LilSugar

Yet Another Reason to Steer Clear of Plastics

babysugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:30:31 -0800

The last thing mommy wants to do is add another worry to her already fret-worthy list, but this one may be worth noting. We all know that plastics can contain BPA and other harmful toxins, but we don't always know why they are hazardous. Fortunately, scientists are doing the dirty work for us and informing us of yet another reason to steer clear of items containing phthalates. In a recent study, British researchers found that certain phthalates were not only affecting male genitalia, but their behavior, too. Boys who were exposed to higher amounts of the chemical were less interested in the stereotypical car toys and less apt to play in a rough and tumble manner. Elizabeth Salter-Green, director of the chemicals campaign group CHEM Trust said:

We now know that phthalates, to which we are all constantly exposed, are extremely worrying from a health perspective, leading to disruption of male reproduction health and, it appears, male behavior too... This feminizing capacity of phthalates makes them true 'gender benders'.

While the EU banned such toxins from toys years ago, the US has yet to make such dramatic (and in my opinion, necessary) moves. This is just another good reminder why us moms should speak up and let our voices be known. Join the Million Baby Crawl and speak your mama mind!

Website Lil Loves: The Seventh Generation Million Baby Crawl

babysugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:00:50 -0700

What's up with the babies hauling it through a crosswalk on all fours? They're heading to Washington to speak up, er, babble, for their rights! Many moms agree that the best gift we can give our children is a better, greener, healthier Earth. As the green movement continues to grow, so do the eco-friendly options available to mums. The baby line Seventh Generation churns out environmentally conscience products for wee ones but they are also active in changing legislation to demand higher protection for our lil guys. In an effort to raise awareness for toxic chemical policy reform, they are sponsoring the Seventh Generation Million Baby Crawl.

Mommies who want to sign their baby up for the "crawl" can do so with a few simple clicks. The animated babe can be personalized with skin color and a pastel onesie. Friends, families and total strangers can come onto the site and click on the lil movers to support their cause. The goal is to get one million crawlers onto the grassy screen. So join the troops and get those booties, er, diapers shakin'! Just say "no" to toxic chemicals in the home.

Waste Less, Save More

LilSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 08:00:06 -0700

Most children are wasteful little devils when it comes to meal and snack times. Parents throw out countless amounts of Cheerios, hot dog bits, leftover yogurt, and half sipped juice boxes. Tots are carefree so it's up to parents to incorporate food saving remedies into our family routines. While mama may be doing it to save a buck, it won't hurt that she's helping out the environment with these easy tips to reduce her brood's waste.

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Deciding on a Bottle For My Baby-to-Be: Weil Baby

LilSugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:30:10 -0700

Bottoms up! When it comes time to move baby from breast to bottle, there are a lot of options on the market. When my son was born, I swore by a barely known brand of bottles that quickly gained momentum after the Bisphenol A scare called BornFree. The non-toxic containers didn't leak and had sippy cups made in their likeness so my child was able to easily transition to a big boy cup at about 4 to 5 months old. While I'm still a fan, there's a new line on the market that I'm equally impressed by and considering for my baby-to-be - Weil Baby. Having read a few of the renowned health experts books, I was anxious to check out Dr. Andrew Weil's bottles, training cups, brushes, and silicone nipples and pacifiers. Though creating modern eye candy wasn't his intent, the line's ergonomic lines will be popular with design conscious parents as well as eco-friendly families. Made from glass and Tritan, a clear BPA free material, the bottles ($18 - $19 for a 2pk) have a built-in venting system (no tedious washing!) that helps eliminate gas bubbles and colic in kiddos. The goods are sold in recyclable packaging so you can also feel good about lessening your wee one's carbon footprint.

Runway Worthy Organic Kiddie Apparel

LilSugar — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 05:00:49 -0700

Get your green on! For years choosing organic clothing for your wee one meant a closet full of neutral, plain pieces. As the eco movement gains momentum and design-oriented mamas have gotten their hands on earth-friendly materials, the selection of garments has grown dramatically. From the founders of one of the most popular lines of organic beauty products to those that just wanted to make something special for their own tots, take a look at some companies that caught our attention.

To see more pics of our earth-friendly finds, read more.

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School Year's Resolutions: Eco-Friendly Clothing

LilSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:00:27 -0700

Everyone's jumping on the eco-bandwagon, including some of your child's favorite brands. Before sending your kids back to school, outfit them in eco-friendly organic gear that will keep them looking great while spreading a green message. Among our favorite selections for Fall are:

All Asics sneakers are PVC-free, using bamboo, canvas, and leather to create its durable shoes for boys and girls.
Simple Shoes' PVC-free kicks are primarily made from bamboo, cotton, hemp, and recycled rubber.
Maggie's Organics Tights come in a variety of colors and patterns to coordinate with a lil girl's wardrobe and are made from organic cotton.
No child's wardrobe is complete without several pairs of jeans, and Love Is Organic jeans use fair-trade practices to create its organic denim pants. Each pair comes with an organic denim patch to ensure that the pants can be handed down to future generations.
Kao's Recycled Rock-n-Roll shirts will keep your lil drummer boy looking cool on the playground.
Sustainable Kids bright pink tunic is made from nontoxic, recycled materials.

Enter to win a $1,000 wardrobe for your child from Tea Collection!

School Year's Resolutions: Eco-Friendly Backpacks

LilSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 05:00:14 -0700

Send them off to school with the right pack on their back. When selecting the prefect bag for lugging books, art projects and supplies to school, eco-conscience parents know that avoiding knapsacks with shiny plastic designs will help limit their child's contact with PVC and lead. Selecting an eco-friendly backpack does not mean forgoing style for function. Take a look at some of our favorite selections:

Dante Beatrix's "Big Kid Eco Pack" is made entirely from recycled plastic drinking bottles with naturally biodegradable canvas trim. Available in three designs, the bags are the perfect size for elementary school kids.
Bazura's small messenger bag is 100 percent lead-free, made from non-biodegradable juice containers. Each bag saves landfills from being clogged by the foil juice containers.
The Fleurville Kids Backpack is lead, PVC and Teflon-free, and includes a removable lunch tote to help keep everything together when not in use.
Ecogear's Ecozoo packs are perfectly sized for younger schoolchildren and feature adorable designs. Made from organic cotton canvas with non-toxic dyes and sustainable wood components, kids will want to take these "pets" with them wherever they go.
Known for their durability, Land's End's eco-conscience knapsack is made from 100% recycled fabric.
Though it costs a pretty penny, the Reactor Solar Backpack is integrated with a solar charging unit that can be used to power cell phones, iPods and more. Designed for older elementary kids, the backpacks will provide a whole education on the power of solar energy.

Enter to win a $1,000 wardrobe for your child from Tea Collection!

School Year's Resolutions: Eco-Friendly School Supplies

LilSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:00:56 -0700

School days, school days, dear old Golden Rule days. In the past, teachers have taught the Golden Rule to mean do unto others as you'd have done to you, but this year they may be extending that beyond the classroom. When selecting school supplies, there are plenty of green, stylish kid-friendly pens, pencils and markers to fill a desk. Check out a few of our favorites:

The non-toxic, non-solvent, acid free Coccoina Almond Scented Glue Stick smells like marzipan and is strong enough to keep art projects sticking together.
Teachers always insist on No. 2 Graphite Pencils and these use unfinished casing to show off the writing utensil's recycled cedar wood.
These e-color-gy, non-toxic Washable markers are made from 25 percent recycled plastic and can be rejuvenated by simply wetting their tips when they dry out.
Brighter than traditional wax crayons, soy crayons are made from all-natural soybean oil.
Petroleum-free beeswax crayons are made from a combination of plants and vegetable waxes and pure beeswax.
Get the lead out of gathered papers with the Cat and Dog Staple Free Staplers.
Fiskars Deskworks Scissors get the job done.
Made from real banana paper, water based inks, glues and metal binding, Banana Paper Notebooks do their part to help save the rain forest.
Without the use of ink, the Eco Highlighter Pencil uses a wood pencil to bring words to life on a page.

School Year's Resolutions: Eco-Friendly Lunch Boxes

LilSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Brown paper bags are so passe. Make sure your child isn't outcasted at the earth-friendly lunch table by buying them an eco-friendly lunch box that helps reduce waste. Unlike the green lunch carriers of years past, today's bags are cute, kid-friendly, and serve many purposes. Check out a few of our favorites:

Kids Konserve lunch kit comes with a stainless-steel bottle, two stainless-steel containers with leak-proof plastic lids, a reusable baggie, a cloth napkin, and both a recycled aluminum name tag and recycled cotton lunch sack all made from nonleaching, BPA-free, lead-free and phthalate-free materials.
Munchlers Backpacks come in three cute polypropylene designs that unzip right into a place mat. The insulated bags easily fit lunch and a beverage.
The Lunchsense Lunchbox Set is BPA, PVC, and phthalate free, and comes with four food containers, a drink bottle, and a reusable ice pack. It opens up flat so it can be used as a place mat as well.
The lead, PVC, BPA and phthalate free Gator Tots Lunch Bag is large enough for a large lunch and keeps foods cool throughout the day. Its retro fabrics make it fun to look at too.
Cartoon and movie-loving tots will love Zak Design's phthalate-free lunch totes that feature every character from Spiderman to High School Musical.
Crocodile Creek's fun designs are a great alternative to character-driven ones. The eco-friendly bags even have an outside pocket for notes, utensils, or extra lunch money.
The Land's End Critter Lunch Box is a classic that has been lead and PVC-free for years.
Fleurville's Lunch Pak functions like a backpack that is insulated and ready to hold a midday meal. The lean and PVC-free bag also has storage compartments for holding projects from school.

Enter to win a $1,000 wardrobe for your child from Tea Collection!

Test Your BPA Knowledge

LilSugar — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 07:00:37 -0700

Step away from your baby bottles! The concern over bisphenol A, otherwise known as BPA, has been on the rise for the past few years leading several companies to change their manufacturing procedures. While most mamas check the labels of the products they buy, how much do you understand about this chemical and its effects on the human body? Take this quiz to test your BPA knowledge.

Take the quiz