Teen Dating Violence Prevention

You Are Invited to A Special Online Preview of
The 2009 Teen Dating Violence Prevention Campaign

Please join Cindy Dyer of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and Esta Soler of the Family Violence Prevention Fund for an informative web event on teen dating violence.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008
11:00 AM ET

OVW’s upcoming prevention campaign, launching in early 2009, will address teen dating violence. This web conference will review the research shaping the new campaign, including qualitative research on social norms and dating behaviors among teens. It also will include an overview of the elements of the innovative new campaign.

You must REGISTER if you are planning to participate in this web conference, co-hosted by the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault. The number of participants is limited, so be sure to register now! A toll-free telephone number and webinar link will be sent to you via email after you register.

The presentation will be available on www.OVW.usdoj.gov and www.endabuse.org following the web conference.

Beyond Paper: Eco-Friendly Crafts, DIY Fingerpaints & Playdough!

Today's Quote: Some things are simple and some things you make difficult for yourself.

Lena Rai, Cheboygan, MI
Click to visit her SocialVibe page! =)

By Terri Hall-Jackson, contributing writer, Care 2

Sometimes I think kindergarten teachers should be arrested because of the mounds of paper that are sent home on a daily basis. The father of my child’s preschool buddy looked mortified at me when I said that, but I could wallpaper my entire home with the voluminous amounts of printables and doodles that enter our doorway Monday through Friday, September through June.

I was kidding about the kindergarten teachers, of course. I love, love, love and deeply respect them. And I love seeing my children express themselves artistically. But the extensive use of paper does drive me nuts.

When doing crafts at home, may I suggest going paperless? Or at least recycle paper by creating a bin of paper that is clean on one side for kids to draw, doodle and play games on. If you are interested in crafts that don’t require the use of clean sheets of paper, consider the following activities.

1. Make a mosaic out of scraps of broken tiles, pictures from old magazines, paper scraps, odd cards from board games that are no longer played with. Potential material options are limitless.

2. Instead of using paper, how about making your own recycled paper and holiday cards, using ingredients such as newspaper, junk mail, paper scraps and dried flowers?

3. Check out resourcefulschools.org to learn how to make a kite, woven placemats, book covers and more out of old paper bags.

4. Before dumping items into the trash or recycle containers at home, consider if there’s any potential artistic use for them. A milk container could become a bird feeder. Can you see that baby jar as a snow globe or a paperweight? For more ideas on turning trash into art, check out The Imagination Factory’s Trash Matcher.

By Melissa Breyer, Producer, Care2 Green Living

With summer vacation in full swing, the constant clamoring for more Play-Doh and finger paints may be ringing in your ears. While buying toys that require creativity and young hands rather than batteries is certainly preferable—we have a better idea.

Homemade art and craft materials are all natural, non-commercial, inexpensive to make, eliminate excess packaging, and encourage creativity and resourcefulness. There is a bit of magic in seeing modest kitchen ingredients transformed into toy store favorites—and these recipes are as much fun to make as they are to play with afterwards.

Finger Paints
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup soap flakes melted with 1/2 cup
boiling water
Juice dyes (see below)

Make your own soap flakes by grating a bar of homemade hand soap (available at your health food store) until you have 1/3 of a cup of soap flakes. Combine the cornstarch, water, and melted soap in a bowl. Stir to blend. Let the mixture set until it has become thick. Divide into separate bowls and stir in juice dyes for color.

Play Dough
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons cream of tartar

Stir together flour, cream of tartar, salt and oil, and slowly add water. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until dough becomes stiff. Spread onto wax paper and let cool. Knead the dough with your hands until it reaches a good play dough consistency.

Springy Play Dough
2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornstarch

Mix with a fork until smooth. Boil over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and carefully spread on wax paper, cookie sheet or a plate until cool. Play.

To Add Color or Scent
For an extra sensory addition to your art materials, you can add color and/or fragrance. These additions are food-based and fun!

Adding Color: Juice Dyes
Experiment with different foods: try berries, beets, walnut hulls, cranberries, or tea. Combine 1/4 cup of the food material with 2 cups of water and simmer over low heat for an hour. Strain if necessary and store in a covered, glass jar. You can also use the juice from canned beets, which requires no cooking. Straight turmeric mixed into a paste with a little water will give you a vibrant yellow hue. Once you have your dyes prepared, add to finger paints or divide your play dough into balls and knead in color.

Adding Scent:
This couldn’t be easier, just add a few drops of flavor extract, vanilla or peppermint extract for example, from your spice cupboard.

Create a Green Nursery

Healthy Product Recommendations for the Baby's Room

A New Priority for Parents

Taking toxic materials out of the nursery is becoming a top priority for new parents. Creating a green nursery just makes sense since your delicate little one will spend up to 17-hours a day in there! Consider everything your baby comes in contact with and choose your nursery furnishings with natural, organic materials in mind.

Use Non-Toxic Paints and Finishes

Before baby comes home from the hospital you can start preparing your green nursery. Painting should be done at least a month before the new addition arrives and it should be done by someone other than a pregnant mom. Avoid residual toxic chemicals found in typical paints and finishes by choosing Zero VOC or Low VOC options. Babies are particularly vulnerable to the dangers of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) found in common commercial oil and water based paints.

Using healthy non-toxic paints and finishes for the creation of an organic baby nursery is a must. The crib is your baby’s “home” and needs to be as pure as possible in every way. Choose real wood and natural finishes.

Choose Safe Flooring

You can be sure your baby will spend a lot of time on the floor, so stay away from new carpeting. Instead choose natural and hard surfaced flooring like wood (with a low VOC sealant), linoleum or cork. Hard surfacing is easier to maintain and less likely to trap potential contaminants than wall-to-wall carpeting. If an area rug is needed, be aware that VOC’s can be found in carpet backing, adhesives and the fibers themselves, as well as stain or water resistant treatments that have been applied to the carpet. Make sure to choose natural fibers and untreated options.

Choose Organic Baby Clothes, Organic Bedding and Natural Toys

Choose certified organic cotton that’s been untreated, unbleached, and unprocessed for bed sheets, baby clothes and toys your baby will use. Also make sure that colored dyes in the fabric have all-natural ingredients derived from nature’s plants and minerals.

Make sure your baby sleeps on an organic mattress that is free of dangerous flame retardant chemicals. Ours are made from certified wool, natural rubber and organic cotton.

In 2007, 12 million children's toys were recalled. Be aware of imported toys from China, which may contain lead, a neurotoxin. But that’s not the only toy hazard. Most toys sold in major toy stores are made from plastics. Plastic is a major contributor to indoor air pollution. There are many natural cloth and wood toys available on the Internet.

Use Safe Baby Bottles

There has been a lot of news lately about a chemical found in baby bottles, called Bisphenol-A. Bisphenol-A is a hormone-disrupting chemical considered to be potentially harmful to human health and the environment and is found in common plastic baby bottles. It has been known that scratched and worn polycarbonate feeding bottles will leach Bisphenol-A into liquids. Studies have been shown that very low levels of Bisphenol-A in a baby can cause behavioral effects like hyperactivity, and impaired learning. Make sure to use BPA free plastic baby bottles or glass bottles for feeding your baby.

Trust Your Senses

It may not always be possible to determine which materials are used in nursery products, or their safety, but there is one tool you have that you can rely on to evaluate any product—your nose. If the smell bothers you, it will bother your baby, so don’t put it in the nursery. Once you have a natural, organic, green nursery, keep it safe by using only natural and nontoxic cleaning products and pest controls.

Originally authored by Ron and Lisa Beres

Lisa and Ron Beres are Building Biologists,
Certified Green Building Professionals and
the founders of www.GreenNest.com.

Banning Phthalates in Toys

Originally posted by Melissa Breyer Jul 30, 2008 9:05 am

Finally, lawmakers in D.C. are taking action against phthalates. It’s about time. At Care2 we’ve been issuing a clarion call against these toxic chemical plasticizers that are commonly used in children’s toys and have been banned for use in children’s toys in Europe since 1999. More than a dozen other countries have banned the chemical, as has California.

According to the Washington Post, federally funded research found that male babies born to women with high levels of phthalates in their blood exhibited changes related to low sperm count, undescended testicles and other reproductive problems. Other studies have connected some phthalates to liver and kidney cancer. Health experts argue that dangers may be more significant from cumulative exposure, because phthalates surround babies not only in toys and products but also in breast milk if the mother has been exposed to the chemicals.

Although it isn’t law yet, the House and the Senate have agreed to ban three types of phthalates from children’s toys as well as three other phthalates. Since U.S. companies make $1.4 billion worth of phthalates a year, you can imagine there was some serious lobbying going on against a ban; Exxon Mobile is a major manufacturer of phthalates. Not all that surprising to find that President Bush opposes the ban, but it is unclear whether or not he will veto the measure. The legislation would also ban lead in children’s products. It is stunning that this isn’t law already.

If you’d like to help, please sign this Consumers Union letter at the Care2 Petition site.

Read the complete Washington Post article here.

More from Melissa Breyer (203 articles available)

Tell Congress to Finish the Job for Toy and Product Safety

Target: U.S. Congress
Sponsored by: Consumers Union

We have momentum for making toys and products safer for our families, including a product safety bill now in Congress that will stop secrecy about problem products -- making public shoppers' complaints about toys and other goods. This is one important victory, and we couldn't have done it without you.

But time is running out to get the bill to the President. Congress leaves in less than two weeks for summer recess, and they must finalize the bill before then.

Industry is pulling out all the stops to stall the bill. We need your voice now to pass this bill and make sure that all toys meet safety standards before they reach store shelves, ban certain dangerous chemicals from children's products, and protect strong state laws.

The clock is ticking -- let's not miss this opportunity for real change. Tell your lawmakers to make toys and products as safe as possible, before Congress adjourns for its summer break!

Tell Congress / Sign the petition!

Signature goal: 20,000
Current signatures: 12,195