Change the CPSIA Blog Event

[chichiboulie]

I'm sitting in on Matt's discussion in the Virtual Labs at the moment and mentioned this, but things are moving fast and furious over there so I thought it would be best to start a discussion over here.

In order to up awareness about what could happen if this law actually comes to pass, I was thinking that maybe those of us with blogs could have a Blog Day (or 2 or 3 or more) where we all post the same post informing our readers of what is happening and giving them a few contact numbers in order to get involved.

Posts would of course have images of products that will become illegal after 10 February as well.

I'm not an excellent organiser, but I wanted to get other people's thoughts on this.

[trendybindi]

I think that is an excellent idea...I actually just posted some information on mine but if we could all get together I think it could make a real impact

[trendybindi]

The pix idea is really great as well. I think part of the problem is everyone is just so incredulous maybe the physical examples will help make this real in the minds of people who aren't that familiar with this whole debacle.

[Former_Member]

I may be interested

[chichiboulie]

I think what we need to is draft a post that is easily understandable (you know, 5th grade level like the newspapers) and everyone post that same post or something very similar on the same day.

Does anyone have a post they've already put up that you would be willing to use as a sample?

[chichiboulie]

Really? There has to be more people out there who would go for this. Where are all the mommy bloggers we hear so much about! :D

[trendybindi]

Nudging this : )

[trendybindi]

I don't know that my blog post is that great but I would be willing to help compose a post with others

[RedBessBonney]

I'm willing to post on my blog!

[chichiboulie]

Well for the few of us who have responded here, should be try to gather a bit of momentum among other bloggers we know? Obviously the more people we have, the more impactful it's could be, if only to educate people on what is happening. I'm pretty sure 99% of the US population is clueless as to what February 10 means.

[chatnoirstudios]

I wrote 1 post and will be writing more... I'd like to help too

[Former_Member]

I will definitely post on my blog if someone has something I can copy :)

[Former_Member]

wanted to add, I've already been posting some info about it all, but would be willing to add whatever you want me too!

[chichiboulie]

I'm going to post a link to this thread on the Etsykids site to see if I can't recruit some bloggers.

I'm becoming a suffregette!

[Former_Member]

I'll spread to word best I can!

[trendybindi]

My local merchants group had a meeting today and only a couple of the merchants were aware of it...although I did have a lady here in the shop maybe an hour ago who said that she had seen a segment on the news about it. That was pretty refreshing. I have been trying to inform my customers as they come in. If we can get more blogs together on this maybe it will catch on.

[trendybindi]

Let's just hope we don't have to chain ourselves to fences holding handcrafted items in our hands Chichi!

[trendybindi]

btw I took a peak at your shop and your work is just lovely, I hate that your work, and other talented folks' is going to be stifled

[chichiboulie]

Thank you Trendy. It makes me so sad to think of all the beautiful items I bought and would purchase in the future that possible may be gone. We'll have to start a black crafting market.

[Former_Member]

I'm already blogging on CPSIA at http://organicbabyfarm.blogspot.com .

[trendybindi]

lol, it can be like in China and Russia in the movie Down with Love, we'll be hiding stuff in loaves of bread and smuggling it around!

[chichiboulie]

If someone can point me in the direction of a list of succinct explanations of the new laws (I know, this is a long shot) then I guess I'll work on writing something up.

But really, it would be great to get tons of people involved.

I've posted on the Etsybaby site as well as Twitter.

[Former_Member]

Aloha all,
I'd be happy to post something on my blog. Just send it my way. tikitales@gmail.com I also wanted to let people know that all children's books do NOT have to be tested for lead by Feb 10. This is a newsflash. Only books which are for the primary use of PLAY. Also ALL books printed prior to Nov 12, 2008, do not need to be tested by an independent 3rd party.
The CPSC just released an Advisory Opinion on Lead and Phthalate testing
for children's books.
http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/advisory/323.pdf

In summary, they have determined that if it is an "ordinary book", one
that is printed on cardboard or paper printed by conventional publishing
methods and intended to be read - even for children 12 and younger -
then it does not require testing as it is considered reading material
and not a toy.

For lead - printing ink is not considered a surface coating since ink
soaks into the paper or cardboard and becomes part of the substrate.

However, a book designed primarily for children and has play value -
i.e. a book containing cut out paper dolls, etc. would have to be
tested. For these books printing ink becomes part of the substrate of
the book for purposes of evaluating lead content.

Phthalate testing does not apply to ordinary books. The Phthalate
provision of the CPSIA applies only to books with play value and that
constitute toys of have toy like features - i.e. a vinyl book for the
bathtub. Books sold with toys would not have to be tested for
phthalates, but the toys would.

[trendybindi]

Is that an opinion issued or is it actually a reworking of the law? I know that there has been a lot of confusion over other things where the law hasn't actually been adjusted. I'm keeping my fingers crossed though the libraries would be an excellent ally to have come the 10th for public awareness.

[chichiboulie]

I honestly can't get my head around this. It's as if someone wrote a law in 2 minutes and it was passed. No thinking needed.

I'm off for dinner now (getting late here), but please keep this bumped. I'll be back at it tomorrow I expect and hopefully we can get our Blog In organised!