Goodbye Plastic, Hello Sigg

When reports came out recently in the news about toxins being found in plastic baby bottles I did not blink an eye. My kids are past the baby bottle stage. End of story. Move on. Yet, why did it not occur to me that my kid's sippy cups might fall into the same category, or my nalgene water bottles or a multitude of other household items. A vast number of children's products are made from polycarbonate plastic which is made from bisphenal A. Studies have shown this chemical along with PVC, also found in many plastics, to be a hormone disruptor. Children's products plus chemicals are just an unhealthy brew; there is a new ban going into effect this February 09 on these three phthalates, DEHP, DBP, AND BBP, which are found in children's toys and child care products (lotions and perfumes). Consumers should take matters into their own hands, however, because this ban may not go far enough. Read this article from ConsumerReports.org... I knew there was a reason all the plastics that have entered my life are cumulatively starting to make my skin crawl. It seems like it is everywhere in my life; drink cups, bath toys, kids toys, food packaging, kitchenware and utensils, and household items. The fact is, it is time to kick plastics to the curb. Yet, what does one use to replace these handy plastic items? I am going to work at it piece by piece. My first agenda is to start with our drinking containers. I have been hearing a lot of good things about Sigg water bottles. They are made from aluminum, are non-toxic, and come in all sorts of fab colors and designs. I am getting one for each member of the family and will store these water-ready in the fridge for a quick grab when we are on the go. Using these bottles will also cut down on our juice box use which eliminates extra trash from entering our landfills and helps my kids drink more water. Win-win.