Mama Gone Green is a blog dedicated to raising happy children and reducing our impact on the Earth. My name is Taryn and I am the mother of 2 young kids and an environmental studies instructor at a community college in Portland, Oregon. Please join me as I journey through life as a mama, teacher, knitter, photographer, gardener, and environmentalist!

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Plactics. Ugh. (Again)


In the relatively short time (6.5 years) that I have been a mother, plastics have been in and out of the news, and constantly on my mind. PVC plastics, which comprise things like shower curtains, plumbing, and bath toys that baby's put in their mouths, are made with phthalates. Phthalates are endocrine disruptors that affect hormone regulation and can cause cancer, birth defects, and a whole list of other health problems. BPA, another endocrine disruptor, has become well-known in recent years as parents fought to get this chemical out of baby bottles, sippy cups, and toys.
And, while I have tried to be very conscious about plastics in general, and prefer not to bring any into my home unless necessary, we live in a society surrounded by the stuff. From toothbrushes and legos to computers and markers, my home, as conscious as I am about plastic, is still full of the stuff.
Several years ago we got rid of all of our plastic tupperware and swapped it out for glass storage containers. We bought a stainless steel french press. I used glass baby bottle for both kids. The kids grew up drinking from aluminum water bottles. We bought stainless steel drinking straws. And, like any concerned mother, I made sure that all of our child plates, bowls and sippy cups were BPA-free.
Well, last week I read this article in Mother Jones. It discusses how some of these BPA-free plastics, which many of us assumed were now safe for our kids, may actually be full of chemicals that are even more toxic than BPA. I guess deep-down I always knew this was a possibility. I have been skeptical of plastics for many years, even the so-called safe ones. But, I also feel like I am a crazy paranoid person most of the time and try and tell myself to loosen up. I tell myself things like "I grew up with plastics and I am still alive" and have tried to push away the nagging feelings that creep up continuously.
Well, I guess this article has just reaffirmed that my 'craziness' is justified. The husband and I decided to order stainless steel plates and cups for the kids, and to stock up on small sized glass jars for little hands to use for drinking. Yes, plastics are convenient. They don't break. They have nice little lids and keep spill from happening. They come in fun colors. But is all of this worth compromising our children's health? No way.
As more and more health problems unfold from these everyday plastics, I am sure more and more companies will try and strive to make safer and safer plastics. But these new products will be tested on our children (who will act as lab rats) until we see if new problems emerge. I am done looking for the safe plastic alternative, and am headed back to the tried and true natural products that humans have used for generations. If we break some glass, or spill some milk, I am pretty sure that we will all live through it.

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8 comments:

  1. Good reminder! I too am always very concerned about all those plastics everywhere, and any time we drink bottled water, I have a thought about those bottles... The convenience is absolutely there, but it's not worth it taking a risk! I too should get my act together and look for stainless!

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  2. We to try to avoid bringing plastic into the house and have long before little man was born. We are big stainless steel fans, and the little mason jars are perfect for him and his little hands. We have broken quite a few glass straws, but I am more than willing to replace them and keep the plastic out.

    I think what bothers me the most about all of this, is that we actually have to worry about it. And we are informed consumers, what about those that are unaware of the dangers of plastics.

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    1. we have stainless steel straws that I bought years ago, and I love them. Super sturdy, and as long as you rinse right away, cleaning is not a problem.

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  3. thanks for the reminder too. sometimes i give up. then i get it together and try. then i give up...stainless steel is so expensive but when you think about how long it lasts it's ok. i just have to convince my husband of that. we are a family that counts pennies. i think i can convince him of how we will save in the long run.

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    1. I know- they are super expensive. I thought about heading to the thrift stores, to see what I could find, but eventually decided to just buy 2 sets, and they will be the kids dishes for forever.

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  4. Nice to learn I am not alone. I have similar thoughts that I am paranoid and need to relax about plastics and non organic food and fire retardant in clothes etc. ... Thank you for sharing.

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  5. This is an endless struggle for me too. We've been replacing our plastic for years, even before kiddos came around. But every time we have to buy new dishes or something, I have to go through the same struggle again. I want to say no across the board to plastic, but I simply cannot afford the alternatives. Finally, I figured out how to get past the marketing and just buy what works, even if it is not "for kids." My boys use cocktail forks, demitasse spoons, glass dessert plates,... And they all work just the same as the ones that are supposed to be made for kids. :)

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