Back to School

By Danielle

Raise your hand if you’re ready for your kids to go back to school? 🙋🏼‍♀️

I don’t mean to sound like an ass, but *sigh* I’m tired and I just want to pee alone again. It’s almost August. It’s hot. The kids and I have done almost everything on our summer bucket list. We’ve been to the pool 698 times. We’ve gone out for ice cream 2,347 times. Time to tap out!

It’s also time for the massive back to school sales (which started before school even ended— for duck-sakes!”) #relaxTargetChristmaswillbeheresoonenough

So, before you go out gobbling up those school supplies, let’s take a look at some healthier options.

Wait. What? School supplies are school supplies. You mean to tell me that some of these are unhealthy?

Uhm…yeah. They can be.

Did you know that the water bottles your little one innocently sips from can be packed with lead? Or that backpacks can contain PVC (yes, like the pipe), BPA, and phthalates that absorb into their hands each time they touch it? Would you have ever thought that their lunch containers could have heavy metals them?

Well, they can have all of this…and more.

Why is this important? Children are more vulnerable to heavy metals and harmful chemicals because they absorb it more easily than adults, and are unable to metabolize them efficiently. Their little bodies and organs are still rapidly growing and developing, therefore, overloading the body and making it hard to naturally eliminate these toxins and toxicants. The “filter” called the blood brain barrier (which prevents toxic substances for passing from the blood stream into the brain tissue) is less developed in kids. Furthermore, some people have an extra hard time detoxing their bodies due to certain gene mutations (like the MTHRF mentioned in this post on Body Burden, and also, sadly enough, our nutrition isn’t always doing us any favors.

Hmmm…Ok…so what should we do?

Most of us know to look for BPA free plastic drink containers, but did you know that when the manufacturers took out BPA (Bisphenol A) they just replaced it with BPS (Bisphenol S)—which is basically BPA’s red-headed step child?! Sorry, red heads…and step-children. I’m not picking on y’all.

When a company removes a chemical that’s getting a lot of media coverage, they look for substitutes— it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re choosing ones that are healthier though. As we learned in my Poo Poo the Fragrance post, there aren’t a lot of government guidelines and regulations, and literally anything goes—they can use whatever the Duck they want! (oh come on, Autocorrect!!)

BPA and BPS are endocrine disruptors—meaning they can mess with hormones and create something called xenoestrogens. Xenoestrogens mimic estrogen production and can cause cellular changes in organs, such as prostate enlargement and accelerated puberty, as well as harm the brain, the heart and can cause behavior issues and weight gain. They are found in toys, plastic food and drink containers, canned food containers, and receipt paper (always, always, always ask for an emailed receipt—or opt for no receipt at all! Also, never use hand sanitizer and handle receipt paper—the hand sanitizer makes the BPA absorb into your skin faster!).

So where can BPA & BPS hide? Back packs, lunch bags, pencil cases, drink cups/water bottles, straws, food storage containers, etc.

Do your best to avoid plastics as much as possible… and for the love of Ron Burgundy, never ever HEAT PLASTIC CONTAINERS!!!

Lead (and other heavy metals): is another highly toxic substance that is found in some school and lunch supplies. Lead is a naturally occurring metal that, when absorbed, can cause serious illness and impair neurological development. Even in 2019, we still find lead in paint. Paint that’s on the decorative parts of our water bottles, inside our water bottles, on our children’s toys…and in a lot of other places you just wouldn’t think lead would be hiding.

But wait, I thought lead paint was a thing of the past? Lead in domestic paint (used for color and durability) was banned in the United States in 1978, but many paint and toy manufacturers (especially toys/products coming out of China) unfortunately, still use it because it is cheaper than alternatives like titanium dioxide and, once again, here’s where our government regulations fail us. The Toxic Substances Control Act was passed in 1976 with the intent of regulating substances that presented an “unreasonable risk of injury or health” to consumers, especially children. Unfortunately, testing and reporting fall short due to expense and the volume of products that come to market.

Lead accumulation usually occurs through repeated low level exposure and can lead to numerous health conditions: neurological damage, lowered IQ scores, kidney and other organ damage, and seizures. Anything over 90ppm is considered unsafe…but in my personal opinion, any amount of lead, for children especially, is unsafe.

Other heavy metals of concern are: aluminum, cadmium, mercury, and antimony

So where does lead hide? Aside from paint, many stainless steel water bottles can contain lead. I know, I know…right when you think you’re doing something good by not using plastic, I throw this little monkey wrench in the mix! Some stainless steel water bottles like Corkcicle and older model Hydro Flasks can contain lead. There could also be leaded paint on the outside of a stainless steel or glass bottle. Crayons are another source of lead. Ugh…stop the insanity!

Ok, so WTF do I look for when I’m shopping for school supplies?

Ima gonna help ya:

Water bottles: stay far far away from plastic—even if it’s BPA free!! Choose glass or high quality stainless steel (never aluminum— it has been suspected to cause neurotoxicity of the blood brain barrier). My kids use Klean Kanteen’s Classic Insulated water bottles. Make sure to get the insulated ones, though, as they stay cold longer. We also use Life Factory glass water bottles with silicone sleeves to prevent breakage. Both have been proven to be lead and BPA free.

Food storage/lunch containers: again, stay far away from plastics and, instead, opt for glass or stainless steel (see a pattern developing here?). Yes, they are a little expensive but they will last for YEARS and your kids can beat the crap out of them. My kids have had the same lunch containers for the last 6 years (since their preschool days!) and they’re still in great condition. We use Lunchbots bento boxes. I love that you can just pop them in the dishwasher after a long day of work and playing Mom Taxi. Lunchbots also makes leak-proof condiment containers that I use for storing fruits and veggies for school snacks.

Planet Box is also a great option! They are proven lead free and you can buy lunch bags to specifically carry them. I love when companies multi-task!!

Backpacks: this can be a tough one with your kids—at least it is for my kids. They want the cool packs to express their individuality. I get it. Look for backpacks that come from naturally sourced materials like denim, hemp, cotton, canvas, etc. What you want to be particularly aware of are the ones that STINK—those ones have all kinds of harmful chemicals in them. Try to avoid shiny, metallic, or sparkly ones, but you can go to town on the reverse sequin, mermaid-type backpacks—as long as they don’t have an obvious, strong odor. Check out this cute little canvas backpack I found on Amazon here.

Crayons & Markers: This is a really tough one because EVVVVVVERY school, preschool, doctors office, and restaurant has crayons. They can contain low levels of lead and other heavy metals and even low levels can be dangerous if ingested. My best advice is to 1) NOT let your child put them in their mouth and/or chew them 2) make sure the crayon has a wrapper on it 3) wash their hands frequently when using them. I would love to see preschools move away from crayons but when I have suggested it in the past, I get the wonky-eyed look. We threw our crayons out years ago and switched to unscented, non-toxic markers and colored pencils.

Remember, the whole idea is to reduce your body burden—not to give yourself an aneurism. Choose your battles wisely—maybe give in to that hoodie they’ve been wanting but make it perfectly clear that their water bottle or lunch container is non-negotiable. Small swaps can make a huge impact when it comes to every day items and growing bodies.