I had no idea the ripple effect one article could have. Since the piece came out the other day on News.com , we’ve seen a tremendous amount of traffic to the site. A lot of it coming from all the other blogs and websites that are interested in the same things we are - conservation, social responsibility, sharing, parenting, saving money, etc.

Check out this, admittedly incomplete, list. And thanks to everyone who’s been writing about us and spreading the word.

Yahoo

HiTech Dads

Lifehacker

SmartPlanet

Green Daily

Gray Matters

Ookkee.com

Mandy Levenberg

Divine Green

CBSMarketwatch

We received some nice coverage today on News.com in an article entitled “Going green, one crib at a time”.

The story does a great job of talking about the socially and environmentally conscious aspects of Zwaggle.

While there was only one member interviewed for the piece, I thought her first quote was spot on.
“When you’re a parent you see such ridiculous consumerism; it just feels good to pass it on, and especially to someone who really needs (the stuff),” Husum said. “It feels like the right thing to do in this environmentally conscious world we’re living in now.”

Of course there are many reasons to Zwaggle, but helping out others and the environment at the same time are clearly two big ones and something we’ve addressed before .

The article also touches on topics such as the genesis of the idea, how easy and inexpensive it is to Zwaggle and some of our bigger picture views on the site. Lots of interesting topics covered.

If you have a minute, check the full piece out here and let us know what you think.

Every time I turn on the news, I see another product recall. Lead based paint is the latest, but there are always recalls for safety. Date rape drugs in toys given to toddlers, toys that can cause strangulation, paint that causes mental retardation, small magnets that cause intestinal perforation or choking - it almost makes a mother want to let her child play with measuring cup, twigs and sticks. Wait - that plastic in that cup could be chemically treated, and those twigs and sticks might be coated in pesticide. What’s a mom to do?

Well, for starters, check out these lists, published by the manufacturers. Mattel, one of the affected companies with many recalls, has a safety list here - and there is an exhaustive list over here at the CPSC. Most of the major toy manufacturers have their own websites, and a quick peek at their lists of recalls would help to relieve your concerns. If you have toys that are recalled, follow the manufacturer’s directions. Return or destroy the affected item.

Your baby still needs something to play with, though, and that’s where you can use something like The Cool Mom Picks Safer Toy Guide. There is a multitude of products listed, from birth up to school age, and all are certified safe and non toxic. Some of the companies offer discount codes.

Don’t forget to look here on Zwaggle - there are lots of toys listed that are certain to fit the needs of your family, keeping everyone entertained, happy, and most importantly, safe.