Eco Toddler | Inhabitots

Sh*t Natural Mamas Say Video Sure to Make Green Parents Laugh

From Sh*t Yogis Say to Sh*t New Yorkers Say, you’ve probably seen plenty of these hilarious videos fly across your Facebook feed. And now just when you’re getting sick of the wildly popular meme, we found a must-see video geared toward green moms that you’ll all be able to relate to. Watch the above Sh*t Natural Mamas Say video created by blogger Mama Natural and tell us about your favorite part in the comments below. Then, head on over to Mama Natural to see Part 2.

+ Sh*t Natural Mamas Say

+ Mama Natural

Cute, Eco-Friendly Winter Fashions for Stylish Babies & Kids

by Beth Shea, 02/17/12

Tis the season for bundling up your babe in warm and cozy winter gear. But just because the weather outside is frightful, that doesn’t mean your wee one can’t make a sweet fashion statement with her seasonal stylish clothing and accessories. For babies and kids who like to walk on the wild side, opt for a selection from our favorite eco-friendly animal hats, scarves and mittens. Since layers are key in cold weather, button-up your tot in a gorgeous organic animal sweater from Toto Knits. If you’re on the hunt for truly unique, handmade wintry fashions for your little fashionista, look no further than this precious upcycled outerwear from the artisans at Etsy. For a cheeky addition to your kid’s wardrobe, Cate & Levi’s winter gear: hats, scarves and mittens bear cute little frog, bunny, dog and monkey faces and are made from cuddly reclaimed wool. And if your little kittens are always losing their mittens, don’t miss one mom’s ingenious invention — mimiTENS, which are specially designed to ensure that mittens stay put on tiny hands.

Kids Who Eat Sugary Sweets Exposed to Higher Levels of Titanium Dioxide

by Jennifer Chait, 02/17/12

Titanium dioxide doesn’t sound like something you’d find in a sugary treat, yet it’s in there. Titanium dioxide is a common additive in many consumer products. Although most people know about titanium dioxide in cosmetics and sunscreen, the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) points out that titanium dioxide actually accounts for about 70% of the total production volume of pigments worldwide. It’s used to brighten up and add opacity to paints, cosmetics, plastics, papers, inks, toothpastes and even food. It’s also used in almost every sunblock on the planet, even the ones on Environmental Working Groups’ safe sunscreen list. Titanium dioxide is useful in that it can help protect your skin from ultraviolet light, however in higher amounts it can be a hazard and new research shows that young children may be at the most risk for exposure.

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14 Favorite Green Toys from the 2012 American International Toy Fair

by Julie Seguss, 02/16/12

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Arsenic Found in Cereal Bars, Energy Bars and Baby Formula

We were hoping the whole arsenic in food ordeal was over. First arsenic was found in apple juice and grape juice than it popped up in rice-based foods. Sadly, it’s not over, with new reports showing that unhealthy levels of arsenic have been found in cereal bars, energy bars and even in infant formula. In the arsenic in rice post we noted that many parents feed their children rice-based cereals and other foods containing rice, which is part of the problem here. Many baby formulas and grain-based bars contain brown rice syrup used as a sweetener. The problem? If there’s arsenic in the rice, it’s in the rice syrup and thus arsenic is passed on to the food product it’s used in. The interesting thing about this new research, published ahead of print in Environmental Health Perspectives, is that the brown rice syrup used in these foods is organic. Of the foods looked at, researchers found that infant formulas containing organic brown rice syrup as their primary ingredient had arsenic levels 20 to 30 times that of the other infant formulas. Cereal bars made with brown rice syrup contained levels of arsenic that ranged from 23 to 128 parts per billion (ppb). Cereal bars free from rice had much lower arsenic levels, ranging from 8 to 27 ppb. To compare, as we’ve pointed out before, 10 ppb total arsenic is the limit permissible in public drinking water.