LilSugar

Get the Lead Out: Do You Know the Facts About Lead Poisoning?

LilSugar — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:45:22 PDT

Happy NLPPW (National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week)! It may not be as fun a holiday as Halloween, but it's just as important - which is why the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) teamed up to launch an all-out media blitz warning parents, caregivers, and pregnant women about the dangers of lead poisoning.

Take the following quiz and test your knowledge of the dangerous material and what can be done to keep your family safe.

Take the Quiz

Lead Testing Law: Kid Friendly or Are You Kidding?

LilSugar — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 10:00:23 PST

H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), was passed by Congress last year and requires retailers to test merchandise for lead. This pertains to any item for children 12 and under including toys, clothes and jewelry. It goes into effect on February 10, 2009 and while many parents champion the measure to keep kids safe, opponents are upset that it may put second hand, consignment and independent handmade retailers (which are popular in the current economy) out of business as testing products can be pricey. What's your opinion?

Source

Mommy Alert! EU Attempts to Make Toys Safer

babysugar — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 04:00:21 PST

Since there were so many toy recalls last year, it's no surprise that actions are being taken to try and outlaw unsafe toys. And, The European Union is at the forefront of the mission.

According to a Reuter's report,

"The European Union's industry chief is proposing a crackdown on toys containing lead paint or carcinogens across the bloc and wants to stop toys being used as gifts in food items such as confectionary and cereals. . . While exact levels for each component have yet to be formally agreed, the source said the move would all but eliminate substances such as lead and nickel from toys, much to the annoyance of industry."

To see what the toy industry's reaction was,

read more. Toy Industries Europe (TIE), which represents toy manufacturers like Hasbro, Mattel, and Hornby, claimed that current standards are acceptable and that proposed changes to those standards need to be backed by scientific evidence. The proposal also would place restrictions on toys found in foods. In addition to eliminating lead and nickel, the toys would have to be free of perfume and from substances that promote cancer. The Enterprise Commissioner Guenther Verheugen is said to have his proposals ready for the European Union and their Parliament by January 25. Do you think legislation like this could ever pass in the US?

Baby Wellness: Lead Poisoning

babysugar — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:30:30 PST

When I think of lead poisoning, I think of old paint peeling off the wall. It can actually be a silent enemy. Just yesterday, a family in Utah discovered that their little girl has been affected by lead - not from sucking on a recalled toy, but from plates in their kitchen. And, the scary thing is that the girl wasn't the one eating off of them. Her mother was passing it on to her daughter by breastfeeding. I don't know about you, but I only worried about my food and drink consumption while I was nursing. I'll know better next time.

Lead poisoning can cause nausea, constipation, stomach aches, and headaches in the short term. Long-term effects include behavior, learning, and physical development issues . If you live in an old home that has old paint, it might be a good idea to talk to your pediatrician about testing your child's lead level. I'm taking my own daughter in for her test next week.

The plates were made by Home Trends and were sold at Wal-Mart over three years ago. They do not sell those particular plates anymore, but they still carry the line.

Source

Sundance Snapshot: Bachelorette

Becky Kirsch — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 03:05:00 PST

There was more than one wedding-themed movie at Sundance this year, and Bachelorette was one of the most buzzed-about. The comedy features a ton of familiar faces, but serves up something a little different from what we've seen in the genre before.

Who's behind it? Kirsten Dunst, Adam Scott, Lizzy Caplan, Isla Fisher, and James Marsden lead the funny cast. First-time director Leslye Headland also penned the script.
What's it about? A group of high school BFFs reunite for the wedding of their friend Becky (Rebel Wilson). There's uptight, prissy Regan (Dunst), who begrudgingly accepts her role as maid of honor despite her bitterness that her less-attractive friend is getting married before her; cynical Gena (Caplan), who's determined to confront her high school ex (Scott) at the wedding; and ditsy Katie (Fisher), who is actually depressed beneath her bubbly exterior.
What did I think? Comparisons to Bridesmaids are inevitable, but the movies really are quite different. For starters, Bachelorette is darker, edgier, and has a lot less slapstick (think coke binges instead of food poisoning). Some of the more dramatic undercurrents go a bit too far, particularly Katie's downward spiral through the course of the night, which don't exactly jive with some of the cheesier, warm-and-fuzzy scenes. Though it's a bit uneven, the stellar cast makes the film entertaining, even if it's not worth a standing ovation.

Breaking Down Breaking Bad: The 5 Biggest Moments From the Season Finale

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 14:30:06 PDT

Breaking Bad went out with a bang once again, as the fourth season wrapped up in a very explosive way this week. The finale is very tidy, which makes sense, since creator/writer Vince Gilligan was preparing for the possibility of using the episode as a series finale as well.

I don't want to spoil anything for those of you who haven't checked it out yet, but let's talk about the biggest moments of the episode (right up to that very last frame) when you

Grey's Anatomy Rundown, "Take the Lead"

Becky Kirsch — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:37:05 PDT

It's time to step up on Grey's Anatomy this week, as the fifth-year residents lead the surgeries for the first time. The milestone affects the doctors in different ways: Karev loses his cool, Avery chokes, and Cristina forgets what to do altogether. On the other hand, Meredith comes out on top despite her personal issues, but pays the consequences with Derek after the surgery.

Overall, it's not a particularly drama-heavy episode (aside from the show's central couples making strides back to normalcy), but let's get into it when you read more.

10 of History's Very Worst Beauty Treatments

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 03:10:57 PDT

Humans have been using dubious cosmetics for millennia, and although there are still plenty of suspect products out there, they pale in comparison to the dangerous, deadly, and sometimes just plain horrifying stuff women and men of the past swore by. It's fascinating (and scary) to think about our ancestors' favorite products, so to see the worst of the worst, just keep reading.

Shop For Good: Your Guide to Conscious Consumerism

SavvySugar — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:15:00 PDT

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

Trends. They seduce us into buying a hot item, only to leave us a year later with an emptier wallet and a useless widget.

But there’s one trend we at LearnVest can get behind: conscious consumerism.

At its most basic level, buying consciously just means taking a couple of extra seconds to consider each purchase. It’s a way to buy healthier food, keep your home free of clutter and keep your budget intact.

But what we’re talking about in this case is the ethical consumption movement, or buying with an eye toward your fellow (wo)man and the environment.

The Basics of Conscious Consumerism

Often called “voting with your dollar,” conscious consumerism is a way to support your values every time you walk into a store. It can be as simple as using natural toothpaste, as stylish as finding a fair trade purse from a company that employs women in Ghana or as grand as boycotting a misbehaving corporation.

It’s also effective. The rise of brands like Burt’s Bees and Newman’s Own shows that consumers like you are eager to support brands that treat people, animals and the environment with respect. Conscious consumption can even be a fashion statement. Just ask one of the many proud wearers of TOMS shoes. Because of these brands’ successes, large corporations are sitting up and taking notice.

Read on to find out more.

5 of the Worst Beauty Tips Ever

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:00:00 PDT

There are lots of great tips for looking your best out there, but there are also some downright terrible ones. Most aren't bad enough to do real damage, but a few are so epically horrible that they're both hilarious and very, very scary. Behold! Five of the very worst beauty tips in all of history. They're jaw-droppingly awful, so to see them in all their infamy, just keep reading.