Dear Bill: Believe it or not Christmas is not far off and I trying to determine what toys are safe for children and the environment. What should I be watching for in the way of materials and chemicals that are environmental and child friendly as Christmas gifts? Sandy G. – Glendale, AZ
Dear Sandy: The first tip I’d give you is to make sure that you are buy a toy that is designed and recommended for the age and interest of the child you are purchasing it for. Generally children under 3 put everything in their mouths so make sure that the toy doesn’t have harmful chemicals and in particular that it does not have parts that can fit inside a child’s mouth. Parts which measures 1 1/4 inches wide by 2 1/4 inches long and shape of a young child’s throat can be dangerous.
Avoid toys that have sharp edges and points and teach older children to keep their toys away from their younger brothers and sisters.
In the way of chemicals, always read the label. Chemicals are sometimes added to plastic to soften it and may include phthalates which are considered a carcinogen by the EPA. The concern is that children may chew on the toy and absorb the phthalates.
Millions of toys made in China have been recalled in recent weeks because they have unsafe levels of lead paint, a potent brain poison that can lower IQ, cause learning disabilities and even, some studies suggest, trigger violent behavior. So again, read the labels.
I believe that the largest dedicated toy retailer in the U.S., Toys R Us, for instance, now makes available a country-of-origin list for all toys in its 842 U.S. stores. The list is offered on request to any customer so he or she can find or avoid toys made in any particular country. Anyone can ask for the list.
Dear Bill: I just recently had my first baby and it was a boy. As a mother I want to contribute to my son’s environmental future so what kinds of diapers are best for my baby and the environment? Pamela A – Boise, ID
Dear Pamela: First consider whether you young son is allergic to the dyes and fragrances in disposable diapers, you doctor should be able to help you with that. Also, check to see if your baby boy is sensitive to clothe diapers if they aren’t changed quickly after they’re soiled or if the diapers aren’t washed well between uses. It will take just a bit of time to determine what works for our baby, but consider all of your choices.
Cloth diaper-wearing children go through about 6,000 diaper changes. Since disposable diapers are discarded after a single use, usage of disposable diapers increases the burden on landfill sites, and increased environmental awareness has led to a growth in campaigns for parents to use reusable alternatives such as cloth or hybrid diapers. An estimated 27.4 billion disposable diapers are used each year in the US, resulting in a possible 3.4 million tons of used diapers adding to landfills each year.
I believe what you may want to consider for your baby and environment is either cloth diapers that are washable and reusable or biodegradable and even flushable disposable diapers or inserts that draw urine away from the baby and make dumping solids easier.
Dear Bill: I’ve been reading and hearing about E-Waste a lot. What exactly is E-Waste and why should I be considered about it?
Rhoda R. San Francisco, CA
Dear Rhoda: One of the biggest problems we have today is Electronic Waste (E-Waste). E-Waste is usually consists of things like cell phones, computer monitors, TV’s, fax machines and anything that has a plug on it or a battery that runs it. It’s best, if it still works, to donate it to a charity that can re-use it and when not workable they’ll properly dispose of it.
You need to properly dispose of E-Waste since if you throw it into a landfill it can potentially release metals such as mercury and lead into the environment. However, placing it in a landfill is more environmental friendly than incinerating it. Incinerated E-Waste can release dioxins into the air.
California and other states have legislation that addresses the growing problem of E-Waste and has fees ranging from $6 and up depending on the size of the product to help pay for the costs of recycling. Another big problem with E-Waste and recycling is that large shipments of E-Waste is shipped off to China, India and other destinations for resale or recycling. This has a large impact on financial and environmental concerns.
Send your energy-related questions to:
The Green Energy Coach at: GreenEnergyCoach@aol.com
Tauber is a Radio Talk Show host and a nationally recognized expert on energy reduction and solar power. He has been interviewed by The Wall Street Journal, The Orange County Register, Los Angeles Times, Fox Business, Kiplinger, Investors, ABC and Forbes websites and several environmental newsletters and Web sites.