Eco Healthy School

How Eco Healthy is your school? From cafeteria meals to energy [...]]]> by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi

Eco Healthy School

How Eco Healthy is your school? From cafeteria meals to energy use to recycling efforts, your school can have a major environmental impact – and provide opportunities to teach students about healthier, more sustainable practices.

Fostering a healthy environment is crucial given that many of the nation’s schoolchildren are vulnerable to pollution: According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 50 percent of U.S. schools have indoor air-quality problems, exposing those inside to lead, asbestos, chemical fumes, pesticides, molds and other toxic substances. And researchers at the University of Cincinnati found that more than 30 percent of U.S. public schools are in “air-pollution danger zones” because of their proximity to major thoroughfares. Despite these problems, parents can work with school officials to implement policies that protect children – and the planet.

On the Road

If you live close to your school, have your child take the bus, carpool, bike or walk as often as she can to cut down on greenhouse-gas emissions from cars.

If you walk or bike with your child, you’ll improve your health while helping the environment. Get other families involved by organizing “Walk-or-Bike-to-School Days” once a month.

If you do drive, don’t idle.

Turn off your engine while waiting for your child. Encourage others to do the same by putting up a “Turn your engine off” or “Don’t idle” sign at your school’s pickup spot. The exhaust pollutes the air near your child’s school and can trigger asthma attacks, so any effort to cut down on fumes will help improve students’ health and you’ll save gas – and money.

In the Cafeteria

Healthy lunches build healthy minds.

Encourage your school to scrap the corn dogs, chicken nuggets and french fries in the cafeteria and buy from local, organic farmers. Urge your school to switch to reusable trays, flatware and recycled paper napkins.

If you’re packing your child’s lunch, opt for organic foods when possible and put filtered water in a stainless steel container. Use a lunch box that is not made with PVC. Pack waste-free meals by using reusable containers.

On the School Grounds

Create a learning garden at your school so that kids can see firsthand where healthy food comes from.

It doesn’t have to be big – a small area will do – and kids can be involved in planting, harvesting and eating the produce. Encourage your teachers to plan lessons around it.

Organize a composting committee.

This will help your school reduce its waste and provide fertilizer for the learning gardens at the same time.

Start a campaign for clean water.

Urge your school to put water filters on every drinking fountain to cut the risk of exposure to lead, arsenic and bacteria often found in water supplies.

Use environmentally friendly lighting and cleaning products.

Encourage your school to replace its incandescent lightbulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). These bulbs use about 75% less power than incandescents and last up to 10 times longer. Since CFLs contain small amounts of mercury, make sure your school knows how to properly dispose of them. Encourage your school to turn off lights when they aren’t being used. Use natural daylight as much as possible.

Encourage your school to use castile soap, which is cheaper and gets rid of germs just as effectively as soaps with antibacterial properties do. Antibacterial soaps can be harmful because they contain a dioxin chemical called triclosan, which has been known to cause liver damage and cause resistance to antibiotics.

Urge your school to use healthy cleaning products. Ask your custodians what products they use and encourage them to look into green alternatives.

Ask the grounds crew to use natural herbicides and pesticides. Children are highly susceptible to toxic pesticides sprayed on playgrounds and athletic fields because of their high metabolisms and low body weights. There are many safer pest-control alternatives.

Start a recycling program.

Place paper, plastic and aluminum recycling bins near every trash can. Encourage recycling through drives and by enrolling your school in a program that collects computer printer cartridges and used cell phones. Request that the school use 100 percent recycled paper.

At the Store

Go green when shopping for school supplies.

When purchasing backpacks, rain jackets and binders, make sure they don’t contain harmful PVC materials or fire retardants. See Green Dorms for more options.

Use recycled paper goods.

Ask your school to purchase 100% recycled paper and print lessons on both sides of the paper. Also ask for 100% recycled toilet paper, paper towels and tissues.

Michelle Bexelius is also the founder and director of Eco Kido, a nonprofit that helps schools get healthy and go green.

by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi

“EMF Pollution may be the most significant form of pollution human activity has produced in this century, all the more dangerous because it is invisible and insensible. ” -Andrew Weil, MD

“Ten years ago, one birth in 100,000 was an autistic [...]]]>

EMF - The New Pollution by Eco Remedi

by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi

“EMF Pollution may be the most significant form of pollution human activity has produced in this century, all the more dangerous because it is invisible and insensible. ” -Andrew Weil, MD

“Ten years ago, one birth in 100,000 was an autistic child. In 2005, one birth in 162 birth was an autistic child. A few years ago, these problems were due to cell phone use, in the last year and a half 80% of the people presenting problems don’t even use cell phones. The problem now has to do with the high levels of background EMR.” -Dr. George Carlo, EMR expert

What you can do inside your home.
By simply checking your EMF (Electro Magnetic Frequency) readings you can prevent serious illnesses from occurring. Most of the older homes that are remodeled homes have old faulty wiring and need a professional electrician to re-wire them. Often times when we think of faulty wiring, we think fires, not so in this case. I spoke to a mom at my son’s school and she told me this story.I thought I would share it with you to enlighten you about the importance of checking the electromagnetic fields in your home. Not only can this be a health hazard it can help your home be more energy efficient.  Go to http://www.lessemf.com/gauss.html to purchase your own EMF tester.

True Story – written by Patti- Santa Barbara, CA.
“In 1995 my son, Tyler had an outlet next to his bed that had a power reading of 10.0,normal, or safe readings should be 0.1-0.3. My husband and I did not even know what electrical magnetics were. The same year our five year old son became very ill. Doctors did not know what it was.

Later, through many medical tests. He had a tumor behind his neck, which was making him paralyzed from the neck down. Tyler also had a high temp. which would not go away (105*). He was hospitalized for two weeks and he almost died. He was sick at home for three months with a visiting nurse giving him antibiotics through a catheter in his chest, finally he pulled through and was well.
Later, through a friend we found out about electrical magnetics in old wiring in homes and what it can do to the nervous system, especially in children. We had our house tested. Our outlets all measured very high. We had the whole house re-wired and now the house is safe. We talked to many doctors and came to the conclusion that too much electrical magnetics had gotten into our sons body, which was the cause of his illness”.

What are EMFs and are they harmful?
Electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) are invisible lines of energy from electric charges surrounding power lines, electrical appliances and other electrical equipment.  People receive the majority of EMF exposure from power lines near homes, electrical appliances held closely to the body, and cell phones and towers.  Radio-frequency and microwave-frequency EMFs, such as from cellular phones and towers, involve a much higher frequency than power lines and most electrical appliances.  There are no federal standards limiting work or home exposure to EMFs. Over 80% of the electromagnetic fields you are exposed to every day are background EMRs coming from Cell Phone Towers, Satellite Systems in Space, WiFi, TV/Radio Broadcast Towers, HAARP, GWEN, etc.

Health Effects
There is disagreement among scientists as to whether or not typical EMF exposures can have serious health consequences.  Above 60 Hertz, electrical frequencies can potentially break chemical bonds and cause irreversible changes to molecules such as DNA or body tissue.  Microwave currents cause vibrations within water molecules and resulting friction and heat (this is how they heat food). The concern is what effect exposure to these microwave-frequencies have on the human body.  At high levels, microwave and radio frequency EMFs can heat body tissues, and when a person is very close to the source, they can interfere with cardiac pacemakers and the normal heart conduction system. The question is how much is acceptable.

Because you cannot see EMFs and there are no current federal regulations, most people are unaware of the possibilities.  Some studies suggest an association between occupational exposures to EMFs and breast cancer, leukemia and brain tumors.  In children, EMFs and cancer and brain tumors is mostly from power lines close to the child’s home, but there have also been links to risks associated with exposures to household appliances such as electric blankets, hair dryers and televisions. EMFs are reduced greatly by increasing distance from the source such as a few feet from most electrical devices and approximately 100 feet from a distribution power line and 500 feet from a transmission line.

Cell Towers

Living near towers has also been linked to brain tumors, cancer, suppressed immune function, depression, miscarriage, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis and autoimmune illnesses such as fibromyalgia and lupus. Studies have found that kids living near cell towers have twice the amount of leukemia.

Solutions
As an eco consultant an added service is to check for “hot zones” from wiring or electronic devices in the home with a gaussmeter. He/She will use the EMF device around sitting, playing and sleeping areas. Solutions could be moving furniture or rewiring if no other solution is available.

Geopathic Clearing
A geopathic clearing is to neutralize unhealthful flows of energy. Terrestrial energies flow in a manner very similar to a naturally pure steam of water, which then can become a carrier of a noxious energy. These ley Lines, or Hartman grid lines as they are often called, can be visualized as a flow of energy which moves through any building or structure as though it were not in its path. These curtain cutain-like flows of geomagnetic and other energies flow above and below the surface of the soil. They frequently become carriers for unhealthful forms of electromagnetic pollution and other energies. These flows of EMF (electromagnetic field) pollution pose a serious risk to our health and well-being. A geopathic clearing neutralizes these harmful energies in the area of your home, business, or property.

I just had this done to our home by Richard Bryant  of www.adinfinitum.org and he revealed we had high levels of EMF pollution going straight through our home. He then went on to survey our whole property placing neutralizer rods to disperse the flow from combatting into our home. I will write more on this subject as I learn more. He is checking back next week to see the progress. Stay tuned.

Resources : www.lessemf.com,  www.adinfinitum.org

Shopping for EcoHealthy supplies for school

by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi

Going to college is an exciting event, a milestone that you have earned, congratulations! Here is a helpful list to make sure your four year stay is a pleasant, healthy, eco friendly one!

Reduce your carbon footprint by: -Taking shorter showers
-Walking/Biking
- Using Compact [...]]]>

Shopping for EcoHealthy supplies for school

by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi

Going to college is an exciting event, a milestone that you have earned, congratulations! Here is a helpful list to make sure your four year stay is a pleasant, healthy, eco friendly one!

Reduce your carbon footprint by: -Taking shorter showers
-Walking/Biking
- Using Compact Fluorescent Lighting -
- Print on both sides of the paper
-Solar charger for your ipod and computer

Moving When packing up your belongings they can use recycled boxes that are used vs. new ones. Used boxes can be found in your own zip code on craigslist.org. Gather your friends and hire a moving company like MoveGreen.

Supplies and Backpacks Use a backpack made from recycled materials and not from PVC. REI has several to choose from and so does greenofficesupply.com, lands end,  hempsisters.com, www.timbuk2.com, www.vulcanabags.com, www.seallinegear.com, and www.targus.com. Recycled paper/notebooks – greenofficesupply.com.

Computers Laptop vs. desktop – laptops use less energy.  http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=LT

Linens Look for organic cotton or bamboo towels and sheets. Natural fibers are the healthiest choice. Gaiam has sales all the time for sheets as well as Bed Bath and Beyond for pillows. If you can’t bring your own natural latex mattress, opt for an organic cotton or wool mattress cover; it will cut down on off gassing from chemicals like formaldehyde.

Air Quality The air in dorm rooms can be compromised. Choose a quality air purifier that will keep the fresh air coming and illnesses at bay. Here are some affordable ones that you don’t have to change the filter, just clean and they even get rid of pungent smells!

Clothing There are many choices for stylish and comfortable clothing. Target has a new line of organic cotton t-shirts from Mossimo. Shop second hand stores like Buffalo Exchange, they are excellent for trendy clothes to classics. Buy wooden clothes hangers from Ikea, they will last a long time and won’t off gass like plastic ones. Look at bgreenhangers.com or hangernetwork.com as well.

Skin care: Choose skin care and cosmetics without the dirty dozen ingredients. Go to http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com to see if your products are safe. See these guides for safer sun care and which ingredients to avoid, pass it on!

Hair care: Choose eco-friendly dyes when coloring your hair, I remember coloring my hair every other week when I was in college, why not make it safe.

Bath/Shower: Avoid anti bacterial soaps, they harm your liver and make you resistant to antibiotics. Use castile soaps and ones without sodium laurel sulfate and parbens. Same goes for shampoo and conditioner.

Lighting: Use Compact Fluorescent light bulbs for desk lamps. Dispose of them in the hazardous waste facility and when they break, leave the room for 20 minutes then clean up immediately. LED lights are preferable but are on the pricey side. Look for sales.

Laundry: Baskets/Bags – choose a basket that is made from natural fibers or a cotton, Cost Plus have an array to choose from. Use a rack to dry your clothes on and minimize using the dryer.

Detergents: We like Trader Joes, Seventh Generation, Method or BioKleen for your detergents. They are more eco-friendly than conventional ones and the bleach alternatives they
offer are terrific for keeping clothes looking good. Just look for phosphate free. Available at trader joes and target.

Food/Storage: Bring your own bags/totes for lunch and to the market – Make sure those snacks or leftovers are stored in glass or stainless steel not
plastic containers. Include a stainless steel water bottle.

Refrigerator: If keeping a refrigerator in your room, stock it with healthy fresh organic snacks and drinks. Choose an energy star model when looking!

Décor: For posting important information in your dorm room look for natural ones made from cork. – umbra.com

Create a sachet with fresh herbs like lavender or rosemary. Stay away from plug ins or air fresheners, they harm the air and the plug ins cause fires.

Rugs and Curtains Make sure you choose products with natural ingredients and avoid products with fire retardant spray. Rugs, curtains, comforters

Cleaning Products: Look for natural, non-toxic all-purpose cleaners to keep your room looking and smelling fresh. Trader Joes, BioKleen, Seventh Generation and Begley’s are terrific choices. Stay away from bleach, it is harmful for your lungs and the watershed if disposed down the drain.

Easy Tips: Take your shoes off and leave the toxins at the door and shut the lights off when you aren’t in the room.

For more tips on incorporating green into your school, contact michelle@ecoremedi.com to set up an consultation with the school staff.

by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi

You eat organic, sometimes buy organic cotton t shirts, drive a Prius but did you know the mattress you are sleeping on could be harmful to your health?

Currently there are 80,000 chemicals on the market today that are not [...]]]>

Eco Healthy Family

by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi

You eat organic, sometimes buy organic cotton t shirts, drive a Prius but did you know the mattress you are sleeping on could be harmful to your health?

Currently there are 80,000 chemicals on the market today that are not approved by the FDA. These chemicals are put in to our everyday products often times without customers even knowing about because the companies don’t have to disclose every ingredient.

Kids follow your lead. The best way to get kids go green is to set a good example. They pick up on details of lives everyday entities whether you plan on it or not.  It’s a group effort to live consciously and it takes a fare dose of commitment. Don’t overwhelm your kids with the crisis the planet is in, educate them at their appropriate level.  They can’t control climate change, but they can turn off the lights when they leave a room.

Going green should be fun, informative and they should feel a sense of pride. Everyone person makes a difference and it doesn’t matter what the age of the child is to imprint that feeling of success. As a family take steps together each day to improve your surrounding environment. Teach your kids that simple things they do makes a difference.

Here are some green tips you can teach your kids:

Energy
Teach your kids to turn off the lights when they leave a room or turn on what they need. It is okay to let them know it costs money to light up the house as well as energy for the earth to produce.  Have them close the door and windows when it’s cold outside to insulate the house.

Food
Food is a great place to start thinking and eating consciously. Now there are so many choices and organic foods are more available than ever. Show your kids the quality of good, organic food that nourishes their bodies with the use of chemicals. Teach them which foods are best to buy organic or not. If you have a farm near by take your kids to show them where food comes from and have the farmer’s talk to them about their methods. Plant a family garden as well.

Water
Conserve water by turning the water off when brushing your teeth. Also get a shower timer and take shorter showers. Teach them to use what they need, even when doing the dishes or watering the lawn. Use a bath and shower filter as well to reduce the amount of chlorine in the air and on your skin.

Transportation
Encourage your kids to walk to school or bike to school together with you. Take public transportation to show them alternative ways of travel.

Recycle
Kids bring home loads of papers from school. Recycle their papers from school when they are done with them.  Use both sheets of paper.

Personal Products
Teach them the benefits of using soaps, shampoos and lotions without chemicals. It doesn’t end up in the watershed and harm the fish and amphibians as well as on them.  Talk to their schools about switching to castile soap instead of harmful anti-bacterial soap. When out and about, carry your own small bottle of castile soap when at restaurants especially. When daughter starts to ask about makeup, teach her the dirty dozen chemicals to avoid or go to www.cosmeticdatabase.org to see if the mascara she wants to buy is worthy of her lovely lashes.

Reducing Toxins
Another easy thing to teach them is to take their shoes off at the door. It leaves whatever attached to the bottom of their shoes toxic or not outside the home. Have them make a family sign saying remove your shoes please at the door.

Clean is green
When it is time to do chores, give them cleaning products without toxins. It’s fun to make cleaning products together, especially laundry soap. It’s easy and very inexpensive. You can make many cleaning products from simple ingredients like baking soda, essential oils, hydrogen peroxide and vinegar.

Picking Up
When they are on walks on the beach or on trails, carry a bag and help them pick up trash. They will develop a sense of respect for the earth.

Art
Do art with found objects around the house or yard.  Some materials to work with are: cork, river rocks, shoeboxes for habitats, cardboard boxes and wood. Look for non toxic materials like soy crayons, healthy glues and paints. There is almost always an alternative, just read the labels like on everything else.

Gardening
Plant an organic garden at home, give them their own small plot or area to care for. There are also creative ways to integrate wildlife into your backyard like building houses for bees, birds and bats. Use certified OMRI compost that has been tested for pesticides and heavy metals.

Compost
Something fun to do is have the kids help you make a worm shake out of the vegetable and fruit peels, coffee grounds, egg shells, etc and have them take it to the yard compost bin and watch what happens.

Clothes
When shopping for clothes or school supplies, steer them in the right direction. Healthy is cool and many companies are starting to modernize their styles. Organic cotton, hemp and soy clothing is in as well as PVC free and clothes without stain resistant chemicals too!

Going green is a mindset. Teach them the importance of their environment and what they put into it, including their bodies. They are young and impressionable, so start fresh and they will follow in your footsteps, hopefully smaller than the generation before.

Email michelle@ecoremedi.com to take your eco healthy family quiz. I will send you a report and steps to ensure a healthy environment that is affordable and doable for the whole family. Just take one step at time.  Cost is 39.95.

 by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi 

Integrating a green lifestyle into your family’s routine is immensely rewarding. And with a little thought and planning it can be fun and fulfilling for everyone. Use trips to the market to teach your little ones the value of organic foods and cooking. Or take [...]]]>

Eco Healthy Families

 by Michelle Bexelius – founder of Eco Remedi 

Integrating a green lifestyle into your family’s routine is immensely rewarding. And with a little thought and planning it can be fun and fulfilling for everyone. Use trips to the market to teach your little ones the value of organic foods and cooking. Or take a walk, hike or bike ride together. In this section, you’ll find tips to teach your family about the important role each of us plays in protecting yourself, your family and your planet.

Being a new parent is exciting and so it’s understandable to get excited to decorate the new baby’s nursery. Creating a safe haven for your baby is vital to their health. So, read the labels and find our what materials they are made of before you purchase new items (including paint, furniture, bedding, curtains, rugs, clothing, toys and skin care). When we began researching many of the popular items made for babies and kids – from onesies and toys to cribs and play tables, we took inventory of the fact that many of the conventional items available contain toxins that can be harmful, particularly to developing infants and young children.  But we were able to find a variety of eco-friendly and stylish alternatives so you can have peace of mind and that your little ones will be surrounded by purer, healthier products to help them flourish.

Design Services: If you would like us to come out and design a healthy space for your child we offer our design services with color choices, furniture, accessories, clothing, toys, etc.  We specialize in eco nurseries! See Michelle’s special for HGTV – It’s Easy Being Green – Eco Nursery . Email michelle@ecoremedi.com  to schedule a consultation. 

Is your child’s room a safe, healthy haven?
If  you would like our eco consultants to help you create a healthy space for your child, and we will email you a questionnaire then send you a report with steps on how to integrate a darker shade of green into your life that is affordable and obtainable. Cost is 49.95. 

Decorating: Parents make a trip to the paint store buying paint that  has high VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds), which off-gas into the air for a good couple of years. It may look great, but the air quality is sacrificed. Today there are many alternatives such as Envirocoat, Benjamin Moore (aura) which have low VOC’s. There is no smell, they dry extremely fast and look just as good. 

Eco Nursery - Healthy, Stylish, Affordable Alternatives

Furniture: The next big thing is furniture. Many couples go to chain stores and pick up cribs and dressers/changers made from melamine, particle board and plywood filled with toxic formaldehyde glues and stains. Opt for cribs and furniture that are made from solid sustainable wood. There are many companies that are creating stylish pieces that are modern and eco-conscious.

Bedding: Organic bedding and mattresses: Babies sleep much of the time and spend numerous hours tucked in their special bed, so why not make it the healthiest it can be? I suggest outfitting your babe’s crib in organic cotton sheets and blankets. Next, the mattress should be made from organic cotton, wool, or natural latex. The reason being, traditional mattresses are coated with fire retardants, formaldehyde, and stain removal chemicals.

Eco Box Air Purifier

Healthy Air: The air quality in your little one’s room is very important. Carpet can also contribute to toxic fumes in the air. Natural wool carpet or bamboo flooring are healthier alternatives. You may also want to get a high quality air purifier to help clean the air. We recommend fresh air to rid clean up smells and eco box that also kill mold, viruses and bacteria as well as purifying the air.

Clothing: One of the most fun things to do is buy your little one outfits. Make sure they are made from organic cotton or bamboo fibers. There are many companies making the switch. They are adorable, stylish and fun without the pesticides touching your baby’s skin. If you can’t always buy organic, wash the clothes at least 3 times with phosphate free laundry detergent prior to wearing.

Skin Care: Many products contain harmful toxins that later may lead to health issues. Make a fresh start by choosing items that you know are pure and sustainable. See the list of toxins to avoid in your baby’s skin care products and rest easy knowing they don’t contain them it.

Eco Baby - Keeping Babies Pure and Healthy

Diapers: A cloth diaper washed at home costs 3¢ per use while a disposable diaper costs 22¢. The difference can add up: a baby goes through about 2,500 diaper changes. Tons less waste. Disposable diapers produce at least 70 times more municipal solid waste than cloth diapers. Each year, the US discards 18 billion diapers. Opt for diapers and wipes bleached with hydrogen peroxide. It’s safer than chlorine bleach, which creates dangerous dioxin (linked to cancer ). Use baby creams and wipes with natural and fewer ingredients. Fewer ingredients equals fewer chems for baby and the environment.

Toys/Playground: Just about every toy you give your baby ends up in her mouth. Many plastic and vinyl toys contain phthalates, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Bisphenol-A (BPA).  These chemicals can be broken down and ingested through teething.  PVC and other types of plastic manufacturing produce dioxins and can have hormone-disrupting effects in the body.  However, you don’t have to completely avoid plastics toys.  There are PVC and phthalate free plastics such as Lego toys.

Solid wood toys are a healthier alternative to plastic and are preferable to pressed woods, such as plywood and particleboard. You also want to be sure the wood toys are made with non-toxic paints and finishes such as linseed and walnut oils and beeswax

Organic and sustainably-harvested materials are a more eco-conscious choice over fossil fuel-based plastics.  When selecting imported toys, ensure that they are lead-free.  It is often safer to select toys made in Europe and the US.

Fabric toys such as stuffed animals, puppets and dolls encourage imaginative play, and babies like to explore the textures and shapes with their mouths. But try to avoid toys with stain- and insect-proofed chemicals that have been linked to cancer.  Since cotton is a heavily sprayed crop, certified organic and/or untreated cotton and wool, colored with non-toxic color-fast dyes, are a greener alternative.

Books are another popular option for children.  For a greener option, select books that teach your child about sustainability, nature and health.

Whether you have a teething baby or an older child, there are many colorful, well-made toys made from natural materials that are a safer choice for your child and the environment.

Limit the number of toys when possible. Try and avoid plastic toys made from PVC and stuffed animals made with fire retardants and stuffed with petroleum-based materials. Use toys that are made from wood and non-toxic paints as well as organic cotton. Opt for Safesand.com when using a sand box. The ones you buy from hardware stores contain carcinogenic ingredients. Buy playground structures that have not been treated with chemicals.

Phthalates are chemicals added to polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic to make them flexible and perfect chewing material for little ones. Phthalates are easily leached from plastic since they are not chemically bonded to PVC plastic. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is used to make polycarbonate (PC) plastic which is found in clear plastic baby bottles, reusable water bottles and many food containers. It is a hormone disrupting chemical shown to leach from PC type plastics.

Since plastics are undeniably a huge part of our modern life and may seem like a daunting step to remove every potential mouthable piece of plastic, here are just a few tips to make your children’s life safer:

• Buy PVC – Free soft plastic toys and teethers. Better yet, try to keep harmful plastic toys out of baby’s mouth! Choose wooden toys from such brands as Haba, Selecta, Plan Toys and Holztiger.
• Avoid polycarbonate (PC) plastic and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The “PC” and “PVC” labeling is usually found in or near the recycling triangle. Choose plastic labeled #1, #2, #4 or #5 which can be recycled in local municipal recycling facilities. Most foods containers are marked with the type of plastic it is made of. However, many items used daily in your little ones life are not. Call or e-mail the manufacturers to ensure it is bisphenol-A and phthalates free.
• Never heat food or beverages in plastic. Heat milk or formula outside the bottle and once cool place in bottle for immediate consumption.
• Avoid harsh detergents and high heat from the dishwasher with plastics.
• Once plastic becomes hazy or scratched, throw it out. Not only can these chemicals leach from the wear and tear, but bacteria loves to hang out in the cracks and crevices.
• Choose glass or safer plastic baby bottles (like the Born Free bottles) to avoid leaching of BPA into milk. Safer sippy cups can come in the way of stainless steel (with no epoxy coating) as well as new bio-based plastics or non-polycarbonate products
• Use metal or organically grown bamboo feeding utensils and choose enamel, ceramic, stainless steel or glass dishes. All lead free, of course!
• Use non-leaching plastic or glass storage containers for pumped breast milk and for home-made baby food.
• Apply a precautionary principle to life and take as many steps to avoid these chemicals as possible. Recognizing that the European Union and over a dozen countries are in the process of phasing out or banning phthalates from children’s products, should make us all take note as we protect our own. Many US manufacturers of toys and baby goods have restricted these products but it is still widely being used. Avoid buying these products and send out the message that you are serious about the safety of your little one.

For more information about EcoHealthy Families, contact Michelle at michelle@ecoremedi.com for a questionnaire on how to remove toxins from your home that you may not realize that are harmful.