Great for mosquito phobic outdoorophiles!

I don't know about you, but I cringe when I see moms spraying their children with DEET insect repellent. I practically want to scream at them when they spray it right on their skin. People have this misconception that if it is sold freely at stores it must be safe and good enough to eat. Well, guess what, DEET can kill, it is an extremely toxic chemical, and no wonder mosquitoes are repelled by it. You might as well spray Clorox on them, it would probably be safer!

So I was on the lookout for some natural way to repel mosquitoes for this summer because they absolutely love me. Moreover I now had an infant to protect from the blood suckers. When we had a trip to the lake in the forest planned for July 4th weekend I knew I had to find something quick. I stumbled upon Bug Bam, read some reviews, and decided I had to try it. It was very nice to receive some complimentary kids bracelets and a grid to test it out. The photo is of the kids bracelet on my baby's stroller. Here is a summary of my experience that will hopefully give you a good idea of what it is and why it is great to have:

Effectiveness: I'll be honest, I was skeptical. I have tried an OFF! repellent bracelet before (citronella) and it did absolutely nothing for me. The website states that Bug Bam has 95% effectiveness and I'll have to agree. It does not work 100%, nothing will for mosquitoes, not even toxic chemicals. I am happy to say though that using this on several occasions on or near my infant has kept her completely bite free. Although I had no bracelet I stayed near the grid most times and got maybe a couple of bites. Although if you are planning a deep woods outing, I recommend a bracelet on your wrist and ankle for maximum coverage and a stronger aura of scent. For the most part I think Bug Bam is ideal for your backyard, barbecues, evening walks, bike rides, fishing, and lakeside activities. It is also great for your four legged friend, they have Bug Bam tags that you can put on their collar.

Ease of Use: The bracelet and grids come in reusable bags. Just take it out, put it on, and you are set to go. Easy as that. This works great on infants, but now that my daughter is 6 months she has been showing some interest in it. So I have to keep it either on her ankle or on the stroller/baby carrier. My only constructive criticism though is that the bags rip easily, and while the bracelet is easy to place back in the bag, the grid takes some work. I wish the grid came in a slightly larger bag. If you have a toddler you would have to find a creative way to have it near him as he'll find a way to put it in his mouth - it isn't toxic, but neither is it edible.

Value: You can get two wrist bands for $7.95. One grid for porch, deck, or camping site use costs about the same. You can also get a dog tag around the same price range. I think you can even get a better deal and get a multi pack on QVC. In my opinion the price is fair for a non-toxic alternative to DEET repellents. A bottle of OFF! costs about $6.50, keep in mind that it is a toxic chemical you are paying money for. It is damaging to your health, especially if you don't use it properly.

Design: The bracelets look a lot like 'cause' bracelets that you get at fundraisers and such. It is red and comes only in that one color. It has a little clasp that is basically like a button that you insert in a little star shaped opening to close. It is adjustable. There is a cute inscription: "Because mosquitoes suck!" The grid is just a rectangle with a bunch of star shaped opening and a hook so you can hang it near your tent, canopy, or on the deck. Overall nice design, nicer than DEET spray in any case ;)

Ingredients: The bracelet itself is made of polypropylene. The citronella, lemongrass, and geranium give off a pleasant but very strong smell. Hey, the smell is a lot better than the sensation of five mosquitoes biting you at once! That said, it is non-toxic, recyclable, and quite Eco-friendly. They even have a recycling program in place. Send in 5 used bracelets and you get a gift in return. I don't know what it is, another bracelet?

EcoMama Green Factor: A natural way to repel mosquitoes gets my +4.5 thumbs up. Although the bracelet itself is petroleum based, the combination of natural citronella, geranium, and lemongrass plant oils is a safer and healthier way to repel mosquitoes than DEET.

CHECK OUT BUGBAM.COM FOR MORE INFO!

Review originally posted at Lunch.com

Disclaimer:

I did not receive payment in any form for this review.

I did receive a sample of the product or service for testing and review purposes. This will in no way sway my opinion of the product or service. The review is in my own words and is my own opinion. Your results and opinion may differ.

Mobile Cooking: Believe the Research, Not the Hoax

I am sure you received one of these e-mails before, or watched a YouTube video where cell phones are used to pop corn kernels or cook an egg. Well, technically it cannot be done, I haven't tried. Let us turn to more reliable data of the latest research on cell phones. For anyone on Mamapedia wondering if cell phones are alright for kids, look into the 2008 Swedish study by Professor Lennart Hardell. If you are not aware, many countries already warn their inhabitants on cell phone use. Not the United States of course, unfortunately we are known as a country where profits are above public health, whichever way you measure it.

This recent Swedish study is one of the most convincing on cell phone dangers to children. Professor Lennart Hardell of the University Hospital in Orebro, Sweden tells that:

"People who started mobile phone use before the age of 20 had more than five-fold increase in glioma."

Almost as great, at more than four times higher, is the extra risk to young people of contracting the disease from using the cordless phone found in many homes. The UK Independent featured an article on this issue in September 2008.

According to the May 27th, 2009 Times article, mobile phones will be banned in French primary schools and operators will have to provide handsets that only allow text messaging. While carriers insist there is no evidence that should lead to such measures, studies have been done. Moreover, even if those studies would show little harm from cell phones - no study has ever proven conclusively that cell phones are harmless when used over a prolonged period of time. Smoking was labeled as harmless until the 1940s. Will this be a similar time bomb waiting to explode? We'll just have to wait and see how many children using cell phones will develop brain tumors in 10-20 years. Cancer is already projected to be the leading cause of death worldwide by 2010. Among children, leukemia is second only to accidents. While there are many contributing factors to this drastic rise, nobody can rule out wireless technology as one of them.

Regardless of what the industry thinks, how long will it take for the world to find out the extent of the damage to our health caused by cell phones? How long will the industry continue to hide and avoid independent studies on the issue? Is your child's health really worth the convenience of having them constantly 'on the line'?

If you think "nah, my kids only talk for a few minutes a day," think again. That is in addition to constant wifi exposure, cell phone towers and transmitters in your neighborhoods, near or in their schools, cordless phones at home, and being surrounded by myriads of people who all have cell phones. So before you get that cell phone for your seven year old, consider the facts. Be wise, limit your cell phone use and never talk on the phone for a prolonged period of time. Maybe that old fashioned corded phone is good for something after all!

Photo credit: Sanja Gjenero

Soak up the Sun!

It is a sunny day! I consider that an anomaly because I can count the sunny days in June on one hand. With that in mind, take advantage of every sunny day left in July and August with kid and adult friendly beach parties, barbecues, picnics, lakeside retreats, and don't forget to invite friends and family along for the ride. Pear Tree has some great new designs for summer party invitations! Click on the link to check them out:

Summer Party Invites

Here is a sampling: