Latest News: Schools and Nurseries in the UK expose kids to toxins

I've been thinking about the toxins in nurseries lately -- and wishing that their was some resource or certifying body that could guarantee that I was sending my son to a relatively toxic-free environment. (It's been my dream to start something like that.) I've toured my fair share of nurseries/schools here and the smell of bleach and chemicals in some is overwhelming. And when asked about their organic food practices, nurseries tend to dodge the question. (But I must say there are some schools and nurseries that really get it right though. Like the Steiner School down the road, but that is a story for another post.)

So it wasn't a shock that according to a recent study published by the University of Birmingham on the "Dust from U.K. Primary School Classrooms and Daycare Centers: The Significance of Dust As a Pathway of Exposure of Young U.K. Children to Brominated Flame Retardants and Polychlorinated Biphenyls." 

Inhabitots had a great article on  the University of Birmingham research:

Since kids spend a lot of time in classroom settings, this raises a red flag. Researchers looked for seven PCBs and three main types of brominated flame retardants: hexabromocyclododecane(HCBD), a derivative of bisphenol-A tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBP-A), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), which are now banned, yet they were still detected in all of the 43 United Kingdom classrooms tested.

HBCD is one of the biggest concerns. The chemical was detected in all dust samples and levels were significantly higher than those recorded in homes and offices. Even though animal studies have linked HBCD exposure to endocrine disruption, the largely used flame retardant is currently unrestricted in the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom. The chemical has been identified as a concern under REACH, a new European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use.

What are we to do? Get out there and talk to your schools/nurseries. Urge them to consider a different way to clean, to cook, etc. It's important - it's for our kids' health.

Recycling: Mail

Someone asked me a great question the other day:

Can you recycle the little plastic windows in envelopes? Or do you have to take the time to cut them out to recycle the envelope? (argh!)

Answer: In most places, the plastic window can be recycled. It depends on your area, but most post-consumer paper mills have systems that can take out these small amounts of contaminants.

So the US and UK, you have to check with your provider, but generally it is okay.

From UK's Royal Mail's site:

Greetings cards

Greetings cards can be included with other paper items and recycled via your local authority’s kerbside collections or at your nearest paper bank.  The cards will be recycled into newspapers, paper towels and writing paper. Please note, not all local authorities are able to collect greetings cards, so please check your local authority’s recycling website for more information.

Padded envelopes

Only padded envelopes made from 100% paper can be recycled. If yours aren’t, you can still reuse them by putting a sticker over the address and adding a new stamp.   

Window envelopes

Most envelopes with plastic windows can be recycled with the rest of your paper. If in doubt, cut out the window part of the envelope and recycle the rest. Some local authorities don’t collect any envelopes due to the glue. If this is the case in your area, simply remove the windows and add the envelopes to your compost bin.

Stamps

Stamps attached to envelopes can be recycled with the rest of your paper.  As an alternative, why not start a stamp collection?

Bills and statements

Please beware of identity theft! It’s a good idea to shred all bills and statements. Then, either compost the shredded paper or recycle it via your local authority’s kerbside collections or at your nearest paper bank.

Polywrap envelopes

These are the transparent wrappers that magazines and catalogues are sometimes delivered in.  Most local authorities do not accept polywraps for recycling. However, many companies now use biodegradable polywraps.  This means that you can throw them away with your rubbish and they will degrade quickly when they’re sent to landfill.  Alternatively, you can add them to your compost bin.

Shredded mail

Although some local authorities will accept shredded paper, others are reluctant to do so for the following reasons:

1. Shredded paper can blow away, creating a litter problem 

   2. Shredded paper can cause maintenance problems with recycling machinery  

   3. Some recycling machinery is unable to separate the shredded paper from other items 

   If your local authority will collect shredded paper, you can stop it blowing away by putting it in a paper bag or wrapping it in an old newspaper. If your local authority doesn’t accept shredded paper, one option is to not shred it in the first place so you can recycle your paper in the usual ways. Home composting is a good alternative, especially if you’re worried about identity theft. 

Exploring the wildlife in your back garden

Don't forget to visit hotvouchers.com for our weekly post on exploring nature in your back garden!

My young son has recently been fascinated by the abundance of six-legged creatures in our garden since the weather has started warming up. Aside from the occasional task of convincing him they belong out amongst the flowers and not in his pocket, we've found it to be extremely helpful in demonstrating the beauty of the outdoors and getting him to notice a world that does not belong just to us.

Ladybirds, for example, are fantastic for such an exercise. They're benign, can’t bite little fingers, are good for the garden, and colourful – which makes them easy to find. My son is particularly interested in ladybirds and follows them as they crawl on various flowers and plants. It's very encouraging when he finds one and puts it in the flowerbed. Our favourite thing to do is watch them as they crawl up and down the plant, giving us a wonderful opportunity to share our knowledge (albeit sometimes limited) of nature and the bug's role in the world's cycle of vegetation. It has also given us the excuse to encourage my little boy to smell the flowers and appreciate the different colours in nature that are used to attract the bugs. We've found this exercise to start taking hold in his head as the other day, while walking to the bus, he stopped to smell a bush of honeysuckle which demonstrates an awareness of his surroundings and the pleasure that a simple plant can bring.

Bugs have also provided my son a greater appreciation for earth and planting in general. What is currently thought of only as mud fodder or something else to throw, is treated more gently when he finds a worm, or a 'noodle' as he describes it or an ant. We recently planted a number of onion bulbs in our garden and he was extremely pleased to find worms clambering in and around the bulbs. He has also taken to placing various bugs on the sprouts that have come out since then as they are the bugs' “home” and he has been told that the bugs help the planted vegetables grow.

As squeamish as I generally am about creepy crawlies, I have to admit that the whole circus of six and eight legged creatures in our yard and increased (if that was even possible) my son's love of the outdoors. He can squat and watch and ant walk around an ant hill for minutes (which is in itself impressive) and apart from the rare 'mash it' instances, is intrigued by their movements and their sense of direction to our flowerbeds. Interestingly, I believe that these bugs have taught my son a sense of patience and appreciation for nature, for flowers and for being outside, that has shown in his recent tendencies to literally stop and smell the flowers.

For the family, it encourages us to do the same. Nature is a wonder and it’s funny that it’s the smaller creatures (the bugs, our children, etc) are capable of teaching us such a great lesson.