Disposing of Fluorescents

A few months ago, I had talked about the totally unpublicized downside of Fluorescent lights, including the trendy new Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs): the disposal of the MERCURY in them.

This is a followup tale of two disposal scenarios: one of hope and one of despair ...

First, the DESPAIR ...

I've been saving two large fluorescent tubes in my garage for two years, meaning to eventually find and take them to the local recycling center for such things. My father-in-law was visiting for a week and volunteered to deal with these for me.

I felt that we had to drive them somewhere, but he decided to call our trash/recycling service that picks up paper and glass: Trash Away (who supposedly holds all appropriate permits and does things properly). The woman on the phone said to set them to one side and that the pickup crew would set them aside for special recycling.

Based on experience, I never believe anything that comes out of the mouth of HQ of our trash/recycling service. I figured that one of 3 things would happen when we tried this:

A) They would actually do what they said; the recycling truck would pick up the tubes and set them aside. This would be AMAZING and would restore my faith in humanity, or at least in our pickup service.

B) They would leave the tubes on curb

C) They would simply toss the mercury-laden tubes in with all the other garbage on the garbage truck.

So, pickup day came. I was nursing my newborn and watching from the window when the trash/recycling trucks came rolling into my court.

Drumroll please: the answer was: C (of course)
They tossed the mercury-laden tubes into the trash truck, where they will now leak mercury into a landfill or even worse into the air via incineration. Now just imagine mercury coming from every home in the country due to CFLs. Scary.

Now, the HOPE, to counter that sadness ...

After speaking to some of my friends at the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), they are going to talk to some of their action committees about having supermarkets pick up the torch and setup bins for CFL bulb collection and disposal/recycling. That would be excellent.

And in fact, it looks like some markets are already doing it! My friend Joanna reported that MOM (my organic market) in Northern Virginia is already doing it. Hurrah!

Hopefully we'll see some bigger markets follow suite ... Wegman's, Hannafords, Bloom, etc. (I won't hold my breath for Giant. My list of peeves against Giant just grows daily.)

The Baby Bottle Dilemma

You'd THINK that buying and using baby bottles would be easy? OH NO.

As I've discovered, that cute plastic bottle you are buying MIGHT (or might not) contain a chemical called bisphenol-A (BPA) which MIGHT (or might not) start to leach out when the bottle is heated/cleaned/sterilized and that MIGHT (or might not) be dangerous to your baby in terms of promoting cancer, etc.

The "mights" are what make this scenario really stressful. Depending on who you talk to and what you read, you get totally different messages, like ...
"Bottles MUST be boiled to sterilize them"
vs "Bottles CAN'T be boiled ... it will release the bisphenol-A"
UGH.

The only thing I know for SURE is that GLASS BOTTLES are ok, so my mom dredged up 2 of my bottles from 35 years ago (thank goodness my family is a bunch of pack-rats) and luckily EvenFlo still makes some glass bottles (Evenflo 4-Ounce Classic Glass Nurser 3 Pack, unfortunately no longer Made in U.S.A. but Hecho en Mexico) with the awesome product description of "Why risk having your baby ingest chemicals when you don't have to?" I am not the only one to have thought of glass, by the way; there is an article from April 2007 talking about the run on glass bottles after California released a toxicology report on the baby bottle issue.

However, even EvenFlo admits that plastic bottles are better as baby gets older and wants to carry/hold the bottle themselves. So, I set about researching plastic bottles. I found a good article that was originally written by Consumer Reports and is now on the Ecomall.com site, talking about the bisphenol-A bottle issue; here are the highlights:

* The FDA does not believe there is an issue with bisphenol-A, so these bottles are still on the market
* BPA leaches from bottles made of polycarbonate (clear, shiny) when they are exposed to heat (microwave, dishwasher, boiling, etc). Bottles made of glass or polyethylene (dull/opaque) don't have the issue
* As you may already have some bottles, and not know what they are made of, the advice given in the article is this:

---- Dispose of: All clear, shiny plastic baby bottles, unless the manufacturer tells you they're not made of polycarbonate.

---- Replace with: Bottles made of glass or an opaque, less-shiny plastic (the plastic bottles are often colored).

The Angry Toxicologist (my favorite blogger) has had a few comments on the BPA issue over the past year that I found enjoyable and interesting, too.

In the meantime, as I wait for my wonderful glass bottles to arrive from Amazon, I am left pondering my NUK starter set, which is 3 cute, clear plastic bottles. I wrote Gerber to confirm what the bottles were made of -- hoping that I could still use them -- and here is their response:

Safety is our top priority at Gerber Products Company. We have a history of helping parents raise happy, healthy babies, since 1928.

We are aware of recent media reports focusing on polycarbonate and Bisphenol-A (BPA). Bisphenol-A is a key component used to make polycarbonate plastic.

We would like to help consumers understand why leading manufacturers of baby bottles, including Gerber, have concluded that polycarbonate is safe.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has considered relevant data available regarding the use of polycarbonate and has concluded that products made with polycarbonate are safe for use as intended. Additionally, other leading scientific and regulatory authorities in Europe have concluded that the use of food contact polycarbonate for baby bottles is safe. In a recent letter to FIT Pregnancy magazine, the FDA stated that it sees no reason to ban or otherwise restrict the currently authorized food contact applications of polycarbonate.

The following Gerber Bottles are made of polycarbonate:
NUK® Orthodontic - 5oz
NUK® Orthodontic - 10oz ComfortHold® - 5oz with Slow Flow
ComfortLatch® Nipple ComfortHold® - 9oz with Slow Flow
ComfortLatch® Nipple Preemie - 2.5 oz

The following Gerber Bottles are not made of polycarbonate:
Gerber Clear View
Gerber Fashion Tint Gerber Gentle Flow

Best wishes from your friends @ gerber.com

Well, thanks for the note, Gerber. And I'm sure there are a lot of people who agree.

However ...

It took my husband and I three years to finally make our little boy. If there is a chance that he might be hurt by these plastics, we simply can't take a chance on them. So I'm going to go out and spend the oodles of money for a few of these new non-BPA plastic bottles (e.g. Medela makes some that match the breast pumps, and Born Free makes some as well) and a couple of glass ones. And, some lucky person on Craig's List -- a person who thinks that the BPA scare is a bunch of tree huggin' crap -- is going to get a great deal on a lot of plastic bottles.

Back to Sophistication for Victoria

Up until about 4 years ago, it was a treat to browse through Victoria's Secrets stores or catalogs, looking at the sleek items for sale. Colors were dark and rich, making you think of robust wines, candlelight, romantic evenings, etc. Six years ago, in fact, my husband bought me a beautifully lined, satin black robe that I absolutely adore. In fact, I treasure it so much that at this point I handwash it and only wear it on special occasions.

Why?

Because since about 4 years ago, the stuff that Victoria's Secrets has been selling has been trashy pink GARBAGE. As my husband commented "Who is their target market, now? First grade girls? Clearly they aren't targeting women old enough to want to impress men, because men are not impressed by cutesy pink panties with polka dots on them."

So, I was delighted to read that the CEO of Victoria's secrets has decided that it is time to go back to more sophistication and quality. It is refreshing to see an industry leader who has decided to blame lackluster sales on the product line rather than the sub-prime housing market issues or the general economy.

I wonder how much market research lead up to this completely obvious decision. I imagine that the marketing meeting went something like this:

***

Highly Paid Marketing Guru: Based on our extensive research, we've discovered that working aged women in their mid-twenties and older have more disposable income and a greater desire to purchase expensive lingerie items than primary-school aged girls.

VS Executives: Amazing! What do you suggest we do?

Highly Paid Marketing Guru: We suggest you sell products that the women with more money will want to buy

VS CEO: Let's go for it. Here's your million dollar paycheck for such incredible market insight.

***

Sarcasm aside, I am looking forward to the possibility that the predominance of pink trash will slowly be replaced by more appealing choices.

ETrade: Keep a paper copy!

So, I am trying to do my 2007 taxes, and I just got off the phone with Etrade. Here's the conversation I just had ...

Me: I've been trying for an hour to find my original "buy" transaction for my Pfizer stock, but I can't find it. I am very frustrated.

Etrade Phone Rep: Hmmm. When did you buy the stock?

Me: I'm not sure ... somewhere between 1995 and 2000, but I am not sure.

Etrade Phone Rep: Oh, that's the issue. We only keep transaction history for 7 years.

Me: You .. WHAT?

Etrade Phone Rep: Yes, you would have needed to keep paper records if you were intending on keeping your stock for over 7 years

Me: But, but, BUT ... you're "E"-trade. I should have been keeping paper records to back up a totally electronic trading site? What am I supposed to do about Cost basis for my Taxes?

Etrade Phone Rep: Well, you can ... [babbles about some form that can be used to tell IRS that you were too STUPID to write down your cost basis, but I can't hear her because my newborn -- who is clearly upset by Etrade's unbelievable deletion policy -- is shrieking at the top of his lungs.]

Me: I'LL BE SELLING ALL OF MY STOCK IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS AND CLOSING OUT MY ACCOUNT [I Hang up Phone and toss it unceremoniously across the room while I retrieve the baby]

So ... I'll be doing some selling today. I was tired of playing the stock market, anyways. It's one step away from gambling, sigh. In the meantime, I'll start rooting through some of the printouts I made in the early days and HOPEFULLY, I kept the transaction date and amount. Sigh.

The moral of the story:
If you aren't going to be doing FAST trading, Etrade is NOT for you.

Diapers.com ... Wow!

Now that I am using approximately 20 diapers a day, on a SLOW day, I have finally decided it is time to cost-comparison shop. My mother-in-law told me I should try Diapers.com, and passed along a coupon to me. I figured that once shipping was figured in, it would be more expensive, but was I pleasantly surprised!!!

First, the prices were lower than anything I've found so far. (NOTE: the wholesale club near us, COSTCO, doesn't carry Newborn diapers, so I have not been able to cost-compare there. And other more experienced moms tell me that if you keep a hawk-eye out for sales, such as at CVS and Target, you can in fact beat the Diapers.com price, but not with that initial coupon.)

Second, shipping is FREE if the order total is above $50, something that is EASY to do when you are ordering diapers.

Third, they have a huge selection, so I was able to try LUVs and Seventh Generation, which I had not yet found in Newborn Size.

Fourth, once I used the coupon code my mother-in-law sent to me, it was EVEN CHEAPER! (I just had to be careful that the total was still above $50 for the free shipping)

Once you order for the first time, you can signup for their referral program and get your own coupon code. I don't know how long this promotion lasts, but at this point, if you use the code "nitpicky" you'll get $5 off your first order (and I'll get a $1 credit, so everyone wins). So, feel free to pass along to anyone you know who is about to have a baby or has one. Especially here in the Newborn stage, when you really do NOT want to leave the house, this is a pretty swell service.

ISO: Made in U.S.A Men's Underwear

So, my hubby hasn't bought new boxers in 15 years. His current ones are so thin and worn that I am sure they are about to evaporate. So, time to get some new ones, I think.

His are John Weitz brand, Made in the U.S.A.
So, I set about trying to find them. One internet search finally turned up a phone number, and the woman informed me that they have not made boxers for over 10 years. (I think she thought I was totally insane, btw.)

So, I rumaged through the various "Made in the U.S.A" sites that I know of, and I've found two sites that may have some interesting boxers. I am going to try both of these and I'll repost once we've gotten them ...

Made in USA Forever, Wickers Men's Boxers ($17)
and
City Boxers ($16-$20)

I've got my fingers crossed he likes some of these, because the other Made in the U.S.A options seem to be quite slim.

First-time Parents: Buying clothes for Baby

I haven't posted since November ...
Between the holidays, birthing classes, my job, my pre-natal exercise regimen, and the arrival of Baby Nitpicky, posting on my blog has not been my #1 priority.

Now that Baby's been with us for 2 weeks, however, I am able to catch my breath and reflect on the successes and not-so-successes of the past weeks. I'd like to comment on clothing for newborns ... a topic that I clearly knew nothing about until two weeks ago.

The Nitpicky Consumer's Guide to Buying Newborn Clothing for First-Time Parents

1) One piece is better than many pieces.

A 'onesie' is a heck of a lot faster to put on a struggling newborn than a shirt + pants + socks. And if you've got a winter baby, you really want those feet covered. (Did I mention how quickly/easily babies can kick off their socks?)
Also, a point I had never even considered ... until the umbilical cord falls off (approx. 1-2 weeks), it is nearly impossible to use pants as the elastic usually hits right where that cord is.

2) Over the Head is BAD for new parents

A kicking, shrieking newborn does not like to have clothes put over his head. And if you have such clothes in your drawers, don't be surprised to find that Dad has 'resorted' the clothing after a particularly rough night. i.e. You'll find the over-the-head clothes in the garbage and the zipper/snap-front clothes not in the garbage.

3) Snaps are better than buttons, zippers are better than Snaps

Anything with an open front is good, but when you are after SPEED, buttons take third place, snaps take second and the ZIPPER takes the blue ribbon. [Note: If you have a winter baby, snaps do provide the advantage of being able to just unsnap the bottom half of the outfit, thus keeping the top half of baby nice and warm. I think other people solve this problem by putting on a little tshirt under the onesie, and letting this tshirt stay in place all day (or even for several days).]

4) The little sleeve 'cuffs' that can be folded over into 'mittens' are excellent

It took my husband and I quite some time to figure out what the 'backwards cuffs' were used for. In fact, we didn't figure it out ... my mother-in-law ended up telling us what they were. And once we finally figured this out, and flipped over the cuffs to make little mittens, it was wonderful! Anything that allows you to postpone trying to trim their little nails is really welcome.

5) Unisex colors and patterns are highly desirable

Although getting harder and harder to find (grrrrr), unisex patterns and colors are best. Sonograms can be wrong in predicting gender, and if there are plans for a second baby, wouldn't it be nice to be able to reuse many of the same clothes?

***

So, keeping in mind these 5 tips, here is my recommendation for the best overall outfit for use by first-time parents:

Gerber's ZIP FRONT SLEEP N PLAY onesies. Love them. Can't have enough of them. I wish they were "Made in USA" but you can't have everything, right? We've obviously got a winter newborn, so the long sleeves and long pants with built-in footies are really great for us.

And my husband likes the zipper. :>