LK's Grab Bag

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Tuesday, December 2nd: Can there be a better time to exercise? Could you need it more? Are the holidays coming at you full speed? Join me this Tuesday and you’ll feel great…. guaranteed. 8:30AM, bring mat and water.

Tuesday Back-Pedal: Some time ago I was touting MD Skincare’s Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel as a product I really liked. It left my skin really smooth. But at what cost? On Cosmeticsdatabase.com, it rates a 9… the worst being a 10. So… no more of THAT one for me, and I rescind my recommendation. 

Marco, Duckies and Phthalates, Oh My!  Tuesday Christmas Shopping Tip: I have this ADORABLE grand-nephew, Marco:

So… I was in Pier 1 Imports the other day and saw these really fun little rubber disco ducks that had a colored light inside that blinked on and off when you pressed on the duck.

Great! Bought a set of 3 for Marco as a stocking stuffer. Got home, and the next day I was reading more of “Green Goes with Everything”, and I started researching a gnarly group of chemicals often added to rubber items to modify the texture called phthalates….

Uh oh…. seems the European Union banned these 9 years ago… Why? Because research was mounting that these additives were responsible for the feminization of male babies. I hate when that happens. The US chose to disregard the evidence… except Arnold here in California…. here is an excerpt from a book about suspect substances in toys:

 

 The EU’s Directorate on Health and Consumer Affairs concluded that phthalates, “should be treated as a disrupter of the endocrine system.” The EU banned phthalates from all toys “aimed at children under three” because of their fears it could disrupt sexual development.

The EU, not incidentally, is now the world’s largest single market, having surpassed the United States in 2005. The result? Since the EU banned phthalates in 2000, manufacturers in China–which produces 85% of the world’s toys–make toys without phthalates for the Europeans, and toys with phthalates for Americans. And here’s the twist: in Europe far less toxic alternatives have been found and European kids have as many goofy animals and even rubber duckies to play with as kids in the United States. Their parents, though, can be a lot more sure of their safety than parents in the United States.

The irony is that the EU’s action was based partly on the research conducted by American scientists Shanna Swan and Earl Grey. When California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, hardly a wild-eyed radical, signed a bill banning phthalates from toys for sale in the state, starting in 2009 (ten years after the ban in Europe), the law was based on that of the EU, which in turn had been based partly on the evidence supplied by Dr. Grey and Dr. Swan. The information had to flow from the United States to Europe and back to the state of California. Earlier this month, California Senator Dianne Feinstein proposedbanning phthalates from children’s toys in the U.S. Senate–which has yet to be voted on. That proposal is also based on the law in the European Union.

So… I looked at the label on the Rubber Duckies I bought at Pier 1 (in Nevada), and there, in black and white, was a warning, stating that not only did the State of California conclude that this product contained substances unsuitable for children, it also contained known carcinogens. Sorry, Marco… these duckies are goin’ back… to China, I hope. 

So… when looking for goodies to stuff in stockings this year, READ THE LABELS. The kids will thank you.

Tuesday Trivia: Today in History, three things (among others) took place.. a crown, a couple on a “road to” somewhere, and a Chapter 11 were involved. What were the events?

Tuesday Brain Bender: Anyone remember THIS GAME?

Tuesday Fun Stuff: Put on your Depends… and watch the whole thing. I defy you to view the entire video without laughing… it only gets better towards the end.