By Julie Knapp •
October 21, 2009
If you feed your little one
Plum Organics, here’s a baby food recall you need to know about. The organic baby food company issued a
voluntary recall yesterday due to a botulism danger. The only product affected is the
Apple and Carrot Portable Pouch, which comes in a 4.22 ounce bag.
The pouches are being pulled from store shelves because of a potential risk of Clostridium botulinum contamination, which can cause botulism, a sometimes life-threatening condition that you clearly don’t want to mess around with.
In a letter on the Plum Organics website, founder Gigi Lee Chang explains that “after a routine test determined the formulation was incorrect. Plum Organics immediately investigated the matter and confirmed that a mixing error was to blame which resulted in an improper blend of carrots and apples.”
By Jennifer Lance •
October 20, 2009
I miss my baby wearing days, especially now that an organic version of my favorite carrier is available! Babybjörn Original Organic Baby Carrier is essential for any new green mommy or daddy, in my opinion. A worn baby is a happy baby because:
- Babies feel closely snuggled to the parent
- Babies are kept within their short range of vision, unlike riding in a stroller
- Babies can feel your heart rhythm and breath reminding them of the womb
- Babies and parents bonding is promoted through baby wearing
A babywearing parent is a happy parent because their baby fusses less, and grown-up arms are free for doing chores, shopping, etc..
By Lucille Chi •
October 17, 2009
Here is a scrumptious and healthy alkaline rich beet and orange salad with refreshing lemon zest and your choice of protein and toppings.
Try silky light tofu, or organic cottage cheese, crumbled feta, or plain. To top it off try fresh thyme or rosemary. I happen to have a blood orange I threw into the mix, so get creative and treat yourself to this healthy root vegetable and citrus salad.
Below is the recipe and an example menu to pair this nutritious side dish with.
By Julie Knapp •
October 16, 2009
Since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, it’s fitting that Dandelion Earth-Friendly Goods just launched their new
Pink Collection, a special group of
organic baby toys that will help benefit breast cancer research.
If you’re not familiar with Dandelion, they have all the “eco-ssentials” for babies including rattles, teethers, development toys and even toddler feeding products made from corn. Their classic shape sorter even made Dr. Toy’s best green product list for 2009.
By Delia Montgomery •
October 14, 2009
If you didn’t catch the Best Eco-luxury Infant Clothes Designer competition winner, read about Carrie Jekogian for LolaBabiez Organics here.
The first runner-up is Tina Bossy for Bossy Baby and the second runner-up is Rachel Hart for Miss Sugar Pops. Be sure to read the related posts below to discover all the terrific nominations.
By Liz Thompson •
October 10, 2009
It seems the moment cooler weather arrives our skin and hair feel the affects; dry, rough hands, tight skin and fly-aways. Not to worry, there are remedies for these problems. By adding a few products or ingredients to your existing regimen, you will be flake and fly-away free in no time.
By Delia Montgomery •
October 7, 2009
The competition winner of Chic Eco’s 2009 Best Eco-luxury Infant Clothes Designer poll is Carrie Jekogian for LolaBabiez Organics. Congratulations Carrie!
What’s really fun about taking nominations is to read favorable comments. Carrie’s got a fan club. Read on for testimonies.
By Jennifer Lance •
October 6, 2009
Unless you are lucky enough to send your child to a school with organic lunches and a farm to school program, you probably pack your child’s lunch. We’ve reviewed numerous lunch boxes and lunch systems, but in the end, I usually just grab random items and throw then together in my hurried mornings. Despite my haphazard lunch packing routines, I am really excited about the Munchgear Soup to Nuts Kit (so are my kids who are fighting over who gets to use it tomorrow.
The Munchgear Soup to Nuts Kit made by Citizenpip (such a cute name) is an “everything in one kit” that, in my opinion, provides more flexibility and durability than a Laptop Lunch. The Soup to Nuts Kit includes:
- 1 insulated lunch bag with nametag and carabiner that easily attaches to a backpack
- 1 stainless steel water bottle and insulated food jar
- 4 BPA-free airtight food containers
- 1 stainless steel fork + spoon set
- 5 100% cotton napkins
By Steve Savage •
October 2, 2009
This post is going to be another struggle for balance. The threat from this particular mycotoxin in the food supply is a so large that it makes the risks that worry most people look tame. It makes the subject of one of my previous posts about another mycotoxin, vomitoxin, look like a virtual non-issue. Aflatoxin is one of the most potent acute toxins known and one of the most carcinogenic. Because of this the average international tolerance for aflatoxin B1 in food is 4 parts per billion (PPB). The average tolerance for food for children is 0.2 PPB and for milk 0.05 PPB (USDA ERS publication source for this data). These are seriously low numbers. I want to accurately represent the seriousness of this risk.
At the same time I also want to accurately represent the extent to which the commercial food supply is now protected from that risk. The same ERS document above reported US crop losses in 2003 from mycotoxins in corn, wheat and peanuts of $932 million and another $466 million for testing. That is all for preventing this toxin from getting to us. There is a lot going on in the background that few people recognize.
Folks in the food industry may well ask “why even bring it up!?” First of all, this is no secret. My Google Alert for “Aflatoxin” sends me articles nearly every day. Also I raise this issue to try to “calibrate risk.” I saw an entry in a comment string on another blog the other day where someone wrote, “I hope this is a move towards chemical-free food.” I’ll give that person the benefit of the doubt that they know that all food is made of chemicals (proteins, fats, carbs…). Their concern was about synthetic pesticide residues. I doubt that they know about “chemicals” like aflatoxin. They should. It is thousands of times more toxic than a typical pesticide residue.
By Julie Knapp •
October 1, 2009
Ask the average kid where milk comes from and he might very well say a jug. Bread? The grocery store. According to research by Kingston University in London, kids need more farm visits to dispel the ignorance and misconceptions about farming and where food comes from. Scientist Frances Harris, the author of the report, wants schools to take action to organize these visits.
Even if your child knows that milk comes from a cow, does she know that there is more than one variety of cow? A hands on approach at the farm could also help kids understand which foods are real and which ones are processed. They won’t see any Pop Tarts or red, blue and green grains that could make up their Fruit Loops on the farm. Showing your kids where food comes from could set them up for a lifelong, healthier lifestyle. And actually being able to reach out and touch a cow is invaluable compared to watching a farm DVD or playing a video game.
By Liz Thompson •
September 30, 2009
In celebration of their newly obtained organic certification, Bubble & Bee Organic is giving away a of couple fabulous (and brand new) products. Get a free Rude Raspberry Lip Balm with any purchase. Purchase over $35 worth of goodies and get a Lotion Stick as well. Buy over $65 and they will even throw in free shipping.
