A mom's story about healthy toys

Natasha Freidus is a filmmaker and mother who was spurred to create her most recent digital story "The Arsenic and the Crab" after checking out the Web site www.HealthyToys.org and learning that some of her baby daughter’s toys contained lead and arsenic.  In the notes to “The Arsenic and the Crab” Freidus writes that she was motivated by her “anger at all the toxins in baby products.” “The Arsenic and the Crab” is being used as a tool for outreach and education to implement family friendly safety policies.

Freidus' larger message is that getting the government to do more to protect children from toxic chemicals is critical to making toys and other products safer.

While parent education and consumer action is critically important, knowledge without action will not be enough to make toys safe.  The Washington Toxics Coalition, a Saferstates.org coalition member, is listed as a resource for people motivated to take action to get toxics out of toys and other consumer products.

"As a voter, citizen, and a consumer, I want our leaders to look out for our babies as well," Freidus said.

Freidus is the founder and co-director of Creative Narrations based in Seattle, Washington.

HealthyToys.org will release its new 2008 holiday shopping guide on December 3. Be sure to check it out to learn which manufacturers took the lead, arsenic and other toxins out of their products and which manufacturers are still making toys with toxic chemicals.