ADVENTURES IN ECO-PARENTING

ECO-EXPERT LEAH KLEIN HELPS YOU GET READY FOR SUMMER

HERE COMES THE SUN

We are beginning to harness the power of the sun more and
more with solar panels popping up on private homes, trash
compactors in town and on new shopping plazas. But when it
comes to putting our favorite little, medium and no-longer-so-little
bodies out on the playground or the beach, it is us versus the sun—
and we can’t go it alone. So what’s the best way to protect yourself from the sun’s rays? Here are a few things to consider.

Chemical, Mineral, Cloth

As a child, I remember hearing about PABA because some friends were allergic to it. Sunscreen went from advertising “contains PABA” for sun protection to “PABA-free” from one sunny season to the next. Most chemical sunscreens have some form of PABA as their active ingredient, but there are concerns that, in addition to being an irritant, some forms of PABA may be carcinogenic and/or endocrine disruptors. A PABA- and paraben-free option is KINeSYS, which is an alcohol-free spray (no propellants here, either). The KINeSYS sunscreens have Parsol 1789, are alcohol-free and have that great classic "I'm at the beach" smell, although they are labeled fragrance-free. Neutrogena's sunscreen is also PABA-free. On almost any sunscreen shelf at the drugstore or grocery store, you should be able to find a PABA-free option. Just read the labels. The good news is that there are so many PABA-free choices on the market now that it is easily avoided.

In addition to chemical sunscreens, there are mineral sunscreens, which use minerals such as zinc or titanium oxide to block the sun. The mineral sunscreens work by reflecting the UVA and UVB rays of the sun. Some of the mineral sunscreens, such as the MDSolarSciences mineral line, are also eco-friendly in more than one way. "We have worked to eliminate known ingredients [that] are harmful to the environment or have been implicated in harm to the environment, and our spray does not use propellants, like almost any others," say Drs. Friedman and Deitchman of MDSolarSciences, "Some chemicals may harm the marine environment (i.e., octinoxate) and are present in many commercially available sunscreens. We have eliminated those chemicals from our products." Of the mineral sunscreens, MDSolarSciences is one of the pricier products, but the light scent and feel of the mineral sunscreens are well worth it for someone who doesn't tolerate the heavier creams such as Alba Botanica's fabulous-smelling, but heavier on the skin, mineral sunscreens. Let's face it, children and parents alike are not always so fond of being slathered, sprayed and rubbed with lotions, sprays and gels every day several times. So make it a choice…kind of.

Baby Sun Clothing and protective sun gear can come in several forms. Since we are all whiter than ghosts in our family—and have one of two skin tones: white or red—our best bet is usually lots of sunscreen and heading out before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. That might sound like a drag, but in fact, we love it. We get up and go or we take our sweet time doing other activities in the shade or indoors in the morning and head to the beach for a wonderful peaceful early evening (and dinner picnic) just as the crowds are packing up and heading home. As for my bald little babies playing at the playground, they had two choices: Wear a hat or have your head slathered in cream. A third option, which worked well (because they wouldn't take it off and it was cooler on the head), was a bandanna tied over their head "babushka-style." Don't laugh, but these cute little arm protectors are great to have on hand. When it is time to add a little more sunscreen but the kids are resisting, whip out your Sunny Sleevez and give them a choice: arm covers made of a UV-protective fabric or more spraying. Sunny Sleevez also come in handy if you just finished reading that the sunscreen was supposed to be applied 30 minutes before heading out. Slip on the arm covers for a little while until the sunscreen kicks in. For more full-body protection at the beach, playground or just out and about in the sun, UV Skinz offers SPF 50 protection with their chemical-free swim shirts and shorts. The fabric is thin enough to be comfortable whether lounging on the beach, running after the children splashing in the waves or heading into town for barbecue fixins.

Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Don't forget your eyes, ears, mouth and nose. Okay, so the ears and nose can be well covered with whichever sunscreen you choose or with a really good hat. As for your eyes and mouth, don't neglect them. Remember the classic lifeguard/surfer look of the ’80s? It was all about the pasty white zinc-laden nose. Update that look a whole lot and you get Zambeezi's organic beeswax lip balm. It has a faint whiteness reminiscent of zinc, but it's subtle. The lemongrass and peppermint oils make it refreshing, but it doesn't come on too strong. It is a fairly traded product of Zambia and is 85 percent organic. If you're not so into the subtle zinc look, Softlips also uses zinc oxide, but their colors are pinks and neutrals and come in either a thin lipstick-type applicator or in a tube. Softlips has a few new organic lip conditioners, which are also paraben-free. There are also PABA-free scalp sprays for your baby or your other bald guy.

And Eyes

To properly protect your eyes, and your children's eyes, from the sun, you need sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of the sun's UVA and UVB rays. This will be labeled on the sunglasses. For a really good pair of sunglasses for your kids, check out Julbo or Coolibar, but don't lose them! You may want to buy a pair or two of inexpensive but still effective sunglasses to send to school or camp, where they might just get misplaced. For yourself, check out these really cool and eco-friendly bamboo glasses by Kayu, or Amy Sacks' slightly more subtle and affordable bamboo glasses.

Now get out there and hide from the sun in style!

Leah Klein heads out with the family before 10 and after 4 during most summer days. She and her kids are slathered, sprayed and schmeared in SPF 30 to 50 on a regular basis. In the beach bag are an assortment of SPF shirts, baseball hats (Red Sox, of course), bandannas (Oilily or other fun fabric), sunglasses and reusable water bottles. She blogs at Oh Baby, Boston! and plays at Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester.