The Soft Landing Blog

Can BPA be Absorbed through the Skin?

Alicia — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:57:59 +0000

It’s beginning to look like the answer is YES.

Swiss scientists recently found that BPA transfers readily from receipts to skin and can penetrate the skin to a depth that it can’t be washed off.

So the next question is, can BPA continue traveling a little bit further and end up in the bloodstream? We don’t know for certain yet, but EWG’s latest report in which they tested several common stores’ receipts for BPA makes it a valid concern. They found through testing that BPA on a receipt is 250 to 1,000 times greater than the amount of BPA typically found in a can of food or a can of baby formula, or that which leaches from a BPA-based plastic baby bottle into its contents. And even more telling is the fact that retail workers carry an average of 30 percent more BPA in their bodies than other adults, although it’s don’t know how much BPA-coated receipts contribute to people’s total exposure.

As suggested by EWG, one thing is certain: because many retailers already use BPA-free paper for their receipts, it’s one source of contamination that could easily be eliminated. The EPA is even concerned enough to start looking for BPA-free thermal paper alternatives. In the meantime, EWG offers some helpful tips to reduce your exposures to BPA in receipts:

Minimize receipt collection by declining receipts at gas pumps, ATMs and other machines when possible.
Store receipts separately in an envelope in a wallet or purse.
Never give a child a receipt to hold or play with.
After handling a receipt, wash hands before preparing and eating food (a universally recommended practice even for those who have not handled receipts).
Do not use alcohol-based hand cleaners after handling receipts. A recent study showed that these products can increase the skin’s BPA absorption (Biedermann 2010).
Take advantage of store services that email or archive paperless purchase records.
Do not recycle receipts and other thermal paper. BPA residues from receipts will contaminate recycled paper.
If you are unsure, check whether paper is thermally treated by rubbing it with a coin. Thermal paper discolors with the friction; conventional paper does not.

Can We Have a Heart to Heart?

Alicia — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:33:01 +0000

Keeping your family safe is our passion and we enjoy making your life a little bit easier at the same time. We don’t do this often, but we need to give you an update on things.

Times are tough and the last year has taken it’s toll on our family owned and operated business. We hear the strain in your voice too when you call to ask our advice about avoiding toxic chemicals. We understand that during this economic crunch, it’s not always possible to support our research by buying the products you need from us.

We want you to know that we’re listening and making changes in hopes of benefiting both you and us. Here’s what’s going on behind the scenes on our side:

We’re streamlining our product selection

We’re trimming down to the brands and items that you show the most interest in. You may have noticed that we now have a Clearance section. We’re offering some amazing discounts on products we’re discontinuing (all sales are final).

The big question we’re hearing on a regular basis is, “Are you dropping that product because you found out it’s made with toxic chemicals?” That’s a perfectly legitimate question, especially considering that many folks check our site to confirm the safety of a product before buying. Simply put, the answer is no – each of those products is perfectly fine and was made by a manufacturer we’ve found to be trustworthy.

We’re focusing our time investment

Did you know that every aspect of The Soft Landing Store is operated by myself, my Mom and my three sisters with no outside help? We spend our time learning about endocrine disruptors, researching chemicals, contacting manufacturers to confirm materials used, providing education to families, writing blog posts, handling all marketing and social media outlets, advocating for change in chemical policies, inventory and even shipping orders.

Until now, we’ve been able to answer all phone calls and emails from concerned parents looking for help locating safe products we don’t sell in our store. Now we’re having to make a difficult choice to spend less time giving specific answers to those questions. So what will happen when you call, email or contact us via Twitter and Faceboook with specific questions now?

We’ll direct you to our blog, where we post any and all information we’ve gathered during our research efforts.
We’ll ask you to make suggestions using the Skribit box for topics we haven’t yet researched (over in the right hand sidebar).
We’re working hard to launch several ebooks which will combine all of our research into one place for ease of use. Watch for an announcement on that front soon!

We’re pulling out all the stops on shipping rates

We asked you what the main hindrance to online shopping is, and you answered very clearly . . . shipping costs! In an effort to make purchasing from our store possible for those of you who are following a tight budget, we’re lowering our shipping rates for folks on the U.S. Mainland. Starting today, you’ll get flat rate shipping of $5.95 and FREE shipping for orders over $49.00!

We love you guys

We hope to express our deep appreciation for the many kind words we hear through social media channels each day. We would truly be nowhere without you

We’ll continue to invest our hearts in locating safe products for your family and advocating for safer chemicals in this great country of ours. And remember, all products sold at The Soft Landing Store are confirmed to be free of BPA, PVC, phthalates and melamine. They’re also third-party tested for lead and cadmium safety by manufacturers we trust.

Now go shopping!

The Story of Cosmetics: the Ugly Truth of “Toxics In, Toxics Out”

Alicia — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:34:48 +0000

I’m thrilled to be working with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and my partners, 3 Green Angels, to launch a educational push called the Story of Cosmetics today. We’ll be hosting a special Twitter party tonight at 8pm CST (using the hashtag #ecowed) to talk about the products we use, learn what’s really in them, discuss the health implications and figure out what we can do.

And immediately following the special #ecowed with The Story of Cosmetics, we’ll be talking further about toxicants in soaps and detergents with our all-time favorite maker of safe personal care products, Earth Mama Angel Baby, at 9 pm CST.

Learn More about Shockingly Toxic Personal Care Ingredients

Do you wonder what is in all those products we slather on our bodies or on our children? What actually is in fragrance? What is triclosan? What are formaldehyde donors? How do you even pronounce any of these ingredients?

And who makes sure these things are safe?

Are you ready to discuss these issues? Well, then we have an #ecowed Twitter party for you! Please join us for a very special #ecowed Twitter party this Wednesday, July 21, 2010 at the special time of 9 pm Eastern (6 pm Pacific) as we talk about The Story of Cosmetics – The Ugly Truth of “Toxics In, Toxics Out.” If you need some details on what a Twitter party is, check out the information here.

The Story of Cosmetics is created by The Story of Stuff Project with free range studios and in conjunction with The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. The Story of Cosmetics examines the pervasive use of potentially toxic chemicals in everyday personal care products – products we use because most of us believe that somebody – somebody like our government regulatory bodies – has decided that the products and their ingredients are safe. But that isn’t quite true – the FDA only bans 9 ingredients in personal care products and regulates colorants. Other than that, cosmetic companies are pretty much free to use what they want. Compare this to the European Union, which has banned or limited more than 1,100 ingredients in cosmetic products.

The Story of Cosmetics examines the health implications of the decisions to use these ingredients in every day products – in our shampoos, body washes, bubble bath, lipstick and more.

>> FIND out more about the Story of Cosmetics in their FAQ at http://storyofstuff.org/pdfs/cosmetics/SoCos_faqs.pdf. The following important questions are covered:

Carcinogens in baby shampoo?
What’s pinkwashing?
But isn’t it better living?
But it’s just a little bit, right?
How do I find safer products?
Shouldn’t there be a law against this?
What about salon workers?

The #ecowed Twitter party is brought to you by:

New PVC-free Sassy Bath Toys Make Great Pool Toys

Alicia — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 19:18:00 +0000

If you’ve been following our search for PVC-free pool toys for long, you know how difficult it can be to find anything. We’ve found that Sassy’s new bath toys make great beach toys in the meantime! We’ve confirmed each of the following to be free of BPA, PVC and pthahlates (just click on each image to take a look at the details). And you can also find their original bath toys here.

Sassy Scrub-a-Dub Car Wash

Sassy Soft Swimmers

Sassy Catch N Release Net

Sassy Pour & Explore Bath Cups

Sassy Fill & Float Duckie

Sassy Bathtime Pals

Toxic Chemical Lobby: Exclusive Leaked Footage [Video]

Alicia — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 19:57:36 +0000

Toxic chemicals aren’t sitting around passively, they’re wreaking havoc with our health, and even designing a PR campaign too make sure they don’t become outlaws!

The Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Coalition is bringing the truth of this out-of-control situation to the forefront with a video created to galvanize public support for Congressional action. The characters you will meet in the video are cartoons, but the plot is ripped straight from the headlines. Enjoy and please share it with your friends, co-workers and family!

A Note from our Friends at the Safer Chemicals Healthy Families Coalition

Bisphenol A in baby bottles, water bottles, and food cans. Formaldehyde in furniture. Phthalates in air fresheners, soft plastics, and fragrances.

Scientists once thought these chemicals stayed put in their products, but now we know they leach out of their containers and into our bodies. These common chemicals have not been tested for safety, yet they are found in products we use every day — under your kitchen sink, in your bathrooms and bedrooms.

We need Congress to act now, to make sure the products we reach for, sleep on, and eat from every day aren’t loaded with toxic chemicals. You can help Congress stay strong in the face of chemical industry pushback but only if you speak out.

Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families believes that effective and comprehensive reform of TSCA will not only protect public health; it will also help American companies by spurring innovation and job creation dedicated to making the next generation of safer chemicals and products.

This is our time to make toxic chemicals history! Let’s tell Congress to strengthen and reform the law so that the most dangerous chemicals are taken off the market and that chemicals are safe for use before being added to products.

Chemicals aren’t sitting still – and neither should you! Click HERE to send a message to your Members of Congress now!

BPA-free Kinderville Ice Pop Molds are a Must for Summer

Alicia — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 22:28:27 +0000

We’ve found a new favorite for hot Summer days! The Little Bites Silicone Ice Pop Molds by Kinderville make creating healthy, homemade, toxin-free popsicles a cinch. The only thing that goes into your kiddo’s treat are the fresh ingredients you choose. And I have to admit, we’ve been going a little crazy around here with the new recipes! Be sure to check out our Yogurt Fruit Pop recipe on our sister blog Real Baby Real Food.

The unique Kinderville design is like no other we’ve seen, with a tapered design that works like a push-pop. They even have a fluted rim to helps any channel melted popsicle run back into the mold and not over little hands! Their made from highly durable silicone, which is not only dishwasher safe, but also refrigerator, freezer-safe AND microwave safe too! They measure 2 1/8″ wide by 5″ tall, hold about 3.5 oz and don’t require sticks (another convenience factor!).

What are your favorite Summertime popsicle recipes? We’d love to hear all about them, so feel free to show us what you got

Toys R Us is Selling Toy Story 3 Merchandise Made with PVC

Alicia — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:38:41 +0000

Well, you may want to skip the Toy Story 3 action figures from Toys R Us this time around. Even though the company made a pledge to steer away from selling toxic PVC toys, they obviously haven’t done so. The irritating part about situations like this is that the products are unlabeled, so we parents have no clue that they may be a poor choice for younger children who mouth their toys. Very disappointing . . .

Here’s the press release detailing the detective work done by the Ecology Center with assistance from the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) in getting the word out.

WASHINGTON, June 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On Saturday, June 19 Teamsters, concerned parents, environmental health and consumer activists will leaflet movie theaters showing “Toy Story 3″ in more than 25 cities across America including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and Tampa. They will distribute comic strips and information detailing the harmful poison plastic contained in “Toy Story 3″ toys being sold at Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co’s (KKR) Toys R Us.

Independent product testing conducted by the Ecology Center in Ann Arbor, Mich., has confirmed that Toys R Us is selling “Toy Story 3″ merchandise made with polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl), a poison plastic. Products that tested positive include the Defender Buzz Lightyear figure, Bucket O Soldiers, Buzz and Woody figurines.

Scientific experts say that PVC is the most toxic plastic for human health and the environment and there is no safe way to manufacture, use or dispose of PVC products. Chemicals released in PVC’s lifecycle have been linked to chronic diseases on the rise in children, impaired child development & birth defects, cancer, disruption of the endocrine system, reproductive impairment, and immune system suppression.

The demonstrators are asking Toys R Us to “End the Toxic Toy Story,” label PVC presence on all toys, and agree to a complete phase-out of the poison plastic within a clear and concrete timeframe.

Toys R Us sells hundreds of Toy Story-branded products that remain untested. Without adequate labeling, there is no way for parents to determine which of these items or the thousands of other toys at Toys R Us are laced with PVC.

“In 2008, Toys R Us set the goal of offering PVC-free products after strong consumer pressure. The company has clearly not kept its word. Toys R Us must stop toying around with our children’s health and phase out this toxic plastic,” said Mike Schade, PVC Campaign Coordinator of the Center for Health Environment & Justice. CHEJ sponsors the website, www.PVCfree.org.

The Teamsters have been active in promoting a healthy, sustainable supply chain.

“We need and deserve good jobs, a clean environment, and safe and healthy products.” said John Williams, Teamsters Warehouse Director. “We have repeatedly pointed out that Toys R Us’ owner KKR has not been acting responsibly across several of its controlled companies, and this needs to stop. Our 1.4 million members expect us to look after their wellbeing. Most have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews. Our commitment to our members extends beyond the workplace and includes their loved ones.”

The Teamsters Union is also engaged in disputes with another controversial company, US Foodservice, which is co-owned by KKR and private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). US Foodservice has been cited more than 100 times by the National Labor Relations Board for violating U.S. labor laws protecting workers rights.

The Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) is a national nonprofit organization that provides organizing and technical assistance to grassroots community organizations nationwide. CHEJ was founded in 1981 by grassroots leader Lois Gibbs and was instrumental in establishing some of the first national policies critical to protecting community health, such as the Superfund Program and Right-to-Know. CHEJ’s PVC Consumer Campaign works with grassroots community, regional, statewide, and national environmental health and justice organizations from around the United States. The campaign is focused on preventing harm by shifting decision makers from producing, using and disposing of PVC consumer products and packaging and substituting it with materials that are safe for workers, communities, children and adults.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents more than 1.4 million hardworking men and women in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

BPA, PVC, Phthalate-free Kitchen Appliances

Alicia — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:00:31 +0000

We finally decided to tackle blenders, mixers and mills! We’ve confirmed with each manufacture that the following kitchen appliances are free of BPA, PVC and phthalates on all food-contact surfaces:

Babycook by Beaba
Dex Products Baby Food Processor
BabySteps Food Mill by Kidco
Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Food Processors and Juicers
Combi Mommy’s Food Processor
The First Years Babypro All In One Baby Food Maker
Vita-Mix Professional
Vortex Blender Manual Blender
DeLonghi Food Processor
Philips Food Processor
Philips Aluminum Food Processor

Our friends at ZRecs have found several other BPA, PVC and phthalate-free blenders and food processors. You can find the whole list of their researched products here. Keep in mind when looking at the list that not all products listed are BPA, PVC, phthalates-free – but they are very carefully marked with each material used by the manufacturers.

Keep checking back for updates, because we’re always looking for more safer options to add!

EIO Kids Cup Answers Demand for Safe Glass Sippy

Alicia — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:18:04 +0000

Yep, it’s really here – the first real glass sippy cup! We finally have a solution for folks who are striving to curb their plastic use. And I’m sure you can probably guess that the EIO Kids Cup was invented by a mom who realized that what she really wanted for her children didn’t exist.

The EIO Kids Cup is nearly plastic-free with just a bit in the sippy lid (BPA-free of course). It also comes with a silicone sleeve to help protect the glass cup from drops. Our favorite part of the whole equation, is that all parts are made to work with any 8oz canning jar! It’s also a great way to transition young children to real glass dinnerware, because the valve-free EIO cap and silicone sleeve promotes correct sipping.

We had the chance to try this amazing cup out several months ago and immediately fell in love with it. Our kids don’t like to drink from anything else now!

So, who’s ready to win one??

How to Enter

We’re giving away two EIO Kids Cups to two lucky readers! Leave a comment on this blog post by June 25, 2010 at midnight PST. Winner will be chosen at random and notified via email. Winner will also be announced here on this blog post as an update.

For extra entries:

Retweet this phrase: I just entered to win a glass sippy by @EIOkidscup from @thesoftlanding! Enter at http://bit.ly/9AWfia
Follow us Twitter and leave a separate comment with your Twitter handle
Join our Facebook page and leave a comment here saying you joined

Contest Rules

Prize value: $15 + free shipping.
Open to U.S and Canada. Please note, your country’s duties/fees will not be included in the prize shipping amount covered by The Soft Landing.
See our Privacy Policy here.

Congress to Consider New Legislation to Overhaul the Disco-era Toxic Substances Control Act

Alicia — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:12:47 +0000

Want to get toxic chemicals out of products? We need your help today! Watch the video below, then take action by joining the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition to bring about the change we need in the Toxic Substances Control Act (TCSA).

By joining the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition, you add your voice to the millions of other voices calling for stronger laws to make sure chemicals are safe before they are added to consumer products, and to give the EPA the power to take the most dangerous chemicals off the market quickly.

A Special Note from the Amazing Folks at Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families Coalition

Over the past few years, we’ve been bombarded with stories about toxic chemicals in everyday products. Whether it’s baby bottles, toys or cosmetics, these products contain chemicals that are known to cause cancer, learning disabilities, reproductive problems and other harm to our families – especially children.

The outcry from frustrated moms across the country has shaken up the status quo. It’s moms who have done the homework and withheld their dollars, forcing industry to become accountable for the toxic chemicals in everyday products we bring into our homes.

But changing the market isn’t enough to rid our lives of toxic chemicals. We need to pressure Congress to substantially change the failed law that created the problem in the first place.

This month, Congress will consider new legislation that would overhaul the disco-era Toxic Substances Control Act. Members of Congress need to hear from everyone – mom or not – to make sure they stay strong in the face of industry pressure to preserve the status quo.

It’s time to get active. We’re asking people to join the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition to send a message to Congress that we want a new law to protect public health and the environment from toxic chemicals. Our coalition represents 11 million individuals, but to win we will need many more people making their voices heard in support of
strong reform.