Circle of Moms is looking for the top 25 eco-friendly mom bloggers. And I would love to be included. But right now, I’m way behind. So, please, go vote for me – TheSmartMama – just click on the circle below. It will take you to the list of sites up for the listing, and you need to scroll down to me – TheSmartMama.

You can vote one time per day through April 17, 2011. Thanks so much!

ecomom is sponsoring a series of #ecowed Twitter parties in support of ecomom’s fabulous contest to win a $75,000 Healthy  Home Makeover. That’s right – one lucky family will win a newly refreshed and healthy home. This is week two – and it is about the garden and the family room. I love gardening, so I’m particularly excited about this party.

And spring is the time to think about a newly refreshed and healthy home! Spring always makes me want to clean out the old, go green with the new, and invite people over for parties! So we will be talking with the founder of Plum Organics, Gigi Lee Chang, about how to entertain the family eco-friendly style. We will be talking about simplicity, food and celebrating new life!

As always, we’ve got prizes. Our fabulous sponsor ecomom is providing three (3) $20 gift certificates to the ecomom website, and a $100 gift certificate as the grand prize! Woot! To be eligible to win, you must (1) leave a comment on this blog with your Twitter handle and (2) participate in the Twitter party (don’t forget to use the #ecowed hashtag). If you haven’t participated in a Twitter party before, here’s a run down on how to participate in a Twitter party. 

Tweet with you on April 6, 2011 from 7 to 8 pm Pacific. Don’t forget to follow me http://twitter.com/thesmartmama), our sponsor @ecomom and @ecomomkimberly, and our guest expert @plumorganics.

But, I did get to emphasize how toys are safer than ever in the US. And, more importantly, I got to plug the Handmade Toy Alliance. 

From my behind the scenes view, everybody associated with the show was wonderful. The hosts were gracious and really fun.

How Much Lead is in Your Toys?: MyFoxLA.com

If you haven’t met me, I’m Jennifer Taggart. I blog as TheSmartMama. I’m a mom of 2, an attorney specializing in environmental and consumer product law, author of Smart Mama’s Green Guide: Simple Steps to Reduce Your Child’s Toxic Chemical Exposure, former environmental engineer, co-founder of 3 Green Angels, XRF wielding fierce non toxic green mama.

My blog grew out of my story that begin when my mom handed me Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring more than 25 years ago. The chapter that started with the silenced frogs because of DDT moved me to take action to be green. I took small steps – annoying my parents with reminders to turn off the lights and conserve water. I went to college and studied to become an environmental engineer. I worked as an environmental engineer - first as an intern at East Bay Municipal Utility District working on the toxic air emission program and then for Rocketdyne. I went to law school at night while working full time to practice environmental law.

I wanted to save the polar bears and the whales. But my efforts weren’t focused on me personally – it was all for a greater good.

I got married.

I tried to have kids. I had two miscarriages. Unexplained miscarriages.

I started questioning what I was eating, what I was slathering on my skin, what I was using to store my food. Were any of these things contributing to the miscarriages?

And then I got pregnant and stayed pregnant. The very global idea of being green became extremely personal. I did not want to expose my baby-to-be to mercury (in contaminated seafood), bisphenol a (in certain plastics and canned food linings), phthalates (in virtually all synthetic scents, including cleaning products and beauty products), and more. I started using my experience and education to read labels and to question the products I was using and to figure out how I could reduce my toxic chemical exposure and our children’s toxic chemical exposure.

When I was in a car accident with my son to be at 29 weeks, and I faced the risk of having him prematurely, I realized I would do just about anything to protect him.

And when he was born, I realized I would do anything to protect him.

And if I was willing to do that, then why would I expose him to toxic chemicals when alternatives exist? Why would I expose him to the 1,4 dioxane in Johnson & Johnson’s Head to Toe Baby Wash when I could use a product without 1,4 dioxane? Why would I use plastics that leach bisphenol A when I could use alternatives without BPA?

I’m not a helicopter mom by any stretch of the imagination. Anybody who knows me knows I’m not. But when it comes to toxic chemicals in our products when they are ready available alternates, why would I choose to expose my children?

At my new mom breastfeeding class at The Pump Station, I found out that the information I had gathered was of interest to other moms. So I started talking about, and then teaching classes on reducing toxic chemical exposures, and then I wrote the book and started the blog to share what I knew. And how you can reduce or eliminate toxic chemical exposures with simple steps. You don’t have to spend lots of money. Something as simple as taking off your shoes can reduce your toxic chemical exposure.

My journey continues as I call out companies and products for greenwashing. As I work with other moms to unite our voices for real change – such as eliminating environmental causes of cancer.

I’ve also launched a business related to my blog, and I use a Niton XRF analyzer to test consumer products for lead, cadmium and more. My XRF testing was part of the CPSC’s consideration to initiate a recall of 12 million McDonald’s Shrek glasses.

I use my blog and twitter (@thesmartmama) to promote my brand and my book as well as to inform and educate about toxic chemical exposures and the very easy simple steps anybody can do to reduce or eliminate those exposures.

I’m trying to change the world we live in. To reduce or eliminate toxic chemical exposures. To have parents have enough information to make informed choices. My goal is to eliminate lead as the top preventable environmental childhood poison – there is no reason our children should continue to suffer the effects of lead exposure – and to reduce or elimate childhood toxic chemical exposure from household cleaners, pesticides, beauty products and more. 

So, that’s me. I think my journey would be amazing as part of Project Mom Casting. I’ve definitely got  opinions, which of course, makes for exciting reality tv. So, pick me!

So, here’s the clip of my little bit more than 3 minutes of fame.

Yep, mama got her gun on TV.

According to a news article, Frederick Vom Saal, a professor of biology at the University of Missouri, found that hormone disruptor BPA does leach from the old SIGG liners, just at levels below the “level of quantitation” used by SIGG in its test reports. Remember? As I’ve posted about before, SIGG only tested at levels above 2 parts per billion (ppb). So below that number, SIGG couldn’t say whether or not leaching occurred. And to be frank, that’s why I never recommended SIGG and always stuck with stainless. Because aluminum must be lined, and those linings historically have contained BPA. SIGG wouldn’t disclose its proprietary lining so I wouldn’t recommend SIGG or any other aluminum bottle.

The problem with SIGG is that it claimed no leaching above 2 ppb. But the details of that claim got lost in the shuffle with consumers, and consumers assumed no leaching equaled no BPA. And SIGG took advantage of that assumption, dramatically increasing sales.

But below that level of 2 ppb, nobody knew what happened with SIGG bottles. Vom Saal states that he did test SIGG, and found that the bottles leached below 2 ppb. And Vom Saal, and others like him, believe that BPA’s hormone disrupting effects occur at the parts per trillion (ppt) level.

If you haven’t read about the SIGG/BPA controversy, suffice it to say that when SIGG admitted in a company letter posted online a little bit more than a week ago that its pre-August 2008 bottles had BPA in their liner, a tempest was created. Consumers were upset. Bloggers posted harsh criticism of SIGG, expressing feelings of betrayal by the company lauded for its perceived greenness.

Yesterday, SIGG posted another letter on its website. This new letter from SIGG’s chief executive officer Steve Wasik states that the first letter “may have missed the mark.”  Boy is that an understatement! The letter states that while “SIGG never marketed the former liner as ‘BPA Free’ [SIGG] should have done a better job of both clearly communicating about [its] liner as well as policing others who may have misunderstood the SIGG message.”

Hello? Personally, I think SIGG continues to mislead consumers by relying now on the claim that it never promoted its bottles as BPA free. SIGG actively let others do that, and reaped the benefits, as detailed by Z Recommends in a most excellent blog post.

Wasik admitted surprise over the harsh response in a telephone interview reported by The Associated Press. I don’t believe he didn’t anticipate such a reaction. He told Z Recommends that he knew about BPA in the liner in 2006, and he should have told the public, not demand retractions from the Organic Consumer Association and the Environmental Working Group in March 2007 about BPA in SIGG liners. And SIGG certainly should not MOCK concerned moms.

Want to dump your SIGG? You can – SIGG will swap it out for a new bottle, you just have to pay shipping.

Want to switch out of SIGG completely? You wouldn’t be alone. A lot of people are angry at SIGG. TheSoftLanding is hosting the Big Bottle Swap – you can swap your aluminum SIGG for a stainless steel bottle. Use the form, send your old aluminum SIGGs to TheSoftLanding, and you’ll get a 30% off coupon to buy new stainless steel bottles. And TheSoftLanding will properly recycle the old SIGG bottles. A pretty good deal.

And, I have to say, the BetterTV people rock. So check it out.

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TheSmartMama offers XRF testing services for lead content for compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). 

I offer the services by mail and in person. The cost is $5 per test or $100 per hour. Generally, hourly rate is more cost effective. I photograph the product to be tested, and prepare a report with the photograph and the XRF test results by product part. I provide the calibration information for quality control on the XRF test report. This test report can be used for the general conformity certificate (GCC). 

Generally, the manufacturer (or importer) prepares the GCC because there may be requirements in addition to the lead content. Remember, the GCC is supposed to certify the product for all applicable regulations. So, for example, all clothing is supposed to make the flammability requirements. Virtually all clothing, with the exception of children’s sleepwear, meets this requirement BY THE EXEMPTION for weight of fabric – that’s why you never worry about it. The GCC should reflect both the lead content certification and the certification for weight of fabric exemption for flammability. 

Because of the stay of testing and certification, you still do NOT need to do third party accredited testing for most children’s products. Yes, third party testing is required for lead in paints and coatings manufactured after December 22, 2008. Yes, third party testing is required for lead in metal children’s jewelry manufactured after March 23, 2009. But, for most children’s products, lead content testing can be performed using XRF technology, at least until the stay expires on February 10, 2009. 

What is XRF Analysis? 

I use a Niton XRF analyzer.  X-ray fluorescence basically involves exciting the electrons in elements and reading the characteristic energy emitted.  The Niton XRF analyzer can read lead, cadmium, chromium, etc. 

XRF and the CPSIA 

XRF testing can be used to comply with certain provisions of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).  Specifically, XRF can be used to determine whether existing inventory is compliant with the lead content limit for children’s products.  The Consumer Product Safety Commision (CPSC) has explicity stated that XRF can be used as the basis for a reasonable testing program for lead content in children’s products.

Are you worried about toxic chemicals in your home? 

Are you trying to make your home healthy? 

Are you looking to identify potential toxic chemicals in the home?

Do you have questions you want answered about your children’s exposures to toxic chemicals? 

Do you wonder whether your child’s toys are contaminated with lead, chromium or cadmium?

Do you want to know if you can do anything to reduce toxic chemicals in your home? Do you want to make a “green” non-toxic nursery or home?

Let me help! 

I’m available for home, telephone or shopping consultations.  I can help you create a nursery that is less toxic and more green.  Why should your mattress contain flame retardants, your crib offgas formaldehyde or the mattress cover contain phthalates?  I can help identify non-toxic alternatives. 

Worried about your household cleaners and what is in your shampoo and other beauty products?  I can also help you decipher labels and go shopping to replace products. 

I can also show you how to make green cleaners or personal care products at home, or just help you figure out what is good about what you have.  Let me come to your house and we will make green cleaners together, or diaper cream, or even a personalized perfume free of phthalates!  I bring the materials to you!

Test for lead in toys!  I can test your child’s toys and other household goods for lead, cadmium, chromium and several other elements, including bromine as an indicator of flame retardants.  I use a portable Niton XRF analyzer (an xray fluorescence analyzer).  We can check the toy box!  To read more about how the toy testing works, please read here.  This service is also great for day cares and schools.  Plus, I can test toys by mail – it is a small charge.  Just contact me to discuss.

Home consultations in the Los Angeles area are $200 for 2 and 1/2 hours. 

Another option – put a group together – we can do a healthy home workshop or toy test party!  Here are some group options:

• Ladies Green Night Out!  We can make our own perfume using organic essential oils.  You can have your own personalized scent, free of phthalates and synthetic ingredients.
• Eco-mamas.  Wondering how to make your own diaper cream and diaper wipes – grab some other moms and I’ll show you how. 
• Green your clean.  Want to green your cleaning – grab some like-minded folk and we will do that.  We can put together a variety of different cleaners and talk about the hazards associated with conventional cleaners. 
• Toxic toy box.  Wondering whether your toy box is toxic?  I can test toys too using an XRF analyzer.  It will test for lead, cadmium, chromium, mercury, bromine as a measure of flame retardants, chlorine as an indicator of PVC plastic and possibly phthalates, etc.

Some comments from happy clients:

On a Healthy Home Workshop:

I just wanted to give a shout out to Jennifer at TheSmartMama. She did an at home workshop for me and 8 friends last week and it was so informative. She had great handouts and answered all our questions.  She even checked out the ingredients in some of my stuff and used her lead reader to check my kids’ lunchboxes. If you know exactly what kind of questions you have and what you want to know more about- she will design a whole workshop around it. We did a basic overview because we were all pretty clueless. Anyway, I wanted to let everyone know what a great resource she is.

Los Angeles mom, Whitney.

On a Healthy Home Workshop:

Whoa. I just hosted a workshop in my home tonight with Jennifer
Taggart www.thesmartmama.com about toxins in the home-cleaners,
drinking cups, shampoos etc.

I have read so many new books on going green and toxic stuff in your
makeup and cleaning supplies that its overwhelming. I’m tired of the
fear mongering and just want someone with a good brain and a science
background to save me the full time job of deciphering all those
contradictory studies out there and weeding through all the web stuff
you read on these topics.

Jennifer not only knows what’s green but what’s safe…As green gurus
go, she’s really moderate and educated and as skeptical as I am about
what she reads.

I learned a ton from her workshop. She even tested some of my dishes
and toys for lead on the spot. I recommend her heartily.

I can’t wait until her book comes out. She does in-home consults for
a fee. What we did was get a bunch of friends together to split the
cost and gave her a list of concerns to speak to. It was fabulous and
a great bargain because we could share the cost. If anyone wants to
have her speak, let me know because I want to hear her again.

Los Angeles mom and business owner, Kayla.

On a Healthy Home Workshop:

I attended this workshop and walked away feeling soooo lucky that Jennifer is available and shares her intensive knowledge with us.  I don’t know if all of us on PH realize what a tremendous resource Jennifer is to us and believe me, I don’t think that, after the cost of printing booklets for us (which really could be sold as books in and of themselves) and giving so much of her time that she really made a penny.  She just knows and cares so much about us and our children!

Today Emily at Eden’s Closet hosted a free toy (and makeup) testing by “TheSmartMama” aka Jennifer Taggart. It was excellent. Jennifer (an environmental engineer) spent a lot of time testing a number of my son’s toys (she discovered one had way over the acceptable limit in ARSENIC!). Very knowledgeable — and comes to your home! A big thank you to Emily and Jennifer…

Los Angeles mom, Myra.

On a Healthy Home Consult:

I had Jennifer (the smart mama) come to my house last week to test my
children’s toys for lead, phthalates, and other toxic chemicals. She
tested my daughter’s bed as well, and we talked about easy ways to
further make my home ‘green’.

She is friendly and easy-going, and it was a joy to work with her.

I was so pleased, I just had to tell everyone.

Los Angeles mom, Caroline.

On a Healthy Home Consult:

I just had a consult with Jennifer Taggart, The Smart Mama, and I am so surprised that the drawer liners for my daughter’s dresser had an abundance of lead in them . . . and so many other things I would have never expected!!  I just moved into an older home that had been renovated so I wanted her to test many areas of the house.  What an incredibly valuable service she provides!! I wish I had done it sooner, as awareness is half the battle.  I cannot recommend her enough!!  Thanks again to peachhead for helping me to lear about so many things through so many wonderful people!!

Los Angeles mom Jennifer.