Lead, child labour and coffee holders for bikes
Given fuel costs and emissions, I’d rather cycle than drive — even in December. But can I get a coffee-cup holder for my bike?
I confess coffee is not my drink of choice when I’m riding my bike. However, cyclists who need a caffeine-fuelled commute will be delighted to know you don’t have to forgo your cup o’ joe. The Electra cup-holder mount runs about $22 (amazon.com). Soma Fabrications offers the Morning Rush system — a stainless-steel mount and mug with lid. It comes with this caveat: “Coffee is hot and potentially dangerous. Soma recommends you operate your mug only when your bike is stopped.” You’ve been warmed…er, warned.
I’m worried about the reports of lead in children’s toys. How do I avoid it...and do I need to?
Christmas 2007 will go down as the Year of the Lead-Tainted Toys. The upside? All those recalls awakened a lot of us to the potential dangers of lead — and the vast number of kids’ toys contaminated. Experts will tell you there is no “safe” level of lead for kids. The main danger to young children is brain damage causing impaired IQ, hyperactivity, developmental delays and aggression. Ingesting lead can also be fatal.
Clearly, it’s time to detox the toy box. Steer clear of “jewellery” and toys from vending machines. Give kids’ products made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) a toss. PVC itself is highly toxic and, what’s more, often contains lead. It’s often identifiable by its “beach ball” smell — think plastic toys, backpacks and so on.
And stay on top of the recalls — you can find them on Health Canada’s website. Also check out the respected site healthytoys.org, which does a good job of highlighting the issues and letting you know which products to avoid.
How do I know if something was made in a sweatshop or with child labour?
Unfortunately, our hunger for cheap products has spawned a race to the bottom, in which the world’s most vulnerable and often youngest workers suffer.
Unless a product is specifically accredited by the Fairtrade logo, which ensures the people who made it were not children and were paid a living wage, you can’t really be sure it wasn’t produced in a sweatshop or by a child.
Increasingly, consumer pressure is encouraging companies to develop codes of conduct, promising standards for workers regarding wages and safe working conditions. Some companies, such as American Apparel and Maggie’s Functional Organics, are building a platform on being sweatshop-free.
However, until consumers make it clear we won’t buy products made in sweatshops — and we’re willing to pay more to ensure workers are paid a decent wage — companies will continue to source the cheapest labour.
