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April Fools Day! Welcome to an emergency Green Moms Carnival where some very concerned and wonderful moms, women, and bloggers want to educate, inform and empower others to learn about some potentially hazardous ingredients in our babies’ bath soaps and lotions. Women with different backgrounds and educational levels on the chemical compounds, laws, and details but sharing a common thread of being passionate and dedicated to spreading an educated and insightful message that we hope you take very seriously (this means the companies too). This is not something we are taking lightly or throwing out there without research and strategic efforts to reach as many viewing eyes as possible so please don’t think us foolish.
First, let me begin by telling you that I am not better than anyone, I used Johnson and Johnson products on my son (he’s four now) but I did not know any better. My mom used it and I received bucket loads of it for my baby shower. Who would think that the FDA does not approve the ingredients and concoctions of chemicals put into bottles before they are put on the shelf, marketed to us, and bought? The FDA has prohibited 9 ingredients and regulates color additives but the European Union prohibits 1,100. This just shows you how out of date we are in the U.S.
With babies having skin that’s 30% thinner and most parents use more than one personal care product on their child (soap, lotion, diaper cream, etc.). Add all of this exposure up over time and what we have is a toxic brew. We have a lot of unknown risks to our children. This is why when the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report disclosed their findings of known carcinogens in baby bath products and I discovered that Johnson and Johnson announced their Big Bubblin’ Star YouTube Campaign promoting their products it became very real how misinformed parents are and how urgent it is for the Kid-Safe Chemical Act to pass. Note: I say misinformed not at an insult or to the fault of any mother or parent. What Do These Women Bloggers Have To Say?
Jennifer our Smart Mama who knows the compounds, the details, and the law she is angry. She is mad that Angie Harmon is behind a campaign but totes being an organic loving mama but then supports Johnson and Johnson and their Bubble Bath Campaign. Jennifer gives you the details on the ingredients, the background of the report, and the fact the FDA does not protect us from the chemical concoctions put onto the shelf for us to buy.
Lynn of Organicmania.com points out toxins in our baby care products really are NO JOKE! This is serious stuff and it needs to be taken seriously. Lynn spoke to Johnson and Johnson and as she mentioned, this is not just their problem alone but standing behind the FDA and their limits don’t give much of a shield. It is an excuse. Lynn does a great job at pointing out that from a marketing standpoint those using safer ingredients and trying to stand on the right side of the line cannot spend what Johnson and Johnson do on marketing. I love how she wants to know what Johnson and Johnson has to say about the Kid-Safe Chemical act. I certainly hope they leave a comment here!
Beth of Fake Plastic Fish pulls a prank and joins me in celebration of the day! Beth isn’t joking about the important issues involved here. She really hits the nail on the head discussing the J&J marketing technique using word of mouth marketing and other moms!
Jess from The Green Phone Booth admits to not knowing everything about the ingredients but she knows that she trusts the EWG and all the hard non-profit work they do to protect us and that the Kid-Safe Chemical Act is needed to protect our children from bathing in toxic chemicals. Her honest plea to Johnson and Johnson and the list of wants she wants from Johnson and Johnson and all companies so she can trust them is compelling. Jess goes onto writing a second post passionately about this issue declaring transparency in our baby care products!
If you missed it, MaryAnne writes at EcoChild’s Play a post about the flaws in the Johnson and Johnson Campaign and her plea for them to end the campaign after the EWG Toxic Tub report. Hmmm, do you think they’ll go through with it?
Perhaps not and that’s okay but I’m hopeful it could happen. I am hopeful that it will happen to see that it is generating such a buzz and a company creating such a social media buzz should know that it isn’t cool to promote baby care products that have known carcinogens in them. I’m also hopeful when I read Jennifer of The Green Parent write about all the ways that Johnson and Johnson could win back her trust. How they tout being earth-friendly and have some outstanding mission statements on their site but isn’t it all greenwashing?
Good friend, Katherine from the Safe Mama brings up a good point that the EWG report doesn’t even mention the other harmful ingredients such as phthalates, triethanolamine, and parabens and I love how she says that if you knew what was in the products that are on the shelf you wouldn’t wash your car let alone your baby with them!
As Anna from Green Talk puts it, the J&J Bubble Bath campaign is just another “log on the fire” as to why we need the Kid-Safe Chemical Act. Anna spells out the FDA comments on personal care ingredients and just how blatant it is that the FDA isn’t protecting us like some might think because there is no premarket approval companies have to seek.
Alicia from The Soft Landing spells out exactly what you can do to take action and not just sit back and let big companies pull the wool over our eyes! Supporting the Kid-Safe Chemical Act and helping all of us to tell J&J that this campaign should stop until they make safer products for our children and that if they really want to lead the way then they should get behind the Kid-Safe Chemical Act!
I lov
e how Karen from Best of Mother Earth voices a sincere frustration for being tired of needing a chemistry degree to understand labels and she lists some ingredients for moms and people in general to avoid. Karen is such a passionate writer and believer in all things good for our health and the environment. She so wonderfully points out how we have to look for alternatives.
Micaela from Mindfull Momma reminds us all how difficult it is to tell what a natural ingredient is and what is not and therefore we need to have trust because we aren’t all chemists. Micaela also outlines the steps for how to take action and writing your congressman is another way to support this cause!
Katy from Non-Toxic Kids spells it out like it is, we are angry, well researched, and will be heard so companies listen up and moms get on board and start demanding transparency and support the Kids Safe Chemical Act! Katy draws attention to how China pulled all the products off their shelves but did the U.S. react?
Diane from Big Green Purse and one of Glamour Magazine’s 70 Eco Heros flat out says she will cease to be a Johnson and Johnson customer until they remove the compounds 1, 4 dioxane, and formaldehyde. Diane urges all of us to contact our legislators Representative Henry Waxman, Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee because he is responsible for the oversight in the areas of public health, consumer protection, drug safety, and the environment. Full details are at Diane’s website Big Green Purse.
Alline of Passion for Green Business writes so passionately about the dangers of beauty products and cosmetics and her own concern over what she put onto