Green Tips
ISO PVC-Free Pool Toys
March 29, 2011 by Mecca · 1 Comment
Surprisingly the healthiest option is the pool noodle!
Lounging by the pool over spring break got me thinking about the all the plastic-y pool toys most of us consider requisite summer gear. A quick google search confirms most floaties, rafts, and inner tubes are made from PVC. (PVC – considered the most toxic and worst kind of plastic, contains hormone-disrupting phthalates, and off-gases something terrible, while the PVC manufacturing process releases dioxin. All around bad news. ) And let’s not forget we’re in the south where summer temps often venture into the triple digits – effectively ‘cooking’ the PVC.
I expected another quick google search to point me to tons of PVC-free pool toy options but came up empty handed. I found lots of other blogs in search of PVC-free gear but not many alternatives. From what I read, if it’s inflatable just assume it’s made from PVC. There are a couple of companies like Everearth that offer inflatable toys made from biodegradable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). But I couldn’t find where to actually buy them so that’s not much help.
Surprisingly the best bet is the old pool noodle. Flexible foam is usually made from ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), which is a type of vinyl made without hormone-disrupting phthalates or polyethylene foam, which is PVC-free. The Soft Landing recommends keeping an eye out toys that have a lightweight feel and porous appearance as compared to the dense, heavy PVC foam. TSL also turned up thesePVC-free pool products but I wouldn’t call them pool toys.
Some PVC-free things I did find: a Intex “Phthalate Free” Lil Mariner Inflatable Boat Playground on Amazon that does not appear to be sea worthy. And Crush-Proof “Phthalate Free” non-PVC Plastic Ball Pit Balls, which is good to know but does not count as a pool toy.
If you know of any PVC-free pool toys please let us know. In the meantime we’ll stick with that old summer standby, the pool noodle.
Grow Buddies – Friends That Grow and Share Food!
March 13, 2011 by Mecca · 3 Comments
Be a Grow Buddy, it’s like a workout buddy but you get delicious homegrown food to share!
According to the calendar spring is less than a week away and it’s time to start thinking about homegrown goodies. Not a gardener? Not a problem! As our friend Lee McBride with Foodscapes says, “Cut open a bag of potting soil and poke in some seeds.” Even better, talk your friends into being your Grow Buddies! Recruit a few friends to grow one or two crops each and then you all share in the bounty. For instance, I’ll grow zucchinis, Tonya will grow tomatoes, and our friend Liv will grow eggplant.
With Grow Buddies, there’s no need to commit hours to a full home garden. Just find a sunny spot in the backyard for a couple of plants, point the hose their way on occasion and you’ve got food! Homegrown, pesticide free, FOOD! A couple of plants in the back yard are super simple to handle. Plus you have the added incentive of growing delicious veggies with your friends. Just like work-out buddies, Grow Buddies serve as sources of encouragement and information. It’s also a great family activity. Your kids will love growing actual food! And growing your own veggies with children is a great way to get them more interested in eating their greens.
Gather your Grow Buddies now and I’ll ask Lee to share some of his spring planting tips with us in time for April-May planting. Some plants to think about that that do great in the southeast: tomato, watermelon, zucchini, yellow squash, cantaloupe, peas, beans, eggplant, and lots more.
Local Spotlight: Belle Announcements
December 3, 2010 by Tonya · Leave a Comment
Local business offers custom recycled cards
Choose a recycled Christmas card this year! Belle Announcements offers recycled card options. Better yet, you can ask for your chosen design in a postcard format. You’ll save lots of envelopes and some ‘green’ on your postage as well! And, an added bonus: you’re supporting a local business in North Alabama. 
I have previously ordered recycled stationery from Belle and been very pleased. I can’t wait to see how my Christmas postcards turn out!
Morning Flip Out
November 5, 2010 by Mecca · Leave a Comment
Mecca saves some time by flipping over the peanut butter jar.
Some days it’s the little things that make all the difference. Like on the days I am already 15 minutes late for Mom’s Morning Out drop-off and I still haven’t made my two-year-old’s lunch. This is the third time in a month he’s missed weekly ‘music class’ (10 minutes of sing along to weird songs I’ve never heard of about going to church). Back in the kitchen, slicing fruit for his lunch at dangerous speeds, I imagine the teachers’ conversations, “Well I just hope his mother doesn’t completely stifle his musicality at such a young age…” I then scoff over the imagined use of such a fake-sounding word like musicality.
Fruit is done and my imaginary conversation petered out – time for that oldie-but-goodie lunch box staple: PB&J. We eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches all the time at my house. Of course our recipe has been modified just a bit since I was a kid: I use Earth Grains sandwich rounds and all-natural or organic peanut butter and jelly. My son has never been a big bread eater and when he was still a little guy, big thick slices of bread were too much for him to get his tiny mouth around. The sandwich rounds are 100% whole grain and super-easy for him to handle. Read more
Polluters: Printers, Shoes, and Bookcases???
November 3, 2010 by Mecca · Leave a Comment
“Beat Bad Air Days” in Women’s Health magazine points out little-know air pollutants.
Soy candles made with essential oils. Try these made locally in Alabama.
Indoor air quality again?! I know, I know – I’m starting to sound like a broken record but this is a great article with lots of surprising facts. For instance 80% of our exposure to pesticides happens in INDOORS according to the EPA – it’s because of the muck we track in our shoes. Another big pollutant surprise mentioned in the article is printers. Office and household printers spray out lung irritants – mircoparticles of ink, toner, and ozone. Click here to see if your printer is on the high-emitter list (not all printers are listed – mainly HP’s, Lexmarks, and RICHOHs).
And my other newest consideration also makes a mention – pressed wood. Also called particle board it’s the glues and resins that hold it all together that make it a concern. These products can release formaldehyde. This is something I used to roll my eyes at, organic furniture just sounds ridiculous. But products that are made of solid wood from all natural materials are not only higher quality they are much healthier. Just make sure the wood is treated with eco-friendly oils, waxes and paints.
And I’ve also said this before but it’s a big one: Quit using any household product with “fragrance” listed on the label. Fragrance is an industry term that can disguise any number of toxic materials that don’t have to be listed. That’s not to say you can’t have nice-smelling products just look for all-natural ingredients. And if you use candles make sure they are 100% soy. According to the article most candles are made from paraffin that “emits chemicals that are linked to liver damage, neurological problems, and leukemia. They can also release a black soot that, over time, may damage your lung and heart tissue…” At my house I use essential oils in a ceramic warmer that is heated with soy votives. I love essential oils, they can be used in a number of ways, especially homemade cleaners. Click here to read LGB’s post on homemade floor cleaner that uses essential oils.
Click here to read the entire article, “Beat Bad Air Days” featured in Women’s Health.
Open the windows!
October 18, 2010 by Mecca · Leave a Comment
Milder temperatures mean it’s the perfect time to improve your home’s indoor air quality.
Here in the south it’s tough to practice healthy indoor air practices during the hot summer months. With temperatures reaching the 100’s and air conditioning running at full blast, opening a window in a conventional home isn’t much of an option during a southern summer. But completely sealing off a home from the outdoors can trap indoor air pollutants inside – which in turn can affect you and your family’s health.
Indoor air quality is quickly becoming an increasing concern, even more than outdoor air pollution. IAQ refers to the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants (Wikipedia). The most common pollutants affecting Indoor Air Quality are radon, molds and allergens, carbon monoxide and VOCs: Volatile organic compoundsare emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. Concentrations of many VOCs are consistently higher indoors (up to ten times higher) than outdoors. A major source of man-made VOCs are solvents, especially paints and protective coatings. PVC and vinyl also contribute to VOC emissions. And you also may be surprised to know that formaldehyde is frequently used in construction materials: “Many building materials such as paints, adhesives, wall boards, and ceiling tiles slowly emit formaldehyde.” Read more
