Eco Pregnancy and Baby

We love our Teflon coated pans for their nonstick convenience. The problem is their coated with PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) which in older pans can disintegrate into your food or gas off into the air around you. The manufacturers have created newer coated cookware made with more durable PTFE, but does that mean it’s safe — even [...]

So now that you’re pregnant and steering clear of environmental dangers, you may be wondering what the buzz was all about a few years ago about lead in lipstick. And did they fix the problem and get the lead out of lipstick once and for all? Yes, it’s true, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found lead [...]

Here’s something we can do for Earth Day that will benefit all Earth mothers and mothers-to-be . Wouldn’t it be great if pregnant women could eat all the fish they want without fear of mercury toxicity? This video via Earth Justice is just one example of what’s keeping that from happening. They’re asking us to [...]

Cultivating a garden is a delight to many, whether it’s outdoors or on your windowsill, but not when you’re breathing in chemical fertilizers and pesticides. “There’s no question that pesticide exposure to the mother means exposure to the fetus,” says Miller. “Pesticides are designed to kill living organisms, so it’s not something you want to [...]

Whether you’re giving your existing home office an environmental upgrade or setting up an office for the first time, you’re already saving energy by not driving to work. You may also avoid common workplace toxins, but even a home office can be hazardous. Here’s how to make steps in the right direction.
{GREEN} Create [...]

The gentlest, most natural body-care products and cosmetics benefit not only new moms but also Mother Earth, by lowering the amount of toxic chemicals that end up in the air, soil and groundwater. But more than 99 percent of all personal care products contain one or more ingredients that have never [...]

On of the greenest choices in furniture is recycling furniture from somewhere else — your grandmother or that cute little antique store downtown. That way you’ll help reduce the environmental load in landfills and your bank account.
Be careful, though, because family heirlooms, such as antique rocking chairs or cribs, won’t meet current safety standards if [...]

When you’re pregnant or caring for a newborn, you need all the sleep you can get. Thinking about toxic chemicals in your bed linens won’t keep you up nights-if you go organic. To minimize toxins: “Sheets shouldn’t be permanent-press or made with nylon or synthetic materials,” say Deirdre Dolan and Alexandra Zissu, co-authors of
The Complete [...]

Cameras, cellphones, computers and video equipment help you capture precious moments in your newborn’s life. But upgrading to new electronics may mean adding more e-waste to the environment.
Some simple steps to take before buying new products:

Check to see if the manufacturer of your old electronics offers a recycling program and look for electronics that [...]

Does it matter which paint you use when you’re pregnant? The truth is you shouldn’t be painting at all. But even if you have someone else do the painting, the less toxic the product is, the better.
“Oil-based paints pose a theoretical risk of exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) while the paint is drying,” says [...]