Great Q&A on Children's Art Supplies

Poster Child
On children's art supplies
By Umbra Fisk
15 Dec 2008

Hey Umbra,

I've got a niece with a second birthday coming up and I'd like to get her a present that doesn't involve sitting in front of a computer or TV. So, I thought, how about an art set? What better way to get those creative juices going at an early age than some finger paint and crayons? But crayons must have some crazy toxins in them, and what about finger paint ... do I need to be concerned? I've heard about veggie paints, but don't know where one can find them -- or how to make them. Ideas please!

Sudha N.
Seattle, Wash.


Dearest Sudha,
Children's art supplies are a fabulous gift idea, and if you follow a few simple guidelines, there's little need for concern. The bigger problem with child art is that the freeform techniques of the toddler atelier may freak out neatnik parents and cause many opportunities for battles of the will. If your relations are fastidious, may I suggest including a smock in the kit? Perhaps a miniature dropcloth and several large sponges? Maybe a large fence, to create a hermetic seal around the art area? Plus a parenting book helpful in the toddler years -- such as Becoming the Parent You Want To Be?

The toddler art set should include modeling clay, crayons, paints, and colorful papers, with glue, tape, and scissors for the overseeing adult. Kids also love stickers.

The reason kids' supplies are differentiated from adult supplies is that "adult" art stuff often relies on harmful ingredients. Paint dyes can contain heavy metals; there are solvents in paint, glue, and markers; modeling clays contain vinyl; powders and sprays pose inhalation hazards, etc. Obviously all these problems aren't so great for grown-ups either, but we are larger, don't randomly eat our toys, and have the option of turning on ventilation, wearing protective gear, and making our own choices about danger.

Shop at a store that sells children's art products. The products should be certified as non-toxic. At a minimum they should bear two seals: the federally mandated "conforms with ASTM D-4236" (meaning they have been properly labeled as to their chronic health hazards) and a seal from the Art and Creative Materials Institute. The ACMI seals will say either AP for approved product, or the older but similar CP for certified product. Do not buy any art supplies with a Warning, Caution, or Danger label -- or a Poison label, of course.

Crayons aren't too complicated -- Crayolas are made out of paraffin wax and pigment, and the label is stuck on with cornstarch and water. There have been a couple scares about lead and asbestos in crayons. I truly believe that the major child craft manufacturers are doing their best with quality control -- any bad toxics incident would put them out of business -- but sometimes things appear where you least expect them. The asbestos was related to a talc used in the crayons; it's debated as to how bad it was, and of course it has been eliminated.

That said, if you can find craft supplies that have few ingredients, and list all of them, they are likely less potentially hazardous than those peddled by the mainstream manufacturers. Beeswax crayons are one example. The trouble is, these "natural" supplies can be quite expensive. I would find them at my local hippie/hipster toy shop, or by searching "natural art supplies for kids" online.

For more details in each category of art supply, our friends at the Washington Toxics Coalition have a handy chart of what to avoid and to choose. They have links to a dough recipe, and finger paint recipes abound on the www, with easy-to-find ingredients and ideas for vegetable-based dyes such as onion skins and beets.
Your idea is a great one, and there's no need for concern, just basic common sense. Don't forget to spend time making art with your niece. Toddlers need companions to encourage, teach, and assist them. And people of all ages need some low-pressure art time.

Artistically,
Umbra

http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2008/12/15/?source=ask

No More Junk Mail . . . ?

Do you guys know about these? Here are a handful of resources for stopping junk mail from coming to your house. Just think of how much waste is generated by a single credit card company by all those offers.

https://www.41pounds.org/signup/?grist (This one costs $41 but is a great organization.)

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt063.shtm (Free information)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16531776/ (An article with a handful of resources)

Post comments if you know of other good options!

Sustainability 2008: Kindermusik's 2008 Sustainability Report

Get your own - Open publication

We're proud to release our first Sustainability Report!

For 30 years, Kindermusik International has created and brought to classrooms the world over a body of work that has transformed music education and informed teaching methods and parenting skills. Yet we have come to know we have a responsibility beyond the classroom. We want to become a small company that is truly a model for others who seek to make a responsible profit while honoring its people and its planet. We are guided by core values at Kindermusik International, the first of which is “We do what is best for the parent and child.” In these days in which so many companies are focused on the “quick buck,” we consistently strive to make choices for the long term.

Discover more about our commitment to sustainability in our first Sustainability Report (below), detailing our commitment to the environment through measurement, impact reduction, education, and activation.

How do you save 1% on national CO2 emissions and $3 billion in energy costs with the push of a button? According to some studies, just wash in cold!

Here's an easy one!
Molly

* * *

Most of us are unaware of the full extent of energy required to wash our clothes. A staggering 85-90% of this energy is used by the water heater. Only 10-15% actually goes to running the washing machine. A switch of all U.S. washers to cold water would mean a savings of about 30 million tons of CO2 per year.

Water heating accounts for approximately 19 percent of total home energy use, according to the Rocky Mountain Institute.3. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, using less water and using cooler water can both reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes. (In situations where hot water is necessary, for example, to clean diapers or bedding, just use cold water in the rinse cycle.)

Carbon Conscious Consumer (C3), a national climate campaign sponsored by the Center for a New American Dream, has issued a challenge: Wash at least four out of every five loads of laundry in cold water for a month. Push the "cold/cold" button on your washing machine for 80 percent of the loads you do this month, says C3, and you'll cut 72 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions this month alone.

If you keep washing 80 percent of the loads in cold water for a whole year, you can save more than $60 in energy costs for the year -- or $100 a year if you live in regions with high electricity costs.

If you’re in the market for a new washer or dryer, use Energy Star machines for greater water and energy costs.



Difficulty level: Easy

Material taken from:
http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/energy-tip-17-w
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/beat-the-heat-wash-in-cold.html

When Times Are Tight...

I can't tell you how many times people have told me some variation of the idea that although they'd love to live more sustainably, they just don't make enough money to buy all those expensive green products. So here's where my eyes cross.

OK. So let's talk for a second.

There are TONS of really lovely organic, green products out there. Tons. And really, they're beautiful. I, personally, am setting up my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter with a twin bed for Christmas, so am deep into shopping for a mattress and bedding. To be honest, I would love to get her an organic mattress and beautiful sheets and blankets that are hand-loomed by Amish farmers and yadda yadda. Between you and me, yeah, I can't afford that. TJ Maxx for the sheets, JC Penney for the mattress, done. So Molly, I'm lost. What's your argument here?

My argument is this:
In times when money is tight - as it is for so many of us at the moment - it's NOT time to put your good green intentions aside, waiting for better days when you can go out and buy all the lovely green products you want, to make the planet a better place. The truth is, despite clever advertising, buying a recycled bottle of something doesn't save the planet. Buying a canvas bag doesn't save the planet. BUYING LESS saves the planet. A little bit.

A couple ways to be both money-conscious AND environment-conscious:

-Stop shopping to feel better. At the risk of sounding preachy, go to the library. Go for a walk. Cook something. Grow something. Paint something. Many of us admit (me, too) that STUFF makes us feel good. We get a secret little thrill when something breaks or runs out because it's just a little bit exciting to get to buy a new one. See if you can find another way to scratch that itch. Your wallet and the planet will both thank you.

-If something breaks, consider fixing it. In the world of Targets and Walmarts, it's sometimes the case that buying a new TV or bike or vacuum is almost the same price as getting an older one repaired. Plus the time and hassle - I mean, do you even know where you would get a TV repaired in your town? Well, here's the challenge: find out. And if you've bought the cheap version of something, fully expecting it to break within a year or two so you can just buy a new one, here's the next challenge: next time, buy a nicer one and keep it for longer.

-Drive less. I won't say much here because you know all about it - and because really, winter's not the time for me to get aggressive about putting people on train platforms. (I live in Chicago, for pete's sake.)

-Use the library! If you're a book-hound or have book-hound kids, you'd probably be astounded to add up your bookstore costs for a year. But hey, remember the library? No kidding - same books - FREE.

-Hand-me-downs. Yup - when times are swell, maybe you're too good for this - but now's a great time to start passing kids' clothes around with your friends or checking out second-hand stores nearby.



Remember, reduce first. Keep track of what you bring INTO your house and just try to bring less. Less packaging (buy bigger), less paper (go digital!), less stuff...

If you must buy something, plan to re-use it, to use it for as long as possible, to buy it used, and to pass it on when you're finished with it rather than throwing it away.

And if you must buy something that will get emptied, used up, and discarded, make it a top priority to buy only things that are (a) made of recycled materials and (b) fully recyclable. Both, if possible. I'll post more some other time on reading labels on bottles, jars, etc. so you know you're not getting duped - but the very short version of recycling-savvy is that the only items that are easily recycled and recyclable are #1 and #2. Steer clear of #7 - it is not recyclable. #3-#6 depends on where you live.

But now I'm off topic.

The point is: being truly friendly to the environment, if that's what you want, isn't to buy a cute dragonfly notebook with recycled paper and brown cardboard cover, or pottery barn sheets with 10% recycled content. The truly friendly choice is to write on the back of some of the hundreds of sheets of office paper you recycle or discard every day, or to hang onto your current sheets just a little bit longer.

Bottom line: A tight economy really doesn't have to mean you put your green goals on the back burner. Think green the next time you're doing your checkbook/credit card/budget mantra, "reduce, reduce, reduce".

So...Which Is It?

Diapers: Cloth or Disposable?

There doesn't seem to be any way around it: diapers are plentiful and necessary (or at the very least, very, very welcome). But when it comes to cloth vs. disposable, the great diaper debate drones on.

The bad news:
Disposable diapers clog landfills.
Washing cloth diapers turns lots of clean water into detergent wastewater.

The good news:
Well, not good news exactly - but in terms of relative damage, it's really up to you to pick your poison. True "greenies" really shouldn't look at you askance either way, so pick what works for you, apply your choice responsibly*, and know you're doing your best.

Check this out:
http://www.grist.org/gristTV/umbra/2008/11/11/?source=daily

*(If you go with disposables, look for unbleached, organic, and/or recycled-content diapers. If you go with cloth, use hand-me-downs! Wash in cold, using eco-friendly detergents.)

So there you have it. Go forth and diaper.

Um . . . are you gonna throw that away?

;Try this:
Just for a day, start turning things upside-down. Check out the numbers on the bottoms of recyclable things. You've seen them - they run 1-7 and indicate the type of material an item is made of, which also determines its level of recyclability.

I've been having fun educating myself on these categories (it takes a certain kind of mind, I know...) and in case you're curious, thought I'd put together a little primer. Enjoy!


You're good to go! These items are recyclable in most areas.
(But first...do you need it?)

1 (PETE: polyethylene terephthalate)
found in clear plastic bottles and jars

2 (HDPE: high-density polyethlylene)
found in non-clear plastic milk jugs, detergent/bleach bottles, shampoo bottles, some plastic bags

6 (PS: polystyrene)
found in white foam bakery shells and meat trays, packing peanuts, styrofoam insulation, disposable coffee cups and lids, disposable cutlery


Well . . . where do you live? These are only recyclable in areas that have recycling facilities big enough to manage them.
(Psst...check out your town's website to see what it can and can't recycle. And/or...can you find a more sustainable alternative?)

3 (PVC: polyvinyl chloride)
found in cooking oil bottles, shrink wrap

4 (LDPE: low-density polyethylene)
found in plastic grocery bags, Ziploc bags, dry cleaning bags, produce bags, trash bags liners, disposable Tupperware

5 (PP: polypropylene)
found in yogurt containers, plastic bottle caps, drinking straws, syrup bottles, diapers


You're pretty much out of luck.
(Pssst...can you skip this purchase?)

7 (Other) a combination of plastics; generally considered non-recyclable




(Data extrapolated from: University of Mississippi Polymer Education Center, 1998.)


And don't forget:
REDUCE your need for stuff first. Buy less. Want less. Bring less into your home, put less out on the curb. Find other ways to scratch the itch.
REUSE everything, even if it means spending more to get a better item the first time around, then fixing it instead of replacing it.
RECYCLING should be a last resort, and unless you plan on keeping something pretty much indefinitely, strive to get out of the habit of making, buying, or tossing anything that's not recyclable.

"A Good Beginning Never Ends"

The theme for this year’s annual Kindermusik Convention (when Kindermusik educators come together from around the world) really couldn’t be more perfect. Not only is it a propos for Kindermusik International itself, 30 strong years later, but also a fitting “subtitle” for each child who has been given that good beginning - raised with thoughtful love and deliberate decisions aimed at opening his or her world to music.

Aaaaaand…it’s also the perfect definition of sustainability. What luck!

This November, as we celebrate Kindermusik’s 30th anniversary, prepare ourselves for the year to come, and honor and invigorate the educators who, sitting with children on floors around the world, make Kindermusik what it is, we’ll also be launching and announcing our commitments to sustainability.

As a company that honors every child and strives to create a world that honors their health, creativity, and happiness, we recognize that we must address our own environmental sustainability with clear eyes and seriousness of purpose. I can’t think of a more perfect place—or a more essential time—for us to make and announce this commitment. Stay tuned.

Our new (carbon) shoe size

Ready, set, go! Kindermusik is going green. Not in the what-can-we-do-to-make-ourselves-look-green way, but really, truly, in the it’s-time-we-took-a-good-hard-look-at-our-impact-and-did-something-about-it way.

Kindermusik has such a positive impact on the planet in so many ways—giving parents and children the tools to connect, giving children the opportunity to grow and explore . . . but in the meantime, we run an office with lights, computers, hand soap, and paper; we ship boxes of instruments around the world; most of our employees drive to work five days a week . . . if only we could know for sure that it would all balance out to a net positive.

First step? Doing the math. We’ve just completed gathering data for our first-ever “carbon footprint”. Might not seem like a big step, but it is. Think about your own carbon footprint for a minute—the amount of CO2 (carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas) you produce in the course of a year through traveling by car, bus, train, and plane; through the electricity you use; through the things you send and receive by mail; through the products you purchase (including food) that have been shipped overseas or across the country, etc. It may be a bigger “shoe size” than you’d like to think about, or it may seem silly to calculate it if there’s nothing you can do about it...

But quantifying is the first step towards solving. The whole point of calculating these numbers, of course, is to change them. And when you really think about it, changing them isn’t actually all that hard.

At Kindermusik, now that we know that our headquarters used about 282,000 kilowatt hours of electricity last year, for instance, and our employees drove more than 12,000 miles just getting to and from work, it’s time to get to work. We can’t wait to tell you about our progress.

Calculate your own carbon footprint!
There are lots of “carbon calculators” online – just search “carbon footprint” and you’ll get thousands of hits. Here’s a good one created by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):

EPA's Carbon Calculator

And if you’re really interested . . .
Here’s an interesting article on carbon footprinting consumer products (cars, shoes, laundry detergent jackets, milk, beer):

Wall Street Journal article

Coming Soon!

News on Kindermusik’s efforts to:

• Incorporate renewable energy
• Offer a carbon offsetting option for shipping
• Green our in-house purchasing
• Launch a brand new green packaging initiative
• De-mystify industry terms (Offsets? FSC? BPA? Help!)
• Help you integrate simple green principles into your own home and business
• …and more