What Are You Drinking Out Of?
What Are You Drinking Out Of?
The latest news on drinking containers has turned from plastic containing BPA, to the seemingly harmless plastic waterbottle from which millions of North Americans drink each and every day…
A Global News report last week exposed what we at Better Baby Bums have been concerned about all along, that drinking out of plastic water bottles wastes precious, non-renewable resources, creates significant amounts of waste, offers no health benefits and may even threaten your health. Water fountains are a thing of the past on UBC campus. I have found this to be the case in a number of places including schools, malls, libraries, and hospitals. Coke and Pepsi have done a terrific job of becoming the “go-to-guys” in the water department. Turns out for $1.50 you can buy filtered municipal water hidden by a fancy brand.
Better Baby Bums is proud to expand its line of safe drinking containers to now include the Canadian company, Watergeeks. Watergeeks has very affordable, sleek stainless steel water bottles that come in 4 great colours and a BPA-free plastic sport bottle that filters as you drink. We have found the filtered bottle very handy for making baby bottles when we’re out and about or for topping up our little ones’ sippy cups out at the park. It was also handy on a recent airplane trip for when we couldn’t bring water along onto the plane.
We are currently carrying Watergeeks stainless steel bottles in a 33oz and 20oz. Each of these comes with a screw cap and a carabeener so you can conveniently attach your bottle to your bag, stroller…We are also anxiously awaiting their sippy cup which they hope to have available in the next month or so. We will also have a sport cap that can be purchased in addition to a bottle available in the coming weeks.
Why only be concerned for your kids? While we are always choosing what is best for our kids, why do we treat ourselves differently? I was recently laughing at myself as my twin girls were drinking from their Klean Kanteens and I had my bottle of Evian. I am now toting a brand new Watergeek and feel great knowing that I am helping the environment, taking care of my health and saving money! Check our Watergeeks on our site.
Nature Babycare Diapers
10% off One Case of Nature Babycare Diapers- June Special 
For those of you that haven’t tried Canada’s newest ‘alternative’ disposable diaper, now’s the time! And for those of you that have, now’s the time to stock up! Just enter coupon code ‘naturebud’ at check out for 10% off ONE case of Nature Babycare Diapers*.
*Note offer is only valid for one case of these diapers. One coupon per customer and offer ends July 3, 2008.
Why choose an ‘alternative’ disposable diaper like Nature Babycare?
Many mainstream diapers are whitened using chlorine. Chlorine used in this process is from a family of molecules called dioxins which are probable carcinogens and are linked to symptoms such as immune system suppression, enlargement of the liver and eye irritation. Your baby’s skin is up against this all day long!
Other than avoiding chlorine, why else should I choose a diaper like Nature Babycare?
Nature Babycare diapers are the only chlorine-free diaper in Canada that is 100% biodegradable. That is, they can be broken down into soil.
The content of the diapers is not made from petroleum-based products (plastics). This lessens your use of non-renewable resources and your baby’s exposure to petroleum-based products. This is also better because the diaper’s corn-based backsheet breathes better than commonly used plastic thereby reducing the chance of your baby getting diaper rash or overheated.
Can I really compost these diapers?
YES. If you know how to properly manage a compost system. In order for the wet diapers to properly degrade, the right amount of nitrogen must be added to offset the carbon-based diapers. The diapers should also be cut into smaller pieces so they can compost better.
What if I can’t compost them? Can I still make a difference?
You can rest easier knowing that these diapers have a better chance of degrading in the landfill than any other disposable out there. Nature Babycare’s Bio-Bags are the perfect compliment to these diapers as they too are biodegradable.
PARTING SHOTS
Join our Facebook group and post a picture of your baby with any of the items you’ve purchased from us and get 5% off your next order! Limit is one picture per customer mailing address. Get your shots up there now! We’ve already started with the Better Baby Bums twins, Alicia and Madelyn. Check out these cutie pies with their Klean Kanteens. We will send you the coupon code via email once you have posted a picture.
To Diaper Pail or Not to Diaper Pail
Recently we had a customer ask us what we thought about the environmental sustainability of commonly used diaper pails such as the Diaper Genie. I hadn’t really thought about it before. All I did know was that I got a Diaper Genie when I was pregnant and used it for a few months when the girls were born, got tired of having to buy the special bags for it and ended up using a normal garbage can with bio bags. After giving this some more thought I realized just how much using a diaper pail like the Diaper Genie encourages the use of nonrenewable resources and creates a lot of waste. Not to mention the costs of buying the special bags. Ouch.
The “ring” that you purchase that contains the bags sends a lot of extra waste to the landfill. Not only do you have to dispose of it once it is empty, it also is contained in its own plastic packaging when you purchase it. The bags are petroleum-based plastic and the long and narrow nature of them does not allow many diapers to be squished into the bag.
While many of us use a diaper pail for odour purposes, my current set up of a regular kitchen-type garbage pail with a lid with bio-bags works well with minimal odour. By using bio-bags I am not throwing away unnecessary packaging, the bags degrade, and the packaging of the bags is biodegradable as well. Check out our bio bags from Nature Babycare at http://www.betterbabybums.com/product-p/006db50.htm
Anyone want my Diaper Genie? Maybe I can make a planter out of it.
Follow Jen on twitter 
