Mommathon

I have a neighbor who has a very interesting job. She has a masters degree in International Relations or something like that and she works for a company that monitors goods that are imported into our country. She has so much interesting information about products that I would have no idea about. This all came up yesterday when the guys who are finishing her basement installed some lumber on her stairs that was treated with formaldehyde. She called them and told them that she was not comfortable with that. They said it is used in all construction. She told them that with her job she has to make sure that the leather products that her company imports are not treated with formaldehyde because it is linked to cancer, asthma and upper respiratory problems. If it shouldn’t be in leather, then she doesn’t want an entire staircase treated with it. When she told him that he said he would fix it. Did you know there is lead on extension cords (especially the ones you use outside like for Christmas lights) and you should wash your hands after handling them? Also, if you see a message on a product that says something about California Proposition 79 (that might be the wrong number) that you should probably choose another product. That proposition is basically a warning telling consumers in California that is has cancer causing agents in it. I would assume that if the people of California have decided it could be unhealthy, then it might not be too good for me either. She said you will often see it on products at stores like Target or Walmart since they sell things nationally. Last, she was telling me she was investigating a factory in China for child labor and the person who was there investigating for her sent her a picture of an eight-year old girl working at a sewing machine. The girl’s mother said it was a school holiday and that is why she was at the factory sewing. Likely story. And the coolest thing about her job is that she does it all from home. She gets to be a stay-at-home mom and work because most of the business she does is done during the hours when her kids are sleeping since she is dealing with international stuff. Cool!