If you are one of the 10 people who read my blog, it is possible that you are a friend or family member, and that maybe you don't {obsessively} read mommy blogs, cotton diaper blogs, and green/activist blogs all day, like I do. What, you have a LIFE? Clearly, I have much less of one, and I am here to fill you in on what you have been missing lately!
An interesting fact about the part of the blogsphere I have become familiar with since attending BlogHer 2010 is that it is FULL OF THE DRAMA. Seriously. People are always getting offended by something and getting mad and starting blog/Twitter movements against such-and-such. Then the next day or the next week, it's something else. Not to be critical, but a lot of the people I follow tend to be upset about something pretty much all of the time. I do applaud them for wanting to motivate change - that is their intention. Honestly, though, I just don't have the time or mental energy to be annoyed with all these different things constantly. Which is why you do not see me blogging about them. I do watch what is going on, much like people watch reality TV. It's just fascinating!
In the last week, several controversies have sprung up which are of interest to me because they involve things near and dear to my heart: high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), babywearing, and cloth diapering.
Two drama-inducing events that have all the bloggers up in arms:
- the recent blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of the Corn Refiners Association and their claims that HFCS is no less healthy and "natural" than sugar (I am sure you've seen the TV ads as well). Here is a blog post with a good summary (note the corn industry's response in the Comments) and another one with a nice chart.
- the CPSC's (Consumer Product Safety Commission) bulletin on the dangers of babywearing and the backlash/call to action post of one of the most popular babywearing bloggers. Some followup posts like this one which is very in-depth and this one from one of my favorite bloggers.
- Yes, I do avoid HFCS in pretty much everything we buy. I would challenge you to find one item in my pantry or refrigerator that contains it. I think you would be hard-pressed. I realize that, in small quantities, it does not "kill" anyone, but what it does is create a craving in your body for more sweets, which cane sugar does not do. In addition, it is a corn derivative, and if you have read books by Michael Pollan, you know that probably 80% of our diet is corn as it is, and we hardly need more of that. As far as I know, Little Sir has never tasted HFCS. I know he will at some point, but I am delaying this as long as possible, for the reasons stated above.
- I baby-wore with Little Sir and we still do (see upcoming photos on this blog of us wearing him in the marvelous Ergo this weekend). I own a Moby, a Maya, an Ergo, and a borrowed Peanut Shell. I love each of them in their own way and will be wearing Baby #2 in all of them as well.
Ya'll, these (cloth) diapers are awesome! Little Sir has always worn only BumGenius and I am super excited about them now being available in prints!
So, there, you go. Have fun observing the drama.
It's more amusing than reality TV!!
