Melanie Warner at the NYT reports today that Wal-Mart is about to dramatically increase its organic food offerings.

In very understated fashion, she says, “Wal-Mart’s interest is expected to change organic food production in substantial ways.”

Um, yeah, it sure will.

Wal-Mart’s plan is to sell organics ~10% over the price of non-organics — a much closer premium than you can get elsewhere. It’s also getting brands like Pepsi, Rice Krispies, and Kraft Mac ‘n’ Cheese in the game.

There’s good back and forth in the article about the pros and cons of further industrializing organics — availability and expansion of the market in the pros, weakening standards and increased overseas production in the cons.

I’m torn about this. On one hand, it hints at a possible tipping point whereby agriculture might adopt organics much more widely; on the other, it raises the specter of complete corporate domination of organics. There’s an ongoing fight to weaken organic standards, and Wal-Mart’s entry may enable agribusiness to erode organic’s validity.

Another issue, tied up with this one, has been bothering me lately. It comes up in a lot of enviro writing, especially related to food: an unquestioned tangling of values and goals. I’ll take it up more fully in a later post, but wanted to mention it here.

In Warner’s article, a Wal-Mart exec is quoted as saying, “Organic agriculture is just another method of agriculture — not better, not worse.” The advocacy group Organic Consumers’ Association is described as being concerned that “Wal-Mart did not care about the principles behind organic agriculture,” and that outsourcing will lead to “dubious organic standards and labor conditions that are contrary to what any organic consumer would consider equitable.” I imagine many Gristmill readers will agree with the OCA’s position, but I’m not so sure.

In my mind, organic is an agricultural practice, not a cultural norm. There’s nothing inherent in organic agriculture that prohibits industrialized farming. There are important issues about protecting standards, but if we agree on standards for organics, then it’s inevitable we’re going to see industrialized versions of them.

That’s a good thing, right? Organic foods are healthier, and organic practices better for the environment. So I want to see more people eating organics. The goal is organic food production, but the unquestioned value tangled up with that goal is small, locally owned farms. Organics may have evolved in small farming practices, and we may feel an attachment or preference for that approach, but for me that’s not really the goal.

A bias against industrialized food production itself, based on the past behavior of agribusiness or our desire to see more small farms, is counterproductive and marginalizes our arguments. Vigilant protection of organic standards and oversight of organic practices is more valuable, and allows organic food production to grow and benefit more people. Our stomachs may turn at the prospect of organic Pepsi, but it’s important to examine what about that upsets us — and not assume it’s inherently a bad thing.

Organic Baby Lotion: The definition of Organic Baby Lotion is the Baby  Lotion which has been manufactured using all the organic natural ingredients through an organic manufacturing process, without using any synthetic or chemical ingredients. Since no chemicals are used in these lotions, therefore these creams are not harsh on your baby’s skin and do not cause irritations. All the ingredients used in them are natural, organic and healthy for your baby.

Now, you must be thinking that if these people are not using Petroleum Gel base, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no synthetic antiseptic medicines to make these lotions, then what the bee’s wax are they using? What is left to be used? Actually, this question is natural to arise. We are so well acquainted with the regular petroleum based creams (Remember those nice smelling white or colored Lotions?) that we can hardly think anything else being used to make these. But let me tell you, there is not one but plenty of ingredients with which best quality organic baby Lotion can be made.

Organic Bee Wax: The natural wax obtained from the bee hives is one of the major ingredients of these Organic Baby Creams and most of these creams use this bee wax as their base in place of petroleum gel. This wax is collected from the bee hives after extracting the honey from them, cleaned, filtered repeatedly and refined to obtain clean wax. This wax is totally safe, has no adverse side effects and is even edible (Yes! It can be eaten and purified bee wax is sold in packs as edible wax and is used by people to keep away constipation. Did you know that man has been eating this wax for thousands of years and forms diet of many tribes still now?). Although most of the bee wax is organic naturally, but those obtained from the bee farms needs certifications that no artificial pesticides or sprays were used on the bee hives, to be called organic.

Organic Coconut Butter: This one too is one of the major ingredients of Organic Baby Lotions and used as base. Organic Coconut Butter is nothing but naturally condensed organic coconut oil, i.e. coconut oil that has been extracted from organically grown coconuts through an organic method and contains no chemicals. This is far better in terms of nutrients and food value than bee wax and is rich in anti oxidants and vitamin E. But it has a single drawback to be used as base in creams and that is that it melts at room temperature and becomes liquid.

Organic Shea Butter: Organic Shea Butter or Organic Shea Nut Butter is the butter or natural fat extracted from the Shea Nuts (nuts of shea plant) grown organically and processed organically. This has excellent emollient properties and is very good and nutritive and forms an excellent base for organic creams.

Organic Olive Oil: This again is another widely used ingredient of organic creams and lotions and its benefits are well known. With no known adverse side effects, olive oil is very popular as edible as well as massaging oil. It is rich in vitamins and other nutrients. This oil also thickens at lower temperatures (Not as hard as coconut oil) and melts at higher.

Organic Sunflower Oil: This oil is used as emulsifier or carrier oil. More used in lotions than creams.

Organic Sweet Almond Oil: This again, is very nourishing and very healthy for baby skin as well as for adults. This is very gentle and has very good anti oxidant properties.

Organic Ground Nut Oil: This is not much heard of, but sometimes used in Lotions.

Organic Essential Oils: These essential oils make the second major ingredient in any Organic Baby Cream after the base. They give the creams their medicinal values and health benefits as well as fragrance and sometimes colour (Not bright or dazzling I mean!). These organic essential oils are obtained from organically grown flowers and other parts of plants through organic processing such as steam distillation. Some very popular and most used organic essential oils in organic baby creams are essential oils of calendula, chamomile, lavender, rose etc. Like many others, these essential oils are rich in properties like anti oxidant, disinfectant, emollient, cicatrisant etc. and help protect your baby’s skin from rashes, infections, cracks, spots etc.

Organic Aloe Vera Extract: The juice or extract of Aloe Vera is a world famous emollient and widely used in skin treatment lotions and creams. It is known to retain the moisture content of the skin and tone it as well. So, but natural, it found a place in the Organic Baby Creams.

Organic Herbal Extracts: Apart from the ingredients discussed above, many other organic natural edible oils, essential oils and other herbal extracts with different medicinal values and nutritive properties are used in Organic Baby Creams as per the requirements and purpose of the skin. Different creams contain different combinations of these ingredients in different proportions and not necessarily all of them.

Differences with Normal Baby Creams: If you had blind faith on some brands in the market and had been buying those regularly available petroleum gel based and so proclaimed “Ideal for your baby” creams for your baby, then it is high time you stop doing that. Probably you did not know how dangerous these creams were for your baby. Under the label of “Gentle on your baby’s skin”, these companies are actually selling poisonous and carcinogenic stuff for your beloved and delicate baby. If you take a look at some of these ingredients below, probably you would never by them again. Just have a look.

• Petroleum Gel: This by product of petroleum refining is damaging for health if ingested (babies are in the habit of licking their hands and even toes) and can even damage the skin in the long run. It blocks the spores on the skin and dust particles stick to it, further increasing chances of an infection.
• Carbomer (of various grades): This potentially allergen and irritant is widely used as a thickener (sometimes as emulsifier) and stabilizer in creams and lotions. This can cause severe irritations in skin and eyes.
• Benzene: This commonly used disinfectant and germ killer is a potent poison too and is one of the most poisonous pollutants found in air. This can severely damage the bone marrow and can cause cancer.
• Synthetic Alcohol: Can be toxic and even carcinogenic. Used in many creams and lotions.
• Glycols (of various types): They are also infamous as carcinogenic and mutagenic.
• Para Amino Benzoic Acid: Used mostly in skin creams and sun screen lotions, this can cause severe irritations, photo sensitivity, skin disorders and toxicity.
• Phosphoric Acid: Widely used in creams. It can cause irritations.
• Polysorbate-n (20-85): This one again, used as an emulsifier in baby creams and lotions, can cause skin sensitizing and irritations.
• Polyquaternium: Very dangerous compound and can be lethal sometimes. This has all the adverse side effects ranging from causing irritations, carcinogenic, fatally allergenic, toxic etc.
• Triethanolamine: Again, a severe irritant to skin and eyes used in baby lotions and creams. It can cause dermatitis and can be carcinogenic too.
  You will be scared to know that our body absorbs more than half of what we rub on our skin or head which simply means that almost half of these harmful chemicals are getting into your baby’s body each   time you apply them. Moreover, since these compounds are synthetic and not made for the body, hence the body cannot make use of them, i.e. our metabolism cannot break them down and they start accumulating in our body, mostly in kidneys. In the long run, these chemicals can cause dreaded diseases like cancer, kidney failure, tumors, ulcers, loss of vision etc.

That’s a whole lot of facts above and I will tell you that it all makes a difference.  This whole week we are going to do Organic Baby Lotion Reviews.

Get Your pencils and papers out!!!

-MOBS

We all want our child to grow up to be the next (insert favorite sports icon here) but sometimes we forget ….ahemm.. that means you mom and dad..  what the whole darn point is to begin with.  FUN.  That’s right sports are supposed to bring people together through good times (wins) and bad (loses).  I know putting expectations on children pushes them to excel but it can be a very slippery slope when your driving the expectation bus and suddenly the child wants to get off.  What do you do then?

Being able to gauge you’re child’s level in the sport is a very important piece to the parenting puzzle.  Let’s say your kid just stinks at baseball/softball and is the worst player.  Not really a big deal unless it starts to wear and tear on the child and he/she is not having fun anymore.  That’s not good.

Here is a game that Marlene F. Byrne invented for her softball team – “at the appointed hour the girls show up with their entire families and wagons of treats.  Instructed to dress outrageously rather then wear their uniforms, they arrive decked out in shirts worn backward, wacky hair colors, and mismatched shoes.  To kick off the proceedings, we hold water- ballo0n batting practice.  The rules are simple, there really are no rules.”

Be as creative as you want and invent silly things that they have to do like wear clown shoes from first to second base or pop a balloon when they reach third.  The point is well she took a sport that wasn’t fun and put the fun back into it.

It’s things like these that coaches need to practice from time to time and who knows you may just keep a child interested long enough for them to be the next (insert your child’s name here)

Let me know of other game inventions that put the fun back into it.

Hope that helps = )

Mark

by Amy Brown   Family Fun

I saw this craft reading Family fun Magazine and thought just how cool of an idea this is so I had to post it.  Below are the instructions.

What tadpole wouldn’t love to fill this case with marbles, coins, or trinkets? We’ve come up with a trick for attaching the zipper in a snap.

Materials

• Masking tape
• 2 clean plastic 2-liter bottles
• Craft knife
• Scissors
• Fabric tape measure
• Marker
• Pushpin

• Towel (optional)
• 12-inch purse zipper
• Embroidery needle and floss
• Wine cork
• Paintbrush and green acrylic paint
• Glue (we used Crafter’s Pick The Ultimate glue)
• Googly eyes (we used 1/2-inch)

Instructions

1. To make the frog shown here, wrap masking tape around the 2-liter bottles about 2 1/2 inches from the bottom. To make the taller frog, place the tape about 3 1/2 inches from the bottom. With a craft knife or scissors, cut each bottle along the tape’s top edge (a parent’s job).
2. Using the tape measure, mark 1/2-inch increments all around the tape, about 1/4 inch from the cut edge. Punch a hole through each mark with the pushpin. (Tip: Work on a folded towel to keep the plastic from slipping.) Remove the masking tape.
3. Close the zipper and wrap it around one bottle, as shown, using small pieces of tape to hold it in place. Thread the needle with 40 inches of floss, then knot the end, leaving a 3-inch tail. Sew the zipper to the bottle, starting from the inside and pulling the thread in and out of the punched holes. Remove the tape as you go. At the end, knot the floss and tie both tails together, then trim off the excess floss. Open the zipper and sew it to the second bottle in the same way.
4. To make the eyes, use the craft knife to cut the cork in half. Cut a section from each piece, as shown, to make a flat edge (a parent’s job). Paint the corks and let them dry, then glue on googly eyes. Glue the flat edge of the eyes to the bottle.

By Karin Frost, ERGObaby Designer and President and Claire Kellerman, Permaculture Designer and Writer

We cherish our children and devote ourselves to serving their best interests in their health, happiness and development. When they are babies, we hold them close to our hearts to nurture our bond with them. In their maturation they insist on freedom and we gradually let them go to foster their independence.

We give them the best guidance we know so they may make the best choices along the pathway of life. Our choices decide the quality of life for generations to come. Our Universal circumstances are now pressuring us as a collective society to choose between health and sustainability or toxins and conventional agriculture.

Cotton In Our Everyday Lives

A helpful fact from the Untouched World website (untouchedworld.com) warns “pesticides used in conventional cotton farming can enter the human food chain.

Cotton is grown primarily for its fiber and is regulated as a non-food crop. However, the majority of the cotton plant by weight ends up in our food supply. Cottonseed oil is used in processed foods. Beef and dairy cows are fed cotton straw, cotton seed meal and waste from cotton gins.”

It is very common to find salad dressings, candy and cakes that include cottonseed oil in their ingredients, and since it is not organic cottonseed oil, it is the sludge oil full of toxic chemicals.

The Shift from Nature To Chemicals

Why do we need to choose between taking the organic high road to healthy vitality versus the slippery slide down, poisoning our foods and fibers through conventional agriculture? How did we get to this point?

Organic cotton grows beautifully within verdant ecosystems nourished by living soil and by the cycles of life. Waste is recycled into nutrients, and the sun and rain are utilized to grow healthy plants blossoming with white cotton puffs.

Organic agriculture is based on sound principles that enhance wellbeing of the fields as well as the farmers who work the fields and the products that are produced for the consumers of our global environment. This also includes caring for the people who transform the fiber into textiles and the fabric into products. Organic cotton is the sustainable and supportive choice.

So, why and how did our successful organic world change less than a century ago?

One factor was the surplus of war chemicals at the end of World War II. Left over bomb ingredients, e.g., ammonium nitrate, and bug repellent, e.g., DDT, and other chemicals were engineered into agricultural products and used to kill the plant pests and weeds. The excess chemicals found a home in our fields, our food chain, and our fatty tissue, leading to disease in our bodies, and wreaking havoc on our ecosystems.

This singular focus of reaping profits from excess chemicals ignored the cost of health on all levels, including the birds and insects whose contributions are vital to the soil and ecosystem. Our soil has suffered desertification as a result, losing its vitality and natural beneficial relationships wherever toxic chemicals are used.

Mr. Ramji Raja, consultant for ERGObaby’s Organics production in India, offered his insight, “The end of the war may have been the start of chemical farming, but that was just the seed! It was the intensive agriculture taken over by corporate entities that brought the most detrimental viewpoint; they saw the land as a factory. They ignored the fact that soil is a living organism, not taking care to see that the life of the soil was nourished and sustained.”

Proudly, Mr. Raja shared, “Textiles have been created in India for 5,000 to 6,000 years, and were always grown organically until the British came in the early 1900’s. Large mills were set up, and grew, until India produced 97% conventional (toxic, chemical) cotton textiles. It has been a process and has taken years of education, and increasing lobbying and awareness to move organics forward. India is now the world’s largest producer of organic fibers.”

Back To Our Roots

Mr. Raja is enthusiastic about the operations he oversees that create ERGObaby Organic products, “We look at the entire system around the baby carrier, not only using very stringent testing and certifying by the highest organic standards.

We also put a huge emphasis on environmental and social accountability, looking at the fiber, spinning and weaving processes, and how they affect the water that leaves our factory. Our water goes through three stages of purification until finally it is used outside our factory to water the trees. These are trees we plant around the factory to honor our visitors.”

Each visitor has a plaque with their name on it by the tree that has been planted in their presence.

Choosing organic cotton has the most positive impact because it supports and enriches all life, including everything that touches our skin, feeds our bodies, and nurtures our peace of mind.

We choose organic as often as possible in these times of transition for all these reasons. Organic cotton is grown from a web of healthy relationships locally and around the world; an inviting and very easy personal choice to make.

Take a look at our Organic Ergo Baby carrier.

-MOBS

Though spanking has been passed on from generation to generation in many families, many experts agree that it is not, and never has been, an effective way to discipline a child.  Children who are spanked may refrain from repeating a misdemeanor rather than risk another spanking, but they obey only as long as the risk is present.  Spanking may stop a child’s undesirable action in its tracks, bit it won’t change behavior.  It doesn’t teach children how to differentiate right from wrong  (only what gets them spanked and what doesn’t) – which is, after all, the most important goal of discipline.

There are many way to teach a child from right and wrong.  One of the toughest things about being a parent is the power that comes with it.  Yes power.  I have seen parents scold there children after they wonder off but it was mainly because the parent was not paying attention to the child.  The parent looks up and doesn’t see there child then goes into a panic and scolds the child when they find him or her.  Or how bout when a child is given everything and finally the parent says NO and the child goes into a fit and then the parent gives in to quiet or appease the child.  That is the beginning of a pattern that the child will know that if he/she throws a tantrum they will get what they want.

Now don’t get me wrong.  There are good and bad children and sorry mom’s and dad’s they are born that way.  Spanking them will not make them good.  The most important thing we have to remember is that teaching them the difference between right and wrong is the goal.  Why is stealing bad?  Why do you not tease other people but encourage them?  Those types of thoughts are the ones that will build the foundation for who your child will choose to become.  When I say choose I stress that because ultimately it is there choice you are only there to guide them.  Hope that helps.

Mark

The natural way

Breastfeeding your baby should be the most natural thing in the world, and people often assume that everything will go smoothly. However, in reality, many mothers find that breastfeeding is not as easy as they thought it would be. However, there are many things that you can do to make breastfeeding a success and a pleasure for you and your baby. Taking time to relax and enjoy each other, eating a healthy diet with plenty of liquids, fresh food and nutritious snacks, getting as much sleep as possible, asking for help when you need it – all these are things which will help to establish a healthy breastfeeding routine.

Follow these simple breastfeeding tips to make sure you continue to promote a positive breastfeeding experience:

• Drink lots of water (8 glasses a day)
• Put your feet up whenever you can. Regular rest is important for healthy milk production.
• Eat a healthy diet containing mostly fresh (preferably organic) foods free of artificial preservatives, colorants or flavoring.
• Avoid caffeine, alcohol, smoking (including second-hand smoke) and other drugs
• Don’t give up! Putting your baby to the breast – even if there is no milk flow – will help to stimulate lactation over time.
• If little to no milk flow is a problem try Nature’s Milk Drops to naturally help with production.

Support healthy milk flow

Modern research has shown that breast milk is the perfect nourishment for babies, as it not only contains all the nutritional requirements in ideal proportions, but also provides protection from disease and illness in the form of antibodies from the mother’s own immune system.

Not only is breast milk the perfect food for babies, it also comes ready for use (no mixing!) and requires no sterilizing of bottles and far less risk of contamination. In addition, babies that are breastfed for the first 6 months of their lives are far less likely to develop allergies. There has even been research to suggest that babies who are breastfed go on to develop a higher IQ than those who are not. Breastfeeding also provides the perfect opportunity for bonding between mother and baby and has the added advantage of helping the mother to shed those extra pounds she has collected during pregnancy! The list of benefits to mother and baby just goes on and on!

-MOBS

My expecting wife told me a little story that I thought I would share with all of you.  She is 7 months pregnant and going through that very hard, Bigger then the good year blimp, Feeling.

In my eyes she is beautiful but in hers she is large and growing every minute.  She came home today beaming that a lady complimented her saying “you are the cutest pregnant girl I have ever seen.  You go girl!!!”

It made my mom to be beam with happiness and pride of what she is creating.  In today’s world where thin is a must, it’s nice to let the mothers of the world know that they are the most beautiful ones of all.  Remember however you look at it we have all come from our mom’s belly.  That kind of links us all together in a special way.  So everyone take an extra second out of your day to be a little extra nice to those mom’s to be out there.

Here is a little organic gift idea for the Momma to be.  A little gift that indulges a special mama in a big way. From lips to toes, and everywhere in-between.

It is a little something that says a big “I Love You” – naturally!

Spread the love!!

-mark

You have some time on your hands Mom/Dad?  Here is a great recipe for Sweet Dreams Organic Baby Lotion.

Submitted By:
Karen of Dunnellon, FL

Summary:

Soothing baby lotion for baby’s skin and lightly scented for calming
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. aloe vera gel
1 1/2 tsp. lanolin
1 1/2 tsp. Vitamin E oil
1/3 c. virgin coconut oil
1 oz. pure beeswax (white),filtered
3/4 c. camelina oil
1 1/2 tsp. essential oil (optional) 2 tbsp. lavender powder
1 1/2 tsp. chamomile powder
Instructions:

In a blender, mix aloe gel,lanolin,vitamin E oil. Using a glass container, melt coconut oil and beeswax until fully melted. Gently stir in camelina oil. Slowly pour oils into blender on low. At this point oils will thicken and turn white. Stop blender and add essential oil,if used. Blend gently in short bursts. Do NOT over blend. Add lavender and chamomile powders, blend gently until incorporated. While mixture is still warm, pour into containers. This mixture will thicken quickly as it cools. This lotion doesn’t leave oily feeling to skin and absorbs well. Great as a massage lotion for baby. Makes approximately 2 1/2 cups.

Please let us know how it turns out.  We are going to make a batch and we will let you know how it stacks up to our Mama Rose’s Naturals Organic Baby Lullaby Lotion.

Hope you enjoy,

MOBS