Chromium in Duplo?

Chromium in Duplo? How bad is it?

Both Paul and Anna love playing with Duplo. They can play very long with it, and everytime in a different way. I find Duplo great as well to take along when we go on holidays, and the amount of toys we can carry is very limited.



Due to my work, I have been doing some research on Good Guide. This is an on-line guide where different consumer goods are scored in three categories: health, environment and society.

Of course, just to check which kind of information they offer, I go and type: "Duplo".
There it goes, Duplo scores an average 5.9, a bit on the average compared to other similar toys, and split as follows:
- A 5.0 in Health
- A 7.1 in Environment
- A 5.5 in Society

Since I would like to know more, I scroll down to get more information. What do I see? Iread that although Duplo has no lead, mercury, PVC (Chlorine), cadmium, arsenic, antimony, tin,or bromine (oh, my God!), it does contains low levels of chromium.

As a very concerned mother, I run to google now, where I get a fast answer: "Some chromium VI compounds are listed as carcinogens due to an increase of lung cancer among workers exposed to it. In addition studies have shown that chromium VI causes birth defects, reproductive problems and even reduce disease resistance. Both asthma attacks and nasal irritation have been caused by exposure to high levels of chromium."

All that in my Duplo? Aaarrggghh!! Fortunately, I also read that the European Union controls the levels of Chromium in toys, and indeed, only a low level is allowed.

What do you think about regulations for toys? Do you think you will use Good Guide in the future?

Top 5 things Anna likes to do as a one-year old toddler

It is amazing to see the preferences children have. Same as adults, right?

Right now, these are the top 5 things that Anna enjoys doing:

1. Walking around with one sock in each hand
Paul is really good in getting rid of his socks, and Anna is really good at finding them back. All in all, a good match. Now she is really all the time walking around holding one sock in her hands as a little prize.



2. Rolling in bed
Anna and Paul are allowed to play in the big bed before going to sleep, so that they have plenty of space to roll, spring and jump. Sometimes I wonder how little sense of risk and danger she has, specially when she annoys Paul by pushing him, or giving him hugs, and truly expecting him to push her back. She can laugh forever and go on and on.... Which is most of the times, not quite in balance matter between the two.

3. Eating cookies
One of her passions. She has a sixth sense to discover where are the cookies in bags, closets and alike, and get them. Without much fuzzle or noise, so that she goes undercover. A true cookie monster.

4. Playing under the table
One of her favourite places to be. Probably because it is close to any potential cookie or left over of something she might like to eat.

5. Giving lots of attention to little things
Anna can spend 15 minutes with tasks like trying to get her pijama through her head (not that she ever succeeded), putting on a sock, or getting her favourite item from the wooden farm (right now that is a little basin where cows drink water). She goes after Paul when he goes to the toilet to see what is going on and eventually put her in the toilet to get a close by.

Let's see how her preferences evolve in one year!

Recycling bikes > Support the business idea!

I love innovative ideas in the sustainability area.

Therefore, when I heard about Roetz, and how old parts of bikes can be reused to build new bikes, I decided to support the business idea.

Here comes a message from Tiemen, who is the one behind this start-up. If you like the idea as much as I do, go into the web and give him your support!

********************************************************************************
Roetz-Bikes is a new start-up aimed at the production of new sustainable life-style bicycles using parts of discarded bicycles. We have entered the ASN Bank Wereldprijs sustainability contest, and could really use your votes to get us through to the final. The grand prize is €20.000, which we would invest in the production of a trial series of bicycles – which would greatly increase our chances of success. The contest ends October 15th, so please vote now, and spread the word!

Thanks for your support!

Tiemen
********************************************************************************


Concept
1.3 million new bicycles are purchased by the Dutch each year. This means that almost as much bicycles are discarded every year. An enormous waste, since many parts of discarded bicycles are very easily re-usable.
Roetz is determined to reduce this waste by sourcing bicycle wrecks on a large scale, and transforming them into new, retro-style bicycles. Along with re-used bicycle parts, other sustainable materials will be used to complete the bikes.

Team
Roetz was started by two young entrepreneurs experienced in supply chain and logistics. After several years in consultancy, an experience in the automotive industry inspired us to enter the bicycle market with a sustainable concept: Roetz-Bikes
For questions, comments or to show your interest in a Roetz-Bike, email us at info@roetz-bikes.nl

Raisins bags as "traktatie"

Children in The Netherlands have to offer little presents to the rest when they have their birthday, the so called "traktaties".
This year I decided to make use of my new sewing machine to prepare the "traktaties" for Anna's birthday.

Materials needed:
- A sewing machine
- Transparent foil
- A bag with raisings
- Tags with cartoons, the ones we used to collect as children
- Scisors



Instructions:
- Cut the transparent foil in an appropriate size to make the little bags.
- Sew the foil using a decorative pattern. Leave one side open.
- Fill in the bag with the raisins.
- Sew the upper side, making sure to add the cartoon tag.
- Write a little message in the back of the tag.



And your traktaties are ready!