Tuesday 8 March 2011

BPA Baby Bottles

I want to share this important information with you because I believe the more aware we are about these important issues the more we can be proactive and decide what is best for us and our babies  -  not just what the big companies tell us ! Jacqueline Irvine


Study: Even "BPA-Free" Plastics Leach Endrocrine-Disrupting Chemicals

Jill Greenberg for TIME
Cross posted from TIME's Healthland
Plastics. They seem so...inert. Slow to erode or decay, with a biodegradation time measured in the hundreds of years, plastics appear cut off from the organic environment in the way that no other product is, safe and secure and sterile. Yet scientists have begun to learn that plastics are anything but impermeable. Plastic containers and linings—especially those used in food containers that might end up being heated or washed—often leach chemicals into the surrounding environment. And some of those chemicals—like bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates—may do strange things to the body, mimicking and disrupting hormones in ways that haven't yet been fully understood.
While the science over such "endocrine disrupting" chemicals is still far from certain, enough researchers have raised worries that some parents have begun avoiding some plastics in an effort to shield children from toxins. (Pregnant women and infant children seem especially vulnerable to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.) Manufacturers have even begun advertising some products as "BPA-free."
Beijing might have the right idea, because it may turn out that endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA are even more common than we imagined. In a new study for the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers found that most plastic products leach endocrine-disrupting chemicals—and that was true even for products labeled "BPA-free." Scientists led by George Bittner, a neurobiologist at the University of Texas, looked at 455 common plastic products and found that 70% tested positive for estrogenic activity. Once those products were subject to real-world conditions—microwaving or dishwashing—that proportion rose to 95%. As the study concluded:
Almost all commercially available plastic products we sampled, independent of the type of resin, product, or retail source, leached chemicals having reliably-detectable EA, including those advertised as BPA-free. In some cases, BPA-free products released chemicals having more EA [endocrine activity] than BPA-containing products.
BPA is particularly worrisome simply because it is so common. Nearly every American has some amount of BPA in their body, in part because plastics are so ubiquitous. (And the U.S. seems to be especially contaminated—a recent study found that Americans have twice as much BPA in their body as Canadians.) The Food and Drug Administration expressed "some concerns" last year about the potential impact of BPA on the brains of fetuses, infants and children—but no federal agency has yet said that BPA or any other potentially endocrine-disrupting chemicals are unsafe.
Washington may be reluctant to act, but other authorities are moving forward. Cities and states including Connecticut and Minnesota are working to restrict BPA in baby products, while even China—not exactly a country on the forefront of environmental protection—is reportedly planning to ban BPA in children's products. Even some corporations are moving faster than federal regulators on chemical safety—Wal-Mart announced last month that it had banned the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), a class of flame retardants that has been linked to a number of health problems.
Just because some big companies are moving ahead on chemical safety doesn't mean that industry as a whole is ready to be a leader—a spokesman for the American Council on Science and Health, an industry-funded lobbying group, criticized Wal-Mart for giving into environmentalists. In any case, there should be no doubt that our chemical regulations lag far behind the science—the Toxic Substances Control Act, the decades-old law that governs chemical safety, doesn't give the government sufficient enforcement powers. Industry likes to talk about promoting "science-based" regulation. Based on the conclusions of studies like this one, I couldn't agree more.

Read more: http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/03/08/study-even-bpa-free-plastics-leach-endrocrine-disrupting-chemicals/#ixzz1G30mVMFq

Monday 28 February 2011

Organic Baby Clothes Media Musings

Irish Mum in Business Scoops Top Award

Last night Jacqueline Irvine, who runs Organic Baby Clothes Direct from her homeJacqui is a runner up in The BT Home Business Award office in Newry, Down, scooped second place for The BT Home Business Award in a prestigious ceremony to celebrate The Remote Worker Awards, in association with BT Business, at The Grand Connaught Rooms in London.

Organic Baby Clothes Direct is an ethical online, award winning business that supplies organic baby clothes to clients throughout the UK and Europe. Jacqueline supplies a wide range of organic clothes for children 0-6yrs that are ethically sourced, fair trade and are free from toxic chemicals.

Driven by a passion to provide a service for people that believe their precious babies deserve the best start in life, Organic Baby Clothes Direct believes that public awareness about organic and environmental issues growing. If she can increase awareness about the benefits of using organic cotton then she feels she will have accomplished something important.

Jacqueline recently won’ The Best Green Business’ from The Greater Newry Area Business Awards and working from home has given her the ability to combine family life with business. She said: “I am so excited to be a runner up for the BT Home Business Award. I feel honoured and proud to be part of this exciting event!”

The BT Home Business Award
is aimed at finding the most innovative business that demonstrates how remote working and home working has made a beneficial impact on their business and home life.

Award winning website, Remote Employment, Google’s No 1 job site for flexible and home based jobs, launched The Remote Worker Awards in association with BT Business to highlight how home working and remote working benefits the British public and their working life.
The winners of The Remote Worker Awards can be found at www.remoteworkerawards.com.

Organic Baby Clothes Sweet Success

Co Down woman an inspiration

SHELLEY MARSDEN meets entrepreneur Jacqueline Irvine, who battled illness to set up an award-winning home business… - 05/10/10

Co Down woman an inspiration Jacqueline Irvine, 46, is a lady who won’t let anything get in her way. Despite a tough year, she found herself last month at The Grand Connaught Rooms, London as a finalist in the Remote Worker Awards.

In association with BT Business and launched by Remote Employment (Google’s top job site for flexible and home-based jobs), the awards’ aim is to highlight the benefits of remote working.

Jacqueline, who runs clothing company Organic Baby Clothes Direct from home, came “extremely close to winning”, according to event founder Paula Wynne. But scooping Runner Up for the BT Home Business Award was not even something the Newry mother-of-two had considered.

Jacqueline’s business supplies organic baby clothes to clients throughout the UK and Europe. The wide range of organic clothes for children 0-6yrs are ethically sourced, fair trade and are free from toxic chemicals. But having only been going for six months, she didn’t expect any recognition quite so quickly.

“It was a total shock!” she laughs when I ask her about that night. “I’m a newly established business; the website went live to the public in March this year, and I really had no idea I’d even be placed. I went for the networking and the fun really – I knew there were well-established businesses up for awards.

“When they called my name out I was just so, so thrilled. Back in June, I also won the Best Green Business in the Greater Newry Area Business Awards at home. I beat Sainsbury’s to that one! It was nice to win over a big giant like that. So it’s been a very exciting few months for me.”

Exciting, yes, but also extremely difficult, as Jacqueline received a devastating piece of news last year. It turned her life upside down, but it also gave her the drive to succeed and do something she had always wanted to, but lacked the confidence to go for.  She told me about those life-changing months in her own words:

“Last March, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. And a year on to that very month, I set up the business. I don’t think anyone can prepare you for news like that, but when I got the diagnosis, I went into overdrive. I just asked the doctor, ‘OK, right – what do I need to do?’ The doctor was kind of gob-smacked at my reaction.”

This is typical of Jacqueline – she exudes a warmth and positivity that must have a positive effect on everyone she meets, in life and business. She tells me she was booked to go on holiday to Portugal the day after she got the news, and decided to go. She had a lovely week, and says she never missed a nights’ sleep.

“I just knew I’d come home, have the operation I needed to have, and get on with things. I looked at it as a challenge and I dealt with it. Then six weeks after my radiation treatment, I climbed Slieve Donard for the Cancer Unit in Belfast.”

Jacqueline confesses that this is the first time she has really spoken openly about her illness - and is at pains to point out that she doesn’t want to become another ‘victim story’. “And health-wise right now, I’m on top of the world, life is good!” she says.

The cancer also made her realise how many reserves of strength she had, and she admits she didn’t have the self-belief before that she has now. With a background in nursing and clinical research, Jacqueline had held a management position in the last job she had, but always dreamed of setting up her own business.

“It sounds like a cliché, but I’d always wanted to run my own business – I just never thought I had it in me. Going through what I have, made me realise just how strong I am. I thought, if I can get through that illness with such focus, I can do anything. I feel humble and grateful. And I have a new lease of life.”

Eager to move on to talk of her business, Jacqueline explains the ethics behind her baby clothes – explaining with great enthusiasm just why they are more preferable than traditional clothing.

“Organic Baby Clothes Direct is ethical clothing for babies, made from organic cotton. It’s grown without any pesticides or chemicals, because conventional cotton is heavily sprayed. In fact, the crop is sprayed forty times a season with really nasty chemicals – they don’t come out even through washing clothes, as they’re petroleum-based. And because a baby’s skin is five times’ thinner than an adult’s, they absorb all this stuff all the more easily.”

“The World Health Organisation has been quoted as saying that with frontline farmers there are some 20,000 deaths a year attributed to pesticide poisoning in the developing world. By making organic cotton, those farmers aren’t scared about doing damage to themselves, and it’s fair trade – so they’re getting a fare wage too.


For the remainder of this article, see this week's Irish World or click HERE to buy a copy from just 50p


Visit www.organicbabyclothesdirect.com for more information

Tuesday 25 January 2011

The Facts about Disposable Nappies





 When I had my two girls I have to admit to using disposable nappies mostly because of the fact that it was the most convenient way of managing. Given that I breast fed Stephanie for 13mts and Victoria for 7mts, I reckoned that I wouldn't have had time to deal with the cloth nappies.  As a new mum I was so consumed by this little miracle that I gave birth to, that I chose the most convenient way and therefore went the disposable route. So years later when I learned the facts surrounding the disposal and subsequent effect of disposable nappies  had on the planet I was shocked and horrified! I have put together a few interesting facts about this so here goes... You can make up our own mind
  • The use of disposable nappies has increased over the past 20 years as a result of their convenience.  A baby will use 6,000 disposable nappies before being potty trained at an average age of 2.5 years
  • In the UK around 3 billion disposable nappies are used every year - generating about a half a million tonnes of waste
  • They take 500 years to decompose
  • Up to now, nappies, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene products (AHPS) have been one of the few remaining household items that go straight to landfill or incineration facilities.
  • The challenge of how to dispose of municipal waste exists throughout the world.
  • The most common methods of waste disposal, land filling, incineration or composting, pose many environmental concerns and simply can't handle the massive waste streams that are generated globally
However I do have an exciting piece of good news about a company called 'Knowaste' 

Knowaste's recycling process is the world's first, environmentally friendly, and cost effective solution to meeting the global challenge of disposing Absorbent Hygiene Products (AHPs): nappies, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene products. 




Knowaste's
The process involves three key stages:
  1. Used nappies, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene products (AHPs) are collected and transported to a Knowaste plant.
  2. The Knowaste process sterilizes the AHP material, deactivates and mechanically separates the individual components:  organic residue, plastic and super absorbent polymers.
  3. The reclaimed components can then be made into recycled products such as:

  • Plastic wood
  • Plastic roofing tiles
  • Absorption materials
  • Recycled paper products
  • Green energy
  •  
     
    Thankfully there is a renewed interest in the using the cloth nappies and with so much choice out there you won't be disappointed. I don't stock any of the organic cloth nappies as yet but I do intend to do in the near future - so watch this space as I will dedicate one of my blogs and showcase a few of them!
www.organicbabyclothesdirect.com

Best wishes
Jacqueline

Monday 17 January 2011

Why Buy Organic Baby Products


The Advantages of Organic Baby Products


From the moment a baby is born, she/he is exposed to a range of toxins and chemicals through his/her clothing and food.

This is where organic baby products really matter to parents that are aware and more importantly the health of the baby!


A little planning is all that is needed so you can easily make organic baby food at home to ensure the richest source of nourishment to your baby while its organs and body is growing fast.

There are many organic baby food recipes to make this task easy for you.

The biggest advantage of organic foods is that these have not been sprayed with poisonous insecticides, which in turn ensures toxin free food for your baby.

Just imagine how you would feel knowing that you are giving your baby the best possible chance because like it or not our food is sprayed with toxic chemicals to within an inch of its like! That is fact!

Then we go on to our clothing - it to is sprayed heavily with toxic chemicals - in fact it is sprayed 40 times a season! These chemicals do not come out even after washing! So again babies are the vulnerable ones because their skin is more absorbent than adults.

By choosing organic clothing for your baby, you would be protecting them form the toxins that get into these products through pesticides and chemical fertilizers that would have been used during the cultivation of cotton.

There are also many other baby care products like oils and soaps that are made from natural ingredients that are free from harmful ingredients - I will be stocking these in the near future!

Finally, by choosing organic products for your baby you are not only helping your baby but you are also making a positive impact on the environment for our future generations! So if you are looking for that all important baby gift or baby basics go ahead and log on to

www.organicbabyclothesdirect.com  and enjoy shopping!!

Warm Wishes

Jacqueline x

Sunday 9 January 2011

Organic Baby Clothes Direct

Organic Baby Clothes Direct

www.organicbabyclothesdirect.com 

Hi everyone! check out my new stock! I have also restocked my best sellers - beautifully soft organic cotton playsuits in eye catching colours! Every mother wants the best for their little one, so to help you with this, I have a great variety of organic baby clothes for newborns to six years old. They are perfect for your babies delicate skin because.....



  • Certified organic cotton is cotton grown without the use of harmful pesticides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers.

  • It is free from formaldehyde finishes and toxic dyes.

  • Organic cotton is soft, hard wearing, durable, extremely breathable and still remains beautifully soft even after repeated washes. 

  • Organic cotton is grown in fields where the use of pesticides has been discontinued for at least 3 years.

  • Successful organic farming is much more labour intensive. Using good bugs to halt the bad bugs and crop rotation and other natural methods, the organic cotton farmers can go about their work without the worry of being poisoned by toxic chemicals.

  • This intensive natural farming pays dividends when the end product is gorgeously soft cotton, free from chemicals, just perfect for your baby’s delicate skin.

 DID YOU KNOW

  • that a baby's skin is five times thinner than an adults therefore makng it more absorbent.
  • that conventional cotton contains residual toxic chemicals that does not come out even after washing
  • It takes approx one small cup of chemicals to make one T-shirt.

  • This delicate crop is sprayed with chemicals up to 30 to 40 times a season.

  • It is one of the most sprayed crops in the world.

  • The chemical residue causes water and soil pollution.

  • Many of the pesticides and chemicals used in the manufacturing of cotton are petroleum based and therefore stay in the garment even after washing.

  • The health of the frontline farmers are compromised by this un-necessary cocktail of chemicals.

  • It has been suggested that worldwide conventional cotton production uses about 3% of the farmland but consumes about 25% of the chemical pesticides and fertilizers 

So I hope you enjoy browsing and if you find anything you would like to purchase - that is not a problem  - simply follow the link for my website and from here you can place your order securely online and enjoy the added bonus of free shipping and free gift wrapping!


www.organicbabyclothesdirect.com


Warm wishes 
Jacqueline x

Sunday 21 November 2010

Top Five Tips For A Greener Christmas


Being an Eco conscious person and a lover of nature I want to share with you five top tips that will ensure your local land fill is left wanting this Christmas! Here we go and remember have fun!!!

 1- Christmas Tree - Lets start with the Christmas tree - some people prefer a real Christmas tree while others prefer an artificial one. Which ever one you like, remember the natural one is the most biodegradable. I was surprised to read recently that you can replant the used Christmas tree in your garden to use again the next year, I don't know how well this would work as I haven't tried it. If you opt for a real one make sure it has been sourced from a sustainable forest.



2- Christmas baubles - Everyone likes the shine and glitter of new Christmas baubles but lets consider if we really need to go out and buy new ones this year. Dust down last years supply and save some money and the environment. You can make some really nice homemade decorations for the tree eg. cinnamon sticks tied together with some fine red ribbon - delightful aroma! So not only do they look good but the smell is wonderful as well. With a little imagination you can create some interesting pieces for Christmas. Another example is to make your own holly wreath for your front door. Simply get a piece of wire ( an old wire coat hanger will do) make it into a circle and go foraging in nature for your holly, pine cones, ivy and leaves from conifers. Get the family involved and enjoy!

3 - Wrapping paper - We all love to give and indeed receive presents that are nicely wrapped. Lets make an effort this Christmas and instead of buying the traditional brightly coloured Christmas paper lets try wrapping our presents in brown recycled paper and add a gorgeous red satin ribbon or whatever colour of ribbon you prefer. It immediately looks like you have made an effort  - which in fact you have and people will be more inclined to follow the recycle principle! Just think - you wont have black bulging waste sacks piled up outside your home - because lets face it  -the amount of packaging waste we accumulate over Christmas is huge.

4- Shopping -There are lots of ways we can be environmentally aware when it comes to shopping. The first thing I think of is the shopping bag! Plastic bags will hopefully become a thing of the past but not without a huge effort on our part. I have a few organic bags that I take with me when shopping. I believe every little helps. When I go grocery shopping I have reusable grocery bags which work a treat - The Sainsbury's of this world need to be given a clear message that the packaging they put on food is utterly ridiculous. We don't need our cucumber to be wrapped in plastic,  If your budget allows, buy organic and fair trade products. You are not only buying food free from chemicals but you are supporting the farmers who get a decent wage and a fair market price for their produce.


5 - Christmas cards - Just thinking about alternatives and the savings that could be made - don't think Royal Mail would be a big fan of thinking about alternatives! Think of the rain forest how much of it is used for our consumerism? I have come up with the following suggestions - an ecard, home made Christmas card, special Christmas text and if you do send shop bought Christmas cards then it would be great to put them in a recycle bank straight after Christmas.

This concludes my Top Five Tips for a Greener Christmas and remember every little helps and just being that little bit more aware of the consequences of our actions. Most importantly whatever you get up to have fun and plenty of 'craic' over the festive period.

PS one last thing if you are looking for that special Christmas gift for a baby or child up to six years you could check out my website www.organicbabyclothesdirect.com to see my fabulous range of organic and fair trade clothing and gift sets. Just to make it a little easier on your wallet I am offering free Postage and free gift wrapping. All items will be wrapped in acid free tissue paper secured with an organic baby clothes direct sticker.

Warm wishes
Jacqueline x Millie x