The battle continues to save homemade, but the scope of the war is larger than I had realized.

In response to the discovery of harmful levels of lead and phthalates in mass-produced toys, Congress has passed the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act, which goes into effect on February 10th. This act requires mandatory third-party testing for specific sarety standards and (permanent) labelling of compliance.

The cost of this well-intentioned act, when put into practice, would put a lot of small companies out of business, companies who have never had any safety issues with their products.

The Act also applies to jewelry, blankets, clothing- pretty much anything that could be construed as marketing to children.

Stop to consider how many jobs that will impact, in an economy already returning record levels of unemployment.

The Act will shut down entire sectors of Etsy– creative entrepeuners being punished, in effect, for the sins of big business.

It would take down those individuals who sell their wares at craft fairs, as well.

And, as Trent at the Simple Dollar points out, this will mean that children’s clothing will no longer be available for purchase at secondhand stores; causing consignment shops like Once Upon a Child to fold, and ultimately directing all used children’s clothing to landfills.

I would assume that this would make it technically illegal to sell your used children’s goods at yard sales, as well.

Save homemade! Save secondhand!

Think about it… if this Act holds as it stands, the only products we will have available next christmas to buy for our children will be the mass-produced crap sold at Toys R Us, Walmart (Walmart and McDonalds, the only two companies who gained on the Dow last year, do not forget), and Target.

Save choice, save creativity, save individuality, save the entrepeneurial spirit on which the American Dream is based.

Join the fight to save handmade!

• Cool Mom Picks has compiled a comprehensive action guide.
• Join the Help Save Homemade Toys group on Facebook.
• Please help to spread the word!

I’ve just realized that Delaware MomsLikeMe.com now allows me to embed videos.

This is the bit on “Green Cleaning” that we shot back in July, which they titled Your Time to Go Green.

Just before filming, Jeff reminded me “not to come off as some crazy hippie”.

Instead I came across as robotic and boring! Ah well, better luck next time.

Enjoy- Don’t laugh-

I think I can, I think I can…

Need some motivation with your New Year’s Resolutions?

Get Organized:

Zen Mind: How to Declutter. Or any other article on this website. I recommend starting with The Beginner’s Guide to Zen Habits.

Online Lists can help keep you on track, or if you like to write things down, you can try these Printable calendars, price book pages, and budget sheets.

Go Green:

10 No-Cost Ways to Go Green

9 Tips for the Green Parent in 2009

Vote green with your dollar:

• by refusing to support these 100 un-environmentally friendly companies (via Green Daily);
• by shopping small and local businesses whose practices you support (Walmart and McDonald’s were the only Dow gainers last year, let’s make that a one time thing);
• and by using the Good Guide to steer you toward more eco-friendly choices.

Get Outside:

The average American spends four hours a day in front of the TV. That’s 28 hours a week, 112 hours a month, 2 months a year. (Two months a year!)

1 in 3 children are overweight or obese; food intake tends to increase by as much as 134% after viewing commercials featuring food.

Studies indicate outdoor play leads to coginitive and health benefits, and that the more green your neighborhood, the better the effects on weight and health.

Get outside!

Get in Shape:

In addition to making you healthier, happier and less stressed, exercise may make you smarter.

Go exercise!

Quit smoking:

A full quarter of the crud dirtying up our oceans…. cigarette butts. Yuck.

Try reading How to Quit Smoking Without Losing Your Mind, which makes an interesting point on why it’s so hard, emotionally, to kick the habit:

For years, I dealt with unwanted feelings by smoking until they disappeared. When I had an argument with someone, I ended it by excusing myself to have a cigarette. If I thought I was about to cry, I smoked. As a person with no small level of social anxiety, I can tell you that having an addiction that allowed me to step outside of parties and stand by myself for upwards of ten minutes per hour was quite useful.

Um, yep. That sounds about right.

Read More:

The typical American reads four books a year (not included in that count are the one in four that read no books!).

Only one out of every six reads more than a book a month.

According to the Barnes & Noble bestseller list, 3 of the top 10 books in 2008 were from…. the Twilight series. (The 4th came in at #13.)

Yes, I read them too, but certainly we can do better than that!

Here’s a dire thought: how many Americans, do you think, read only those four books last year?

43% of all literary readers perform volunteer and charity work compared to 17% of non-literary readers. The more books people read the more active and involved they are in their communities through volunteerism, philanthropy, and politics.

Reading makes you a better person!

Go read something!

For Bonus Inspiration:

How to Achieve Anything

For No Good Reason:

My sister-in-law’s delicious risotto with leeks and mushrooms (Molly, I don’t even like mushrooms, and I was kicking myself that I didn’t score some of the leftovers)

And a (fake) trailer for the Thundercats movie. THIS. IS. AWESOME.

(embedded video, click through to view)