The only reason I ever thought of buying a shopping cart cover was to pad the skinny little wires, which, from my vantage point as an adult, look mighty uncomfortable for small tushes. But then I'm always shoving my coat, or their coats, hats and all manner of pillowy belongings in right beside them anyway.But physicial comfort is not what the makers of these cute little liners are selling us; they're selling us supposed protection from the big, bad germ bugs looming on the handlebar; leftover, no doubt, from the unwashed, diaper diving hands of some other mother's little heathen.
That's what they're selling.
Of course, according to Healthytoys.org, with this particular cover -- The Shop 'n Learn Cart Cover made by Fisher Price -- you also get 153 parts per million of lead, 240 parts per million of bromide and 19 parts per million of Arsenic.
Kinda glad I opted for the common cold.
11 comments:
Holy crap. That is a lot of garbage in that thing. GAH!
Thanks for letting us know.
That's really just sad. Most moms buy these and are so proud of themselves for making these great healthy decisions for their baby's well being and then BAM!! This is worse than letting your kid catch a cold and build up a good hearty immune system! UGH.
I wonder if 19 parts per million of Arsenic is more dangerous than all the bacteria floating around in the air of the supermarket itself??
Just a thought.
Later, Kcoz
Wow! That's amazing.
Not that I am advocating this product...nor that I knew anything about it until this moment.....BUT:
As a biochemist with specialty in Microbiology, I have to say, considering that the bug very easily can be E.Coli or Salmonella, I have to say 19 parts per million of Arsenic is less harmful...
And those E.Coli and Salmonella will not make the immune system strong; they just go directly for jugular!
I know the arsenic is low, but the lead is in the medium rage.
I would agree that e.Coli and Salmonella are NOT the same as the common cold, but I wonder if they're more likely to be contracted through contact with countertops at home or from consuming undercooked meat before they'd be picked up from a pushbar on a shopping trolley?
Well toyfoto, anyone that had a trip to a washroom and did not wash his/her hand properly and was carrying the E-coli for example in his/her precious stool (even with no symptom for himself/ herself), can easily transfer the bugs to the card and so on and so forth...
Personally I am not that “bug conscious” - maybe because of my profession:) - but if we are going to be "heavy metal conscious" then we can go all the way... The shopping card is actually as dirty and terrible - from a microbiologist point of view -as the public toilet doors....
One more question, from a microbiologist's point of view if you will:
What about antimicrobial soaps and the increased use of hand sanitizers? Could they be damaging to the environment or exacerbating the "superbug" situation?
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-kids/baby-toddler/travel-gear/shopping-cart-covers/shopping-cart-covers-4-07/overview/shopping-cart-covers-ov.htm
That's what Consumer Reports has to say: Better off washing your hands.
So about the antimicrobial soaps and the increased use of hand sanitizers:
I believe not only they harm the environment but also they put the equilibrium of life out of balance. I think the whole defense mechanism in human being started to decrease gigantically when all these “phobia” was created.
Saying all this, I have to add something here toyfoto: you are a mother of two. Tell me how many times you can/ could prevent your one year old or 18 months old or toddler, from putting his or her hands in the mouth BEFORE WASHING THEM? Do you see my point here?
I read the link that you gave in the comment. While it is very valid and all, it sounds like the author does not have an experience with a baby/ toddler. I mean they touch and the next stop is the hands go in the mouth. You won’t have ANY chance to go home and wash their hand, or go to the car and use the wipes and so on.
While the REAL and FREQUENT washing of the hands is truly the best method – and the realistic one- still I raise the question of how it really works with a child at an age that you can not teach yet the concept of “WAIT”!?
I also want to put a seed in your psyche here: I believe all started when the immunity went down so much in our society….the reason or reasons behind that is up for a good discussions between different school of thoughts.
We get sick so frequent and each time so much nastier than previous incident…and we apparently know and follow more method of hygiene than before….so do you see there is a problem with the totality of the picture?
Thanks for the chat BTW
P.S.: I asked a mommy friend of mine that is really into these things and she told me there is a shopping cart cover that is washable. Apparently toys R us sells it and all…probably you know that by now!
Thank YOU for taking the time to comment. Really.
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