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Treasures from Trash

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:31:33 +0000

I felt like a bit of a scrooge this Christmas. Presents for my two year old consisted of things she needed, like a new toothbrush and a toddler cutlery set. However, when she spent most of the holidays playing with a cardboard box and bubble wrap, I realised that she would not be emotionally damaged from my meagre gift giving.

What she did really want over the Christmas holidays, was entertainment. Getting outside, drawing, making and baking things. Thanks to the crappy weather we spent quite a bit of time inside, so finding things to do to entertain her was quite a challenge. Luckily there are websites like http://www.lovelytrash.com/ to go to for inspiration. Lovelytrash takes recycling to a new level with creative ideas for making great toys, decorations, furniture and all sorts using the contents of your recycling bin.

Dangerous Chemicals in Baby Products

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 04:31:45 +0000

This article looks at some highly controversial substances that have been shown to be detrimental to a babys’ health.

Phthalates are softening agents added to many toys, lotions and creams for all age groups especially in industrialised countries. Recent studies have shown that when a baby is exposed to these chemicals, even in topical products, that the phthalates and their derivatives are absorbed into the blood stream and also present in the urine. One of the better known effects of phthalate exposure in babies is an underdeveloped male reproductive system. There is an indisputable link between high phthalate exposure either in utero or after birth, and several developmental abnormalities such as those listed below.

Some Recognised Symptoms of Moderate to Severe Phthalate exposure in Babies

incomplete dropping of the testicles
reductions in the masculinsing hormone dihydrotestosterone
reduced distance between the anus and the base of the penis (AGD) – which is used to predict abnormalities in adult reproductive development. The AGD should normally be twice as long in males as it is in females, however studies have shown that significant phthalate exposure to male infants may shorten this measure. The shorter the anogenital distance the more feminised the body in question.
the development of proliferative lesions in Leydig cells, which are located in the testicles

Mineral oil is a by-product of commercial processes involving crude oil, and when applied to the skin will produce an oily coating. As a moisturiser it is barely effective, because it is so poorly absorbed and does not allow the skin to breathe. This hasn’t stopped many commercial manufacturers from using it in their baby ranges though because it is cheap to produce. Natural emulsions such as beeswax, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil and sesame oil are a much better alternative. Knowing that just about anything that sits on a babys skin, is likely at some stage to enter their mouths via the fingers also should discourage one from purchasing products containing mineral oil.. On ingredient lists you will find mineral oil listed also as petroleum, paraffin or paraffin oil.

Oestrogenic chemicals and derivates in the environment, processed foods and in skin care products are part of the phthalate controversy. So when purchasing any products, be sure to choose those that use natural organic and biodynamic ingredients. These are less likely to contain environmental hormones.

With a better understanding of the ‘baddies’ in commercial baby products you can reduce the risk of toxicity, allergy and discomfort for your baby. In summary, here are some tips to help you select better and healthier products for you and your baby:

Read labels
Choose natural skin care products that use organic and biodynamic ingredients, ensuring top quality raw materials that are free of nasty chemicals
Avoid mineral oils and petrochemicals
Avoid any products that contain artificial fragrances. Most naturally derived fragrances from flowers and herbs are fine.
Look for organic and pure products that may also contain the label “Phthalate-free”. Also avoid placing plastic bottles in the microwave, as transmigration of plastics under heat leads to chemicals being passed into the contents of the bottle.
Patch test new products for potential allergic reactions by dabbing a small amount on the inside of your baby’s elbows.
Live an organic lifestyle. A recent study showed changing to a biodynamic, organic diet can virtually eliminate all traces of phthalates in the body!

References
1. Norman J. Barlow, Barry S. Mcintyre and Paul M.D. Foster 2004,
Male Reproductive Tract Lesions at 6, 12, and 18 Months of Age Following in Utero Exposure to Di(n-butyl) Phthalate , 32; 79 Toxicol Pathol
2. Sharpe RM., 2001, Hormones and testis development and the possible adverse effects of environmental chemicals, Toxicol Lett. Mar 31;120(1-3):221-32
3. Chensheng Lu,1 Kathryn Toepel,2 Rene Irish,2 Richard A. Fenske,2 Dana B. Barr,3 and Roberto Bravo3 2006, Organic Diets Significantly Lower Children’s Dietary Exposure to Organophosphorus Pesticides, Environ Health Perspect. February; 114(2): 260–263.
4. Wasmuth HE, Kolb H, 2000, Cow’s milk and immune-mediated diabetes, Proc Nutr Soc. 2000 Nov;59(4):573-9.
5. Harrison LC, Honeyman MC. 1999, Diabetes. Cow’s milk and type 1 diabetes: the real debate is about mucosal immune function, Aug;48(8):1501-7
6. Berthold Koletzko, MD, 2000, Complementary Foods and the Development of Food Allergy, PEDIATRICS Vol. 106 No. 5 pp. 1285
7. AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, (1997), “Inactive” Ingredients in Pharmaceutical Products, PEDIATRICS Vol. 99 No. 2, pp. 268-278
8. Burks, W, (2003), Skin Manifestations of Food Allergy, PEDIATRICS Vol. 111 No. 6, pp. 1617-1624.

By Su-lin Sze, 2011, Naturopath and Consultant to Weleda, manufacturer of holistic products for mother and baby.

Nature Babycare Nappy Trial Results

admin — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:47:03 +0000

I have a love - hate relationship with disposable nappies. I feel guilty about using them, but they are totally invaluable in many situations and it would seem I am not alone. So when we did the callout for testers to trial the Nature Babycare eco-disposable nappies, we were inundated with volunteers. The popular brands Huggies and Babylove perform well, so to bring a new disposable nappy out which can compete with the price and performance of these brands, and bring eco-credentials into the mix is a pretty tall order. We have finished our nappy trial and the results are surprising. Find out how our testers got on.

Little Takas Nappies Review

admin — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:57:30 +0000

The latest trial results are in. The Little Takas testing panel have been scrutinising these little gems for the past couple of months. All panel members stated that they would use these nappies again and recommend them to friends. The main points of difference with these nappies was the soft texture and fit, particularly around the legs. So if you are interested in these eco disposable nappies check out what the testers had to say about Little Takas.

If you want to grab yourself some they can be found at the following stores:

o Online at www.littletakas.com

o Baby Kingdom stores in NSW and online nationally at www.babykingdom.com.au

o Progressive Supa IGA stores in Western Australia.

o Farmer Jacks Foodworks stores in Western Australia.

o Drakes Supermarkets in South Australia and Queensland

o Foodland supermarkets in South Australia

o IGA supermarkets Nationally

o Romeos chain of IGA and foodland stores

o SA commercial group

Nature Babycare Disposable Nappies For Testing

admin — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 08:25:52 +0000

Environmentally friendly disposable nappies are edging onto supermarket shelves alongside the familiar sight of brands such as Huggies and Babylove. Unlike the dominant brands, which have large marketing budgets, Nature Babycare has built awareness by word of mouth and has some innovative marketing techniques. One such initiative is their Ambassador program which gives back to the consumer. So how is Nature Babycare different? Who wants to join our trial panel?

Naty’s nappies are not based on petrochemicals like the standard brands. They are formed from renewable raw materials (although they are not yet 100% biodegradable). The conventional plastic outer sheet has been replaced with a biodegradable material made from maize starch and cellulose fibre, both natural materials. This means that the nappy is water tight and allows the nappy to breathe, resulting in an airier, dryer, cooler and more comfortable nappy.

The absorbing layer of the nappy comprises biodegradable chlorine free cellulose fluff pulp, blended with a small amount of super-absorbent granules to increase the absorbing capacity of the nappy to reduce the number of changes needed. Naty are currently testing alternative sustainable and biodegradable packaging material which they hope to release onto the market soon.

Naty’s marketing strategy engages us, the consumers, through initiative such as their Ambassador program. Through the program you receive points for referring friends and family members, taking part in forums or for answering surveys. These points can be redeemed at the online store. If you sign up 50 ambassadors you receive a years supply of nappies.

We spent some time chatting with Maria, who is the key contact for the Australian arm of Naty, and she kindly offered up four packs of the Maxi nappies for Green Beings readers to trial. We are keen to get you involved and find out what you think. To be part of the survey sign up for our newsletter to receive trial panel callout emails, or email me directly at jo@greenbeings.com.au.

Nature Baby Care nappies are available from:

Coles

Woolworths

State of Green

Thomas Dux

Nature Babycare

Eco Baby Expo Low Down

admin — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 04:14:33 +0000

Biodegradable baby rattles were only some of the fabulous eco-friendly baby products that we came across at the Eco Baby Expo in Luna Park Sydney. It was great to see so many inspirational products under one roof. We chatted with many of the stall holders and had a great time testing, sniffing and sampling. Here’s a few of our favourites.

Nature Baby Care – eco friendly disposable nappies and baby products. We chatted to Maria about the products which are made from compostable and sustainably harvested materials. These nappies are also available in supermarkets – whats more we have four packs (32 nappies per pack) of Maxi (7-18kg) for you to try out – watch out for our email callout.
Reusable nappies – there were a number of reusable nappy options exhibited at the show. Some we have tried and some not. Bambooty (we can recommend their bamboo nappies and cute tees) was there and is going from strength to strength. Swimbaby which is, you guessed it, reusable nappies for swimming. Cutetooshies which has a selection of colourful reusable nappies.
Natural rubber soothers/dummies and teethers made out of 100% sustainable natural rubber. Free from parabens, PVC and pthalates, these one piece dummies are easy to clean and of course BPA free.
There were several Eco baby shops such as Sustainababy. IttyBittyGreenie were particularly chatty and helpful. Eco-friendly toys, bottles, clothes and skincare were on show. We couldn’t resist picking up one of their Greentogrow baby bottles.
Eco-friendly baby toys. Decomposing in as little as 5 weeks once buried in the ground, the range of rattles, teethers and other baby items from Kiki Eco are cute, colourful and made from corn.
Eco-friendly and chemical free cleaning. We loved Naturedirect’s Enviroair revitaliser which helps reduce bacteria, pollutants and odour from the air in your home – great for asthma or allergy sufferers.
Baby skincare products were on show. There was a great range from naturewithin, great for itchy, dry or excema prone baby skin.
There were also stands with more information on a range of birthing and baby topics, including naturopaths, calm birth courses and doulas. One for the fellas, a beerandbubs evening – a one night session down the pub where dads can learn techniques for supporting their partner through the birth. Including essential tips on what you should never say to a woman in labour.

The Eco Baby Expo was organised by Bonjour Baby and this expo was their first. A fantastic resource for those interested in getting to grips with how to go green when having a baby.

At Last More Choice For Eco Disposable Nappies

admin — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:09:03 +0000

When in the supermarket there is a depressing lack of eco-friendly disposable nappies. At last this is about to change. Last week saw the launch of Little Takas 90 per cent biodegradable nappy range. Unlike conventional nappies Little Takas nappies are made of viscose and corn based fibre that will decompose within 6 months in an aerobic environment.

The nappy range was developed by EcoQuest a clean technology business based in Perth Western Australia. Speaking at the launch in Sydney, Sylvia Tulloch, chairman of EcoQuest Limited said: “As is always the case when commercialising breakthrough clean, green technologies, it was a tough road to get to where we are today. But it’s a road worth taking”.

“The Little Takas nappy range is an Australian first and a success story that can and will enable us to better manage our environmental responsibilities,” Mrs Tulloch added.

Swimming great Elka Whalan (nee Graham) is an embassador for Little Takas and has been using them since birth on her daughter Nevada. Check out her blog on www.littletakas.com to see how she is getting on.

The team at Little Takas has been very generous and offered up a range of sizes for Green Beings readers to test. We will be sending out the testing panel callout email soon, so if you want to be involved be quick I have a feeling this will be a popular one !!

Eco Friendly Halloween

admin — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 04:01:14 +0000

Halloween as a kid was very exciting. Dressing up in scary costumes, staying up late, making lanterns, and gorging on the haul of treats collected. Living in a neighbourhood full of kids its obligatory to get involved again. The shops are full of cheap plastic masks, costumes and accessories at this time of year. But there are great ways of creating a truly green halloween (and also staying on track with the Salvos ‘Buy Nothing New Month’).

We’ve been putting our heads together to come up with ideas on how to have an eco-friendly halloween and to finish off October having bought nothing new. Here’s the summary.

Forget plastic lanterns, go for the real deal and carve up a pumpkin lantern or if you can find a big enough one use a more traditional swede or turnip. Use the pumpkin to make pumpkin pie or pumpkin soup and the lamp can go in the compost bin afterwards.
For costumes rent them or get creative with stitching or scissoring. Use an old sheet or reassign some old clothes.
The parents will love you for it but the kids might not – giving fruit as the treat instead of chocolate and sweets. This will avoid wrappers and waste. Or make some ghoulish cup cakes, or toffee apples to hand out when the hoards come trick or treating.
Put some candles on the porch or verandah instead of leaving the outside lights on.
Give the kids recyclable bags to carry their haul.

Great halloween games for the kids:

As well as the typical party games, limbo, pass the parcel, hula hoop, musical statues etc try these.

Ghastly lucky dip. Put potato peel or something similar in a bucket along with some items/prizes and get the kids to delve their hands into it to find them.

Apple bobbing. A bowl full of water with apples bobbing around in them. Kids have to try and take bites out of the apples without using their hands. Or apples hanging on a string, again you have to try and eat the apples which are dangled in front of you without using your hands.

Plastic Bottles and BPA – What to do for your health and the environment

admin — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 04:00:44 +0000

Recent research has raised a slew of potential health concerns associated with plastic bottles and packaging. But what does it mean and do all plastics have the same risks?

According to recent research, food and drinks contained in plastic containers or bottles can contain trace amounts of bisphenol A (BPA). Scientists have found that, in animals, BPA mimics the hormone oestrogen and has been linked to breast and uterine cancer, an increased risk of miscarriage and decreased testosterone levels. It is also believed that BPA can cause early puberty in children, cancer, diabetes and obesity. The amounts leaching into food and drink are small, but it is the cumulative effect of these small doses that are of concern.

What is BPA?

BPA is an industrial chemical used for production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics are high performance transparent, rigid plastic used for food containers such as most transparent drinks bottles, infant feeding (baby) bottles, tableware (plates and mugs) and storage containers.

Epoxy resins are used to make protective coatings and linings for food and beverage cans and vats.

How do you know what has BPA in?

On the bottom of plastic containers there is generally a mobius loop symbol with the number 1 to 7 inside. For details of what is in each category check out our waste essentials article.

Current advice is, if you are concerned about BPA then to avoid category 3, 6 and 7 unless it specifically states on a separate label that the product is BPA free. A number of products labelled BPA free are in Category 7. This is a catch all for several different types of plastic including those that contain BPA as well as those that don’t.

Disposable drinks bottles

Like many people I regularly reuse water bottles. These are typically in the category 1 plastics (P.E.T). There is no BPA in PET bottles. These water bottles are designed to be recycled after use. However, reuse of these bottles is safe providing they are washed well.

Baby bottles

BPA has been banned from use in products for babies in Canada and many US states due to the health concerns. Many baby bottles will contain BPA unless it is specifically stated on the packaging that they are BPA free. This includes the major brands. However manufacturers such as Avent, Tommee Tippee and Pigeon have brought out BPA free alternatives. Although this is not always mentioned on the product itself so look for it on the packaging when you buy it.

How to reduce your exposure

At your desk drink out of glass instead of clear plastic cups and bottles.
Get hold of a BPA free plastic or metal drink bottle and refill from the tap.
Buy from your local greengrocer and butcher. This way you can buy fresh and avoid products which have sat around in plastic packaging.
Packaging with a category 2 HDPE (high density polyethylene), or a category 4 LDPE (low density polyethylene), or a category 5 PP (polypropylene), labels contain no BPA.
Choose fresh or frozen food over tinned foods and food in polycarbonate containers.
Don’t use polycarbonate plastics for warm food or drinks.
If using baby formula, avoid liquid formula in cans. Powdered formula is better in terms of BPA exposure.

Eco Innovators – Cushie Tushies

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:10:30 +0000

What is your product / service and why did you create it?

Cushie Tushies are modern cloth nappies – shaped like disposables for ease of use, but made from absorbent, durable fabrics to be re-used from birth to toilet training. We created this product because we wanted to use nappies on our firstborn sons that were environmentally friendly, saved us money and were gentle on our babies’ sensitive skin.

What challenges have you faced?
Ironically, for a product that is a new take on an old-fashioned concept, our biggest challenge has been keeping up with the incredible demand for our products. Being able to respond to that has meant finding access to funding and starting to mass-produce our nappies – both of which incur their own unique challenges in a world economy dominated by financial crisis!

What advice could you give others starting out?
Do your research about your product and industry – objectively – and make sure you plan thoroughly!

Where, if anywhere, did you find support?
From family mostly. Neither the business advisor or business banker I sought knew anything about nappies (of any kind). Fortunately I have a successful businessman in the family who has acted as a mentor.

Do you feel the government is doing enough to support the industry?

Not at all. There has been no support at all for our business – just brick walls at every avenue we turned for help! We have had to figure things out for ourselves at every step of the way!

Eco Baby Eats

jo — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 03:18:14 +0000

I haven’t had much luck finding out the environmental impacts associated with baby food. But common sense tells me that buying locally produced organic fruit and veg and preparing it at home is probably going to be a pretty eco-friendly option. So for the past three weeks this is what I have been doing to varying degrees of success.

The range of commercial baby food you can get these days is extensive. Organic savoury or sweet options are available in jars and now in the freezer section. The packaging is generally recyclable. But how do the environmental impacts of commercial baby food stack up against home made?

	Commercial	Home made
Raw materials	Food from numerous sources depending on recipe. The impacts of which will depend on the farming methods/origin. Recyclable packaging and labels	Provides the option of selecting local, in season, organic produce. Go super local with produce from a veggie patch.
Manufacture	Manufacture of packaging including jars and labels required. Preparation and cooking of product in bulk. Food is sterilized at very high temperatures to ensure it has a long shelf life.	Steaming/poaching on the hob and blending require gas/electricity. Preparing in bulk reduces how many times the hob/blender is used (and washing up). As the baby grows food won’t need to be pureed and the family meal can be mashed up.
Transport	Transport of packaging and raw food to food processing plant. Transport of product to shop and then to home once purchased.	Transport of raw food to shop. Transport of product from shop to home.
Storage and use	Long shelf life if unopened.	Refrigerator or freezer. Freezers are on anyway and more efficient when full, so impacts of storage are minimized (providing the food is left to cool first).
Waste	Packaging required for transport potentially recyclable. Jars and labels can be recycled. This will require separation and transport to recycling facility.	Peel can be composted or added to a worm farm. Storage containers are reusable.

Looking at the lifecycle steps of commercial and home made baby food, the energy required for creation of the commercial food is likely to be more due to the more complex transport and packaging requirements. Cooking up home made recipes in bulk works well as it reduces the chef’s work load as well as energy and washing up.

Commercial baby food can be great when you run out of time or when you are out and about. Preservatives, colours and flavours won’t be found in baby food for children under 12 months, but ascorbic acid is often added to make up for nutrient losses during processing. An article by Choice magazine notes that the more processed the food is (ie jars and cans which are heat treated) the less heat sensitive vitamins are retained. The brands Baby boost; Organix; Little tummy tucker; and Motherly came out on top when describing exactly what ingredients they contain.

So for the time being I’m going to inflict my home made baby recipes on my daughter. The next decision I need to make is whether she goes veggie or whether she eats meat like her dad. If so the meat will of course be free range. Don’t get me started on animal welfare…..

If you need some ideas of what to cook and puree here are some useful sites:

Recipe ideas – Home made baby recipes

How to cook baby food – kidspot

What not to feed the baby – kidspot

Eco Innovators – Cackleberry Kids

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:39:10 +0000

This is the first company in our Eco Innovators feature. Here we find out where the idea for CackleberryKids came from and how the initial vision became a reality.

What is your product / service and why did you create it?

Cackleberry Kids is a clothing company that has designed a range specifically for little boys aged 3 months to 6 years of age. Our garments are designed and made in Australia using Australian made fabrics as often as possible, with the use of 100% cotton, wools and natural fibres at all times. Our manufacturing is carried out in an accredited “No Sweat Shop Label” production facility. Our newly released KIAMBU Collection incorporates a range of Certified Organic cotton tees and our nursery linen incorporates the use of bamboo for the wadding for our comforters.
We started our label to cater for a huge gap in the market, boy’s clothing. We found that there was a huge lack of choice in the market place here in Australia and also internationally.

What challenges have you faced?
We have found it extremely hard to keep everything here in Australia and know that if we were to move our operations overseas, then our cost would be significantly reduced. However our philosophy is to stay true to our core, which is to have a successful, high quality clothing label for little boys here in Australia. Sourcing fabrics has also been a challenge and we have waited ever so patiently for our Australian Fabric suppliers to grow their organic range so that we could move in that direction. We are hoping to increase our organic range as we grow our business. It’s interesting in terms of people’s perceptions; some think that ‘organic’ is some weird hippy thing whilst others assume it means that you are extremely expensive. At times though some praise you for being Australian made however baulk at the pricing as they still expect you to be in the “China” pricing brackets.

Also because of the demise in our Australian textile industry, sourcing companies here in Australia that are able to produce in the volumes that we sometimes require is difficult. We have sourced some fabulous organic fabrics, however because they don’t have the structures in place to support them and allow them to grow, they are not able to produce their materials as quickly as they would like – it can be frustrating for all.

What advice could you give others starting out?
Do your research and find out as much as you can about the companies that you are working with. Stay true to your vision and don’t allow yourself to be swayed by others. Keep learning about different processes, materials and new ideas coming onto the market. Ask lots of questions!

Where, if anywhere, did you find support?
Our support came from those we work with. For example, our printer is an accredited Green printer, our photos are taken by an award winning photographer who is Green and has an environmental focus. Many of our clients support us because they too want to leave our planet in a far better way for our children than what we have to date.

Do you feel the government is doing enough to support the industry?
No, unfortunately not really. There is much talk about “Going Green” however the back end doesn’t necessarily support the working model. I know that there are a few grants on offer, however, they are extremely hard to win and then are mainly focused on those that use Technology that is ‘Green’ rather than supporting Design in general to take on a Green approach.