www.babywearingadvice.co.uk/criteria.htm

So, here’s the one’s I’ve tried to date, in no particular order. I will update this as my babe grows, and if I should happen to try another one. There are many different makes of the following models:

Moby Wrap- made in Thailand. Organic available, $45- 60(organic), recommended to 35#. Great for preemies or small infants, in my opinion, although I’ve heard from many who love & wear their children until much older on back. I absolutely loved this wrap for the few times when I got it perfectly tight. Babe was nestled in there so snug & it felt very secure. However, the majority of the times I just couldn’t get it tight enough. I’d get her in there & find it too loose, and adjusting it is not easy. I’m so thankful that Debi who owns Baby, Go Green in Houston, TX (http://www.shopbabygogreen.com/) loaned this to me to try out! After using it for a few weeks I decided it just wasn’t for me (& my BabyHawk came), so I sent it back to Debi to use as a floor display. I really, really wanted to try it, and am so thankful I had the opportunity!
celeryorganic

Ergo- made in China. $114-$145(organic). Need infant insert for under 15# (although I’ve heard from parents who did not know they needed one/did not use one)- The insert is $25- $38(organic). Recommended to 45#. Althea was 15# by 4 months, although some don’t reach that weight until 1 year. Has hood & zipper pouch. I wore my son, who is almost 3 now, exclusively in our Ergo. I did like it, but I also had nothing to compare it to, which was one of the reasons I really wanted to try some of the other styles as I had a chance with a brand new babe. I found myself recommending the Ergo, but hated that it was made in China. I’m so thankful to have a few made in the USA options to recommend now!
ergo-infant-insert-all

Balboa ring sling- made in China, $60. Honestly, it didn’t feel safe. Maybe for preemie, or maybe it’s just that I’m used to babe being strapped to me, but I don’t like the separation that the pouch creates. Developed & recommended by Dr. Sears, who has done a lot to promote baby wearing which I appreciate, just not a fan of this carrier. Recommended to 25#. I don’t have much else to say about this one. I passed it on to a Mama interested in trying it out.
balboa

Action Baby Carrier. Made in Detroit, MI! 2 carriers: standard $98 (recommended until ~18m) and toddler $114. The made in the USA Ergo alternative. Buckle system like Ergo. Has hood, very easy to put on, straps crisscross behind back. Here’s the recommendation I was given via email: “Standard Size is recommended from 8lbs to 40lbs. Toddler Size is recommended from 15-45lbs wherein the toddler is made wider so the support extends to the knee. If your 4months is already 10-15lbs, I may suggest toddler for longer use and you can also use it for your 2.5y.o.” However in my review I commented that I didn’t feel I could comfortably carry my babe as tightly as I’d like they said the typically recommend the standard size until 18 months. I think I will like this carrier as my babe grows. I LOVE that it’s made in the USA, and for anyone tempted by an Ergo, I’d DEFINITLEY point you to an Action instead! My email inquiring about organic options was not answered… To read my full review: https://ecofriendlyusa.wordpress.com/2013/12/12/action-baby-carrier-review-giveaway/.
action

BabyHawk. Made in Oceanside, CA! $85-$90. No infant insert needed. You can get a perfect fit by tying it on to your tightness preference, I like my babe quite tight- it feels so safe, and she loves it! As she gets older I’ll prefer to wear her more loosely I’m sure! Straps crisscross behind back & go down to tie around your waist which helps distribute weight across greater portion of your body. No buckles, nothing mechanical that could possibly break (slammed my Ergo strap in the car door once, shattering a buckle), also no hood. Very easy to tighten up & readjust if loosens up. Recommended to 40#. I feel the BabyHawk creates the best M shape, as described above in the recommended criteria for a good carrier. As you don’t need an insert, 1 carrier is good to 40# AND it’s the cheapest, it is my favorite & will be my top recommendation! They also make a couple other styles of carriers; I’ve only tried the Mei Tai. I asked them about organic options, here’s the response: “Unfortunately at this time we discontinued the organic options because they were not selling. However we do have enough of the cherry twill to make one carrier if you are interested. We also have the black and white floral shown in the pic which is also organic.” So, contact them if interested, and if enough people request organic, maybe we can get them to offer it once again! My full review here: https://ecofriendlyusa.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/babyhawk-mei-tai-review/.
babyhawk
Questions, comments, experiences- please share!

Added 8/11/16: I just learned about these made in USA wraps: http://www.thenaturalbabyco.com/top-brands/brands-k-o/ovolo.html

Children have bad days too!

30 Dec 2013 2 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Uncategorized

1546428_796917873657188_321790573_n

 

I’ve seen this before & boy does it speak true to my almost 3 year old. Children are known for giving honest answers (most of the time) and this morning he was having a rough time for no reason other than he’s almost 3 & I asked why… “I don’t know Mama” was his response. I scooped him up & gave him a huge hug & said It’s OK to not know sometimes!!! Amazing to see the changes my Baby Boy is going through, and that he’s starting to become aware of his feelings! We’re getting somewhere!! YES, we need to teach them to be respectful, empathetic, caring individuals but we also need to acknowledge that they too have bad days & bad moods just like the rest of the human population!

Jolene’s Poofy Organics Make-up Review

30 Dec 2013 3 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Reviews Tags:

1398256_763750856973890_21382780_o

POOFY ORGANICS ~I AM GODDESS~ MAKEUP REVIEW

I had the pleasure of receiving some makeup to review from Poofy Organics. I am always on the hunt for safe and amazing makeup as it is a question that I constantly get. I am always asked which makeup I recommend and use and where they can find it. I recently did a Mascara review that has Poofy Organics as one of our top 4 choices of safe mascara that is recommended for use. I was sent a mascara, blush, eye shadow, and lipstick to try. I must say that when I first received my products in the mail, I loved the packaging, I felt that I had a high quality product in my hands without even opening it up and using it. Also, right away, I could see that all of the colors were beautiful and were exactly what I was expecting from the description…LOVE that! When you buying online, you want to KNOW what you are getting and I was NOT disappointed!

Blush BLUSH I really enjoyed using this blush. I used their lightest one and it is light pink in color. I was pleasantly surprised that it was so silky soft not only by looks but by feel as well. I don’t usually used pressed makeup as it tends to be heavy and dry on my face…NOT the case here! Just one light application was all that was needed to get a glow on my cheeks and I felt like I wasn’t wearing any at all! Best part was that it stayed put AND felt wonderful!

Divinity LIPSTICK First I will say that I am not a lipstick person. I find them to be chalky and with one application they over power my face…not making for a great look. Well THIS lipstick actually felt great on my lips! One light sweep of it gave a subtle look…PERFECT for me!! It does layer well if you want a bit deeper of a color. I must add that this lipstick also smells delicious!!! Very impressed with this find. It is the only lipstick I now own and probably will ever own!

Sultry Silver Eye Shadow Again, another pressed powder that is silky smooth on my skin! This is a light silver eye shadow that only needs 1-2 soft applications to get the soft color looking great on your eyes. I did 3-4 as I liked it a bit more obvious and it felt like I was wearing NOTHING on my eyelids and it did NOT flake off into my contacts or anywhere else on my face. It applied perfectly! There was also NO need for re-application as it stayed put and true to color the whole time I wore it!

Mascara Black This was my most exciting product to try as I love mascara but gave up wearing it as I couldn’t find anything that wasn’t full of chemicals, that didn’t produce mass amounts of flakes half of which came from me rubbing my eyes so much from irritation! In short, I LOVE this mascara and is my favorite to date. Here’s why! Upon taking the wand out of the bottle, it was NOT clumpy, gloopy, overly wet, and runny. I applied one layer on one eye, moved to the next and repeated for a second layer. Perfect day look! Because it is not a super wet product, I didn’t get any on my eye shadow or under my eyes (which was a happy surprise for me) and even upon trying to make a more dramatic look, applying a 3rd and 4th layer still did not clump my blonde lashes or dry them out (aka flaking) at all. I had this mascara on for several hours and it didn’t irritate my sensitive contact wearing eyes one bit. I am highly sensitive to preservatives and different chemicals particularly in personal care items and I had zero reaction!! The only downside to this mascara was that it did take a bit of effort to get off at night with my coconut oil (which some would say is a plus because it doesn’t go running all over your face with just a bit of moisture), and that I didn’t discover this little gem sooner!! Note: the mascara is not waterproof, that would take some nasty chemicals!

List of ingredients with their EWG rating in parenthesis:  Water (Aqua) (EWG0), Chamomile Hydrosol (Matricaria Recutita)* (EWG0), Cera Alba (Beeswax)* (EWG0), Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax (EWG0), Mica (CI 77019) (EWG2), Coffea Arabica (Coffee Powder)* (EWG0), Oryza Sativa (Rice) Powder* (EWG2), Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil (EWG0)*, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch* (EWG0), Lecithin, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Acetic Acid, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Thymus Vulgaris Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Flower Extract, Hydrastis Canadensis Root Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Extract*. May Contain: Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77499), (CI 77491), (CI 77492). (*Certified Organic)

 

As a Side Note: The owner of this company is completely forthcoming with her ingredients and why she uses what she does. She happily answered all of my questions (which I always have a ton) and she is passionate about making safe products for her family and her customers. I am truly impressed with Poofy Organics as I feel they offer amazing customers service and superior products.

DID YOU KNOW: You can order any of the products that I mentioned in this month’s BUYING CLUB!!! Poofy Organics is part of it and she has many other wonderful products including a full line of safe and beautiful makeup to choose from!

North Star Toys People Mover Review

12 Dec 2013 2 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Reviews

1016824_782976085051367_905838241_n
Review of North Star Toys, located in Questa, New Mexico. Tim & Connie have been making toys since 1979, which happens to be the year I was born! Categories of toys: Rainbow Collection, People Mover, Toys for Wee Ones, Baby’s First Animals, Classics, Legendary Creatures, Creative Play Sets, Big Rollie Dinosaurs, Big Rollie Vehicles, Little Rollie Vehicles & Animals, Magic & Myth, Pull Toys, Camera, Extra People, Rubber Band Powered, Nativity.

They sent me the People Mover in the photo, which is made of Alder & Birch wood. I love that my son (he’ll be 3 in March) recognized the little wooden pegs as people immediately. He’s REALLY in to nursery rhymes right now, and has been having so much fun playing with the people. I’ve seen him playing with them while singing: Monkey’s Jumping on the Bed, 10 in the Bed, The Wheels on the Bus, Humpty Dumpty, and on & on. That’s the thing I’ve come to love about ‘simple’ toys, they really do inspire the imagination! We’ve worked on counting to 10, taking the people in & out, and arranging them by colors. Of course when he plays with Dada, they work on launching the bus off ramps & crashing it into other cars, etc The people are available unpainted as well, you can order extra people, and there are other vehicles such as boats that the people can be used with. The People Mover sells for $25.

The toy did come wrapped in a plastic cellophane wrapper. I know they wanted to keep all the people in the vehicle, and the clear plastic allows you to see the toy nicely. But, I’d rather see a beautiful wooden toy wrapped in a cloth bag, as most of the other wooden toys I’ve ever received have been. I asked them about this and here’s what Tim told me: “The bags we use for our toys are cellophane – regenerated cellulose, a plant based product. One of our primary goals is to use products which are locally made or made in America.”

From their website: “At North Star Toys we know children deserve safe, well-made toys. All our designs reflect this primary concern. We personally make each toy from start to finish in our workshop located in the mountains in Questa, New Mexico. Our lumber comes from the US, and our parts follow the federal and voluntary guidelines governing small parts, sharp points, and chemical make-up. Our toy finishes are safe. Our toys are simply coated with a non-toxic, food grade mineral oil which meets or exceeds requirements by the USFDA, US Pharmacopeia, US Dept. of Agriculture and is certified Kosher and Pareve. In some of our toys we have painted passengers. There is no lead in the paints or finishes used on our toys.” For the record, mineral oil is derived from petroleum. Is that terrible? Not necessarily. It’s the refining & other processes petroleum goes through to make it into gasoline that aren’t eco-friendly. It is a natural product.
I thank them very much for sharing one of their hand-crafted toys with my family, and also for making quality wooden toys here in the USA. They sent me a hand-written note thanking me for my site & letting me know they just became Grandparents for the 1st time & get to see their Grandchild almost every day which is obviously very important to them—congratulations Tim & Connie! And keep the great toys coming!!

Please visit their website & FB pages for more info!
Website: http://www.northstartoys.com/
FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/North-Star-Toys/158946754139242

Action Baby Carrier Review

12 Dec 2013 4 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Reviews

1476134_784684808213828_618644222_n

Action Baby Carrier review (photo from their website). Made in Detroit, Michigan. As a WI Mama, I feel this is a local product, which makes me very happy! The Action is the made in the USA alternative to the Ergo (made in China, many aren’t aware of that!). They are a very small company, employing three full-time employees according to their website. A couple months ago I wrote several made in the USA carrier-makers as I really, really wanted to have something to recommend other than my Ergo, which was the only carrier I had at the time, and what I wore my 1st born in exclusively. As we had a new addition to the family, I seized the opportunity to try out some different carriers. I’m so happy Action agreed to send me one of their offerings to try out.

They started their business making Mei Tai (tie on) carriers, but had great demand for a buckle system similar to the Ergo many of us are familiar with them. They now make 2 models which use the buckle system: Standard Size is recommended from 8lbs to 40lbs, $98 Toddler Size is recommended from 15-45lbs wherein the toddler is made wider so the support extends to the knee, $114. They offer free shipping continental US.

At 4 months (when they contacted me) Baby Girl was already 15#, and her older brother was around ~32# ( at 2 ½ years), so I requested a toddler size. They also let me choose my pattern which was something I appreciated very much. I chose the adorable Happy Camper pattern. It is very, very similar to the Ergo. It is SUPER easy to put on, even easier than the Ergo. With the Ergo I liked to have the back buckle all the way down towards the middle of my back, and always struggled to secure it myself. The Action has a hood, but no zipper pouch (definitely something I can live without). One improvement it has over the Ergo, in my opinion, is the straps crisscross behind your back when wearing your child in the front. I feel this helps distribute the weight of your child more evenly. However, I have the same issue with this carrier that I do with my Ergo. I like to wear my Baby Girl quite tight. In order to get this style of carrier tight enough I have to tighten the part that goes around my arm so tight that the straps then don’t lay flat on my shoulders, usually riding up into my neck. But in general, I find it quite comfortable. I am “broke in” to babywearing multiple hours/day though, and just like anything it’s something your body needs to get used to. I know as she grows I’ll wear her looser & this won’t be as much of an issue, but at this time I wear her ~8 hrs/day, so little things like this matter greatly in how I feel at the end of a day of babywearing. I haven’t worn her older brother in this yet; I haven’t worn him in quite a while actually. We are planning a family trip in January which will involve multiple airports, and we will definitely be packing a carrier for each child. I’ll be doing a post in the coming weeks where I compare several makes & models of carriers that I’ve tried, and I’m trying to not do that in this post, but will just say that I prefer a Mei Tai carrier for a variety of reasons for my Baby Girl, at this time.

More about the Toddler Carrier: “The toddler carrier is 3 inches taller in the body than our regular carrier, as well as offering an inch longer hood and 2 inches smaller in the shoulder webbing (because they are used mostly for back carries and gives you a tighter fit). The base of the “seat” is 19 inches across.  All of the webbing on the toddler carrier is the same as our standard carrier. We are asked often about the sizing of our carrier.  It is either, “will it fit me?  I am really petite” or “will it fit my husband, he is really tall”?  The answer is, in most cases, YES, our standard and toddler sizes will fit you and your husband! We sell a huge amount of carriers in Asia. Women there tend to be very petite.  But, we also sell a ton of carriers to the USA and Europe where men tend to be tall and thicker in the shoulders.  When we set out to design the Action Baby Carrier, it had to fit both small and tall!  Because the designers were, one, petite and the other tall bodied. We would never design a carrier that we could not use ourselves or that we would not recommend to a friend.  So, we designed it to fit most people from the start.  This is one of the reasons for the double side adjuster for the hip belt. We can make it longer, without all the extra webbing.” In conclusion, I am so thrilled to have an alternative to the Ergo to recommend, and thrilled that it’s even cheaper than the Ergo! I like the carrier a lot, but feel I will like it even more as my Baby Girl grows a bit. I think it’s fabulous that it can carry a child up to 45#, meaning it can be used for many, many years! I will definitely be recommending this carrier over, and over!

Please visit their website & FB pages:

Website: http://www.actionbabycarriers.com/shop/

Fb page: https://www.facebook.com/ActionBabyCarriers

LuSa Organics review

12 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Reviews

Image

 

Review of LuSa Organics products, handmade in Viroqua, WI. In the review I did for Action Baby Carriers earlier in the week I mentioned I felt Detroit was local to me as a WI Mama (which it is compared to made in China). Well, Viroqua, WI is REALLY local, only 20 minutes away, it’s the closest ‘big’ town with a Wal-Mart, etc. So, it makes me really, really happy to finally be doing a review for this growing company. I love browsing the other natural living FB pages I belong to & seeing LuSa Organics products recommended. Rachel is really starting to gain attention with her fantastic line of soap, and so much more, and rightfully so! I was sent 3 products: a shampoo/shaving bar, baby bath & massage oil & Sweet Soul Sister bar soap. They are all amazing and I’m especially in love with the shampoo bar!

Forest shampoo/shaving bar- 4 oz. bar for $5.25. Info from the website: “Yes, one bar can do it all. It might looks like any bar of LuSa soap, but Forest is so very much more. You’ll notice the difference as soon as you lather. Rich, thick, creamy, and buttery – this lather is perfect for washing up, shampooing hair, and shaving. The secret is a significant amount of castor oil in the mix which conditions the hair and skin and gives the bubbles a rich, buttery texture. We’ve also added two types of clay for a shaving cream lather – and to absorb excess oil from hair and scalp. Enjoy this soap from head to toe!”. Ingredients: saponified oils of *palm, *coconut, *olive, *local sunflower, and *castor; shea butter (fair trade), essential oil blend (pine, fir, cedar, peru basam, and nutmeg) french green clay and white clay. *certified organic ingredient. This bar only comes “naked”, which is one thing that makes me LOVE this so much more. There is NO packaging. LuSa does offer wonderful boxes, and they even come with a few refrigerator word magnets so you can makes some creative sentences on your fridge in your spare time. But, it is also a waste of natural resources & totally unnecessary if you’re not giving it as a gift or selling it in your shop, etc. So, it came with no wrapper, no bottle, no nothing, just a lovely bar of soap. It is both eco- & budget-friendly. I’ve only used the bar maybe 6 times, but it seems like it’ll last a long time. I have short hai, and just rub the bar right into my hair & it produces a wonderful lather and my hair feels fabulous after it dries! I highly, highly recommend this product to those of you who have been struggling to find a safe, effective and affordable shampoo!

I mentioned to Rachel that my Baby Girl still had a bit of cradle cap, so she sent me her Baby Bath & Massage Oil. I hadn’t been too diligent about getting rid of the cradle, just occasionally rubbing coconut oil on it. Since receiving the oil I have been paying more attention to her head & can say that after a couple weeks of rubbing the oil in every couple of days & using a small, fine-toothed comb the cradle cap is about 99% gone. I LOVE that it has only 3 organic ingredients! Baby Bath & Massage Oil: $9.25 for a 2 fl. Oz. bottle. “Perfect multi-use body oil designed for baby’s sensitive skin. Use for after-bath moisturizing, baby massage, or in the tub. Perfect for cradle cap too. It is unscented for your little one, or you may add essential oil drops when baby gets older.” Ingredients: *Jojoba oil, *evening primrose oil, *avocado oil.*certified organic ingredient.

She sent me one of her AMAZING bar soaps: Sweet Soul Sister Soap- tangerine and peppermint. Ingredients: Saponified oils of *palm, *coconut, *olive, and *sunflower; shea butter (fair trade), essential oil blend (peppermint, tangerine, orange, spikenard, and lime), jojoba meal, turmeric. *certified organic ingredient. Size: 4 oz. $5.75 or $5.25 naked (no box).Every one of her bar soaps has a story behind it, and I LOVE the story behind this one! “I first created this soap with my college best friend, Denise. We schemed of someday living and raising our babies next door to each other. Ten years and thousands of miles later, we gave birth three days (and one back yard) apart. Celebrate your favorite women with this joyous blend”. Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of peppermint in general, but this soap makes me like it. I’m a HUGE fan of citrus, and the combination of the two is just wonderful, producing a very clean, fresh scent. And, the soap is just gorgeous, kind of speckled with veins of color running through it. Categories of products availalbe: Handcrafted soap, organic sugar scrubs, lip balm, lotion bars, essential oil blends, natural bug spray, gift collections, limited edition, best sellers, refills, scratch & dent sale. You can browse by body, baby, mama, holiday categories, also by scents. My dad recently opened a wholesale account with LuSa & I got to pick out several soaps for him to carry in his flower shop, and I can tell you they are both GORGEOUS & smell heavenly. You really need to go browse her website & take a look at the soaps to get an idea of the true beauty of these handcrafted items! Also, she offers a Soap of the Month Club, which would make an awesome gift for anyone on your Holiday shopping list.

THANK YOU Rachel (and family), for making such wonderful products! To learn more about Rachel & her beautiful family, here’s a link to the ‘About’ section from their website: http://www.lusaorganics.com/viroqua-wi-formerly-queen-bee-soaps-rachel-and-pete-wolf-s/17.htm.

Do you use any LuSa products?

Website: http://www.lusaorganics.com/

Fb page: https://www.facebook.com/LusaOrganics?fref=ts

Yes, organic candy canes do exist, and they’re DELICIOUS!!!

01 Dec 2013 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources

I just had so much fun shopping at the Natural Candy Store. It’s amazing! They have a huge category of organic Holiday candy. I got some organic candy canes & a whole bunch of stocking stuffers. The prices are very reasonable, they get you with shipping though. I was going to stop at $25 in product, but shipping was $14! Then I saw $6.99 shipping over $50, so got my cart to $50.25 I got some organic lollipops my son loves, and even some jelly beans that I’m going to store away for a few months until Easter. Yes, candy is still candy, but I love that I can find organic, fair-trade, non-GMO, made in the USA options to allow my family to indulge in!

http://www.naturalcandystore.com/category/organic-candy

Previous Older Entries Next Newer Entries

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started