Healthy Child Healthy World Blog

Worried About Linseed Oil Fumes?

2009-11-20T18:10:23Z

You ask, we answer. Find all of our frequently asked questions or ask your own by visiting Get Answers.

QUESTION:

We recently purchased tempered pegboard and have mounted it under a piece of furniture in our bedroom. Although my husband does not notice an odor, the odor from it is very strong to me. I am 7 months pregnant and this could be why I smell it so strongly. I contacted the company who manufactures it (Decorative Panels, Inc.) and they said that there are no toxic substances used and the finish is mainly linseed oil. I am assuming this is what I am smelling. Because of the way it is being used, it is going to be quite a process to replace it with something else, but I wanted to know if you've had any experience with this product (or linseed oil in general). I am concerned since I am pregnant and the odor fills our bedroom (and our toddler spends most of the night sleeping in our room, too).

ANSWER:

You need to find out if the linseed oil is RAW linseed oil or BOILED linseed oil. Linseed oil is oil squeezed from the flax seed.   Raw Linseed Oil is 100% pure flax oil, packaged with no additional additives or preservatives. Linseed oil sold for wood application is not edible. It dries very slowly, taking weeks to fully cure. It helps wood retain its natural moisture content, which reduces cracking, checking, shrinking, and aids water repellency.   Boiled Linseed Oil contains chemical solvents to speed film drying and hardness.  It is not actually boiled, the term just indicates chemicals have been added.   Do ask the dealer. Boiled Linseed Oil would cure faster and shouldn't have an odor after several weeks. If it's raw linseed oil, it's likely you are smelling the linseed oil itself, which isn't toxic.

Debra :-)

This answer was provided by our friend, Debra Lynn Dadd. Hailed as "The Queen of Green" by the New York Times, Debra Lynn Dadd has been a pioneering consumer advocate since 1982, specializing in products and lifestyle choices that are safer for human health and the environment. She is the author of Home Safe Home.

Healthy World Watch November 20th, 2009

2009-11-20T08:54:04Z

Top Tips

• Looking for a way to teach your children how to be socially conscience? The Kids Guide to Service Projects is a guide filled with over 500 community service ideas presented in a kid-friendly format.
• Selecting safe bath products for our kids is not an easy task these days. Most popular brands contain dangerous toxins such as 1, 4 dioxane and formaldehyde, which are known carcinogens and harsh on young skin. If looking for safer bath alternatives try these suggestions from Mom Goes Green.
• As we start pulling out festive decorations to show our holiday cheer, rather than buy new items why not try making your own. Planet Green shows how constructing your own decorations can make the holidays more personal and even start some new family traditions.
• Gift giving does not always have to include shopping at large impersonal retailers. The 2009 Fair Trade Gift Guide has wonderful socially responsible gift ideas. Feel good about giving and being socially responsible too.

Recent Research

• BPA linked to aggression in girls, now phthalate exposure linked to gender-altering play in boys. Research shows that fetal exposure to phthalates, solvents used to soften plastics, lessens masculine play interests. Researchers at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry found that boys with greater exposure to the solvent during fetal development were more interested in gender-neutral play. Future studies will be looking for a link between phthalates and their impacts on physiological factors like body build. This only adds insult to injury with recent news linking BPA to male sexual dysfunction.

• Toddlers and obese children are more apt to suffer blood-vessel damage from secondhand smoke leading to heart disease later in life. Researchers found that toddlers had a four times greater risk than adolescents with similar exposures, reason being that younger children spend more time in close proximity to smoking parents. Toddlers exposed to secondhand smoke were also found to have a reduced number of cells involved in repair and maintenance of a healthy blood vessel network. John Bauer, the study's co-lead investigator from Nationwide Children's Hospital & Research Institute at Ohio State University, states "This suggests that some aspects of adult heart disease may be initiated in early childhood, where prevention strategies may have great long-term impact."

Other News

• The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends against mammograms for women between the ages of 40 and 50. Additionally, they advise against self breast exams, stating that no evidence shows benefits. Dr. Diana Petitti, vice-chairman of the task force, states that increased screening creates false positives leading to further testing that are expensive and time-consuming. Doctors and breast cancer advocacy groups are concerned on how these new guidelines will affect public and private insurance coverage, whose decisions are often based. Eric Winer, chief scientific adviser of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and director of the Breast Oncology Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, states "women and their doctors have a right to make a decision about whether they should be screened. If they don't have financial coverage, then they don't have that right."

• Children’s toys sold with Barbie and Disney logos are turning up with lead contamination. The Center for Environmental Health tested approximately 250 products and 7 exceeded federal limitations. Both companies have stated the products were made or tested by third parties. Last year Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie, was involved in a recall involving more than 2 million toys. Inez Tenenbaum, commission chairman of The Consumer Product Safety Commission, praised stricter laws against lead contamination for reducing the number of tainted toys this year.

• U.S. Department of Agriculture secretary, Tom Vilsack, vowed to try harder to alert affected schools of food-born illness. Vilsack admitted that communication between the FDA and the USDA are not as they should be and that schools have suffered in not receiving information quickly to prevent further illness. This comes after a report from USA Today stating that school districts know very little about the sources of the food they provide to children. Shockingly the same is true when government regulators are made aware of possible contamination. Between 1998 and 2007 over 20,000 children were sickened by food-born illness from school lunches.

DIY Vegetable Stock

2009-11-19T19:53:25Z

When the weather starts to cool down, nothing brings warmth to your home and body faster than a good soup. And, homemade soup is truly easy to make and so much tastier and healthier than store-bought (especially considering that canned foods have bisphenol-A in them). By making it yourself, you can also go organic for much less money.

Make this vegetable stock in bulk and store in small batches in your freezer. Then, when the craving strikes, you’ll have the perfect base for an almost limitless amount of soups.

D.I.Y. Vegetable Stock  makes 2 quarts

1. Finely chop about 4 cups vegetables (a mixture of onions, celery, and carrots). You can also experiment with adding other flavors like tomato, mushroom, or any other vegetables you want to sneak in. Just make sure you’re keeping your water to vegetable ratio at about 2:1.

2. Add to a pot with 2 quarts water.

3. Simmer uncovered for about an hour.

4. Strain out the vegetables using a fine mesh strainer. Press hard on the vegetables to squeeze out all the broth.

5. Let cool then freeze or refrigerate. If refrigerated use within a few days.

Note: This is part of an on-going series of tips for eating healthier by doing things yourself. Whether it’s canning or making a pantry staple, when you make something yourself from whole ingredients, you avoid chemical exposures from things like synthetic additives and contaminants from packaging, as well as reduce your impact on the environment. Also, it should come as no surprise, but homemade is much tastier than factory made!

We’re All Dreaming of a Green Christmas

2009-11-18T22:57:02Z

While reading Anna Getty’s new book, I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas, an eco-guide to creating stylish and sustainable holidays, I was struck by the simplicity of her most cherished Christmas memories from childhood. She warmly recalls a time when Christmas started at home, with decorations inspired by nature, treats baked with her mother, gifts made by hand, and an over-arching emphasis on gratitude and charity.

But for many of us, the Christmas season has been inundated by mass consumption and commercialization. Without memories of a simpler time, this is likely how today’s generation of children identify with Christmas. At school, at home, on television and on the web - the focus is BUY BUY BUY, with little discussion of the meaning behind it and with zero consideration for health.

I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas seeks to redefine the paradigm, bringing the emphasis back to basics by consuming less and imbuing traditions with more meaning. To this objective, Anna adds a new layer: she encourages us to incorporate a respect for the planet, minimize waste, and reduce our carbon footprint during the holiday season.

What her creative, sophisticated book proves is that greening your holidays doesn’t detract from the traditional joy of Christmas, nor interfere with the festivities.

As she says in the book’s introduction:

“For many parents, including me, making environmentally friendly decisions is particularly important because we want to show our children what the holidays really represent: sharing, gratitude, and tradition. Such ideals are particularly relevant in this day and age, when life moves so fast and can be so stressful.”

Indeed (often overlooked even by the most devoted greenies), Americans throw away an additional five million tons of trash between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.

Anna covers all aspects of the holiday, from wreaths to energy efficient lighting to the tree to cocktails to composting. No holiday stone is left unturned - it’s all here!

We meet Anna in her kitchen, where she shares her original, mouthwatering recipes both for cozy evenings at home (how about a cup of Chai Hot Cocoa with Whipped Cream?) and chic entertainment (a feast of Chicken Breasts with Chestnut Stuffing and Port Gravy, anyone?). The inspiration continues with gorgeous table settings and household decorations that evoke the spirit of the holiday and winter’s natural abundance.

From a crafter’s perspective, this book is a delight. Anna includes ideas for homemade gifts, including how to’s for cufflinks, pillows, and fancy clutch purses. Then flip forward a few pages to find ideas for reusable gift wrap, utilizing what you may already have lying about the house.

And yet, when one must purchase, the book’s Resources section provides a bounty of online retailers offering eco-friendly alternatives to conventional products.

With gorgeous, evocative photography by Ron Hamad, I’m Dreaming of a Green Christmas is perfect for any holiday coffee table while also being an invaluable guide to celebrating the season in sustainable style.

Pick up a copy today and enjoy!

A Special Offer for the Holiday Season from Organic Bouquet!

2009-11-17T20:28:40Z

With the holidays fast approaching, you’re probably thinking about decorating your home or office to bring some of nature’s winter beauty indoors. But you can make your holiday festive and still be kind to the planet by continuing to purchase organic flowers, wreaths, and arrangements through the season.

Our friends at Organic Bouquet are offering Healthy Child’s supporters a special discount on their gorgeous flowers and gifts. From now until December 30th, they’ll give the Healthy Child family a 5% discount on purchases.

Organic Bouquet has long been a dedicated supporter of our work, donating a percentage of proceeds from their customers’ purchases. You’ll know them for their beautiful array of eco-elegant flowers, but they’re recently added several new great gifting and holiday items such as organic and eco-friendly chocolates, cookies, gourmet gift baskets, festive wreaths and much more! If you haven’t visited their site recently, take a look at all they have to offer.

To redeem the discount at purchase, click here to receive a 5% discount and to support Healthy Child through the donation of a portion of proceeds. (NOTE: you must click through from our site, here, or the coupon won’t work.)

Thanks to Organic Bouquet for this special offer and for their continued support!