Welcome! Hope you stay a while and we become friends.
Here, I write about the intersection of the political with the personal, and tend to take the news to heart. I’m never short on opinion, but always also try to keep an open mind and heart. I enjoy researching the everyday questions that arise as we bump around in the world, and trying to find the best possible option, however quixotic the search. I hope you find something you’re looking for in these posts, or at least a chuckle or two.
If you’re new to the blog, you may want to check out the top 12 posts to date, which also tend to be some of the most detailed ones, and cluster around the issue of flame retardants in furniture (plus a recipe!):
The Current Top 12 (as of August 1, 2013)
- Sofa Saga, Part 4: Some Success! Two Great Sources for Greener Sofas
- 20 Healthy, Easy Toddler & Adult Breakfasts (That Are Not Cheerios)
- Ouch, Couch! A Sad Sofa Saga… Part 2
- Curb Alert: Free (Toxic) Sofa
- Burning Questions: An FAQ on Flame Retardants in Furniture
- Yummy Veggies for Toddlers 10 Easy Ways
- Sofa Saga, Part 5: A Happy Place to Sit
- At Long Last: My Greener, Healthier Baby and Toddler Supply Guide
- A Perfect Pasta Salad: Basil-Feta-Orzo-Spinach Summer Salad
- The Safest Sippy Cups, Ever…
- Ouch, Couch! A Sad Sofa Saga…Part 1
- More Misadventures with Flame Retardants: So.Much.Fun.
Posts by topic are below: please click around and let me know what you like!
Flame Retardants in Furniture and Other Products:
- Ouch, Couch! A Sad Sofa Saga…Part 1
- Ouch, Couch! A Sad Sofa Saga… Part 2
- Sofa Saga, Part 3: Interview with Flame Retardants Expert, Heather Stapleton
- Sofa Saga, Part 4: Some Success! Two Great Sources for Greener Sofas
- Sofa Saga, Part 5: A Happy Place to Sit
- Burning Questions: An FAQ on Flame Retardants in Furniture
- Curb Alert: Free (Toxic) Sofa
- New Study Released Today Confirms: 85 Percent of Couches Contain Toxic Chemicals
- Must Read: Today’s Great New York Times Story on Toxic Sofas
- More Misadventures with Flame Retardants: So.Much.Fun.
- And now, for some things YOU can do on flame retardants…
- Sign the Petition to California Lawmakers: Repeal the Flame Retardants Rule
- California Governor Brown Orders State to Change Flame Retardant Rule
- All Frothy Over Flame-Retardants in Foam
- Dear California, You Owe America a New Couch
- Must Read: The Chemical Industry’s Big Fat Liar on Flame Retardants
- Must Read: Flame Retardant Chemicals in my Gatorade??
Kids and Healthy Food:
- 20 Healthy, Easy Toddler & Adult Breakfasts (That Are Not Cheerios)
- Yummy Veggies for Toddlers 10 Easy Ways
- ISO: A Truly Healthy Toddler Snack
- Toddler Nutrition: Feeding Your Child for Optimum Health
- The Twinkie Did It, Mom, I Swear: The Crisis in Child Nutrition and What It Does to Our Kids
- Pastoral or Pastiche? The Fictional Farm and a Philosophy of Food
- Does Extended Bottle-Feeding Really Cause Obesity?
- Toddler-Friendly Vegetable Chicken “Magic” Soup
- The New (Pay-to-Attend) Food Deserts
- The Safest Sippy Cups, Ever…
- Why “Let Them Eat Crap” Is Not the Answer to the Obesity Crisis
Getting Started with Greening Your Home:
- 10 free (or nearly free) ways to reduce your family’s exposure to toxic chemicals
- At Long Last: My Greener, Healthier Baby and Toddler Supply Guide
- Three Days to a Brand-New BPA-Free You
- Want to Reduce Toxic Exposure? Three Useful Principles for Picking Your Battles
- The Trouble with Toxics: What Dateline Missed and Why
- 5 Myths About Toxics and What to Do About the Truth
- What Does “Green” Really Mean to You? Getting Environmental Health versus Sustainability Sorted Out
- Have Yourself a Merry (and Non-Toxic!) Christmas
- Everything But the Kitchen Sink: 5 Simple Steps to Greener Food Storage and Prep
- Is Gardening Actually Green? Some Considerations for the Aspiring Gardener
- Safer Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: Avoiding the Dreaded “Icky 11″
The Case for Better Rules on Chemicals:
- Good Parenting for the Chemical Industry
- Waiting for Supermom: The FDA’s Failure on BPA
- 5 Myths About Toxics and What to Do About the Truth
- The Trouble with Toxics: What Dateline Missed and Why
- We’ve Been Slimed — and It’s Not Necessarily Pink
- What Does “Green” Really Mean to You? Getting Environmental Health versus Sustainability Sorted Out
- Rachel Carson’s Unfinished Work: Passing the Safe Chemicals Act
- Asking Safeway: Who Will Mind the Store?
- Stroller Brigade for the Safe Chemicals Act
- Are You a Modern Canary?
- A Bodacious Valentine’s Day
The Need for a Real Information Democracy, and How Your Dollars Can Change the World:
- The Hollowing, and an Information Democracy
- The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, All Over Again in Bangladesh
- How it Ought to Be, One Dollar at a Time
- Could Martha Stewart Ever Wake Up and Be a Force for Good?
- A Conversation that Could Change the World
Recipes for Tasty Living:
- 20 Healthy, Easy Toddler & Adult Breakfasts (That Are Not Cheerios)
- Yummy Veggies for Toddlers 10 Easy Ways
- ISO: A Truly Healthy Toddler Snack
- Dragonbreath Pickles: Homemade Spicy Cucumber Quick-Pickled Goodness
- A Perfect Pasta Salad: Basil-Feta-Orzo-Spinach Summer Salad
- Coconut Couscous with Raisins and Nuts (Breakfast or Dinner)
- Easy Herb Popovers
- A Salad with Soul: Roja’s Couscous Tossed Green Salad
- Moroccan-Inspired Lemon Chicken Tagine
- Toddler-Friendly Vegetable Chicken “Magic” Soup
- Easy Cheesy Rosemary Polenta
- Channa Masala (Simple Chickpea Tomato Curry)
- Salmon Burgers with Basil and Orange
- Mulberry, Mulberry, Mulberry
- Two Simple, Delicious Breakfasts
- Purple Pancakes! Or Johnny Cakes, If You Prefer
- Delicious Avocado Jicama Fennel Summer Salad
- Unholy Guacamole
- Fermenting Dissent (with Determination, Cabbages and Salt)
- Heavenly Pork Shoulder
- Lemon-Garlic-Herb Roast Chicken
- Two BPA-free Weekend Breakfasts
- Let’s Get Pickled!
- Simple, Delicious Maple Apple Crisp (Optional: Gluten-Free)
- Slightly Sprouted Green Lentil Salad
- Beef Tagine with Oil-Cured Olives, Almonds and Quince
- A Green Thanksgiving with Sorrel Soup
- Making a Spartan Dessert Sing: Chocolate Squares with Lemon Curd
Eating Better and Avoiding Harmful Chemicals in Food and Kitchens:
- Seeing Red: My Fruitless Search for a Chemical-Free Jar of Tomato Sauce
- My Troubles with Teflon
- Un-Canny: What’s the “Instead of” for BPA?
- The Safest Sippy Cups, Ever…
- The Healing Power of Fresh OJ (& the Industrial Chemistry in Store-Bought Juice)
- Pastoral or Pastiche? The Fictional Farm and a Philosophy of Food
- Why “Let Them Eat Crap” Is Not the Answer to the Obesity Crisis
- Everything But the Kitchen Sink: 5 Simple Steps to Greener Food Storage and Prep
- Big Mama Pig: Oinking Back at Ag Gag Rules
Safer Products for Kids and Households:
- The Safest Sippy Cups, Ever…
- At Long Last: My Greener, Healthier Baby and Toddler Supply Guide
- Losing My Beans Over BPA
- The Car Seat Conundrum
- In Defense of Beautiful Toys
- It’s Etsy Being Green
- Persnickety Letters on Products
- Playdough Showdown: Fake vs. Natural but Unimpressive
- The Un-Toy: A Celebration
- Have Yourself a Merry (and Non-Toxic!) Christmas
- The New (Pay-to-Attend) Food Deserts
- Everything But the Kitchen Sink: 5 Simple Steps to Greener Food Storage and Prep
- Is Gardening Actually Green? Some Considerations for the Aspiring Gardener
- Safer Cosmetics and Personal Care Products: Avoiding the Dreaded “Icky 11″
- Generator Madness
Crafting and Upcycling Ideas for Greener, More Sustainable Living:
- One Actual Use for Children’s Artwork
- Easy End-of-Summer Hostess Gift: An Herbal Bouquet
- It’s Etsy Being Green
- Flipping a Dollhouse: Upcycling Project from a Thrift Store Find
- Green Tips for Thrifty Parents
- Playdough Showdown: Fake vs. Natural but Unimpressive
- The Un-Toy: A Celebration
- Used Wooden Blocks and Trucks — Made New Again
- Nothin’ But Blue Sky
- A World of Geegaws: Making Discovery Jars
- An Abundance of Needling: A Bunch of Easy Needle Felting Craft Ideas
- Happy New Year & Fun with Felt
- Tending a Winter Garden
- A Greener Easter
- Merry Christmas! And a Winter Wonderland of Crafts
- Greener Gift Review: A (Delish) Fungus Among Us
- DIY Gift: Photo or Holiday Card Wine Corkboards
- Sheepish: An Easy Needle Felting Tutorial for a Handmade Toy
- Easy DIY Toy: How to Turn an Old Sweater into a Cuddly Sleeve Snake
Reflections on the Ups and Downs of Parenting:
- A Few Stray Thoughts on the Unbearable Lightness of Parenting
- Talking to Toddlers: A Eureka Moment
- Take Half My Heart, It’s Yours
- My Daughter Will Be Fine. How’s Yours?
- The Best and Worst Week, Basically Ever
- The End of Summer
- Vacation, (not) All I Ever Wanted
- Marking time: A love letter to our girl at 18 months
- Talk with the Animals
- Weekend Morning at Woodend Nature Sanctuary
- Our Summer in Photos and a Remembrance
- Embracing Your Inner Mommy Warrior
- Happy Easter
- Parenting as Infographic, Installment #1
- Mid-Summer Photos: Blueberries, Colorado, and Butterflies
- The Resilience of Children, and All of Us
- Infographic; Have you had this conversation with your child?
- Why Telling Working Moms to Lower their Standards on Parenting Is Actually a Bit Insulting
- Vacation in a Beautiful Place
Humor and Tips for Parents and People Who Love Kids:
- A Mule Named Sal: American Folk Music for Toddlers
- The Many Uses of Disappointment
- 5 Toddler Transition Tips That (Sometimes) Work for Me
- Talking to Toddlers: A Eureka Moment
- Infographic: Why Three Kids Feels Like So Much More Than Two
- Infographic: Children Are a Gift. Except When They Are Not.
- Infographic: Have you had this conversation with your child?
- Infographic: Judgmental Mommy
- Infographic: The Power of Imagination
- Infographic: Parenting with Neuroscience, and a Laugh
Work-Life Balance and Whether Women Can Have it All:
- The Impossibility of Modern Motherhood (and What To Do About It)
- Just Those Silly Women, At It Again (Responding to Badinter)
- Some New Shoes: Looking for Work at 40 Years Old
- Are We Done Mommy-Bashing Yet?
- Beyond Work-Life Balance, In Search Of a More Balanced Life
- Re-Entry: On the Razor’s Edge of Work/Life Balance
- Embracing Your Inner Mommy Warrior
- Happy (late) Mother’s Day, I suppose…
- Why Telling Working Moms to Lower their Standards on Parenting Is Actually a Bit Insulting
The Climate Crisis and Sustainability:
Gun Control:
- So.Incredibly.Sad.
- Newtown: Crying for Change
- Reasonable Gun Laws: An Opportunity for the Return of the Moderate Republican
Poems:
- Mt. Fugi, exactly 36 Times
- Blessing the boats
- The End of Summer
- The Resilience of Children, and All of Us
- California Dreamin’
Political commentary and notes on blogging:
- So, blogging…
- 10 Fascinating (and Sometimes Hard) Things I Learned at BlogHer 2012
- Who’s a Moocher, Really?
- For Shame: A Farm Bill that Would Leave Millions of Children Hungry
- Shadow Walking in Washington
Hot Reads: Interesting articles around the Web:
- Must Read: Today’s Great New York Times Story on Toxic Sofas
- New Study Released Today Confirms: 85 Percent of Couches Contain Toxic Chemicals
- Must Read: The Chemical Industry’s Big Fat Liar on Flame Retardants
- Must Read: Flame Retardant Chemicals in my Gatorade??
- Hot Reads: Toxics, Parenting and Other Interesting Stuff
- Hot Reads: Gagged Children, Huma-liation, Safer School Supplies, and More
- Hot Reads: CA Takes Back Its Dumb Rule, Chemical Reform Under Contemplation, and More
- Hot Reads: The Plight of the Bumblebee, Fracking and TSCA
- Hot Reads: Cell Phones, Arctic Drilling, Organic but Made in China and More
- Hot Reads: The Fracking Fight Blows Up, and the Most Compelling Video Clip in Years
RE: TB-117 and TB-117-2013
So glad to find your website! I have been concerned about toxic chemicals in our homes and work places since years ago when I was getting severely ill every time I went to work. Every day I felt like I had the worst case of the flu with body aches, dizziness, headache, nausea, etc. Doctors kept telling me that I must have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome but that diagnosis didn’t make sense to me since I felt fine most of the time.
After several years, I finally figured it out: My desk at work was stuck in the back of a storage room, between rows of unsealed particle board shelving that was giving off formaldehyde vapors. When I changed office locations, there were no more bouts of “flu” for me unless I was in a room full of the popular MDF furniture.
Fast forward to 2011 when our house needed extensive repairs. How to avoid formaldehyde in building materials and new furniture?? To my delight I learned that California had passed legislation requiring the elimination of formaldehyde in building materials and furniture! It was gradually phased in over several years. But to this day, I still have not met one person who is aware of the labels on furniture boxes and parts that say MDF Phase 1 (that lowered formaldehyde levels) and MDF Phase 2 (that eliminated formaldehyde).
So, I was quite shocked to realize how ignorant I was about the flame retardant issue! TB-117 and the major toxic-chemical problem with furniture in California was completely off my radar even though we live in Southern California – until we started shopping for a new couch last month and I started reading customer reviews on Macy’s website.
Someone asked on the Macy’s website whether a certain couch was TB-117 compliant. That might not have caught my eye if the Macy’s reply hadn’t been filled with jargon: proprietary phosphorus ester blend. THAT caught my eye. Why were they being so incredibly vague? A few Googles later, I finally knew what TB-117 was and I knew that the Macy’s vague reply was stating that the couch was full of toxic flame retardant and other chemicals.
Since then I have seen equally vague descriptions of flame retardants on other furniture sites but what shocked me the most was when I posted asking about flame retardants in a piece of furniture and immediately got censored by Macy’s! They sent me an email with the following:
“Unfortunately your answer did not meet our guidelines for posting on our site. We encourage you to review our guidelines and resubmit your answer about Kenton Fabric Sectional Living Room Furniture Collection.”
I also have learned by now that there is no happy ending coming along in 2015 with the new TB-117-2013 flame retardant bill having been passed — because the new bill does not require that stores stop selling flame retardant products. It only gives them the OPTION of selling furniture that does NOT have flame retardants in them. Big difference.
Thanks so much for fighting the fight for us all. Flame retardant is the new Formaldehyde! The battle is not over yet on TB-117 but at least you have helped people like me realize exactly what is going on!
Thank you for covering this!! I’m passionate about this issue and want to lend my voice to the campaign to remove toxic, carcinogenic chemicals from consumer goods in our country. So few people are educated on this issue it seems and so I am deeply appreciative of someone with your background, abilities and platform making the case. Blessings to you, and may your work be richly rewarded!
Hi, thanks for the research. Do you know where I can send a piece of my sofa’s foam to to get it tested?
thanks
Kristina
Hi Kristina! Try the Washington Toxics Coalition — someone said that they do testing in a comment on another post. And let us know, please! Laura