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Ask An Organic Mom

Eco Soles For Eco Tots: Seven Green Shoe Options For Kids

January 9, 2009 at 2:22PM By Alexandra Zissu | comment

Click here to see this feature displayed with photos of each shoe.

I've been so caught up with unhealthy toys and baby food and formula lately, I've been neglecting my (e)mailbag. If you've written me lately, I promise to answer your question shortly. Here's one:

I read what you wrote about what Crocs are made of. I get tempted by cheap things at Target and stores like that because the kids grow out of everything so quickly, but I don't know what they're made of either. Are there green shoes for kids out there? Will they break the bank?

-Anne, mom of two

Anne, I hear you. My weakness has been the Payless website from time to time, especially when our fabulous and endless supply of hand-me-downs comes up short, or the used shoes in her current size aren't exactly gently used. I'm all for secondhand gear - what could be greener? - but I don't like putting my kid in really dinged up kicks. I especially draw the line at holes! I wouldn't wear them myself. Still, I resist the urge to go as cheap as possible and vote with my dollars by buying from companies that appear to be walking the sustainable walk.

First up, have you seen Simple Shoes? They even have those adorable soft slippers for early walkers that everyone else makes in leather. ...

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tags: target, payless, patagonia, rainboots, pvc-free, green shoes, simple shoes, vegan shoes, formaldehyde-free, planet shoes, kids shoes, eco shoes, Toms Shoes, Tiny Toms, IsaBooties, Hatley

Safe Toys Part Two: Why Did "Organic" Toys Fail On HealthyToys.org?

December 15, 2008 at 9:16PM By Alexandra Zissu | comment

Since my last post about "green" toys getting bad ratings on HealthyToys.org, the project of
The Ecology Center, a Michigan based nonprofit, I've been in a funk. It's not enough for me - as a journalist or as a mom -- to just report that organic toys are possibly as unsafe as their conventional counterparts, then wish you (and me) happy holidays and move on. I'm not ok shopping as if playing Russian roulette - Oh I think my kid will like this, hopefully it's in the 70 percent of the toys from such and such company that tested low hazard. No thanks. And I don't like the idea of leaving readers in a similar gray zone.

Warning: this is going to be a long post. Bear with me, the topic is both too confusing and too important not to explore at length. And I don't feel I've cracked it yet.

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tags: lead, holiday shopping, toxic toys, bpa, Alex, healthytoys, ecology center, melissa & doug, haba, plan toys, corolle, pvc-free, kids safe chemical act, phthalate-free PVC

"Safe" Toys Not So Safe

December 3, 2008 at 12:09AM By Alexandra Zissu | comment

I lost my toy tossing virginity last week. And I'm not happy about it.

Last year, I talked many parents through their anger, frustration, and anxiety as lead-tainted toy after lead-tainted toy was recalled. I calmly explained the issues regarding BPA and steered freaked out families towards safer bottles (and canned goods) as the stories about this hormone disrupting chemical popped up in just about every publication from parenting magazines to local newspapers.

But throughout all of this advice giving, I remained personally untouched. The extremely well-researched (fine -- over-researched) toys in my own house weren't being recalled. They're the tried and true green things -- not so-called natural toys.

Sure, sometimes I wish my kid could have every shiny plastic doll she develops a "thing" for, but I'm not risking it. Especially not when she's this young. In fact, since my daughter was born, we've never purchased a plastic toy (a few plastic gifts have been grandfathered into an only-in-the-car bin). I don't say this to sound smug. I just honestly practice what I preach. It's a pain in the ass but it makes me feel safe(r).

Ha.

A site to which I often steer parents in the market for toys -- HealthyToys.org -- releases its latest results today, December 3rd, in time for holiday shopping. And to my shock and horror and disgust, more than a few toys we own apparently contain lead, arsenic, chlorine (which indicates something is PVC when it claims not to be) and other undesirables. Did I mention how angry I am? ...