Many of us are watching what we eat these days. Whether we are on a diet to lose a few pounds, have become vegans or buy products that are less stressful on the earth we are looking at things on the shelves a little differently. We still need to watch out for marketing tricks and bad products.
Organic food has become a big seller and I don't think there is a product out there that does not exist in organic format these days. A recent recall in Canada of organic baby food that went rancid is a testament to the fact that we buy what we believe is better based on the label. All food products have a risk of contamination where handling practices are inadequate. Another thing to note is that nobody advertises their food products on safety or a no contamination guarantee.
Advertising and food labels lead us to believe many things about a product. Many phrases such as "Trans fat free" and "natural" are tossed about but without any definition of what they really mean and how they benefit you. Many product lines exist that cater to a low this-or-that diet while adding something else. Read this article by Leslie Beck, titled Low fat-but with 14 grams of sugar, which provides a great summary of what is going on in the grocery aisles.
Finally, in the U.K. a parliamentary committee has suggested banning all artificial coloring in food and soft drinks. In my opinion, the most important reason is this quote from the article in the Guardian that says about food additives: "...studies suggest [they] may over-stimulate children's brains and make them hyperactive" Food companies, along with everyone else selling anything, target children. How else can you explain children who can't read begging parents to buy products they've never had before? The colorful packaging is the start. Food additives and composition are designed to stimulate certain areas of the brain to have positive experiences related to the food so we buy more, hence the repeat nag and buy. Many food products have additives so imagine the cumulative impact on a child's brain and behavior with all the foods designed for kids.
At the end of the day it is buyer beware as usual. We have the ability to access information and educate ourselves to make the right choices. Don't expect anybody to do the right thing. You have to vote with your feet and your wallet.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Deadly Brew: The Human Toll of Ethanol
There has been a documentary called Deadly Brew: The Human Toll of Ethanol provided by Bloomberg Television recently. I haven't seen it but a short review at AutoblogGreen with a video clip is available. The commentary sounds interesting and the post raises a few points for debate as well.
I like the idea of ethanol but the political tinkering with it in the U.S. has made it an exercise in pork spending, which, ironically, raises the price of pork and other foods. We shall see what happens with ethanol but I'm not optimistic.
I like the idea of ethanol but the political tinkering with it in the U.S. has made it an exercise in pork spending, which, ironically, raises the price of pork and other foods. We shall see what happens with ethanol but I'm not optimistic.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Toxic Trailers
As if the survivors of Hurricane Katrina didn't have enough to deal with. Now they find out that they have been living in toxic trailers. Apparently, the CDC found that the trailers had unsafe levels of formaldehyde in them. According to the reports, the CDC bowed to pressure from FEMA to suppress those findings. CBS had it on their newscast last night and they have some documents.
This is part of a larger problem, in my opinion. What other products and facilities have unsafe levels of something? Who is suppressing what? I do not want to sound like a paranoid anti-government type but individuals have to start making their voices heard and demanding information or getting it themselves. We rely on the government to regulate everything. Then we end up with the agency that is supposed to help people in an emergency knowingly put them in toxic environments while the largest public health agency sits quiet. Hopefully the people living in those trailers can get out of there.
This is part of a larger problem, in my opinion. What other products and facilities have unsafe levels of something? Who is suppressing what? I do not want to sound like a paranoid anti-government type but individuals have to start making their voices heard and demanding information or getting it themselves. We rely on the government to regulate everything. Then we end up with the agency that is supposed to help people in an emergency knowingly put them in toxic environments while the largest public health agency sits quiet. Hopefully the people living in those trailers can get out of there.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Questions and Answers on Operating a Green Business
A couple of weeks ago I asked for some questions to have answered by a green entrepreneur. Mark Caserta runs 3R Living with his wife Samantha in Brooklyn. He has been kind enough to provide detailed answers about operating a green business. I want to start by thanking Mark for taking the time to answer these questions and we appreciate him sharing his experiences.
1. What is your definition of a green business?
Such a difficult question. I mean, a business can be anything from an architectural firm to a manufacturer to a retailer. The common thread that would make these different businesses "green", in my opnion, is a belief, at the core mission of the business, in sustainability and protecting our planet while making a profit. To me, a green business should be about more than
offering green as a choice to customers (ie. “Here is our green product line, here is our regular product line.”) A green business should be about striving to be green in every facet of their operations. For 3r Living, our only reason for being is to sell products that are based on the principles of reducing waste, reusing unwanted or discarded materials, and recycling in mind. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 3r. Living. Get it?
2. What experience did you have in the environmental field prior to opening your business and how did you leverage it to your business?
Samantha is a retail guru. She has managed major Manhattan chain stores and really knows the retail business and how it all works. My background is in Political Science/Public Policy. In 2003/2004, when we started to think about opening our store, I was a lobbyist for the New York League of Conservation Voters, fighting for stronger environmental laws in New York City. After a lot of thought, we agreed that any business that we opened together had to be sustainable, marrying Samantha’s retail interests with my environmental concerns. To keep myself “in-the-know” (and to make a little extra money) I still lobby for groups seeking funding for their local parks, etc., as a consultant. Old habits die hard.
3. What skill/knowledge did you find out you didn't have when you started your business?
I think we had an advantage over a lot of other green retail business at the time that we opened because Samantha really understood the retail world and I had a decent grip on the environmental issues we were trying to address. I have heard other green retailers complain about the hours and workload. We already knew what to expect. What we really didn’t understand, fully, was the difficulty in running an online webstore at the same time. A lot of people think that you just throw a website up and then money comes pouring in. What they don’t realize is that there is just as much hard work behind it as running a physical store. I think we’ve gotten better at running our web store, over time, and I’ve certainly gained a lot of new skills: photography, Photoshop, Html, blogging, etc.
4. How do you define green/environmentally friendly in your business and how do you convey it to your customers?
As I noted above, 3r Living is based on the principles of reducing waste, reusing unwanted or discarded materials, and recycling in mind. We look for the best quality and price in eco-friendly products. That means we favor manufacturers and artisans who dedicate their talents to creating clever, modern, and earth-affirming products out of unwanted everyday items. In addition, we look for fairly-traded products and those made from organic ingredients. We encourage manufacturers to use environmentally-friendly packaging and sustainable manufacturing techniques.
From the very beginning, we were looking for ways to convey our mission that didn’t sound like our store was for hippies. Nothing wrong with hippies (okay, that depends on your opinion) but we felt like people would never buy green products from us if:
-our company was too preachy
-the products were tie-died or made of itchy hemp or lacked style
-concentrated on a specific political philosophy (we don’t sell “Fuck
Bush” t-shirts because we want Republicans to feel comfortable in our
stores and to embrace the message, not walk away saying “stupid
liberals”. Ultimately, we all breathe the same air.)
Samantha came up with the tag line “Future Friendly Products”, which I think says it all. The “reduce, reuse, recycle, fair trade” circles in our logo were meant to aid our customers in choosing goods, ie. A “recycle” circle would be on the price tag of the product that was made from recycled materials. I have to admit, that is a lot of work and we’ve failed at it thus far. Luckily, we are very knowledgeable about our products and our staff is well trained to be able to talk about them.
5. What determines that a product is green? How do you ensure that what you sell is environmentally friendly? Do you consider other factors like labor practices?
This is still a difficult question to answer. Are the recycled magazine coasters that we sell environmentally friendly because they are made of recycled paper or are they bad because they are made in/shipped from Vietnam? Is selling goods made certified Fair Trade in Africa good for the environment because it encourages a sustainable living for people who have no where to turn for economic development, or should it be rejected because shipping goods from Africa uses way too much fuel? Here’s what I can say for sure:
A) Some of our products are greener alternatives to products we all use. For example, Natural Choices and Mrs. Meyers cleaning products are much healthier for our customers and the planet. You only have to try them to understand that.
B) Some of the products we sell have more of an educational value. This happens every day at our stores: a customer picks up the coasters mentioned above and says “Oh my God, these are made of recycled paper! It’s amazing what you can do with recycled goods. We really do waste a lot of stuff.” Every time I hear that, which really is every day, I know we’ve done something positive and opened some eyes.
C) We do all that we can to research the products we sell. We try every cleaning product, soap, etc. at home and, if we find out things that we don’t like after the fact, we take them off of our shelves and send them back to the manufacturer. We don’t accept being lied to by our suppliers, even if the products make us a lot of money.
D) We try not to sell too many expensive products because we don’t want our message to be “green is for the rich.” Unfortunately, when you seek green products that are competitively priced, you often find them made in China. Again, is it okay because this will encourage economic
development and, ultimately environmentalism in China (it has) or should we be concerned about the low wages, high fuel use and stories of questionable manufacturing processes? This is going to be a struggle for green manufacturers and retailers for years to come.
6. Are all “green” products made of sustainable materials and how are they certified?
Not necessarily. Think about Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. They use WAY less electricity than standard bulbs but they contain a bit of Mercury, which is a dangerous poison. This always drives me crazy: we have local municipal marketing campaigns to get people to switch to CFL bulbs, but the city offers no safe, easy way to dispose of them. Why did I go on this tangent (other than to get that off of my chest)? Some green products save energy but are made of less-than eco-friendly materials. Some green products are made of Organic Cotton, which can be certified by the federal government (or not). Some green products are made of “recycled” materials, and you’ll need to do some digging to make sure it’s true. It’s a complicated business.
7. How do you get your business approved as a green business? Is there a certification or standard of sorts for yourself or other businesses?
As far as I know, there is no “green business” certification in the U.S. I think there are trade groups we can join, and such, but that’s about it. Wouldn’t that be nice?
8. What steps do you take that your operations are environmentally friendly?
We set our stores up as green:
-we used Low-VOC paints on the walls and ceilings
-we use 100% wind energy to power our stores and at home (aka our world
headquarters)
-most of our fixtures were reused fixtures from older stores or antiques
-we use recycled content paper bags only and we ask customers if they need them before giving them one
-we offer recycling of batteries, ink cartridges, compact disks, cassette tapes, dvd’s, vcr tapes, small electronics, cell phones and crayons to our customers for free. It costs us tens of thousands of dollars every year, but I think it’s worth it.
-we use an optional carbon offset program for our online customers. It is optional because it forces the customers to think about the co2 their order is contributing to the planet. Yeah, offset programs are not perfect. But, if the company we work with is doing half of what they promise, it’s more that what our customers would have done for the environment, making purchases at any other site.
9. What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a green business?
I would say that it is critical to do your research, write a business plan and take your time planning. That’s what we did and it really made a difference. You can have fun with it all. Take some trips and visit businesses that are similar or that inspire you. In the end, though, you need to take a leap of faith and decide to either go for it or not. If you decide to go for it, realize that your new business will be the center of your life for years to come and that you’ll be working your ass off for a long time with very little pay to show for it. The good news is that you’ll be working for yourself, rather than “the man” and, hopefully, you’ll be doing something positive for planet earth.
1. What is your definition of a green business?
Such a difficult question. I mean, a business can be anything from an architectural firm to a manufacturer to a retailer. The common thread that would make these different businesses "green", in my opnion, is a belief, at the core mission of the business, in sustainability and protecting our planet while making a profit. To me, a green business should be about more than
offering green as a choice to customers (ie. “Here is our green product line, here is our regular product line.”) A green business should be about striving to be green in every facet of their operations. For 3r Living, our only reason for being is to sell products that are based on the principles of reducing waste, reusing unwanted or discarded materials, and recycling in mind. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. 3r. Living. Get it?
2. What experience did you have in the environmental field prior to opening your business and how did you leverage it to your business?
Samantha is a retail guru. She has managed major Manhattan chain stores and really knows the retail business and how it all works. My background is in Political Science/Public Policy. In 2003/2004, when we started to think about opening our store, I was a lobbyist for the New York League of Conservation Voters, fighting for stronger environmental laws in New York City. After a lot of thought, we agreed that any business that we opened together had to be sustainable, marrying Samantha’s retail interests with my environmental concerns. To keep myself “in-the-know” (and to make a little extra money) I still lobby for groups seeking funding for their local parks, etc., as a consultant. Old habits die hard.
3. What skill/knowledge did you find out you didn't have when you started your business?
I think we had an advantage over a lot of other green retail business at the time that we opened because Samantha really understood the retail world and I had a decent grip on the environmental issues we were trying to address. I have heard other green retailers complain about the hours and workload. We already knew what to expect. What we really didn’t understand, fully, was the difficulty in running an online webstore at the same time. A lot of people think that you just throw a website up and then money comes pouring in. What they don’t realize is that there is just as much hard work behind it as running a physical store. I think we’ve gotten better at running our web store, over time, and I’ve certainly gained a lot of new skills: photography, Photoshop, Html, blogging, etc.
4. How do you define green/environmentally friendly in your business and how do you convey it to your customers?
As I noted above, 3r Living is based on the principles of reducing waste, reusing unwanted or discarded materials, and recycling in mind. We look for the best quality and price in eco-friendly products. That means we favor manufacturers and artisans who dedicate their talents to creating clever, modern, and earth-affirming products out of unwanted everyday items. In addition, we look for fairly-traded products and those made from organic ingredients. We encourage manufacturers to use environmentally-friendly packaging and sustainable manufacturing techniques.
From the very beginning, we were looking for ways to convey our mission that didn’t sound like our store was for hippies. Nothing wrong with hippies (okay, that depends on your opinion) but we felt like people would never buy green products from us if:
-our company was too preachy
-the products were tie-died or made of itchy hemp or lacked style
-concentrated on a specific political philosophy (we don’t sell “Fuck
Bush” t-shirts because we want Republicans to feel comfortable in our
stores and to embrace the message, not walk away saying “stupid
liberals”. Ultimately, we all breathe the same air.)
Samantha came up with the tag line “Future Friendly Products”, which I think says it all. The “reduce, reuse, recycle, fair trade” circles in our logo were meant to aid our customers in choosing goods, ie. A “recycle” circle would be on the price tag of the product that was made from recycled materials. I have to admit, that is a lot of work and we’ve failed at it thus far. Luckily, we are very knowledgeable about our products and our staff is well trained to be able to talk about them.
5. What determines that a product is green? How do you ensure that what you sell is environmentally friendly? Do you consider other factors like labor practices?
This is still a difficult question to answer. Are the recycled magazine coasters that we sell environmentally friendly because they are made of recycled paper or are they bad because they are made in/shipped from Vietnam? Is selling goods made certified Fair Trade in Africa good for the environment because it encourages a sustainable living for people who have no where to turn for economic development, or should it be rejected because shipping goods from Africa uses way too much fuel? Here’s what I can say for sure:
A) Some of our products are greener alternatives to products we all use. For example, Natural Choices and Mrs. Meyers cleaning products are much healthier for our customers and the planet. You only have to try them to understand that.
B) Some of the products we sell have more of an educational value. This happens every day at our stores: a customer picks up the coasters mentioned above and says “Oh my God, these are made of recycled paper! It’s amazing what you can do with recycled goods. We really do waste a lot of stuff.” Every time I hear that, which really is every day, I know we’ve done something positive and opened some eyes.
C) We do all that we can to research the products we sell. We try every cleaning product, soap, etc. at home and, if we find out things that we don’t like after the fact, we take them off of our shelves and send them back to the manufacturer. We don’t accept being lied to by our suppliers, even if the products make us a lot of money.
D) We try not to sell too many expensive products because we don’t want our message to be “green is for the rich.” Unfortunately, when you seek green products that are competitively priced, you often find them made in China. Again, is it okay because this will encourage economic
development and, ultimately environmentalism in China (it has) or should we be concerned about the low wages, high fuel use and stories of questionable manufacturing processes? This is going to be a struggle for green manufacturers and retailers for years to come.
6. Are all “green” products made of sustainable materials and how are they certified?
Not necessarily. Think about Compact Fluorescent Bulbs. They use WAY less electricity than standard bulbs but they contain a bit of Mercury, which is a dangerous poison. This always drives me crazy: we have local municipal marketing campaigns to get people to switch to CFL bulbs, but the city offers no safe, easy way to dispose of them. Why did I go on this tangent (other than to get that off of my chest)? Some green products save energy but are made of less-than eco-friendly materials. Some green products are made of Organic Cotton, which can be certified by the federal government (or not). Some green products are made of “recycled” materials, and you’ll need to do some digging to make sure it’s true. It’s a complicated business.
7. How do you get your business approved as a green business? Is there a certification or standard of sorts for yourself or other businesses?
As far as I know, there is no “green business” certification in the U.S. I think there are trade groups we can join, and such, but that’s about it. Wouldn’t that be nice?
8. What steps do you take that your operations are environmentally friendly?
We set our stores up as green:
-we used Low-VOC paints on the walls and ceilings
-we use 100% wind energy to power our stores and at home (aka our world
headquarters)
-most of our fixtures were reused fixtures from older stores or antiques
-we use recycled content paper bags only and we ask customers if they need them before giving them one
-we offer recycling of batteries, ink cartridges, compact disks, cassette tapes, dvd’s, vcr tapes, small electronics, cell phones and crayons to our customers for free. It costs us tens of thousands of dollars every year, but I think it’s worth it.
-we use an optional carbon offset program for our online customers. It is optional because it forces the customers to think about the co2 their order is contributing to the planet. Yeah, offset programs are not perfect. But, if the company we work with is doing half of what they promise, it’s more that what our customers would have done for the environment, making purchases at any other site.
9. What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a green business?
I would say that it is critical to do your research, write a business plan and take your time planning. That’s what we did and it really made a difference. You can have fun with it all. Take some trips and visit businesses that are similar or that inspire you. In the end, though, you need to take a leap of faith and decide to either go for it or not. If you decide to go for it, realize that your new business will be the center of your life for years to come and that you’ll be working your ass off for a long time with very little pay to show for it. The good news is that you’ll be working for yourself, rather than “the man” and, hopefully, you’ll be doing something positive for planet earth.
Friday, January 25, 2008
The Afterlife of Cell Phones
Cell phones are everywhere. But what happens to the old ones after they've been replaced?
A detailed article titled The Afterlife of Cell Phones in the New York Times explains a lot. Also a video and site called The Secret Life of Cell Phones is also quite informative.
This is a big problem in our gadget-obsessed society because everyone wants the latest one as a status symbol without thinking about the consequences. People have to find ways to feel good about themselves other than buying everything.
A detailed article titled The Afterlife of Cell Phones in the New York Times explains a lot. Also a video and site called The Secret Life of Cell Phones is also quite informative.
This is a big problem in our gadget-obsessed society because everyone wants the latest one as a status symbol without thinking about the consequences. People have to find ways to feel good about themselves other than buying everything.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Everyday Environmentalism
This video is with Graham Hill, founder of TreeHugger, and he talks about things we can do everyday for the environment. Watch it and share your opinions with me and others to get the message out.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Seafood Watch
Seafood Watch is a program of the Monterey Bay Aquarium designed to raise consumer awareness about seafood. There sight includes regional seafood guides on what to buy and why, information about how fish are caught or farmed and more. Check it out for more information.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Waste Reduction Tips
I'm pretty sure I have written about waste reduction in the past but another reminder won't hurt. Also, since it looks like it may take some time for lifestyle modification takes hold we have to find ways to reduce our current impact. Here's a list of a few things we can do:
- Install programmable thermostats
- Use more CF bulbs
- Buy locally produced goods
- Use mulching lawnmowers
- Install ultra-low flush toilets
- Install low-flow showerheads
- Use a rain barrel to collect water for your garden
- Plant native species in your garden to reduce pesticides and water
- Pack lunches in reusable containers
- Reuse plastic bags or use cloth bags
- Buy items in reusable packaging or no packaging
- Use a backyard composter
- Reuse jars and containers for storage
Monday, January 21, 2008
New Product Labels
New product labels that indicate a products environmental impact may be hitting supermarket shelves. Last year U.K. retailer Tesco announced product labels that document the carbon footprint of a product. Apparently Canadian grocery retailer Loblaw's is considering a similar program for the private label products it sells. The labels will resemble nutritional information labels and have carbon footprint data.
The shoe footwear and apparel maker Timberland is looking at going one step further by establishing a standard in their industry to have labels contain more information such as the chemicals used, recycled content, resources used and carbon offset data for their products.
I think this initiative is a good idea in making people aware. However, unless practices are changed nobody will really pay attention. Even food that is not that good for you has nutritional information labels but that doesn't stop people from buying it or companies from making it.
The shoe footwear and apparel maker Timberland is looking at going one step further by establishing a standard in their industry to have labels contain more information such as the chemicals used, recycled content, resources used and carbon offset data for their products.
I think this initiative is a good idea in making people aware. However, unless practices are changed nobody will really pay attention. Even food that is not that good for you has nutritional information labels but that doesn't stop people from buying it or companies from making it.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Microwave Cooking
Many people have and use microwave ovens to cook. Officially microwaves do no emit harmful radiation, like that of an X-ray, but they still emit some. They have also been proven to interfere with older pacemakers. I've always wondered how microwaves affect the food while it is cooking.
Using plastic containers in a microwave is not a good idea in my opinion. The plastics from used containers, like yogurt or margarine, will leach into food. I'm not an expert but I think heat added to anything usually changes it's properties and chemical composition.
Some studies have suggested that using the microwave to heat or cook a variety of foods reduces the nutritional benefits of some foods. It has been found to reduce flavonoids in broccoli, B12 vitamins in other foods and infection fighting qualities of frozen breast milk. Other studies have found that microwave cooking has no impact on health benefits of foods.
I'm not sure about the impact of microwaves. I have modified how I use it and how much I use it and if it wasn't there I don't think I would miss it. Just like anything else, studies will come out for and against. Everyone has to make their own judgment call.
Using plastic containers in a microwave is not a good idea in my opinion. The plastics from used containers, like yogurt or margarine, will leach into food. I'm not an expert but I think heat added to anything usually changes it's properties and chemical composition.
Some studies have suggested that using the microwave to heat or cook a variety of foods reduces the nutritional benefits of some foods. It has been found to reduce flavonoids in broccoli, B12 vitamins in other foods and infection fighting qualities of frozen breast milk. Other studies have found that microwave cooking has no impact on health benefits of foods.
I'm not sure about the impact of microwaves. I have modified how I use it and how much I use it and if it wasn't there I don't think I would miss it. Just like anything else, studies will come out for and against. Everyone has to make their own judgment call.
Friday, January 18, 2008
A different kind of Ethanol
Ethanol that can be derived from virtually any feedstock. I found this on Hugg about how GM has partnered with another company for biofuel development of ethanol from any source, even car tires. Something like this could make quite a difference in recycling and fuel supply.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Green Automotive News
For all information about the Detroit Auto Show and other green developments in the automotive industry head on over to AutoblogGreen.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Macworld and the Macbook Air
The Macbook Air was introduced at Macworld today. One of the things being highlighted in this unveiling are the environmental features of the Macbook Air. Apple has been targeted in the past along with other manufacturers about plastics and chemicals used in the production of electronics.
The Macbook Air has full aluminum case to make recycling easier, mercury free display, arsenic free glass, less packaging and different circuit boards.
All of these factors are a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, Apple, and all manufacturers of any product, do not include lifecycle planning and recycling. Apple promotes itself as a different company that is more progressive than everyone else yet they are not taking the giant leaps that would leave everyone behind and force a move. Apple is quite profitable with the ubiquitous iPod and the iPhone is right behind it. They could afford to do something drastic that would put them over the top. They didn't go bankrupt when nobody bought anything they sold so I'm sure now that they have products in almost every household in America they can do something. Sure everyone is a critic but they are not afraid to ride their image to the bank. Either way the Macbook Air is running at $1,799 so I'm not rushing out to buy one. It's already on the Apple site so you can check it out.
The Macbook Air has full aluminum case to make recycling easier, mercury free display, arsenic free glass, less packaging and different circuit boards.
All of these factors are a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, Apple, and all manufacturers of any product, do not include lifecycle planning and recycling. Apple promotes itself as a different company that is more progressive than everyone else yet they are not taking the giant leaps that would leave everyone behind and force a move. Apple is quite profitable with the ubiquitous iPod and the iPhone is right behind it. They could afford to do something drastic that would put them over the top. They didn't go bankrupt when nobody bought anything they sold so I'm sure now that they have products in almost every household in America they can do something. Sure everyone is a critic but they are not afraid to ride their image to the bank. Either way the Macbook Air is running at $1,799 so I'm not rushing out to buy one. It's already on the Apple site so you can check it out.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Health Effects of Sorbitol
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that is commonly used as a sweetener in a variety of food products. It has come to the attention of researchers recently that the sorbitol found in chewing gum can cause chronic diarrhea. This chronic diarrhea can lead to unintentional weight loss and other health issues. I haven't found the study but the news article says enough.
There is an extensive use of additives in food. Obviously, we don't know the impact of all of them. Another reason to read the labels on everything. Unfortunately, in an image obsessed society somebody will likely promote the possible weight loss with sorbitol and sell more of it. A new twist on on "nutriceuticals". We'll all be spending more time reading the labels than eating or cooking by the looks of it.
There is an extensive use of additives in food. Obviously, we don't know the impact of all of them. Another reason to read the labels on everything. Unfortunately, in an image obsessed society somebody will likely promote the possible weight loss with sorbitol and sell more of it. A new twist on on "nutriceuticals". We'll all be spending more time reading the labels than eating or cooking by the looks of it.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
What's in my deodorant?
Ever wondered what is in deodorant and antiperspirant? How does it work?
Well, antiperspirants contain aluminum or zirconium which closes our pores and slows the perspiration. Currently there is no definitive link between aluminum and any health problems. However, a link to breast cancer has been debated and high concentrations of aluminum have been found in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients.
Deodorants simply mask odor. They contain some chemicals that should be avoided such as formaldehyde and propylene glycol. The spray on versions use propellants such as butane and propane which are not exactly the best things to be inhaling.
There are "natural" deodorants available. As with anything else read the label to be sure. They don't work the same on everybody so be prepared to change brands and versions until you find one that works for you. I went through four different ones before I found one that worked well. They are not as strong as the regular ones so if you sweat a lot or feel that you need one between work and other activities carry an extra one with you.
Well, antiperspirants contain aluminum or zirconium which closes our pores and slows the perspiration. Currently there is no definitive link between aluminum and any health problems. However, a link to breast cancer has been debated and high concentrations of aluminum have been found in the brain tissue of Alzheimer's patients.
Deodorants simply mask odor. They contain some chemicals that should be avoided such as formaldehyde and propylene glycol. The spray on versions use propellants such as butane and propane which are not exactly the best things to be inhaling.
There are "natural" deodorants available. As with anything else read the label to be sure. They don't work the same on everybody so be prepared to change brands and versions until you find one that works for you. I went through four different ones before I found one that worked well. They are not as strong as the regular ones so if you sweat a lot or feel that you need one between work and other activities carry an extra one with you.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
10 Beauty Product Ingredients to Avoid
Here is a list of 10 beauty product ingredients to avoid. These are routinely found in many hygiene and beauty products.
1. Diethanolamine (DEA)- this suspected carcinogen is found in shampoo, body wash and makeup.
2. Formaldehyde - This known carcinogen is in imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin and quaternium-15.
3. Parabens - These nasty buggers get into your bloodstream and are known to mimic female hormones. You will see them under the names: methly, ethyl, etc. A suspected contributor (though not yet linked) to breast tumors, Parabens have been found in samples of tissue taken from breast tumors.
4. Petrolatum - Comes from non-renewable crude oil and is not breathable.
5. Phenylenediamine (PPD) - In all permanent dyes and is linked to increases in bladder cancer.
6. Phthalates - Usually hidden as the ingredient "Fragrance" and is part of a family of hormone disrupters.
7. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate - Skin irritant that was once linked to cancer.
8. Talc - Found in everything from eye shadow, blush, baby powder and deodorant. Some talc is contaminated with asbestos. The NIH wanted all talc categorized as a carcinogen.
9. Toluene - Solvent commonly found in nail polish that can affect the nervous system, liver and kidneys.
10. Triclosan - Antibacterial agent used in everything. It has been found in our water supply and is a contributing factor to medicine resistant bacteria.
1. Diethanolamine (DEA)- this suspected carcinogen is found in shampoo, body wash and makeup.
2. Formaldehyde - This known carcinogen is in imidazolidinyl urea, DMDM hydantoin and quaternium-15.
3. Parabens - These nasty buggers get into your bloodstream and are known to mimic female hormones. You will see them under the names: methly, ethyl, etc. A suspected contributor (though not yet linked) to breast tumors, Parabens have been found in samples of tissue taken from breast tumors.
4. Petrolatum - Comes from non-renewable crude oil and is not breathable.
5. Phenylenediamine (PPD) - In all permanent dyes and is linked to increases in bladder cancer.
6. Phthalates - Usually hidden as the ingredient "Fragrance" and is part of a family of hormone disrupters.
7. Sodium Lauryl Sulphate - Skin irritant that was once linked to cancer.
8. Talc - Found in everything from eye shadow, blush, baby powder and deodorant. Some talc is contaminated with asbestos. The NIH wanted all talc categorized as a carcinogen.
9. Toluene - Solvent commonly found in nail polish that can affect the nervous system, liver and kidneys.
10. Triclosan - Antibacterial agent used in everything. It has been found in our water supply and is a contributing factor to medicine resistant bacteria.
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Tata 1 Lakh Car
What is a Tata 1 Lakh car? It is the car that sells for 100,000 rupees or 1 lakh. That is roughly $2,500 US. Why is this significant? It is the worlds cheapest car in one of the largest and fastest growing automobile markets. The automobile has been a significant contributor to pollution so adding millions of vehicles will only add to this problem. There has been commentary that the car is so cheap because it lacks safety features and emissions controls. Here is a link to some specs and as you will see it is pretty bare bones by current standards.
I am currently doing some reading on India's economy and society and where the country is headed. The decisions made in India will have a profound impact on the rest of the world. If they sell 20 million of these cars the entire world will notice. India currently has an infrastructure deficit in many areas of transportation. Add cheap cars to the mix and this problem is exacerbated. Also, if more Indians own cars will they follow the U.S. style car culture of drive through fast food, suburbs and all the negative aspects associated with it?
I am currently doing some reading on India's economy and society and where the country is headed. The decisions made in India will have a profound impact on the rest of the world. If they sell 20 million of these cars the entire world will notice. India currently has an infrastructure deficit in many areas of transportation. Add cheap cars to the mix and this problem is exacerbated. Also, if more Indians own cars will they follow the U.S. style car culture of drive through fast food, suburbs and all the negative aspects associated with it?
Clinton vs. Obama
With the presidential nomination races heating up Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are really in the news. However, when you cut through the polls, punditry and spin where do they stand on environmental issues. These links can help you examine their voting records on environmental and other issues.
Project Vote Smart
Public Citizen
Progressive Punch
These sites enable you to search for voting records of your congressional representatives on issues that matter to you.
If you want there policy platforms on environmental issues you can check Hillary and Barack official sites.
I am focusing on them because they are the Democratic front runners and, if nominated, likely to be the next U.S. President. As the U.S. goes the world will likely move as well until India and China can take that leadership role. If you are in the U.S. and concerned about environmental issues study their platforms.
Project Vote Smart
Public Citizen
Progressive Punch
These sites enable you to search for voting records of your congressional representatives on issues that matter to you.
If you want there policy platforms on environmental issues you can check Hillary and Barack official sites.
I am focusing on them because they are the Democratic front runners and, if nominated, likely to be the next U.S. President. As the U.S. goes the world will likely move as well until India and China can take that leadership role. If you are in the U.S. and concerned about environmental issues study their platforms.
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Want to start a green business?
If you have ever wanted to start a green business now is as good a time as any.I have the opportunity to have a few questions answered by a green entrepreneur. I am asking for 5 questions from readers to ask. I will be selecting which questions get asked and I have a few of my own that I will also pose. Hopefully we can get some information about operating a business that is associated with green living. Please email me the questions by Thursday (I have an "email me button" in the right sidebar) and I will send them off on Friday. I don't want to give away to much but the business is in the retail sector in the United States. Thanks in advance for your input.
Monday, January 07, 2008
Hanging the Laundry
Doing laundry is a chore most of us are faced with. Many of us have gotten away from hanging the laundry on a clothesline and have become accustomed to the use of a dryer. Project Laundry List aims to change that by encouraging people to use a clothesline. They also work on promoting changes in local ordinances against clotheslines. I have heard that there are such ordinances in place against clotheslines but can't understand the rationale behind it. I must be an aesthetics thing under the guise of safety. I have heard of some municipalities banning the old television antenna as a little assistance to the local cable company so who knows what is behind the clothesline ban.
Regardless of the reason, promoting the use of clotheslines is another return to simpler things that we have suddenly realized are environmentally friendly. I find it odd that now the environmental benefit of hanging clothes is realized. Before people hung clothes because the dryer and the electricity to power it were so expensive it didn't make sense to do it any other way. Waste became so cheap that we stopped thinking about it and now we look at old things as being revolutionary ways to save the world. Enjoy hanging the laundry and doing other things the "old school" way.
Regardless of the reason, promoting the use of clotheslines is another return to simpler things that we have suddenly realized are environmentally friendly. I find it odd that now the environmental benefit of hanging clothes is realized. Before people hung clothes because the dryer and the electricity to power it were so expensive it didn't make sense to do it any other way. Waste became so cheap that we stopped thinking about it and now we look at old things as being revolutionary ways to save the world. Enjoy hanging the laundry and doing other things the "old school" way.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
What to do with your old stuff
A lot of us have old stuff lying around the house. Some of us can't throw things out because we think they are still perfectly useful even if we're not using them. Some things can sold at garage sales, classified ads or Craigslist. However, some things, despite the value we think they have, are not worth much.
One of the number one things that people tend to hang on to but end up being almost worthless are books. I personally believe books are the most valuable but that's me. If you have old books and can't throw them out post them on BookMooch which is a book exchange program. You can post books you want and books you have and their is a point system where you earn points for books you post and books you give away. You then redeem points for the ones you want. I've linked to the about page for more details. There are multiple languages as well. You have to pay to mail the book to the moocher but you can get books for free so I figure you should break even.
Another way to get rid of stuff is Freecycle. It is basically a free classified where you give stuff away to people who are willing to come and get it. You can also post requests for items. The system is based on towns so you can find things in your local area and local people can come and get your stuff.
Two great ways to get rid of things we can't bear to toss away.
One of the number one things that people tend to hang on to but end up being almost worthless are books. I personally believe books are the most valuable but that's me. If you have old books and can't throw them out post them on BookMooch which is a book exchange program. You can post books you want and books you have and their is a point system where you earn points for books you post and books you give away. You then redeem points for the ones you want. I've linked to the about page for more details. There are multiple languages as well. You have to pay to mail the book to the moocher but you can get books for free so I figure you should break even.
Another way to get rid of stuff is Freecycle. It is basically a free classified where you give stuff away to people who are willing to come and get it. You can also post requests for items. The system is based on towns so you can find things in your local area and local people can come and get your stuff.
Two great ways to get rid of things we can't bear to toss away.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Consumption Factor
I just read an interesting article at the NY Times tiled "What's Your Consumption Factor" My one liner summary is: worldwide consumption patterns have to even out so that resources can be managed appropriately to support everyone in the world.
The article has many statistics that illustrate the different levels of consumption across the world and relates it to population. It also explains that population growth is not a problem the way it is presented. A great read that I can't summarize appropriately so read it and see.
The fundamental point to understand is those populations that consume the most will need to reduce their consumption. It will be interesting to see how we adapt.
The article has many statistics that illustrate the different levels of consumption across the world and relates it to population. It also explains that population growth is not a problem the way it is presented. A great read that I can't summarize appropriately so read it and see.
The fundamental point to understand is those populations that consume the most will need to reduce their consumption. It will be interesting to see how we adapt.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Solar Technology
I just read about a remarkable development in solar energy technology. At least I think it is remarkable. A unit of United Technologies called Hamilton Sundstrand has developed a solar power plant that will use molten salt to store the energy and generate electricity when the sun isn't shining. They will be trying to commercialize this technology with US Renewables which is a private equity fund. Read the press release as I couldn't find a news article long enough to provide good detail.
The success of this technology will make or break renewable energy in my opinion. If the intermittent nature of the supply is removed from the equation then it can compete with current sources like coal. I'm not sure about the cost or other safety issues but it sounds exciting from what I have found.
The success of this technology will make or break renewable energy in my opinion. If the intermittent nature of the supply is removed from the equation then it can compete with current sources like coal. I'm not sure about the cost or other safety issues but it sounds exciting from what I have found.
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Indoor Gardening and Energy Drinks
I found on Aaron-n-Jen.com a three part video on indoor gardening. They found the videos at Garden Girl TV which is a pretty interesting site.
One solution to the issue of rising food prices and minimizing the environmental impact of agriculture is to grow your own food. I plan on trying to follow these indoor gardening experiments and see how it works out. Maybe I'll find somewhere to set one up at my place.
Also, I did some reading today about kale and making your own energy drinks with a juicer. Apparently kale has powerful antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory. It is also high in vitamins K, A, and C. I found a recipe for an energy drink in the Globe and Mail written by Chef David Lee who is co-owner and executive chef at Splendido in Toronto, Canada. I found the article online but I'm not sure if it will be a valid link for long as many newspaper sites lock content after a period of time. If it doesn't work I'll add the recipe in the comments section later. I plan on buying a juicer in the near future as I'm tired of buying 1 liter containers of Bolthouse Farms stuff. We really like their products but they are just a little pricey for the amount we drink. I figure a juicer will pay for itself in a year. I just have to find the right one.
I might be ambitious since it's the start of a new year with plans of an indoor garden and a home made energy drink. The drinks I can do but the indoor garden is a stretch due to space. I'll let you know how it works.
One solution to the issue of rising food prices and minimizing the environmental impact of agriculture is to grow your own food. I plan on trying to follow these indoor gardening experiments and see how it works out. Maybe I'll find somewhere to set one up at my place.
Also, I did some reading today about kale and making your own energy drinks with a juicer. Apparently kale has powerful antioxidant properties and is anti-inflammatory. It is also high in vitamins K, A, and C. I found a recipe for an energy drink in the Globe and Mail written by Chef David Lee who is co-owner and executive chef at Splendido in Toronto, Canada. I found the article online but I'm not sure if it will be a valid link for long as many newspaper sites lock content after a period of time. If it doesn't work I'll add the recipe in the comments section later. I plan on buying a juicer in the near future as I'm tired of buying 1 liter containers of Bolthouse Farms stuff. We really like their products but they are just a little pricey for the amount we drink. I figure a juicer will pay for itself in a year. I just have to find the right one.
I might be ambitious since it's the start of a new year with plans of an indoor garden and a home made energy drink. The drinks I can do but the indoor garden is a stretch due to space. I'll let you know how it works.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Toxic Body
How toxic is your body and where do you get toxins from? I found a graphic with more information at Toxic Nation. It outlines where and how we are exposed and the site also has tips on how to reduce your exposure. They have a handy Top 10 list on how to detoxify. Tis the season for Top 10 lists so I added another one.
Chemicals have become so ubiquitous in our environment that I'm afraid there is no escape. It may be too late to minimize the exposure we have already had and some will undoubtedly persist in the environment. Hopefully we can come up with a way to help our bodies filter these out.
Chemicals have become so ubiquitous in our environment that I'm afraid there is no escape. It may be too late to minimize the exposure we have already had and some will undoubtedly persist in the environment. Hopefully we can come up with a way to help our bodies filter these out.
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