Hooray for Target!

I don't shop at W@lMart for a plethora of reasons...but if I needed one more reason to choose Target, they've handed it to me. They now carry several lines of natural health and beauty products, like Alba, J/A/S/O/N, Weleda, and Kiss My Face.

If you've got to shop a big box chain, make it Target.

The Story of Stuff

Set aside 20 minutes, and watch this video.

Poor Man's Irrigation

1. Drill holes in plastic milk jugs

2. Bury in flower/plant beds

3. Fill with water and cap.

The water will soak into the soil, directly at root level as needed. You can refill the jugs with gray water or water from a rain barrel.

LOVE THIS...BRILLIANT!

Composting Workshop

Michael, MJ, and I went to a composting workshop at Harry's (a local farmers market purchased by Whole Foods) last night. While Michael said it was the most boring thing he's ever had to sit through, I thought it was really interesting. My composting efforts have been off to a very slow start...hopefully I can get things moving.

The speakers were a lady from UGA Co-op and Farmer D. Both had a vast knowledge and good advice. Here are some key points:

- I've decided to go with the chicken wire hoop method. Not attractive, but effective. You don't have to turn it if you...

-Use a drainage pipe with holes standing upright in the middle of your pile to keep air moving. Genius, and only about $5 at Home Depot.

-Keep it at 2 parts brown (dead leaves, etc) to 1 part green (produce scraps). The best pile has alternating layers (water between layers when building)

-Toss produce scraps in the blender first for faster compost. Leaves (esp. oak like ours) must be shredded.

-Don't compost pine mulch or put it around your flowers/trees. It needs to dry out for a year first. It has a high resin content and is acidic. Bummer...after the tornado a couple months ago, there are heaps of pine mulch everywhere around here!

Farmer D is a biodynamic farmer...fascinating stuff. If you live in Georgia, the UGA Cooperative Extension is available for free expert advice and services like soil testing at a nominal fee.

Babies R Us to go BPA Free

Toys R Us and Babies R Us announced plans to clear their shelves of all feeding products containing BPA by the end of 2008.

Washington Post Article.

Happy Earth Day

Let today be the kick in the pants you need to make the change you've been contemplating!

Let's Talk About BPA

[I've had this post in my back pocket for a while, but recent press made me decide to post it now!]

When I was pregnant, there was a lot of buzz circulating about a chemical called BPA (bisphenol A), which is found in many plastics, including baby bottles. When I read up on the stuff, I was immediately concerned. I emailed all my pregnant friends and marched myself right up to BRU to return the bottles I had registered for...they were guilty of containing BPA. I also decided that I would try diligently to limit the contact our food has with plastics. The main concern with BPA is that it can leach into food and drink, especially when heated. That's worrisome...it's found in water bottles, food storage containers, and the lining of cans (including formula cans!). Until recently, the FDA considered BPA safe. In the last week or so, some articles have come out that indicate that our government may finally be making some changes regarding the toxin. Today, Canada officially banned BPA in baby bottles (yay, Canada!).

Here's some reading for you:

Canada Bans BPA in Baby Bottles
April 15: BPA May Be Harmful (Didn't we already know that?)
August 2007: Baby Bargains Book Withdraws Recommendations
March 2007: Harmful BPA in Canned Goods

My Personal Recs:

Pyrex Glassware
Container Store Refrigerator Dishes
Sigg Water Bottles
Thermos Foogo Sippy Cup
Evenflow glass baby bottles

There are BPA-free plastics out there. You can pretty much tell the difference by looking at and touching them. BPA plastics tend to be very clear and brittle. BPA free ones are translucent and softer (the kind that turns pink if you wash it in the diswasher with spaghetti sauce :)). It's not a steadfast rule, but it works pretty well. Honestly, I'm just trying to get rid of plastics in the kitchen all together.

I think this issue should remind us all to be educated consumers. I made the choice to eliminate BPA in my kitchen over a year ago. The issue is just now getting some widespread attention...scary, huh?