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How toxic are the products we consume on a daily basis? Whether it’s triclosan in toothpaste, formaldehyde in baby shampoo, endocrine disruptors in water bottles, or pesticides on strawberries, consumers are increasingly concerned about the chemicals in their food and personal care products. Norah MacKendrick chronicles these concerns, showing how individuals attempt to avoid exposure to toxics in the aisles of the grocery store using a practice she calls “precautionary consumption.” Through an innovative analysis of the history of environmental regulation in the United States, the advocacy work of environmental health groups, the expansion of the corporate health food chain Whole Foods Market, and the words of a diverse group of mothers, MacKendrick ponders why the problem of toxics in the retail landscape has been left to individual shoppers—and to mothers in particular. She reveals how precautionary consumption is a costly and time-intensive practice, one that is connected to cultural ideas of femininity and good motherhood, but is also most available to upper- and middle-class households. Better Safe than Sorry powerfully argues that precautionary consumption places a large and unfair burden of labor on women, and does little to advance environmental justice.

This book follows the path of elementary school-age children involved in competitive dance, youth travel soccer, and scholastic chess. Why do American children participate in so many adult-run activities outside of the home, especially when family time is so scarce? By analyzing the roots of these competitive afterschool activities and their contemporary effects, the book contextualizes elementary school-age children's activities, and suggests they have become proving grounds for success in the tournament of life—especially when it comes to coveted admission to elite universities, and beyond. In offering a behind-the-scenes look at how “Tiger Moms” evolve, the book introduces concepts like competitive kid capital, the carving up of honor, and pink warrior girls. Perfect for those interested in childhood and family, education, gender, and inequality, the book details the structures shaping American children's lives as they learn how to play to win.