A Bunch of Greens

Searching for the Perfect Water Filter - Understanding the Water Report

2009-08-14T09:46:00.001-07:00

How to understand what the water report is saying. Well…after reading through the EPA water drinking regulations, it should be quite easy to understand the water report. NSF International provides a detailed description on their website.

On my report, only couple of substances were mentioned so I called the municipal water system company and asked them about all substances they are testing. The surprise was that they are testing for many more substances than those on the EPA list and they were not included in the report because of their undetectable levels. No perchlorate, no atrazine, no MTBEs, etc. I was very relieved and nicely surprised to find out that my family (and the surrounding neighborhood, of course) is drinking one of the cleanest waters in the country.

However, I would still like to test the water for copper and lead which were identified bellow acceptable levels, but the road from the water tank to my sink is quite long.

Searching for the Perfect Water Filter - EPA Drinking Water Regulations

2009-07-24T12:43:00.001-07:00

What I learned from browsing the EPA water drinking regulations?

Here's what you will know and what you won't know from your water agency report:

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is regulating more than 90 contaminants found in the drinking water, although there are many more that keep on seeping in -- pun intended. For short, there are three types of standards or guidelines that needs to be followed:

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs or primary standards) are legally enforceable standards that apply to public water systems. Primary standards protect public health by limiting the levels of contaminants in drinking water. There is a full list of the regulated contaminants including the maximum allowed levels, potential health effects, and sources of the contaminants. The list include:Microorganisms, Disinfectants, Disinfection Byproducts, Inorganic Chemicals, Organic Chemicals, and Radionuclides.

National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWRs or secondary standards) are non-enforceable guidelines regulating contaminants that may cause cosmetic effects (such as skin or tooth discoloration) or aesthetic effects (such as taste, odor, or color) in drinking water. EPA recommends secondary standards to water systems but does not require systems to comply. However, states may choose to adopt them as enforceable standards. Problems are starting to arise with this list, depending on the water district. I decided to include the whole table with these contaminants as most of them are the ones I would like to completely reduce from the water I drink. The table is adapted from the Secondary Drinking Water Regulation: Guidance for Nuisance Chemicals released in July 1998. Well, since 1998 the scientific community added more proof about health effects of some of these contaminants which should call EPA to more strict standards or at least to enforce these to all public water systems.

Contaminant	Secondary MCL	Noticeable Effects above the Secondary MCL
Aluminum	0.05 to 0.2 mg/L*	colored water
Chloride	250 mg/L	salty taste
Color	15 color units	visible tint
Copper	1.0 mg/L	metallic taste; blue-green staining
Corrosivity	Non-corrosive	metallic taste; corroded pipes/ fixtures staining
Fluoride	2.0 mg/L	tooth discoloration
Foaming agents	0.5 mg/L	frothy, cloudy; bitter taste; odor
Iron	0.3 mg/L	rusty color; sediment; metallic taste; reddish or orange staining
Manganese	0.05 mg/L	black to brown color; black staining; bitter metallic taste
Odor	3 TON (threshold odor number)	"rotten-egg", musty or chemical smell
pH	6.5 - 8.5	low pH: bitter metallic taste; corrosion high pH: slippery feel; soda taste; deposits
Silver	0.1 mg/L	skin discoloration; graying of the white part of the eye
Sulfate	250 mg/L	salty taste
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)	500 mg/L	hardness; deposits; colored water; staining; salty taste
Zinc	5 mg/L	metallic taste
* mg/L is milligrams of substance per liter of water

Unregulated Contaminants are contaminants which are not subject to any proposed or promulgated national primary drinking water regulation (NPDWR), are known or anticipated to occur in public water systems. For more information check out the list,This list include Methyl-t-butyl ether (MTBE), Triazines & degradation products of triazines and others. This lists perchlorate for which in January 2009, EPA issued an interim health advisory level of 15 micrograms per liter (µg/L) to assist state and local officials in addressing local contamination of perchlorate in drinking water. Again, this is advisory, not enforced or reported.

For more information about contaminants you can visit the Drinking Water Standards page. In addition you can look over an article I wrote earlier about perfluorochemicals and other chemicals found in the water of some states.

Next step is to understand the water report and to find out which of the secondary standards are tested by my public water system.

Searching for the Perfect Water Filter: What Toxic Chemicals are in the Water?

2009-07-20T16:57:00.001-07:00

I am trying for a long time to change the water filter, because I started to badly want one that is filtering out the fluoride I get against my will. I am asking myself sometimes if there is somebody really worried about my health it should start taking out all the chemicals I am imposed to live with rather than giving me more. But, I do not want to get into the politics – nobody will care anyway.
So it took me a while to decide on a water filter but after looking around and reading about the filters and the chemicals that have/must be removed I got confused and decided to seriously do my homework. I will not finish this post right away as this is an ongoing project but I will post the findings as I come to a conclusion. There should be couple of steps that need to be addressed:

find out the dangerous chemicals that are in the water
study the EPA water regulation
find out what chemicals are in the water I get into my house (read reports, call the water service to check the pipelines’ material from their service area to my house, check the plumbing components of the house; eventually test for lead, etc)
find out what chemicals can be removed through the water filters available
find out the types of water filter available and search eventually for the “green” ones
buy it and use it with the hope that you contributed a little more to your family’s health and wellness, not only to your monthly budget…

What toxic chemicals are in the water?

Some studies made by EWG found that there are so many weird things in the water we drink that you probably do not want to know about it. However, the tap water is regulated by EPA and is the safest to drink when compared to bottle water. Nonetheless, there are people like me who want it even cleaner. Here is a list with (let’s say!) most toxic chemicals that were found in the tap water:

Fluoride. Fluoridation has proved to be a safe and cost-effective way to reduce dental caries. As of 2002, the CDC statistics show that almost 60% of the U.S. population receives fluoridated water through the taps in their homes. Some communities have naturally occurring fluoride in their water; others add it at water-processing plants. Recently, the National Research Council found naturally occurring fluoride levels exceeded the optimal levels used in community fluoridation programs (0.7 to 1.2 ppm), putting kids under 8 years old at risk for severe enamel fluorosis. The CDC recommends that in communities where fluoride levels are greater than 2 ppm, parents should provide kids with water from other sources. If you have time to watch, there is an interesting video about fluoride dangers made in Australia.

Lead is a toxic metal that was used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Lead also can be emitted into the air from motor vehicles and industrial sources, and lead can enter drinking water from plumbing materials. Lead may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death. Children six years old and under are most at risk.

Arsenic enters drinking water supplies from natural deposits in the earth or from agricultural and industrial practices. Non-cancer effects can include thickening and discoloration of the skin, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting; diarrhea; numbness in hands and feet; partial paralysis; and blindness. Arsenic has been linked to cancer of the bladder, lungs, skin, kidney, nasal passages, liver, and prostate.

Perchlorate occur both naturally and through manufacturing. They are also used as an oxidizer in rocket fuel and explosives and can be found in airbags and fireworks. Perchlorate is becoming a serious threat to human health (in significant amounts disrupts production of thyroid hormones) and water resources. It was also found in infant formula, in cow’s milk.

Chlorine is a oxidant used in bleaching and disinfectants. Chlorine is a toxic gas that irritates the respiratory system. By itself, used at indicated levels chlorine is not harmful but in combination with other substances found in the water poses a health risk.

Atrazine is the most widely used herbicide in conservation tillage systems. Atrazine was banned in Europe in 2004 because of its persistent groundwater contamination while in the U.S. is one of the most widely used herbicides, with 76 million pounds of it applied each year. Some of its helath effects include endocrine effects, possible carcinogenic effect, and epidemiological connection to low sperm levels in men. Traces of atrazine in drinking water are most likely to be found in areas of heavy agricultural production like the Midwest and Southeast.

A full list with water contaminants and their potential health effects can be found on the EPA website. There are more things like radon but that cannot be eliminated by a water filter so I do not include that in here.

Which is Better: Glass, Plastic, or Paper?

2009-04-21T09:57:00.001-07:00

In celebrating Earth day I thought this post will make us become a little more conscious when trowing away various packages. Compare the eco-impact of different packaging materials using this chart. For perspective: The average U.S. home burns 11,000 kilowatt hours of energy and produces 16,000 pounds of carbon dioxide through electricity use per year.

Material	Energy cost to produce $1,000 worth	Greenhouse gases produced	Amount recovered in 2007	Landfill lifespan	Alternatives
Glass containers	6,944 kilowatt hours	3,527 lbs.	28%	1 million years	Always recycle glass — otherwise your great- great-great grandkids might find a bottle you threw away.
Plastic containers (#1, #2, #5)	3,889 kilowatt hours	2,425 lbs.	14%	450 years	Reduce use of throwaways, and try to buy easily recyclable #1 and #2 plastics.
Plastic bags and film	3,611 kilowatt hours	2,270 lbs.	10%	500-1,000 years	Use canvas grocery bags; wrap sandwiches in napkins.
Polystyrene foam peanuts	3,333 kilowatt hours	2,078 lbs.	7%	500 years	Cushion fragile shipments with crumpled newspapers or magazines. Drop off excess foam packaging peanuts at your local FedEx or UPS store.
Coated and uncoated paper bags	3,889 kilowatt hours	2,381 lbs.	37%	1 month	Switch to reusable canvas bags, and always recycle paper bags.
Coated and laminated paper, including gift wrap, tissue, and butcher paper	3,611 kilowatt hours	2,151 lbs.	Negligible	2-5 months	Wrap gifts in newspaper comics pages or reusable fabric wraps.
Corrugated cardboard	4,444 kilowatt hours	2,645 lbs.	74%	1-2 months	Buy packaging-free products. Reuse cardboard boxes and compost shredded cardboard.
Steel and aluminum cans, boxes, and other containers	4,722 kilowatt hours	3,262 lbs.	54%	200-400 years	Fill reusable container at the bulk bins, and always recycle steel and aluminum containers.

Source: Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment (EIO-LCA), eiolca.net/copyright/index.html.

Earth Hour 2009 - Saturday, March 28, 8:30 - 9:30 p.m.

2009-03-27T14:21:00.000-07:00

Take part in Earth Hour 2009 on March 28 and help save energy. Join people across the country and the world for an Earth Hour. Turn off your lights at home for an hour from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, March 28.

For further information on Earth Hour 2009, visit: http://www.earthhour.org

E.P.A. Proposal Calls Greenhouse Gases a Danger to the Public

2009-03-23T14:25:00.001-07:00

The headline says it all: the new administration changes course and moves towards allowing EPA to regulate greenhouse gasses; you can also see the British version of the news in The Guardian, for a spicier version of the commentary. Environmental sites seem to think this is a good idea. Finally!

PS: and if you miss posts on this site, bookmark NY Times Green Inc blog and be patient; I'll be back with more some day soon...

Searching For The Perfect Sippy Cup

2009-02-20T16:32:00.001-08:00

(a.k.a Toddler's Holy Grail)

Searching for a safer sippy cup was not as easy as I originally thought it would be. I wanted a sippy cup that can be used in the microwave as well, as this is the easiest way they warm up the milk at the day care. The best to use in microwave would be a glass-made sippy cup but there is no such thing (due to various reasons, not least toddler's ability to smash unbreakable things). I could not find a sippy cup that I could use in a microwave (I do not use plastic) and I ended up asking the teacher to warm the milk in a glass and then pour it in the sippy cup provided.

My choice was based on the fact that I do not want to use a sippy cup with plastic containing BPA and based on the choices made for bottles (I have used only glass bottles) I did not want to use any plastic at all. So I ended up reviewing the stainless steel sippy cups.

Kleen Kanteen - made from stainless steel; the lid is made from polypropylene. The toddler size is 12 oz. and it costs around $18. This is the one I ended up buying. Some problems I had with this bottle are those it dents very easily when dropped and is leaking when shaken upside down (and my kid is doing this a lot). Otherwise, my toddler liked it a lot, although it looks like he will go pretty fast through the sippy cup period since he learns and likes it more to drink from a cup.

SIGG – made from aluminum with baked enamel interior (a water-based resin which does not contain BPA) and powder paint exterior, and the cap is made from polypropylene. SIGG looks very cute and stylish. The toddler bottles are coming in 0.3 liter and 0.6 liter sizes and costs about $20.

THERMOS – made from stainless steel, thermoplastic elastomer, and polypropylene. The toddler size is 7 oz. and it costs about $15. Some friends of mine are using these for their kids and their kids are very happy with it.

Polypropylene is considered safe (although one study is questioning this fact) and there are many brands switching from polycarbonate to polypropylene. Polypropylene is labeled PP and/or #5 (its recycling number) and often you find this information on the bottom of the bottle but I saw it displayed on the bottle as well. If you plan to use a bottle made from polypropylene make sure that you never put it in the microwave to warm up liquid. Use it for water, juice or other liquids that do not need to be warm. Some examples of PP #5 brands that are making sippy cups are: Avent, Parents, Munchkin, Born free, Sassy Mam, etc. You can find more information about plastic on a post I wrote earlier.

Ways to Save the Planet

2009-02-11T13:44:00.000-08:00

If you are looking for some tips on contributing to your green journey here are some ways. It is a very cool list with lots of easy steps to take.

National Radon Action Month

2009-01-13T16:30:00.001-08:00

The Environmental Protection Agency declared January as the National Radon Action Month. This month is the best time of the year to test your house for radon. The movie Green Scene: Radon gives lots of information on how to test the house for radon and the reasons for testing. Radon is considered the second cause of lung cancer in Americans and it is found in many homes. You can check here to see if you need your house tested or not.

For California residents the California Department of Public Health offers a discount now - $5 a test.

Thank you!

2009-01-13T13:41:00.001-08:00

I have not been posting for a while – the holidays rush, then the holidays blues... Even belated, I would like to wish all my readers a very happy new year with health and prosperity and, of course, with lots of changes in our green and healthy journey.
Thank you for visiting, for reading, for commenting, for critiquing, for subscribing, for mentioning me elsewhere.
Here are a few of the blogs I found mentioning 'A Bunch of Greens':

all things baby (and more, I suppose) – a family blog especially about a little boy who just turned 1. He is so handsome!
Chasing T – a family blog, especially about a cute little girl; it inspired me a lot by being such a unite family.
Viva Verde – a green blog about eco-friendly products and ways of leaving.
Life of Red – a blog about (as the title is saying) the life of Red as happening day by day.
Sally’s Friend - a personal blog about a mom and her happy moments and worries about her family waiting for a new baby.
Mama Lavender - a blog written by a homeschooling mom; blogging about happy moments with her family, multiple chemical sensitivities, health and many other things.

There are more blogs, thank you all and sorry for not being able to include you all but I will certainly do it in the near future. See you soon and often!

Green Chemistry

2008-12-17T14:17:00.001-08:00

Green chemistry is chemical philosophy encouraging the design of products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances. It has well established principles just waiting to become routine practice.

The news is that California just released its report on the Green Chemistry Initiative. The report is comprised of six policy recommendations which include:

Expand Pollution Prevention to assist California businesses to lead the world in greener design and production

Develop Green Chemistry Workforce Education and Training, Research and Development, and Technology Transfer to meet global demand for greener materials and product

Create an Online Product Ingredient Network to disclose chemical ingredients in products sold in the state to allow consumers and businesses to make safer choices

Create an Online Toxics Clearinghouse to increase our knowledge about toxicity and hazards for chemicals

Accelerate the Quest for Safer Products to make the transition to more sustainable, safer products more quickly using science-based alternative analysis and lifecycle thinking

Move Toward a Cradle-to-Cradle Economy to leverage market forces to produce products that are “benign-by-design””

Very little is known about the thousands of chemicals that are in use without prior research of effects on human health and this initiative could be a promising start. However, let's not forget that this year California lawmakers rejected two important bills (Corbett’s bill and Migden’s Bill ) that would have banned the use of two harmful chemicals: PFOA from food packaging and BPA in products used for children under 3 years of age. But let's keep our hopes up!

New Green Team

2008-12-15T15:05:00.001-08:00

President Obama has announced his new environment and energy team. This is going to shape our life for the near future and, hoping that this is a change for the better, for the long term. Here is a recent NYT article and an interview with him and he sounds like a pragmatist; I hope he will prove to be a great leader, this is a great time to take that position -- I happen to believe that there's a great opportunity in any crisis, and we're not lacking the latter :)

I truly hope this is the start of a new era and things will get better.

Green Christmas – Choosing the Tree

2008-12-04T14:48:00.001-08:00

The Christmas is fast approaching and the first thing to do is to get the tree decorated. At least this is what I do; I know I should have starting shopping already as I promise myself every year – but that is coming after the tree. The first thing has to be the tree ;-). So, how am I going to choose the tree to keep it the natural way and still be green? Here is the conclusion I came after searching and searching and looking around.

There are tree kinds of tree you can purchase:

The artificial tree – For me this does not make any sense at all; I dislike “fake nature” so there is no way for a plastic tree in my house. However, usually they are made of PVC and probably contain phthalates to soften the plastic; they are not biodegradable. They may be durable (it seems like they last more than 10 years) and you can save money every year by not buying a natural one, but they're still made of plastic.
The fresh cut tree – this is a very nice solution and one that I practiced always. It is all natural, it is recyclable (it can be composted and used as sand and erosion barriers on beaches, streambeds, and lakes and it can be sunk into private lakes and ponds, where it provides refuge for fish). One disadvantage can be the pesticides sprayed on them. To find an organic farm closed to you you can go here.
The tree with roots – this is the most eco-friendly solution. You can buy (errrr, "rent"?) the tree and after use it can be re-planted, comes in a big pot and you return it in the new year. This can also be sprayed with pesticides though and there are few places where they are offered.

My choice was again number 2 – the tree without roots. Wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Melamine Found in U.S. Infant Formula

2008-11-26T09:37:00.001-08:00

What is safe anymore? The FDA said Tuesday that it had discovered the toxic chemical melamine in infant formula made by an American manufacturer. While few details were available late Tuesday, agency officials said they had discovered melamine at trace levels in a single sample of
infant formula. It was also discovered in several samples of dietary supplements that are made by some of the same manufacturers who make formula. For the full article go here.

Melamine was found in Good Start Supreme Infant Formula With Iron made by Nestle, and cyanuric acid was detected in Enfamil Lipil With Iron infant formula powder made by Mead Johnson.

I am not sure if this is news to make mothers become scared, but as a mother I am very concerned about the safety of my kids. Uffff...scary world!

The Good Guide

2008-11-20T13:26:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine just sent me a link to the Good Guide, happy that it has an iPhone applications; it is all new to me (I am talking about the guide) so I already spent one hour browsing through their web-site.

The Good Guide provides information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home. The database contains about 60000 personal care and household chemical products for which they list their ingredients, certification (if available), manufacturer information and they also provide some advice on things to consider when you chose a particular product. This last one is an excellent source of finding out which ingredients are bad and you need to avoid when you buy personal care or household products.

GoodGuide partners with the top socially responsible investment research firms, as well as with leading non-profit organizations with high quality data on specific issues or industries. It also has a handful of advisors.

It is an excellent source and the only one I know so far that provides information on personal care and household products. It is worth trying it …. and it has an application for iPhone ;-)

#5 Plastic (polypropylene) Not Safe Anymore?

2008-11-14T14:51:00.001-08:00

I was away from the news for a while but thanks to some readers, I found out about a new study saying that #5 plastic (polypropylene) was discovered (almost accidentally) to leach two types of chemicals. The study is described in a little depth on the EWG website. It is not clear under which conditions the chemical leached -- was it the enzyme used in the experiment, was it under normal conditions?? -- and whether it is dangerous or not

This is very sad news especially because that are many foods wrapped into #5 plastic (considered safe) and most of these foods cannot be avoided. Even the medication is packed in #5 plastic containers. It is not easy to get rid of it; yes you can eliminate from your house everything that is made from plastic but you cannot stop buying certain foods whose nutritional value is very important for a healthy diet.

This type of plastic was considered safe until now; however even now nobody is arguing that it is bad, the study found that the plastic is leaching chemicals. But what chemical is safe? I do not believe in chemical safety. I would not be surprised at all if one day they will find that the other two types of plastic (#2 and #4) considered safe now will be found to leach chemicals.

"Frankenstein Food" - Could Lower Fertility

2008-11-13T16:54:00.001-08:00

Well, I have not find the time to write for a while because the cold season started earlier this year and with kids you feel like it never ends...

Here is a very interesting article worth sharing: it is saying that genetically modified (GM) food could lower a women's fertility. Infertility became such a big problem and I was always thinking (even there are not enough studies to prove it) that it is caused mainly by all our "modern" way of leaving (GM foods, the pesticides from the food; the chemicals found everywhere around and so on). Every time I read news like this I become so upset and sad...

REACH SIN List of Chemicals

2008-10-31T15:10:00.000-07:00

REACH (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) was created in June 2007 by E.U. to make chemicals safer for human health and the environment and to stimulate innovation in the sector. These days, together with ChemSec they came out with the first-ever list of chemicals called REACH SIN list which is roughly comprised of 270 chemicals that need to be submitted for EU regulatory approval. The first list of hazardous chemicals to be submitted contains only 15 chemicals; all the other chemicals will be submitted in their order of hazardousness.

Among the 15 chemicals that are on the list, brominated flame retardant HBCDD is a common environmental contaminant used in plastics, textiles, electronic goods and three plastic softeners (the phthalates DEHP, DBP and BBP). These plastic softeners are suspected to seriously affect human fertility and are present in glues, inks, cosmetics and toiletries, and in many products made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Many companies have already started to phase them out, including major companies in the electronics sector that have eliminated the uses of brominated flame retardants and PVC.

These substances are used heavily in American industry as well and none of them is regulated. I hope that this E.U. initiative to regulate the chemical substances in consumer products will set in motion the U.S. government institutions to do the same. I hope so much for that day!

How Natural Is The Bamboo Fiber Anyway?

2008-10-29T09:24:00.001-07:00

I keep hearing these days that I should use textiles made of bamboo fibers because is environmental friendly and the bamboo is a natural fiber. “Made of bamboo” is a mainstream buzz-word these days as is preferred among fashion designers in the race of becoming greener. For me - truly natural fibers are cotton, wool, hemp and linen. (and they are the most used as well, for now).

Well… I am tempted to call this another green-washing trend. Environmentally friendly on one segment of the crop-to-store does not mean that is healthy for people as well. Of course the bamboo itself is natural, is renewable, but the natural part of it is destroyed by the caustic soda and other chemicals used in the process of transformation from wood to fiber. (Before you jump in defense of all things natural, consider this: the asbestos fiber is natural as well and it is already proven that it produces cancer; naturally occurring is not the litmus test for healthy.) . So, not everything that is natural is good for our health.

The argument of “natural” fiber should not fool us. The bamboo is environmentally friendly because is growing fast and therefore, it can be produced on a large scale which reduces the cutting number of other trees. Also, does not require pesticides and fertilizers. The wood is beautiful, and they make lots of uses from it - hardwood floor, plywood for various uses (some processes may use the chemical known as formaldehyde but they make it without too). There are voices that even criticize the bamboo farms: there are few examples of sustainable bamboo farming, because bamboo farms are mono-cultures and do not maintain biodiversity.

But when it comes to clothes the bamboo fibers are becoming rayon – which is very similar to the synthetic fiber except the cellulose is extracted from bamboo. There are too many chemicals involved in the process and they pose health risks. And this should be the most important issue when choosing clothes or other textiles made from bamboo fibers.

The fiber is well known for its soft feel and natural antibacterial properties. It looks to me like other synthetic fibers rather than natural. Searching on the web, I found a very detailed description of the process of transforming the bamboo into the so-claimed “natural fiber” and I think is worth reading it.

Humidifiers - A Short Review

2008-10-27T13:48:00.001-07:00

I always felt the climate in the winter as being dryer than in the summer. And the ventilated warm air coming through the heating system makes it even dryer. I use the humidifiers more often in the winter that I do in the summer. The National Institutes of Health recommends the use of humidifiers to help relieve congestion from the flu, common cold, and sinus infections. However, the humidifiers can also help alleviate the symptoms of dry and itchy skin, dry eyes, eczema, dry nasal passages, cracked lips and nosebleeds due to dry air, allergies or even asthma. I made a search thinking that maybe I need to change the humidifiers I have and although I decided that what I already have works very well for my family I will still make a short review of what I found.
Either you chose a portable or a whole-house humidifier, the main difference comes truly when choosing between a warm air and a cool air humidifier.

Warm Air Humidifiers	Cool Air Humidifiers
The water is boiled before it enters the air. Advantages: the boiling kills the bacteria and the mold from the water. Disadvantages: they present a burn risk and fire hazard issues.	Don’t boil the water (they just vaporize it), Advantages: they are more energy efficient; they don’t have the burn risk and fire hazard issues like the warm mist models so they can safely be used around children. Disadvantages: they make more noise; sometimes require changing the filter.
Types: Warm mist - creates steam that cools before leaving the machine. This may reduce the risk of burns. Vaporizer/Steam - the water is boiled and sent out as a steam.	Types: Ultrasonic humidifiers- use the ultrasonic sound waves to vibrate the water and produce the moisture. They are probably the most efficient ones. Impeller humidifiers - use high-speed rotating disk to produce the moisture. Evaporative humidifiers - use a fan to blow air through a wet wick. It is the most noisy because of the sound of the fan.

Based on the advantages and disadvantages of each combined with your needs, it is probably a good idea to get an humidifier. There are many descriptions coming with the humidifiers like "germ free operation", "Cleans as it Humidifies", etc, but I think they are not worth the money unless someone has respiratory problems and the doctor recommended it. The prices vary considerably based on such characteristics. The main thing is to clean it often to impede the forming of mold and the spreading of bacteria.

In my house we use cool air ultrasonic personal humidifier in each bedroom and it works perfect; however, at night I turn off the air heating system and I use electric oil heater which does not make the air so dry as the air heating system does.

How to Avoid Greenwashing

2008-10-24T15:20:00.001-07:00

The urge of people to become green brought, of course, lots of marketers “going green” in the other sense of word and mislead the consumers while the regulations are still waiting to be defined and clarified. Greenwashing is the word for these types of scams ("marketing techniques" :) , that is). Many products are claimed to be “all natural”, or “environmental friendly”, or “non-toxic”, etc while there is no standard established. Luckily, the ingredients on the cosmetic products and on food have to be listed now so people can decide for themselves whether to use that product.

Here are some tips on how to avoid greenwashing:

Always read the labels and try to draw the meaning from them. For lists of meaningful labels you can go here.

Read carefully the ingredients on the cleaningproducts and cosmetic products. I know that you feel like reading foreign language sometimes – but in time you learn them, at least you will know which ones are good and which ones are bad. From my experience, if there are ingredients hard to read – it means that they are chemicals in general, so I avoid them.

Read reviews on the internet; I tried many products based on consumer’s reviews (not company reviews!) and I was satisfied most of the time.

ALWAYS look for certification. Many products have the “certified” word on them, but they do not display the name of the certifying organization. Personally, I am skeptic about that and I talked about this many times in my posts. If companies have a certification for something they should be proud of that and display it on the product. If you can't verify that the product is certified it probably isn't.

NEVER rely on the sincerity of the manufacturer or the seller. Be aware on what are you spending your money.

EPA Sets U.S. Air Quality Standards for Lead 10 Times Stronger

2008-10-17T13:46:00.001-07:00

Not a moment too soon: after 30 years of (lobby induced) silence, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets new limits for lead in the air in an attempt to improve public health protection, especially for children.The previous standards, set in 1978, were 1.5 ug/m3; the new standards are 0.15 ug/m3 - 10 times stronger. To read the entire article go here .
This NY Times article has the digest (and a little whine from the lead recycle industry that may have to move away from kindergardens).

38 Pollutants Found in 10 Brands of Bottled Water

2008-10-15T10:58:00.001-07:00

One more study came out to prove that bottled water is not as good as people may believe. The study, released by the EWG, tested 10 brands of bottled water and found that Wal-Mart's Sam's Choice contained chemical levels that exceeded legal limits in California and the voluntary standards adopted by the industry. The names of the other 8 brands were not released by EWG. In the EWG study, the University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory screened for 170 possible contaminants and found 38 pollutants in 24 samples from 10 major brands purchased in California, Washington, D.C., and eight other states (an average of 8 contaminants in each brand).

It was found that the levels of disinfection byproducts exceeded safety standards established by the state of California and the bottled water industry:

Walmart’s Sam’s Choice bottled water purchased at several locations in the San Francisco Bay Area was polluted with disinfection byproducts called trihalomethanes at levels that exceed the state’s legal limit for bottled water (CDPR 2008). These byproducts are linked to cancer and reproductive problems and form when disinfectant react with residual pollution in the water

Also in Walmart’s Sam’s Choice brand, lab tests found a cancer-causing chemical called bromodichloromethane at levels that exceed safety standards for cancer-causing chemicals under California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Proposition 65, OEHHA 2008). EWG is filing suit under this act to ensure that Walmart posts a warning on bottles as required by law: “WARNING: This product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer."

These same chemicals also polluted Giant's Acadia brand at levels in excess of California’s safety standards, but this brand is sold only in Mid-Atlantic states where California’s health-based limits do not apply. Nevertheless, disinfection byproducts in both Acadia and Sam’s Choice bottled water exceeded the industry trade association’s voluntary safety standards (IBWA 2008a), for samples purchased in Washington DC an 5 states (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and California). The bottled water industry boasts that its internal regulations are stricter than the FDA bottled water regulations(IBWA 2008b), but voluntary standards that companies are failing to meet are of little use in protecting public health.

Other contaminants found include fluoride, fertilizers, drugs (e.g., acetaminophen and caffeine), synthetic chemicals (e.g., acetaldehyde, hexane, toluene, etc.), bacteria, arsenic, and radioactive pollutants.

What to do?

The EWG recommends:

Drink filtered tap water. Carbon filters (pitcher or tap-mounted) are affordable and reduce many common water contaminants, like lead and byproducts of the disinfection process used to treat municipal tap water. Install a reverse osmosis filter if you can afford it, to remove contaminants that carbon filters can’t eliminate, like arsenic and perchlorate (rocket fuel).
Change your water filters on time. Old filters aren’t safe – they harbor bacteria and let contaminants through.
Forgo the plastic bottles
Use safe water for formula. Use filtered tap water for your baby’s formula. If your water is not fluoridated, you can use a carbon filter. If it is, use a reverse osmosis filter to remove the fluoride, because fluoridated water can damage an infant’s developing teeth.
Consumers can urge policymakers to improve and adequately fund source water protection programs

In my house, we use filtered water and occasionally buy (sparkling) mineral water in glass bottle which can be found at Costco, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods.

For more information you can read my previous posts about tap water and bottled water.

The Pixel Organics Scam: Mattress Bait and Switch

2008-10-07T16:23:00.000-07:00

So, we've been had: we did buy the mattress that Pixel Organics advertises, but we got something completely different that's not even close. This is bait and switch, not green-washing or other light stuff.

Take a look at the picture above, that shows on the left what's advertised and on the right what we got in the box: the mattress comes in without any certification or warranty, we read the compulsory labels to find that it's made by a company that's 35 years old and makes truck mattresses; not 90 years old and they don't claim to make any organic mattress. It is labeled as an Ecobaby or Pure Rest mattress. In summary: not certified, no manufacturer's warranty and not 90 year old tradition. A mattress manufacturer that matches that description is Vivetique, meets all the claims but Pixel Organics is not even listed as a dealer.

We contacted CSN Baby (where we bought it) and told them about the scam; they fixed their page to a certain extent (see picture to the right), and offered a full refund for return; we did return the mattress and we're looking for one with less "creative" salesmanship...

But it bugged me that such a blatant bait and switch scam is possible: you advertise a nice product, with fine craftsmanship and you swap it with something with much lower quality. I googled left and right and found no-one that complained about it. Then I wrote to the owner of Pixel Organics (which contacted us for the original post to tell that we got the manufacturer wrong...) Here's his response:

"The mattress you received was from a manufacturer Pure-Rest uses
(Flexus). I purchased the mattress from them because my supplier was
out of stock. It is a very very very similar mattress. We are trying
not to do this but supply is not meeting our demand from our preferred
vendor."

Does this sound like "We're trying not to deceive people, but we do"? I wonder if anyone ever got the real thing, because in my 2 experiences the mattresses were Pure Rest and not the advertised one (remember the store where we kept on saying Pixel and they kept on saying Pure Rest? that's the 2nd one.). So I did write to Chris about it, here's the whole, unedited thread:

ABunchOfGreens: "No matter the explanation, it's still bait and switch and deception;
Vivetique has indeed 90 years of experience and certifications, and...
and... (all the good things that make customers buy their mattress),
and they do buy, but they get instead a mattress made by a fine
establishment that makes truck mattresses. I can go around town in the
stores that distribute pixel mattresses and see how many are
knock-downs and how many the original.

Here's an analogy: you go and choose a BMW X5, you're charged $80,000
for it and you get this in return: http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2008/06/toyota-rav4-bmw-x5-chinese-clones-go-on.html;
the CEO of BMW assures you it's a very very very similar car and he
tries his best, but the Munich plant was busy for you.

Hope you see my point; when can I get my BMW mattress? (The clone is
still in the box, you can make still it right). The mattress I've
selected and I've already paid full price for it was not delivered.
Getting anything less is deception and maybe even fraud.

Regards, etc..."

Chris: "Of coarse I see your point. We should be able to replace your mattress
next week with as you call it" BMW Mattress"."

So I contemplated the idea of arguing about shipping, replacements, the possibility that I'll get yet another deceiving product (what's the probability that someone that lied twice will lie again? Huge, I'd say.) So I decided I don't even want to do business at all with Pixel Organics. We returned the mattress and we're looking for a "real" one in store, any other brand. I'm no Erin Brockovich to dig the fraud and save the world, I just hate being lied to.

Californians Are the Leaders in Flame Retardants Contamination

2008-10-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

A new study, published in the Environmental Science and Technology today, shows higher levels of flame retardants in California residents when compared to other U.S. states and Europe. The study compared dust samples of PBDE from 49 homes in two California communities (Richmond and Bolinas – for the Californians interested in the subject) with 120 Massachusetts homes and with other published studies. It also compared regional PBDE serum levels across the NHANES sample.

The dust concentration of PBDE in the California homes were 4-10 times higher than levels in Ottawa, Canada, Cape Cod, MA, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, and Texas and were 200 times higher than those reported from Germany. The dust concentrations were higher for Richmond - predominantly a low-income, urban community with oil refineries as the main city industry and frequently in the local news with pollution stories.

The BPDE serum levels were higher for the Western region (including California) compared to Eastern region. Interestingly, the U.S. residents born in other countries had lower levels compared to U.S. born residents.

Although the study needs a larger sample size distributed across various California communities in order to generalize the results – it still raise a flag about California flammability standards that requires furniture to be fire resistant to an open flame for 12 seconds. The California agency that promulgated the TB117 is now planning to extend the flammability requirements to the bed clothing.

Although penta-PBDE has been phased out, deca-PBDE is still on the market and the new chemicals have not been studied for safety.

What to do to minimize this contamination:

avoid PBDE's in electronics; next time when you need to purchase new electronics look for companies that ban brominated flame retardants in their products.
avoid PBDE's in foam; all furniture that has foam in it has also flame retardants. Vacuum your furniture and carpet often; be careful when removing old carpet (ventilate well). When purchasing new products, ask the manufacturer what flame retardants are they using. Ikea is always a good place to shop, since they phased out all PBDE's many years ago.
do not reupholster your old furniture.
the alternatives of PBDE's are not fully tested for their health effects so try to buy products made from natural fibers (wool and cotton) because they are naturally flame resistant. However, be careful when purchasing organic furniture; it still can have flame retardants.
wash your hand often and make a habit for the kids as well; their hands seem to be more full of dust since they spend more time playing on the floor.

I'd say that the main think the study shows is that you should consider Hanover Germany over Richmond, CA; true geographical comparisons need much larger study samples collected and analyzed in the same way to provide accurate comparisons.

Cotton Crib Mattresses - Update 1

2008-09-22T14:48:00.001-07:00

Update: What you see is not what you get: read about the Pixel Organics bait-and-switch scam we experienced.

The founder or Pixel Organics Chris Svensrud got back to us in the comments of the previous post; he announces a new mattress from Pixel Organics for 2009 and sets the record on who's manufacturing what:

I should set the records straight about the manufacturing of our mattresses. Our mattress are not made by Pure Rest, since contrary to your investigation, Pure Rest does not actually make or manufacture their innerspring mattress... nor do we. We are a distributor of organic mattresses for mattress manufacturing company which has been manufacturing organic mattress for the last 13 years and had been in the mattress business 77 years prior to that. This is total of 90 years in the mattress business, not to mention that they are still family owned and run. This is the only source we use.

This is the same manufacture that Pure-Rest gets some of their mattress from. We occasionally will have Pure-Rest send a mattress for us if our stock is low or our manufacturer is back logged. It's worth mentioning that Pure-Rest uses a few manufacturers for their range crib mattress, but is by no means a manufacturer of those mattresses.

So, there's a 3rd party, yet to be named, that really makes these mattresses... Oh well, let's hope that the mystery hides, for good reasons, a good name.

Cotton Crib Mattresses: Green Is the Only Way

2008-09-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

Update: What you see is not what you get: read about the Pixel Organics bait-and-switch scam we experienced.

We started searching for a cotton crib mattress (one that has no vinyl or plastic cover) because the youngest of the family is finicky and can't sleep on plastic (same as the father, by the way). These are not unheard from in Europe: this summer we've got a cotton cover mattress in 3 out of 3 places we've been: the Hilton we stayed in Edinburgh, the apartment we rented in Barcelona and the one borrowed from a friend back home. We thought this search was going to be easy, but... Apparently all kids smoke in bed and besides flame-retardant pajamas they also need a flame-retardant bed. When they do not smoke, they soil the bed so hard that waterproof cotton can't handle it and the mattress has to be hosed down (hopefully the baby is hand washed separately...).

So if you try to search for "cotton cover crib mattress" you see that the offering is small and, between the fully plastic and fully organic there is no product in between. There are 2 choices:

- Naturepedic offers a cotton cover mattress as their top of the line product; they also offer many versions of waterproof ones, probably for those that have never heard of waterproof cotton or with babies that smoke in bed...
- Pure Rest offers many mattresses, including the baby one (and you'll see that they have a large number of resellers that do not acknowledge where the mattress comes from, but you'll see the picture I've included, a picture that comes from the Pure Rest website. Most notably, the Pixel Organic mattress is made by Pure Rest; we know because we visited a store that thought was selling a Pure Rest and we though we were seeing a Pixel Organic. The Pixel Organic website does not say it directly, they slip and they mention Pure Rest on the guts of the web page:

"Natural rubber core:
Known for its hypoallergenic qualities being resistance to molds, mildews and dust mites our natural rubber is the only commercially available rubber that is 100% chemical free. No other latex meets our high expectations of freedom from chemicals. Only natural vegetable based soaps are used for washing. To support this claim Pure-Rest used an independent testing lab available to confirm all used rubber was 100% chemical free."

Aha: Pure Rest...

There is a Canadian company (SleepTech) but we have not figured out whether they distribute their mattresses in the US and we did not bother calling. There are probably others. Please leave comments with your source and I'll update the post.

The cotton covered mattresse come in 2 main models: with coils (like your mattress, only smaller) and with latex core (like the ones we've seen in Europe); we've got the one with coils because it's cheaper and firmer. This is the store with the good deal and availability: CSN Baby and with the decency to tell exactly what they're selling. (I got annoyed by the fact that most resellers try to hide the producer name and that the descriptions are so contradictory; no serious seller on Amazon.com, all descriptions sound made up; the prices sound better in places, but who knows what you get?). These are expensive ($300) compared to the hose-down smoke-in-bed filled plastic bag you get everywhere. And, sadly, Ikea is not any better either.

We did not intend this to be necessarily green, plastic-free would have been enough. Apparently we've all been so brain-washed that there's no middle ground and none sells a decent cotton cover mattress; so, a green one it is.

What's your experience? Leave a comment, if there are good finds I'll do an update to this.

The Lobby Over BPA: FDA Gets Defensive

2008-09-17T16:58:00.000-07:00

As more studies are coming out revealing a link between Bishenol A and various diseases, FDA still considers that BPA is safe for humans. I am so frustrated and I have a very hard time understanding the logic behind its decisions... the only reasonable explanation is lobby or they get some sort if bribes from the industry. I cannot why FDA would continue to put people at risk. Our government amazes me more and more. If you like to read the whole article, go here and here.

Going Green - Product Review Of The Week - Clorox Green Works

2008-09-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

After using different green products, I decided to try several products marketed under the brand Green Works (a Clorox brand as you can see from the link). I was reticent in the beginning - given the history of Clorox and even the name that is now associated with green – I was not so sure that it can be that green. In fact, according to a study made by Organic Consumer Association, it is greener than many other famous green products that have been around for a while. The ingredients are natural at least 99% (plant-based ingredients derived from coconuts, as well as essential oils) and biodegradable; they do not smell strong; and I am amazed how well they work. The price range is between 2.99 - 3.59, and can be found almost in any store that sells house cleaning products.

The ones that I liked most and I continue to use arethe Green Works Natural Toilet Bowl Cleaner (99.99 percent natural; ingredients: Filtered water, coconut-based cleaning agent (alkyl polyglucoside), citric acid, lactic acid, essential lemon oil, natural thickener (xanthan gum), colorant) and Green Works Natural Glass Cleaner (99.84 percent natural; ingredients: Filtered water, coconut-based cleaning agent (alkyl polyglucoside), soda ash, corn-based ethanol, glycerine, fragrance with essential lemon oil, colorant).

Why not try it next time? They are cheaper than other green products and they work so well - another little step on your green path.

Flame Retardants in Mothers and Their Toddlers

2008-09-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

A new study released by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that the levels of flame retardants were 3 times higher in toddlers than in their mothers. The flame retardants are hormone-disrupting chemicals and they build up in our bodies. They are found practically everywhere around us – in the sofas, chairs, mattresses, carpet, curtains, laptops, computers and other electronics, etc. It looks like they are also found in dust and the researchers are not sure how it gets there.

The researchers examined 20 American families and they found that in 19 of them, concentrations of the chemicals known as PBDEs were significantly higher in 1.5- to 4-year-old children than their mothers. In total 11 different flame retardants were found in these children, and 86 percent of the time the chemicals were present at higher levels in the children than their mothers.

Two forms of PBDEs known as Penta and Octa are banned in the U.S., but are still found in furniture and foam items made before the phase-out was complete. The largest volume of PBDEs are used in electronics in a form known as Deca. Deca is banned in European electronics and in some U.S. states. Deca was found in higher concentrations in kids than in their mothers as seen in the figure (adapted from EWG). For the full report go here.

Although there are safer alternatives, the industry continues to use them on a large scale.

What to do:

avoid PBDE's in electronics; next time when you need to purchase new electronics look for companies that ban brominated flame retardants in their products.
avoid PBDE's in foam; all furniture that has foam in it has also flame retardants. Vacuum your furniture and carpet often; be careful when removing old carpet (ventilate well). When purchasing new products, ask the manufacturer what flame retardants are they using. Ikea is always a good place to shop, since they phased out all PBDE's many years ago.
do not reupholster your old furniture.
the alternatives of PBDE's are not fully tested for their health effects so try to buy products made from naturally fibers (wool and cotton) because they are naturally flame resistant. However, be careful when purchasing organic furniture; it still can have flame retardants.
wash your hand often and make a habit for the kids as well; their hands seem to be more full of dust since they spend more time playing on the floor.
some additional advice can be found in a previous post.

Carpet and Wool Rug Cleaners: The Green Ones

2008-09-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

We had to clean an area rug recently to have it ready for the winter months (we like the feel of the hardwood during the warmth months), so we started looking at Craig's List to see what local offers we can find. So after a few days of searching and asking, we learned that there are many carpet cleaners that are Green Seal Certified (see my previous post on the value of certifications) and we learned that, when it comes to carpets, there are other certifications, here's an excerpt from one of the site of the cleaner manufacturer we've chosen:

	“Green” Hotels Association: is committed to encourage, promote and support ecological consciousness in the Hospitality industry. For over ten years, “Green” Hotels Association is releasing a very comprehensive Guidelines and Ideas book revealing how to reduce bills as well as the hotel’s impact on the Environment. Evolut-Ion Carpet Cleaner is approved by “Green” Hotels Association. click here for more information...
	The U.S. Green Building is the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work. click here for more information...
	Orbeco Inc. has joined Hospitals for a Healthy Environment, supporting the National Movement for Environmentally Sustainable Health Care. H2E is a voluntary partnership program sponsered by the American Hospital Association, the US EPA, Health Care without Harm and the American Nurses Association. H2E organizations are committed to the virtual elimination of mercury, general waste reduction, and the minimization of toxic substances used in healthcare. H2E supports the design, construction and cooperation of healthcare facilities that significantly improve our collective impact on human and environmental health. click here for more information...

If you need to clean a wool rug (like we did), Woolsafe has alist of cleaning substances that are safe for wool (neutral PH, low foam, all the things that are keeping the carpet looking nice). A few (very very few, I can say) are "green", and I'm listing here ALL of them from that list: Orbeco makes Evolut-ion carpet cleaner, Chemspec makes ECOgent and DFC105 and EnvirOx LLC make a line of products called H₂Orange₂; From the last link you'll also see they have a line of household (as in: consumer) cleaning products besides the industrial ones.

We used a cleaner that is using Evolut-ion by Orbeco; the rug looks clean but not perfect (in all truth, I don't think any cleaner will take coffee stains out of wool :)). We have another rug and we're considering buying the cleaning solution and trying with the carpet cleaning machine we never used, at that time we'll be able to somewhat compare the efficiency. In any way, the rug did not have ANY chemical smell whatsoever.

Going Green: Product Review of the Week - Glass Food Storage Containers

2008-09-02T09:39:00.000-07:00

Although some of the plastic is considered safe (#2(HDPE), #4(LDPE), and #5(PP), I am gradually replacing most plastic containers in the kitchen with ones made out of glass. I still keep some large containers made from plastic #5 (polypropylene) to use them when we go out barbecuing

I bought Pyrex containers (I found them on Amazon at a good price but they can be found in Target stores as well, if you need them "today"). The containers are made from glass but the lids are made from plastic. The containers will not react to foods as plastic ones are believed to do. They are also safe to use in the oven, microwave, freezer and dishwasher. The plastic lids are dishwasher-safe on the top rack.

I recently had a little incident, though. One of the bowls cracked on the lip and a little piece of glass felled into the container. Luckily (ahem!) it was my bowl with food for that day and I noticed the piece of glass in the food and not the kids food. Now I search all the time to see if there is any missing piece, but I am also searching for other glass containers to try it out. I assume that because it is glass is breakable, but I would like something more resistant. I wonder if it's a problem with these Pyrex bowls or it's general to these bowls. I have glass bowls 15 years old (brought over from Europe) and they never broke and these were only few months old….I'll keep searching for alternatives.

The Inescapable Pesticide - In Our Toothpaste, Soap, etc.

2008-08-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

A report released by EWG last month, suggests levels of triclosan in almost everything in our home and our surrounding. Triclosan, a pesticide with antibacterial and antifungal properties, is classified by EPA as toxic with highest scores regarding risk to both human health and the environment. It is linked to cancer, developmental defects, liver and inhalation toxicity, and allergies in children.

Triclosan is used in commercial, institutional and industrial premises and equipment (conveyor belts, fire hoses, dye bath vats and ice making equipment), residential and public access premises (brooms, mulch, floors, shower curtains, awnings, tents, mattresses, toothbrushes, toilet bowls, urinals, garbage cans, refuse container liners, insulation, concrete mixtures, grouts, air filter materials, upholstery fabrics, and rugs/carpets), and as a material preservative (in adhesives, fabrics, vinyl, latex, plastics, polyethylene, polyurethane, synthetic polymers, styrene, floor wax emulsions, rope, textiles, caulking compounds, sealants, coatings, polypropylene, rubber, inks, cellulosic materials, slurries, films and latex paints). Triclosan is found in cord blood and breast milk, in rivers and streams.

*This picture is adapted from the EWG report.

The EWG advise to do the following to avoid the triclosan:

Forgo antibacterial soap. The American Medical Association says not to use it at home. Watch for triclosan (and triclocarban) in personal care products.
Read ingredient labels or use Skin Deep to find products free of triclosan and triclocarban, its chemical cousin. On the Skin Deep you can also find products that have triclosan and/or triclocarban in the ingredients.
Avoid “antibacterial” products. Triclosan is used in everyday products like toothbrushes, toys, and cutting boards that may be labeled “antibacterial,” or make claims such as “odor-fighting” or “keeps food fresher, longer. Several studies showed that antimicrobial soap does not work better than plain soap and water at preventing the spread of infections or reducing bacteria on the skin.

Amazon Green

2008-08-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

It is not new, probably, for many of you but as a friend of mine suggested, I would like to mention about Amazon Green. I like Amazon a lot, especially for the good prices, and now with its Green line, I like it even more.

From their website:
"Amazon Green is a team of Amazonians dedicated to presenting the Greenest products available, sourcing new products and helping our customers better understand the myriad, and sometimes confusing, Green standards in the marketplace today.
Interests
Green Tech, Biodiesel, Hybrid autos, CFLs, LEDs, Certified Organic, ENERGY STAR compliant, water saving, Carbon Footprint reduction, Green Architecture and sustainable living for everyone".

It is a great place to start looking for green products. It is not very diverse though. It has a blog and a forum where people are sharing great green ideas. I like it a lot.

California Rejected the PFOA and BPA Bills

2008-08-19T16:01:00.000-07:00

California lawmakers rejected on Monday the two bills (Corbett’s bill and Migden’s Bill ) that would have banned the use of two harmful chemicals: PFOA from food packaging and BPA in products used for children under 3 years of age. It is clear that this was influenced by the FDA statements that BPA is safe that came out Friday, just in time for the votes. Both chemicals were identified as potential carcinogens. I wonder how long it takes until the safety of people will prevail over the lobby money of unscrupulous industries that care about the customers only after it kills a few with their products. And, probably the brains of our lawmakers are already damaged by some chemicals since they don't seem to care about our health.

Both bills were granted reconsideration; I hope the legislators will reconsider their votes despite lobbying efforts.

FDA Released New Draft: Says "Bishenol A is Safe"

2008-08-18T15:06:00.000-07:00

It looks like we never learn. After asked to review its decisions about Bisphenol A, FDA came last Friday with a new draft stating that Bisphenol A is safe. Their review is funded by research made by the industry, and as expected it was acclaimed by the American Chemistry Council (a lobby group for chemical companies) which defended the chemical’s safety.

After National Toxicology Program came out with a study earlier this year, stating that BPA can lead to prostate and breast cancers, Canada made public its intention to ban the use of BPA in baby products. Wal-Mart and Toy’ R Us announced their intention to take out from their shelves bottles containing the chemical. Now, in the U.S., 12 states are considering bills to restrict use of BPA. California could become the first state in the nation to ban Bisphenol A in certain products. I hope their decision will not be influenced by the FDA report which, oddly, came out just now – before the California lawmakers are preparing to vote the proposal.

Despite FDA decisions (which were kind of shaken lately), I will continue to avoid any plastic that will contain BPA. My previous posts provide a more comprehensive review of BPA, tips on how to avoid it, and a review of baby bottles free of BPA. This latest decision reeks of lobby...

Cell Phones Radiation

2008-08-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

We are bombarded lately by news saying that the cell phones are emitting radiation levels that could be linked with cancer. There is continuous debate about the issue as there is a need of data to make the cell phone-cancer correlation significant. It is hard to tell at this moment; although neurosurgeons firmly sustain that there is a link. On the CNET website it is a list with the phones and their radiation levels. Not all the models are tested, but the nice part is that you can request the SAR information from the manufacturer or your carrier. You'll need the model number and FCC ID number, which is usually but not always listed in your owner's manual or under your phone's battery (you must pop the battery out).

From the CNET website:

“According to the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association (CTIA), specific absorption rate, or SAR, is "a way of measuring the quantity of radiofrequency (RF) energy that is absorbed by the body." For a phone to pass FCC certification, that phone's maximum SAR level must be less than 1.6W/kg (watts per kilogram). In Europe, the level is capped at 2W/kg while Canada allows a maximum of 1.6W/kg. The SAR level listed in our charts represents the highest SAR level with the phone next to the ear as tested by the FCC. Keep in mind that it is possible for the SAR level to vary between different transmission bands and that different testing bodies can obtain different results”.

Highest Radiation Levels (US models) Lowest Radiation Levels (US models)

Motorola V195s 1.6

Motorola W385 1.54

RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Sprint) 1.54

RIM BlackBerry Curve 8330 (Verizon Wireless) 1.54

Motorola Deluxe ic902 1.53

T-Mobile Shadow (HTC) 1.53

Motorola i335 1.53

Samsung Sync SGH-C417 1.51

HTC SMT5800 1.49

Motorola Z6c 1.49

Motorola Razr V3x 0.14

Samsung SGH-G800 0.23

Samsung Soul 0.24

Nokia 7390 0.26

Motorola Razr2 V8 0.36

Samsung SGH-T229 0.383

Nokia 6263 0.43

Samsung SGH-i450 0.457

Samsung SLM SGH-A747 0.478

Samsung Access SGH-A827 0.486

For an exhausted list, you can go here.

Going Green: Product Review of the Week: Drain Treatments

2008-08-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

After getting rid of all the nasty chemicals in my house, it was time for the drain remover too. I do not use it often, only if needed, and probably this happens about once or twice at every two years. However, the time to use it just came recently so I was looking for a greener alternative. I found various on the internet, but since I barely need it I decided to buy one that is not expensive, but not the cheapest either. I ended up getting the Citra Drain Natural Enzymatic, as I am a big fan of products made with enzymes. I used it and it worked very well! It uses powerful natural enzymes to rid drains and pipes of grease, clogs, and build-up. It is perfect for most organic blockages, including grease, oil, soap residue and more.

Ingredients: Natural enzymes, natural bacteria cultures, biodegradable cleaning agents, natural citrus extracts and trace preservative (.0005%).

It is available in 22 fl.oz, Valencia Orange fragrance.

I got it from MotherNature (where I found the best price) but you can find it in many places. For stores in your area you can look here.

Radon Found in Granite Countertops - Updates

2008-08-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

I wrote earlier about this New York Times article; following the link provided in the article, I called the radon technologist in my area and asked for a quote of measuring radon on my granite countertop. He was a very nice guy, willing ang able to provide information, and I the details I got from him helped a lot. Here's a summary of what he told me:

There is no standard established for measuring the radon in the granite countertops as there is no technology for doing it. As read in the New York Times article, this is done only for scientific purposes. The thing the technicians do is to measure the radon in the kitchen using tests approved by EPA. Given that I had my house tested for radon already, he said that the test should have picked up the radon from the granite too. Well, by following the EPA recommendations, I had my house tested at the lowest level; so it would be wise to make another test in the kitchen (situated a level higher) and compare the results.

The quote I received was up to $400 to test the entire house (every room) and this was depending on location as well (I live pretty far from the closest certified technician).

In the winter, I used an EPA certified test which costs me about $20. The technician said that it is perfectly reliable to do this again for the kitchen, and after that if I still have doubts, I should go for testing the entire house. (As an aside: nice guy, he never tried to push for a sale, he was merely providing the information).

Before running out for your radiation physicist friend with a Geiger Counter or paying a lot, you can use a simple test and do it for yourself! If you suspect the granite countertop (or the cutting board :), place the test above it.

Going Green: Product Review of the Week - Clothes Washers

2008-08-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

Clothes washers have come a long way here in the US to catch up with European counterparts, front-loading washers seem to be the norm nowadays. What has helped in the process was a bit of smart policy: utilities distribute rebates on new appliances, the more energy- and water-saving the appliance, the bigger the rebate.

What to look for in a clothes washer? First off it has to wash properly, without tearing apart the clothes or ruining them -- but you knew that already. Read reviews around, get a brand with good reputation, ask a friend that owns one you'd like; it really does make a difference, some of the cheap models will force you to update your wardrobe often. On the green front, look for the energy consumption and water usage.

#1 Energy: Energy star rates washers on both, and you can find a Energy Star Clothes Washer ratings and you can compare all models in gory details. Look for the "percent better" column and choose the one with the highest percentages for the biggest energy consumption (for example, some of the Bosch models rate more than 100% better). Then check the prices and choose one you can afford, as you can see, you can get a well reputed LG for half the price of a purist's dream Miele. Search for Energy Star partners that offer rebates here or check the list and offerings at your local Home Depot, Lowe's, Best Buy or other major appliance store. Call ahead the utility and ask whether they still have money for the rebates. Compute your final cost and shop around. (You're probably aware of this, all appliances carry a yellow label like the one you see in the picture: the arrow has to be more to the left for a better machine. The table I link in the beginning of the paragraph is a better tool (and for the really compulsive, the website has excel and CSV versions).

I'm not really focusing on the electrical versus gas choice because it's not a choice for many of us; you need to get what you have in your home. If you can choose, gas is generally a cheaper option -- unless your state or utility regulates the price or energy.

#2 Water: there's less difference here on the modern front loader designs, you see in the table that 3 cubic feet front loading washers consume about 5000 gallons of water per year. If you've chosen 10 models at #1, narrow it down to the ones with the best volume/yearly water use ratio. Here's where the quality of the wash comes into play, read reviews and compare as well, don't go for minimum water consumption if the reviews are bad.

Last but not least, choose based on the producer's experience. European manufacturers are doing this for at least 40 years (yes, that's how old front loading machines are :)). Miele and Bosch are 'royalty' in Europe, Japanese and Korean makers have good experience as well -- don't know much here. Color is not that important, the machine is hidden in the laundry room anyway.

Congress Banned Three Phthalates in Children’s Toys

2008-07-31T16:45:00.000-07:00

Good news parents! Congress has banned the use of three dangerous phthalates that are used in products for children under 12 years of age. Finally! The ban will take effect in 6 months so toys containing these chemicals may still be sold during the coming holiday season. Couple of years back, Europe banned six of the phthalates; in the U.S. the other three phthalates require extensive testing and is part of a major piece of legislation overhauling the Consumer Products Safety Commission. Arghhhhh! OK, let's focus on the positive: 3 down!

For getting tips on how to chose safe toys, go here!

The Labeling of Organic Textiles

2008-07-29T15:54:00.000-07:00

Are organic labels on textiles green washing or not? It turns out they're legit and fairly regulated in the US, here's the facts:
According to the National Organic Program (NOP) regulations, USDA regulates the term “organic” as it applies to agricultural products through 7 CFR Part 205. The regulation covers the raw natural fibers (such as cotton, wool, flax, etc.), as being agricultural products covered under the NOP crop/livestock production standards. Therefore, the off-farm treatment of raw organic fibers is not covered under the NOP crop/livestock production standards. Although the NOP has no specific fiber or textile processing and manufacturing standards, it may be possible for fibers grown and certified to NOP crop/livestock standards to be processed and manufactured into textile and other products which meet NOP standards.

“Only textile products certified to the NOP production and processing standards are eligible to be labeled “100 percent organic” and “organic.”

So what's in a name? There are three main categories:

100 percent Organic

100 percent organic fiber content.
Only organic processing aids.
USDA Organic seal may be displayed on final product, in marketing materials, and in retail displays—in proximity to certified products only.
All operations producing, handling, processing and manufacturing the final product must be certified.

Organic

Minimum of 95 percent organic fiber content.
5 percent non-organic substances, as listed in Section 205.605 of the NOP regulation.
No non-organic fibers.
USDA Organic seal may be displayed on final product, in marketing materials, and in retail displays—in proximity to certified products only.
All operations producing, handling, processing, and manufacturing the final product must be certified.

Made with Organic Ingredients

Must contain a minimum of 70 percent organic fibers. However, all fibers identified in these textile products as “organic” must be produced and certified to NOP standards.
May identify specific fibers as being organic if certified to the NOP crop/livestock standards.
May state the percentage of organic fibers contained in the final product.
May not use the USDA Organic seal.
May not imply or lead the consumer to believe that the final product is certified organic.

What Organic Means?

Organic fibers (cotton, hemp and linen) are grown without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides or fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation or genetic engineering, and are certified by an accredited independent organization. Strict laws and regulations are enforced by US Department of Agriculture and have been in place since 2002.
Organic wool must be produced in accordance with federal standards for organic livestock production and this include:livestock feed and forage used from the last third of gestation must be certified organic; use of synthetic hormones and genetic engineering is prohibited; use of synthetic pesticides is prohibited; and producers must encourage livestock health through good cultural and management practices.
Organic leather means that the hides used are from animals that are organically fed and humanely raised, and the tanning process uses plant tannins, vegetable tannins or smoke to cure the leather. This means that there is zero toxicity from the run at the tanning facilities.

Some brands and designers that are using organic fiber, wool and leather are:

C&A (Europe)	Disney	Nordstrom	Gaiam	Hanna Andersson
Hess Natur (Germany)	Nike	Macys	IKEA	Indigenous Designs
Howie's (U.K.)	American Apparel	REI	Gap, Inc.	Linda Loudermilk
People Tree (U.K.)	Patagonia	H&M	Eileen Fisher	Bloomingdales
Monoprix (France)	Marks & Spencer (Europe)	Levi Strauss	Diane von Furstenberg	and many more....

Going Green:Product Review of the Week - Hardwood Floor Cleaners

2008-07-25T14:31:00.000-07:00

I am using Bona (by BonaKemi) for almost 2 years and I am still very happy about the results. It keeps my floor looking like new; it does not leave any residue and it cleans the dirt from the floor very well. It works well on the ceramic floor also. The product is non-toxic and most importantly is Greenguard certified since 2006 (it was the first-ever hardwood floor finishing company to earn The Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certification for their products).

You can find a list with the dealers on their website but the best deal I found is on Amazon.

“From effective dust containment to low-VOC, high performance waterborne finishes without harmful fumes, to non-toxic floor care products and systems, the Bona system offers the cleanest and healthiest hardwood floor finishing system available.”

I strongly recommend this product; it is a good one to add to your green collection.

Radon Found In Granite Countertops

2008-07-24T14:54:00.000-07:00

Update : Radon Found In Granite Countertops

A friend of mine pointed me to this article in New York Times talking about radon emissions from granite countertops. I had no idea that the granite can emit radon and of course, the first thing I thought about the granite countertop in my kitchen. Is it safe or not? I just tested the house for radon last winter and it was fine, but I did not test the kitchen. I wonder how far should we go with the testing around the house; probably everything is emitting some levels of something that is risky for our health. However, I think the article is worth to read – if not, just to find out that there is something more to add up to the pile of chemicals and gases that impacts our health. Should I will have my granite countertop tested too?

13 Things I changed That Made Me Greener

2008-07-24T13:40:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine, who is not too much into the green stuff, asked me recently what I did during the last year that helped me become greener. There were things that I did always like recycling, but I will try to compile the list as I do them now as well. To become green, it takes time; I am not the kind of person who would change over night and I do not have the budget anyway. But this is what I did and I continue doing it and I think it would be easy for everyone, and hopefully convince my friend to start little by little changing those old habits.

Recycle – this is the easiest to do. I do recycle everything possible – plastic/paper bags, light bulbs, electronics, cardboards, cans, plastic/glass bottles, food packaging, junk mail, etc. Bring your bags when going to the supermarket or the farmers market.
Ventilate well your home every day. Stop using air fresheners since the indoor air is more polluted that the outdoor air anyway. Stop using insecticides and pesticides for your plants. I do not use anything for caring for the plants, except water and cleaning the dead leaves and they look very nice and healthy.
Use energy efficient light bulbs – I switched to compact fluorescent bulbs in the entire house; it took a while to get used to the new light though.
Use recycled paper products – I use bathroom tissues, paper towels made from recycled paper. I am still working on napkins and facial towels – I need to find something that will not scratch my nose when I get through a flu or cold.
Use cloth instead of paper for cleaning. I have always preferred to use cloth for cleaning the bathroom, the kitchen or even wiping the dust from the furniture. I usually, use old tea shirts. This can help to reduce the garbage in our landfill.
Get rid of the plastic. I eliminated all bad plastic from my house; I changed the plastic food containers with glass containers and I do not buy water in plastic bottle anymore. This was also based on the news related to the chemicals found in plastic. For a more comprehensive review of good and bad plastic you can go here.
Use green cleaning products. I changed the cleaning products one by one, and I tried several until I found the ones that are actually working. Not all of them are doing a good job; however, expect to work a little harder on scrubbing than used to. I am very proud I did this since I started to hate the chemicals from the bottom of my heart. I made a review of some of the products I use on the Product Review of the Week category.
Do not use the printer unless necessary. I started to think well before I use the printer and I use it less and less.
Install a water filter. I installed a basic water filter that is supposed to reduce some of the chemicals in the water. I buy still and sparkling water in glass bottles as well.
Get natural/organic personal care products. The problem with the personal care products is that they are not regulated so buying natural or organic does not give us any assurance that their claim is true, unless it provides the certification. There are some products that are certified by USDA and have the USDA organic seal, but you can also use the SkinDeep database to help you get products with less chemicals.
Do laundry the green way. I changed my washer and dryer and bought energy efficient ones; to be sincere I changed them because they were rather old and it was about time to change them. But it was a good deal in the end (got them in some sale and also received some money back from my utility company) and I could say that this was the major change that I was able to see it on my bills. Some additional advices would be: wash full loads (which probably everyone does) and hang dry if possible. I hang dry everything except the bedding lingerie, towels and other things that are large and I cannot take outside. I like the fresh smell of the outside dried yarns.
Buy organic food products. This can be expensive. What I do is to buy more meat when in sale and keep it in the freezer for the next meal; it is better this way than eating conventional meat. Eat more poultry even it is conventional - the poultry is not fed with hormones. The pork is not fed with hormones either. Buy your fruits and vegetables local. I do subscribe to a local farm and I get fresh vegetables every week; I got in love with it but I still need to supplement it with fruits and some additional vegetables. If you cannot buy only organic, try to buy organic only those vegetables and fruits that have the most pesticides on them and go conventional for those with less pesticides. You can go here for a complete list.
Green my kids – well this is a whole different category, I will talk another time about it.

Probably this is not much by some standards, but I feel I changed a lot not only through the things done in my house but in my mind as well. And above all, I feel that my family is leaving a healthier life, with fewer chemicals. I am not doing drastic changes (for example, changing all my furniture with eco-friendly/organic one); I will do the change when the time is up for them. Also, prices on green things are coming down, so doing what's now affordable and needed will take you a long way. (Of course, if you're filthy rich do change everything :) but keep in mind there is so much greenwashing out there that you have to be careful. When I decide to change and buy something I learned to carefully look up for regulations and certifications to avoid scams and fakes. I hope this list will help!

Children's Place - the Devil Is In the Details

2008-07-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

After the recent recall of the Children’s Place pajamas due to excessive lead in paint, I wrote to Children’s Place and asked them what kind of paint are they using since there was excessive lead in their pajamas. I assumed that they are using lead-based paint since the recall was because of the excessive lead. Since there's a lot of creative writing in the recall document, there has to be creative reading: expect the worse cover-up and ask direct questions. They replied stating that the case “was an isolated incident”. I was not so happy with their answer (the lack of a direct answer, that is) so I sent them another e-mail asking what kind of paints are they using and I added questions about flame retardants used in pajamas and other of their clothes, whether they are using chemicals for stain-proofed and water-proofed clothes. Another person answered my e-mail and she repeated the previous non-answer: that was “an isolated incident”, yada yada, best regards kind of stuff. I wrote the 3rd email starting with the fact that they did not answer to none of my questions and then I repeated the questions. A 3rd person wrote me back the following:

"Thank you for contacting Customer Service with your questions. All prints and screen prints are tested for lead and meet all lead requirements.

The print stuff varies depending on the types of printing, but all paint meet lead requirements. Stain proof is in RTW and perhaps Derong Tu. The yarns are treated and the chemicals meet all government requirements. We sincerely hope we have answered your question.

If we can be of further assistance please contact us at 1-877 PLACE USA or visit us at www.childrensplace.com."

Again, they dodge the answers. I would like to know what kind of chemicals are they using in treating their products but given the avoided and then the ambiguous answers I have no doubt that they are using harmful chemicals like formaldehyde, bromine, caustic soda, and many other chemicals used for finishing. I know, if it’s not organic it’s not kosher! But having lead in children’s clothes while it is banned in children’ furniture should make anyone angry. So, if you bought cotton pajamas (from Children’s Place) thinking that they are free of flame retardants….well you may put on your children’s skin other chemicals – who knows what! Apparently they can't control their supply chain, they buy sight-unseen stuff from 3rd party manufacturers and test to the minimal regulation requirements. That's what transpires from the e-mails.

I started to write to some more other companies that are manufacturing children clothes and I still wait for answers. Until then, I will not shop at Children’s Place again. I wonder if there is any independent lab that does testing like those for toys and cars; anyone heard about one?

Going Green: Product Review of the Week - CFL Bulbs

2008-07-18T15:44:00.000-07:00

Our local stores have CFL bulbs with discounted prices and when we found the GE bulbs for less than $1 each we decided to go for it and change the bulbs in the whole house. We got a combination of 15W and 23W (same light intensity as the 60W and 100W incandescent bulbs respectively). At the $1 price the bulbs pay for themselves quite soon (considering the kids that leave the light on everywhere they go), so we decided that spending $40 on bulbs was worth it.

So we had 40 bulbs and 4 were 'dead on arrival' or immediately thereafter; so the other bulbs will probably last the 10,000 hours claimed. Let's say it's new technology and still unstable and few bulbs will fail because of that -- but still, GE can test the bulbs better and avoid the DOA ones. We sent the bar codes and a copy of the receipt to GE and in a few weeks they sent a coupon for each bar code sent and a letter that made no excuses of the poor quality but assured us that our 10% failure is an oddity.

The fluorescent light has come a long way: the light is warm and soft; the CFL base is not as large as to make the light impractical (but your mileage might vary). Surely they consume less -- I can't tell by how much because we installed them in late fall when our electric bill goes up anyway and we don't have enough data. One annoying thing is that there's a short lag between flicking the switch and the light coming on. We don't notice that as much after few months anymore, though.

We did try some no-name or new brands and the production and testing quality on those was even worse. Naming the brands won't help much, every week the local stores come up with a new brand. We did send claims on warranty to two different manufacturers. It's more than 3 months and (sob) the did not call back. Oh well.

Most CFLs won't work with dimmers, check the label. In my experience, the ones that are dimmable (like this for example) still make a buzzing sounds when not at maximum power -- quite annoying. And, to add insult to injury, they cost an arm and a leg. I stay away from them for now.

So if you want to try CFL bulbs, here's a few things that will make it cheaper and better:

dimmable light require expensive CFLs, wait until the technology gets better and cheaper on those.
check your utility website, they'll likely sponsor cost or have coupons for bulbs.
check the manufacturers web site or your Sunday newspaper for coupons.
buy recognized brands with repute and good warranty and keep receipts & bar codes for the bulbs that fail. Some will surely fail and only keeping producers honest will increase the quality, so claim the warranty on the busted ones. (I wonder if I'll find those bar codes 3 years from now if one bulb fails before the 5 years warranty :))
take your existing bulbs to recycle (and keep a few as spares if you wish)
take dead CFL bulbs to recycle as well, the chemicals in them are nastier than in the incandescent bulbs.

The Phthalates-Now in the Glass Jars

2008-07-17T15:48:00.000-07:00

After stop buying canned food because of the Bisphenol A found in can liners, I switched completely on food packed in glass jars – thinking that the glass should be the safest of all but ignoring the fact that the lids may contain chemicals. Now, the new study made by CHOICE - that tested 25 food products in glass jars has found that many are contaminated with plastic softening materials exceeding safety limits set by the European Union. The foods that are vulnerable to contamination have high oil content to soak up chemicals and are liquid enough to slop against the inside of the lid.

They tested 25 food products in glass jars with a total fat content more than 4% (bought from Sydney supermarkets and organic food specialists) that were:
"Runny enough for some of the food to slop against the inside of the lid during transport and distribution.
Fatty enough to dissolve plasticiser from the gasket."

They found significant levels of Epoxidised soybean oil (ESBO) and the three phthalates, Di-ethyl-hexyl phthalate (DEHP), Di-iso-octyl phthalate (DIOP), and Di-isononyl phthalate (DINP). This is a summary of the results:

Nine of the 25 foods contained ESBO at levels well above the EU limit of 60 ppm — one of them, a pesto sauce with 26% fat, contained 840 ppm.

Twelve of the foods contained phthalates at levels above their respective EU limits. One, a tandoori dip imported from India, contained 350 ppm of DEHP — that’s about 230 times the EU limit.

Five products contained excessive levels of all four plasticisers. Interestingly, three of them were imported from Italy, a member country of the EU.

Three of the foods tested were labeled ‘organic’. While one of them (imported from New Zealand) contained only a trace of ESBO, the other two (from Italy and Turkey) contained excessive levels of all four plasticisers. Biological Farmers of Australia told us PVC isn’t permitted in packaging for organic foods produced in Australia.

Choice did not release the list of products they tested, but they have suggested to avoid food in jars that contains more than 4% fat (or 4 grams of fat per 100 grams of food). It is frustrating, we have to avoid so many things already; soon we will most likely have to avoid everything in order to be fine. The only thing left to do is probably to wait for government and the industry to release standards for chemical safety. I hope it will happen in my lifetime though!

The Green Scam

2008-07-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

Many of us are probably felling guilty that we do not do enough for leaving a green life good for us and our environment. We read through websites about so many tips and ideas of becoming green – that sometimes I feel that I can never do it given my budget and the style of life. And I would probably never be able to do it. But, I try, and little by little I started to do lots of things. However, I am always amazed how easy is for some people that I wonder if they are really doing what are they claiming or it is just a way of making money. Of course, making money by brainwashing people is not an invention; it has been there forever. But, I became sensitive at the “green” claims of those whose purpose is to get rich without thinking seriously about it. For example, let’s look at some of them.

The Greenopia- Their pledge is “We are with you in aiming to create a more sustainable, sensible and sane world. Our team will bring you the latest eco info and our listings will guide you to local resources, businesses and services so you can do what you do every day—greener.” Hmmm….but they offer to buy their guide printed on paper. Is this really green? I did not see the guide, but I would not be surprised if it is printed on high quality white and shiny paper. Another one, even more hilarious is “Thepurplebook Green: An Eco-friendly Online Shopping Guide ”. So this is a paper book that would help you to do your shopping online! At least, it seems to be printed on recycled paper, but still is an oxymoron…. Another book named “The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time (Paperback) ” offer[s] tips on becoming green. One of them is “Don’t ask for ATM receipts”. What about selling the electronic version of the book and suggesting not to printing the book?

These are very, very few examples amongst the wave of freshly painted green bag of tricks, scams and schemes. I may exaggerate but I do not see the point of printing so many “green” books when people are trying hard to do something for the planet. And when you read these kinds of books you start feeling guilty that maybe you do not do enough? Well…there is so much free information online, I do not see the need of buying a paper book, yet killing another tree.

Please don't print this, send a link!!

Chlorine - Another Harmful Chemical

2008-07-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Chlorinated chemicals can cause serious health problems and cancer (especially liver cancer). The most common chlorinated chemicals are chloroform, para-dichlorobenzene, perchloroethylene, trichloroethylene, methylene chloride, and methyl chloroform. These chemicals come from cleaning products (e.g. laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, all-purpose cleaning products, etc), dry-cleaned materials (including carpets, drapes, upholstered furniture), treated municipal water (to disinfect the water supply), and swimming pools.

There is growing evidence that children who use chlorinated open-air swimming pools have an increased risk of developing asthma. Recent studies revealed that the typical “chlorine” smell in the air and its irritant properties are attributed to chloramines (monochloramine, dichloramine, and trichloramine) that are generated from the reaction of the hypochlorite with ammonia and amino-compounds from sweat and urine of swimmers. A study made in Belgium with schoolchildren, revealed that swimming in chlorinated pools represents a hazard of pulmonary damage, and could be responsible for the increase in asthma in Western societies. Their study found that regular attendance at indoor chlorinated pools by children was strongly associated with an increased likelihood of developing asthma or of an airway inflammation. Whether these outcomes are measured separately or in combination, Cumulated Pool Attendance ranks as one of the strongest and most consistent predictors immediately after atopy and family history of allergic diseases. This is scary news, especially for those parents whose children are at a higher risk of developing asthma.

What to do then? Here are some things we can do in the meantime:

Indoor:
- Avoid using chlorinated products; if it is really necessary to use some of them make sure you use them in a well ventilated area and wear a mask.
- Go for green cleaning products; they do not contain chlorine since is bad for the environment. However, read the list of ingredients.
- Avoid using air fresheners; some of them contain para-dichlorobenzene. However, they have other bad chemicals inside.
- Avoid dry-cleaning by purchasing clothes that do not require dry-cleaning.
- Chose cleaning products that have the “Green Seal” to clean your carpet, drapes, upholstered furniture.
- Call your municipal water department to find out if your water is chlorinated or treated with chlorinated chemicals. If it is (and usually it is!) try to reduce the hot water consumption by installing water flow restrictors in shower heads and reduce the temperature of the shower water. This will help you to reduce the exposure to chloroform. If possible, install a water filter.
- Ventilate well your house.
- Avoid opening the dishwasher while in use and keep the windows open.
- If possible, install high flow rate exhaust fans.
-Use indoor air filters and cleaners.

Outdoor:
- Limit swimming in indoor chlorinated swimming pools.
- Shower before going to the swimming pool.
- If possible, select less used pools or swim at times when there are fewer people in the pool.
- If you have your own pool, do not use chlorine.
- If possible go to the beach.
- Read this article in the Green Guide for more tips.

The First Environmental Search Engine

2008-07-14T14:46:00.000-07:00

The EcoSearch.org is the first search engine dedicated to support the environmental awareness and preservation. The search engine generates ad revenue and donates 100% of its profits to environmental causes. So, why not using it?

Cows Are Not Green, Neither Are Pigs

2008-07-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

While some are trying to find ways to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions from energy production plants and cars, others are studying farming emissions, or more bluntly put: cow farts to help reduce the methane – another greenhouse gas. The greenhouse gas emissions are not coming only from passenger cars and factories but also from other sources. When I read an article in The Telegraph, I thought, at first that it was a joke and seemed to be funny. But it is real! Scientists are collecting cow farts in plastic tanks attached in the back of the cows to help combat the global warming. What a job! In Argentina, it was found that the methane from cows is responsible for about 30% of the country's total greenhouse emissions. Another group of scientists are studying the gas emissions in the swine industry. However, the Australian scientists seem to be on their way to resolve the problem by using the eco-friendly kangaroo farts to combat the global warming.

Well…it is kind of funny to find out that cows and swine are ruining our atmosphere. And a picture tells a thousand words. But seriously, it's interesting to see that creative solutions that look at the problem in a holistic way may find creative ways at solving the greenhouse gas problem by looking right under our nose (ahem!!) for solutions.

There was another NPR program recently that talked about pig farms and new breeds that produce less methane (but I can't find the link -- anyone has more details?)

The Danger of Formaldehyde

2008-07-09T15:01:00.000-07:00

I started to become more conscious about this chemical when I searched for a new bed for my kids. The presence of formaldehyde in the environment seems to be unavoidable and it concerns me. I discovered that it can be found even in children’s clothes, in bedding sheets, and so on. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen; Europe banned the use of it last year while U.S. doesn’t even bother to consider it although it is classified as a human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Besides the fact that it occurs naturally, formaldehyde is found in many products that are part of our daily lives and therefore, a total avoidance is almost impossible. I will try to come up with a list of products containing formaldehyde and some recommendations on how to reduce exposure.

Where is found

glue or adhesives in pressed-wood furniture in household furnishing
in foam used in furniture and in construction (urea-formaldehyde foam and fiberglass insulation). To note: Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation installed 5 to 10 years ago is unlikely to still release formaldehyde the building industry (to water – and grease-proof concrete and plaster)
film processing
textile treatment – especially in carpeting and as a permanent press fabric finishes (e.g., draperies) but it can be found in clothes too
leather tanning
cosmetics and medications - as a preservative (especially in nail polish), mouthwash, spermatocide cream, skin disinfectants, and cough drops
air fresheners
disinfectant (especially in mattresses) and fumigants
vinyl products
burning materials: cigarettes, kerosene, wood, and natural gas
paints - as a preservative
coated paper products

How to reduce exposure to formaldehyde

Ventilate well your house. The levels of formaldehyde are higher inside the house than outside. This is the easiest to do.
Avoid cosmetics that contain formaldehyde – for nail polishes, there are already many alternatives; avoid the air fresheners completely – besides formaldehyde they contain other substances that are dangerous for your health.
Wash the durable-press fabrics before use. Actually, it is always wise to wash any fabric before use.
Avoid vinyl products – they usually contain many more chemicals.
Avoid staying next to the open fire (on the grill or in the fireplace) and avoid smoking (including second-hand smoking).
Chose paints that have low or 0-VOCs levels.
When purchasing new furniture make sure it is not glued with formaldehyde-based glue and is not coated with paints containing the formaldehyde. If you are looking for a totally green option, make sure is Greenguard certified or it has the Green Seal on it.
Avoid the use of insulation containing formaldehyde, especially urea-formaldehyde foam insulation. If you have formaldehyde-containing products that are not laminated or coated – you can use some low/no VOC, formaldehyde-free paint or varnish to coat the furniture. However, make sure you ventilate well the area during and after coating.
Try to remove from your home those products that release formaldehyde in the indoor air

Going Green - Product review of the Week - Baby Cribs

2008-07-03T11:06:00.000-07:00

Well, there are tens of models or even more, so choosing a crib for my baby was more a matter of price than a matter of model or design. I wanted something that was considered safe and within a good price range. For the first baby I got a crib made by Delta and it was around $150, at Target. Now I am not very proud of my choice, but at that time was the best I could afford. For the second baby I looked into a more greener alternative and I felt fleeced by "green" offering -- and I had a nagging feeling that it's just marketing. Besides, they do look cute and modern and all that, but it's an 'investment' that you make for only 2 years, so is it really worth it?
So, I was thinking what could be wrong with the ones from Ikea ? They are made from real wood, look nice and Ikea is already well known for its safe and eco-friendly products. So I ended up with one of their cribs and I like it a lot; It is made from real wood (pine), unfinished (it does not have applied any lacquer), it is adjustable (it has two positions), and yes, it is cute just because it is so simple.

How "healthy" is your car?

2008-07-03T10:39:00.000-07:00

Did you ever wonder where is that new car smell coming from? I know, I know it's something everyone likes, but... According to HealthyCar.org, it is coming from the amalgam of the numerous chemicals added to built the car.

HealthyCar.org includes test results from over 200 of the most popular vehicles in the U.S. market from the 2006 and 2007 model years. In each vehicle, 15 different components were sampled using a portable, hand-held X-Ray Fluoresence (XRF) spectrometry device. The components sampled include: steering wheel, shift knob, armrest/center console, dashboard, headliner, carpet, seat front, seat back, seat base, hard door-trim, soft door-trim, body sealer, wiring, window seal and wheel weights. Based on these findings, each vehicle was given an overall rating, as well as chemical ratings for bromine, chlorine, lead and a group of substances referred to as "other chemicals”.

I will make a list with the cars that represents the low concern and most concern in terms of chemicals, but for a more complete list (and check whether the Prius is green all around), go here.

	Low Concern	High Concern
Small Car	Chevy Cobalt (2007) Pontiac G5 (2007)	Toyota Yaris (2007) Mazda Mazda 3 (2007) VW Jetta (2006) Suzuki Reno (2006) Suzuki Forenza (2006) Hyundai Accent (2007) Kia Rio (2006) Chevy Aveo (2007) Nissan Versa (2007)
Family Sedan	From those tested - None identified	Dodge Stratus (2006) Kia Optima (2006) Hyundai Elantra (2006) Kia Spectra 5 (2006)
Upscale Sedan	Volvo S40 (2007) Cadillac CTS (2007) Lexus IS 350 (2007) Acura TSX (2006)	From those tested - None identified
Luxury Sedan	Lexus ES 350 (2007) Acura RL (2006)	From those tested - None identified
Large Sedan	From those tested - None identified	Chevy Impala (2007)
Coupe	From those tested - None identified	Chevy Monte Carlo (2006)
Convertible	Chevy Corvette (2007) Mercedes SLK280 (2007)	VW Beatle (2006)
Sport/Sporty Car	BMW Z4 3.0 (2006)	Hyundai Tiburon (2006)
Station Wagon	Volvo V50 (2007) Suzuki Aerio (2006) Toyota Matrix (2006) Suzuki SX4 (2007) Pontiac Vibe (2007)	Mazda Mazda 5 (2007) Suzuki Forenza Wagon (2006) Scion xB 5dr (2006)
Pickup Truck	Nissan Frontier (2006) GMC Canyon (2007) Chevy Colorado 2WD (2006) Honda Ridgeline (2007) Nissan Titan (2006) Toyota Tacoma (2006)	Chevy Silverado (2007)
SUV	Chrysler PT Cruiser (2006) Acura RDX Tech (2007) BMW X3 (2006) Honda CRV (2006) Chevy HHR (2007) Pontiac Torrent (2007) Suzuki Grand Vitara (2007) Ford Explorer (2006) Nissan XTerra (2006) Subaru Tribeca (2006)	Toyota FJ Cruiser (2007) Toyota Highlander (2006) Toyota Rav 4 (2006) Hyundai Tucson V6 (2006) Chrysler Pacifica FWD (2006) Kia Sorento (2006) Subaru Forester (2007)
Minivan	Honda Odyssey (2006)	Kia Sedona (2006) GMC Savanna (2007) Chrysler Town & Country (2006)
Heavy Duty Truck	From those tested - None identified	Chevy Express (2007)

Going Green: Product Review of The Week: Stain & Odor Eliminator

2008-06-27T11:55:00.000-07:00

Biokleen Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator is excellent. It works better than Shout that I used before. It removes stains that I was never able to do it with Shout. I am using it mainly for laundry to get rid of those nasty stains that kids collect on their clothes and it works excellent. The clothes come out completely clean.

“This unique combination of natural live aerobic and anaerobic enzyme cultures with botanical extracts eliminates a full range of stains and odors from: pets, mildew, oil, grease, food, beverages (even coffee & tea), body oil, soap scum, urine, smoke, drain sludge and more. Great for: carpet, upholstery, laundry, diapers (safe for cottons), bathroom, drains, pet shelters, compost, waste & septic tanks, auto, RV and much more. No animal testing or ingredients. No nonyl phenol or other known carcinogens, synthetic enzymes, glycol ether, alcohol, petroleum surfactants, artificial fragrances or coloring. Contains: natural enzyme cultures, food grade citrus extracts and stabilizers, vegetable-based surfactants and filtered spring water.”

The price is a little higher than that of Shout, but is really worth it! You can find it, among other places, at Amazon, Drugstore.com, Whole Foods, on the Biokleen website. I strongly recommend this product.

New Energy: "I'll Follow the Sun"

2008-06-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

The Economist has this week a great survey on the future of energy production; as you would expect from the Economist, it summarizes the most important research in the field (wind, solar, bio-energy, etc), weeds the hype behind the current "greener than tough" PR greenwashing, and sticks to it's common sense focus on the economic value of these new technologies. Here's how it's all positioned:

SINCE the industrial revolution 200 years ago, mankind has depended on fossil fuel. The notion that this might change is hard to contemplate. Greens may hector. Consciences may nag. The central heating's thermostat may turn down a notch or two. A less thirsty car may sit in the drive. But actually stop using the stuff? Impossible to imagine: surely there isn't a serious alternative?

Such a failure of imagination has been at the heart of the debate about climate change. The green message—use less energy—is not going to solve the problem unless economic growth stops at the same time. If it does not (and it won't), any efficiency saving will soon be eaten up by higher consumption per head. Even the hair-shirt option, then, will bring only short-term relief. And when a dire prophecy from environmentalism's jeremiad looks as if it is coming true, as the price of petroleum rises through the roof and the idea that oil might run out is no longer whispered in corners but openly discussed, there is a temptation to believe that the end of the world is, indeed, nigh.

So the Cassandras should get pragmatic and look around; the best way to summarize this chase for alternative energy is summarized by The Economist with a Beatles song title, or as they graphically put it:

So it's "Keep It Sunny", apparently... Either you harvest the energy from the sun directly or let nature do its thing and harvest one of the "by-products" (even wind is a result of sun stirring the atmosphere). There is promising research along the whole path between the sun and the fuel.

To me, it was a good information source and I learned a lot about the technologies and trends. I can read through it and eventually make up investment advice, it I am to believe that the next bubble comes from alternative energy (make up your own mind, I'm not that reliable with investment advise :) ). Or, if you think of switching jobs and work in the alternative energy, the names mentioned in the articles are likely to be the next great companies.

Read them, save them and, last but not least, see there is hope and the economic value starts making business sense, so the money will follow. (There's an offer to buy the whole PDF. Read it soon if you're not a subscriber, the links might require a password soon.)

Contributed by "Hubby, the Economist reading geek".

“Six Sins of Greenwashing™”

2008-06-25T15:32:00.000-07:00

These days I came across the “Six Sins of Greenwashing™ ” and I have found it very interesting to share it. TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc. - an environmental consulting agency based in Canada surveyed 1,018 consumer products affirming 1,753 environmental claims and 99% of the products were found to have claims that mislead the consumers.

1. Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off (57%) "Focus" on the positive (and ignore the bad details): A product is “green” based on a single environmental attribute (the recycled content of paper, for example) or an unreasonably narrow set of attributes (recycled content and chlorine free bleaching) without attention to other important, or perhaps more important, environmental issues (such as energy, global warming, water, and forestry impacts of paper). Examples: paper, household insulation products, office technology, ink cartridges, laundry detergents, dish detergent, air fresheners, bathroom cleaners, markers, flooring laminate, bags, multi-purpose cleaners, wood panels, and pesticides.

2. Sin of No Proof (26%) "Believe": Any environmental claim that cannot be validated by easily accessible supporting information, or by a reliable third-party certification. Examples: household lamps and lights, personal care products, facial tissues and paper towels.

3. Sin of Vagueness (11%) "Buzz-word du jour": Claims that are so poorly defined or broad that its real meaning is likely to be misunderstood by the consumer such as: “Chemical-free” (everything is made of chemicals), “Non-toxic” (everything can be toxic), “All Natural” (many natural elements are poisonous like arsenic), “Green”, “Environmentally friendly”, and “Eco-conscious” (meaningless without further explanation). Examples: Garden insecticides promoted as “chemical-free”, “Natural” hair mousse, kitchen (wax) paper that claims “recycled content”, general purpose household cleaners that claim to be “non-toxic” without explanation or third-party substantiation.

4. Sin of Irrelevance (4%) "Meat-free vegetables": Environmental claims that are truthful but unimportant and unhelpful for consumers seeking environmentally preferable products. The most frequent irrelevant claim is CFC-free (chlorofluorocarbons) which is legally banned for almost 30 years. Examples: CFC-free insecticides, CFC-free lubricants, CFC-free oven cleaners, CFC-free window cleaners, CFC-free disinfectants.

5. Sin of Fibbing (1%) "Let's put some lipstick on this pig": Environmental claims that are false. Examples: “Certified Organic”, (without providing the certification) found on many shampoos; “Energy Star” registered (the Energy Star website suggests this is false); “100% recycled paper” on containers made from plastic found on a dishwasher detergent.

6. Sin of Lesser of Two Evils (1%) "Organic death sentence": “Green” claims that may be true within the product category, but at risk distracting the consumer from the greater environmental impacts of the category as a whole. Examples: Organic cigarettes (although this may be true, the consumer should be discouraged to smoke); “Green” insecticides and herbicides. This is a great list of white lies (or is it green lies?) that reminded me of this pillow which is guilty on soo many counts... I wish all marketing has as much common sense as the 'Greenwashing' article.

If you want to weed out the buzz from the real green products, you can:

- keep in mind the six sins when you are purchasing products with environmental claims.
- be aware of the labels of the products. I posted earlier lists of cosmetic, house cleaning products, and food labels with a description for each.
- read reviews or write reviews for both good and bad experiences. - read my blog daily (it's green, really :)

The Chemicals in the Shower Curtain

2008-06-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

I visited some of my friend’s house this weekend and their kid was so happy to have a new shower curtain with fishes all over - she wanted to show it to me. When I entered the bathroom I immediately felt the strong smell of the new shower curtain. It was a vinyl curtain and I recalled that I saw news on TV about the chemicals in the vinyl shower curtain.

A study found that more than 100 chemicals are released by vinyl shower curtains, and some are at levels that violate indoor air safety standards. While the industry claims that the reports are not based on facts and the vinyl shower curtains are safe, the toxicologists are arguing that there is a “range of volatile aromatic hydrocarbons that are coming off” that are dangerous for our health (especially in the confined, small, and humid bathroom when taking the shower). Truly or not, I think it is safer to get rid of those vinyl shower curtains; they are ugly anyway. And there are so many alternatives to it: polyester, cotton, or combination of them. You can find them at Ikea, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Target, Macy's, actually in almost every store that carries out home articles.

What Chemicals Are in Your Child's Car Seat?

2008-06-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Do you know how many chemicals are in your baby’s car seat? When a new baby arrives, every one of us is looking for the best car seat that would protect our little one from a possible accident. But it does not cross our minds that actually by placing them in that thing, we give them everyday an exposure to undesired chemicals. Well, it is very upsetting but it is true.

HealthyCar.org tested various popular child car seats (infant, convertible, and boosters) for bromine, chlorine, lead, and other chemicals (antimony, arsenic, chromium, copper, nickel, mercury). The overall car seat rating (from 0 to 5) indicates the level of concern associated with the materials in the car seat, 0 – lowest concern to 5 – highest concern. The car seats with the low concern and high concern are listed below, but for a full report go here. The nice thing is that if you do not find the car seat you are using on the list you can request the testing for free here.

	Low Concern	High Concern
Infant	Graco–SnugRide Emerson (8465EME3) Evenflo–Discovery Infant Churchill (3911698) Graco–SnugRide Lindsey (8465LRD3) Graco–SnugRide Family Tree (8645FMT2)	Peg Perego–Primo Viaggio Toffee (P73RU46) Combi–Centre EX Mango (808660)
Convertible	Cosco–Scenara 5-Point (22120POL) Safety 1st–Alpha Sport (22452RB) Eddie Bauer–Deluxe Convertible Hampton (22740HPN) Eddie Bauer–3 in 1 Convertible Montecito (22759MTT) Graco–Toddler SafeSeat (Step 2) (8B00BDR) Graco–ComfortSport Convertible Watercolor Flowers (8C03WCF)	Cosco–Alpha Omega Elite (22155BDF) Britax–Marathon Platinum (E9LO6B9)
Boosters	Evenflo–Big Kid No-Back Gold Dust (3331703) Eddie Bauer–Summit Booster Astoria (22862AT1) Britax–Parkway Express (E904157)	Graco–TurboBooster SafeSeat (Step 3) Glory (8693GLY) Graco–TurboBooster Emily (8498DEH) 5 Graco–TurboBooster SafeSeat (Step 3) Athens (8674ATH)

Going Green - Product Review of The Week - Baby Bottles

2008-06-20T14:47:00.000-07:00

Since recent voluntary recalls of baby bottles containing Bisphenol A, I looked through the stores to see how many manufacturers are actually trying to change their bottles made from polycarbonate. Surprisingly or not, there are not so many companies that do it. Companies like Advent don't even bother while other companies are trying to add new bottles free of BPA without necessarily removing the ones made from polycarbonate. I am using for my baby the Evenflo Classic Glass Nursers glass bottles with silicone nipples (bought separately); they are excellent and durable; they seem a little heavy at first and I was wondering if my baby will be able to learn to drink from these heavy bottles by himself and he does it; we all got used to it. They come in 4 oz and 8 oz bottles and are cheaper than other glass bottles. I would like to see why Dr. Brown's or BornFree Vented Glass Bottles are so expensive; it is glass in the end. I have tried Sassy MAM, but the plastic smelled so bad even after repeated washes and sterilizers; I had to return them to the store. Although there are alternatives like the new plastic polyethersulphone (PES) and the polypropylene (PP) - considered safe, when it comes to my baby I take no risk anymore. Glass should be safer than any plastic.

I will try to come up with a list of companies that have BPA free baby bottles.

Glass bottles	PP bottles (#5)	PES bottles
Evenflo Classic Glass Nursers (4oz and 8oz) $5.99/3bottles	Medela Breastmilk Storage and Feeding Set $23.99/1set	BornFree Bottles (5oz and 9oz) $17.99-19.99/2bottles
Dr. Brown's Glass Baby Bottles (3.5oz and 7oz) $35/2bottles	Sassy MAM Assure UltiVent (5oz and 9oz) $11.99/3bottles	Green To Grow Bottles (5oz and 10oz) $7-10/1bottle
BornFree Vented Glass Bottles (9oz) $10.99/1bottle	Gerber Nurser Clear View (9oz) $5/3bottles	ThinkBaby Bottles (5oz and 9oz) $10.99-14.99/2bottles
	Gerber Fashion Tints (5oz and 9oz) $8.88-7.88/3bottles
	Dr. Brown's Polypropylene Baby Bottles (8oz) $16.95/3bottles
	Adiri Natural Nurser Ultimate Bottle $12.32/1bottle

To Sunscreen or Not To Sunscreen

2008-06-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and the same old problems associated with it are here too. To choose between so many sunscreens is quite challenging; and then to decide whether to use it all the time or not it is another challenge. It is well documented that people are getting too less Vitamin D (essential for helping people to fight the winter germs, summer colds, depression, aches and pains, diabetic afflictions, heart disease, and a wide range of cancers).

Let’s take the challenge of choosing the right sunscreen. The Skin Deep database findings indicate that out of 1000 sunscreens only 15 % of them provide minimal health risk and adequate sun protection. It seems that the majority of the sunscreens do not protect against UVA rays while the UVB rays are measures in SPF. Both types of rays lead to skin damage and skin cancer. On the other side, 95% of Americans have oxybenzone (an ingredient found in sunscreens, linked to cell damage, allergies and hormone disruption) in their bloodstream. Therefore, choosing the right sunscreen it is hard.

Here are some things to take in consideration:

Check the Skin Deep database to find a sunscreen with less health effects and to protect you from both UVA and UVB rays.
Choose a sunscreen with SPF 30 (after that number the protection increases very little – by 1% to 3%). SPF is a rating for only UVB rays, not UVA rays.
Check the list of ingredients for UVA blockers: Mexoryl, Zinc oxide, Titanium dioxide, Ecamsule.
Follow the instructions on the side and apply the sunscreen correctly; for example, if is says to apply it 20 minutes before going in the sun and every 2 hours – then this is the right thing to do.
Be careful to the sunscreens that claim to be water-proof/water-resistant because the FDA says that these formulas do not dissolve in water but they can be washed off.

Now let's take the challenge of choosing how much sun is enough. There is lots of controversy about this issue; some are arguing that people should stay in the sun at least 15 minutes every day; others are proposing supplements of Vitamin D; and others are using the fact that sunscreens are not efficient so people can get enough Vitamin D. It is hard to reach a conclusion and to decide what to do. It seems that it is the UVB that forms the precursors of Vitamin D in the skin but when is too much it can damage the skin. Whatever decision you make, you need to make sure is the best for your health.

The American Academy of Dermatology provides some guidelines to help us protect from skin cancer and still have fun in the sun.

"Generously apply a water-resistant sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 that provides broad-spectrum protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays to all exposed skin. Re-apply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating. Look for the AAD SEAL OF RECOGNITION^TM on products that meet these criteria.

Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, where possible.

Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade.

Protect children from sun exposure by playing in the shade, using protective clothing and applying sunscreen.

Use extra caution near water, snow and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.

Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that may include vitamin supplements. Don't seek the sun.

Avoid tanning beds.Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you've been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

Check your birthday suit on your birthday. If you notice anything changing, growing or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist. Skin cancer is very treatable when caught early."

Given all the chemical ingredients in the sunscreen, I wonder where is the cancer coming from; it is coming more from the sun or it is also coming from the sunscreen and self-tanning products? And I wonder whether the natural way of getting vitamin D might be better than the supplements? After all, the dermatologists care about your skin, not the vitamin D.

Here's the sunscreen I have selected for my kids, one that has no offending substances, does the job and you can still pay for the vacation and buying it.

Is There a True Need for the Perfluorochemicals?

2008-06-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) are chemicals found in nonstick pots and pans, stain-resistant carpets and fabrics, stain-resistant paints, flame-resistant clothing, as a part of firefighting foam, wire coating, fast-food cartons/containers and wrappers. They are created to resist heat, water, oil, grease and stains. Studies have shown that 98% of Americans have one form or more of these chemicals in their body. People are exposed through food, water, cosmetic products that contain these chemicals and through environment. These chemicals stay in the body for decades; with time higher levels can be found in the body through the small repeated doses that accumulate over time.

PFCs were found to produce serious health effects including cancer, kidney damage, and liver damage, decreased ability to fight infection, birth defects, reproductive problems and the list can continue for more. EWG recently released a very comprehensive report about these chemicals, their effects and about industry thoughts on the issue.

What to do to avoid/minimize the exposure:

Minimize the use use non-stick cookware if you cannot avoid it completely; I am trying to use mostly my cast iron and stainless steel pots and pens. I know, the advantage of the non-stick was that I could use less oil for most meals, but choosing some healthy oils and cooking on a low heat will eliminate that problem easily. Frankly, I found the food more tasty.
Choose clothing that is not labeled stain- or water-repellent (does not carry Teflon or Scotchgard tags).
Avoid the cosmetics having “fluoro” or “perfluoro” in their ingredients. Most common are nail polish, shaving creams, lotions, some powders, and makeup.
Avoid packaged food and fast food containers (e.g., pizza boxes, microwave pop corn, etc). Not all soil resistant treatments are fluoro-based though.
Avoid furniture or carpet that used stain and dirt resistance treatment. If you already have furniture that is treated try to find a cover for it. Not all stain or soil resistant treatments are fluoro-based, read the labels.

Going Green-Product Review of the Week - Paints

2008-06-13T15:59:00.000-07:00

According to the EPA, the air inside our homes is about two-to-five times more polluted than the air outside. Paint is a large contributing factor to poor indoor air quality and emits dangerous chemicals, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), even years after application. Choosing the right paint for your house can be a long and complicated task, as it was for me. There are paints that do not have VOCs at all, paints with claimed low levels of VOCs. What I found out is that color tints add about 150g of VOCs back into the paint; so if you add color you get the VOCs. Therefore, one needs to be really careful, because you can get paint with no VOCs and when you add the color you desire, you just made you paint unvalued.

It seems that Freshaire Choice (sold exclusively by Home Depot nowadays) claims that their tints are also zero VOC. It is also at a good price compare to other paints I found on the market. I am curious to see how it works. I included a table below with paints claiming to have zero or low VOCs and some natural paints. This is not an exhausted list, of course, but it can provide a start in case someone is searching for paints. Even though these paints are natural and free of VOCs, they are not free of toxins.

Zero VOC (less than 5g/l)	Low VOC (less than 50g/l)	Natural Paints
Ecoshield	MAB Paints	EcoDesign's BioShield
Green Planet Paints	Cloverdale EcoLogic	SoyGuard
Homestead Paints	Vista Paint	The Real Milk Paint Company
American Pride	Benjamin Moore Aura	Anna Sova
Best Paint Company	Miller Paint	Green Planet Paints
AFM Safecoat		Weather-Bos
Kelly-Moore Enviro-Cote		Livos
Sherwin Williams		Silacote
Devoe Wonder Pure
Benjamin Moore Pristine EcoSpec
Yolo Colorhouse
Freshaire Choice

Some reasons for which I have chosen to look for zero-low VOCs paint:

- it is good for our health; the fumes from the paint produce rash, watery eyes, neurological problems, headaches, lung irritation; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans.;

- it is good for the environment; the VOCs increase the greenhouse gases.

Check to see if the paint has the Green Seal on it!

How Many More Chemicals in Our Water?

2008-06-12T11:55:00.000-07:00

I wrote recently about the tap water and bottled water. While it is up for everyone to decide which one is best to use, I continue to be concerned myself about the quality of each. Currently, I use filtered tap water and mineral water in glass bottles. Now, I came across of the results of an analysis conducted by Environmental Working Group (EWG) which shows that in 42 states over the country, the water is contaminated with 260 chemicals, of which 166 are industrial pollutants (solvents, propellants, plasticizers, pharmaceutical production ingredients). Moreover, drugs used to treat depression and epilepsy, sex hormones, and antibiotics represent another category of substances found in our daily “fresh” water. Of course, it is the pollution of the waters that contributes to the load of chemicals in tap water. The problem is that many of these ingredients are not regulated at all, so people, especially those who are vulnerable (children, pregnant women, elderly) are not protected at all against these particular chemicals.

The biggest concern of the EWG is represented by the presence of perfluorochemicals found in the environment and in people. These chemicals are used in the production of non-stick cookware, food packaging, and stain-resistant fabrics (carpet, waterproof clothing). This chemical has been found to lead to liver damage, thyroid problems, high cholesterol in children, inability to fight infection. Well, I was relived when I did not find California on the list with the states contaminated with perfluorochemicals, but what about the other chemicals? The states contaminated with the perfluorochemicals are listed as follows:

Location	Details
Ohio	drinking water serving city of Belpre, Little Hocking Water Association, Tuppers Plains, Village of Pomeroy
West Virginia	drinking water serving Lubeck Public Service district, Mason county
New Jersey	78% of 23 drinking-water systems tested
Minnesota	cities of Oakdale, Lake Elmo, Woodbury, Cottage Grove
Alabama:	Decatur/Tennessee river; Mobile River
Georgia:	Conasauga River; streams and ponds near Dalton, GA; city of Dalton drinking water supply; city of Columbus drinking water
North Carolina	ground water in Bladen County
Illinois	Chicago tap water
Virginia	ground and surface water
New York	rivers and lakes
Florida	Port St. Lucie, surface water
Lakes Erie and Ontario

Check the quality of your water here, although it seems that many of the chemicals found in the water are not listed because they are not regulated.

Just Back From Vacation

2008-06-09T14:39:00.000-07:00

Best way to catch up with what happened while I was gone.... Watch this video - besides other things, a new energy drink - the Liquid Launch - contains all the ingredients of the rocket fuel, not only the perchlorate (found in the our water and food).

Green Vacation

2008-05-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

We are leaving for vacation for couple of weeks. Of course, besides the usual preparations, we are trying to figure it out what can we do to stay green while away. Here are some simple “green” things you can do when in vacation:

1. Leave the house in a “green” state: turn off lights, turn off the water heater, turn off the air conditioning, unplug any things you use daily (e.g., clock, battery charger, razor, monitor, etc.). Leave on only your alarm system.
2. Try to find a green hotel or, even better, rent an apartment – in this way you can be like home. The green hotels are usually a little more expensive than normal ones and than rental apartments.
3. Even you rent an apartment/cabin/house or stay in a hotel you can always keep your “green” routine:
- turn on only the lights you need and only when you are in the room;
- do not let the water run if you are not there;
- turn off the air conditioning when you are not at home. It needs only about 15 minutes to cool a room;
- turn off the TV when you are not using it;
- reuse the towels you find in the hotel (like you would do it at home); do not change them everyday.
- minimize waste;
- do not rent a car – walk a lot. This is the fun part of vacation – walking, taking the train – feeling like when we were younger and strong. However, if you need to rent a car, try a hybrid.

What else?

I’ve read about some advice on the internet and I have found some of them being rather extreme: for example planning your vacation closed to your home so you do not need to fly or drive….maybe bike? Of course it is greener than flying but this will not work for me ever; for me vacation means away, far away from home, work, paying bills, etc. Somebody suggested a vacation in your own back yard. Hmmm…..I do not know if I could go in vacation for 3 weeks in my own back yard! It might be green, but it's lame. Enjoy your vacation!

Going Green: Product Review of the Week - Baby Diapers

2008-05-02T16:06:00.000-07:00

In reviewing the prices for the baby diapers I chose Diapers.com; but this is not necessarily a cheap source to buy baby diapers. Of course, there are more manufacturers than I am reviewing here; I will try to review the most popular and available diapers. When we left the hospital they gave us Pampers Swaddlers for the baby which were very nice and soft but it did not fit well for my babies shapes so they got their pants wet almost all times. I switched to Huggies Supreme and they worked always very well. At the day care they are using Huggies Snug and Dry which works well; I cannot complain about Huggies – it is good quality; too bad they do use chlorine which makes their diapers un-biodegradable. I am using now Seventh Generation for the little one which are great and, of course, I do not have to feel guilty by adding more toxins on the environment. For the older child I am still using Huggies Pull-Ups; I have tried the largest size from Seventh Generation but they were too tight so he decided not to go potty anymore. And in my eagerness of making him go to potty all times I returned to Pull-Ups, so he is on the potty again. That said, Seventh generations training pants were great -- just 2 sizes too small.
Amazon has reasonable prices for Seventh Generation diapers; (You can find them also at Whole Foods and other traditional retail stores, but they are more expensive).

Here's the table for price comparison.

Natural/Green diapers	$/unit	Conventional diapers	$/unit
7th Generation (sizes 1-6)	0.24 - 0.49	Pampers baby dry(sizes 1-6)	0.17 - 0.34
7th Generation training pants (sizes 2T-3T - 4T-5T)	0.41 - 0.57	Pampers Swaddlers (sizes 1-3)	0.25 - 0.33
gDiapers (small-med/large)	0.36 - 0.45	Huggies snug and dry (sizes 1/2-6)	0.17 - 0.35
Tushies tender care (small-XL)	0.25 - 0.48	Huggies Supreme natural fit (sizes 1-6)	0.22 - 0.46
Tushies gel free (small-XL)	0.27 - 0.55	Huggies Pull-Ups (sizes 2T-3T - 4T-5T)	0.41 - 0.55
Nature babycare (1-6)	0.26 - 0.51	Luvs (sizes 1-6)	0.16 - 0.30

Target Gets its Eco-Apparel Line

2008-05-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

More stores jump on the green and organic bandwagon; now Target (with a marketing splash at Barneys New York and designed by Gregory). Gregory uses 100% certified organic cotton and other natural fibers, such as silk and linen, and his collections are sold at Barneys and Bloomingdale's. Gregory is the eleventh Go International designer who is adding his talent and design into the Target's Go International program, a private label collection that features the hottest trends for guests who welcome individual style at an affordable price. The line includes loose tanks, wrap dresses and hoodies, striped vest, wide-leg trousers, jeans, a strapless knit dress, crochet tunic, trapeze tanks, a plaid linen dress created from organic cotton, linen, bamboo and hemp and the price range is between $14.99 - $44.99.

You can have your (Barney) cake and (afford to) eat it, too.

If you would like to read the whole article go here.

The Air Quality Awareness Week

2008-04-30T13:56:00.000-07:00

The air quality awareness week is here! The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Weather Service are putting efforts together to help all Americans to improve their knowledge of the Air Quality Index (AQI) (a color-coded tool used to communicate the quality of the air to the public). EPA recently strengthened the national ozone standards from 80 parts per billion to 75 parts per billion, but it still needs to determine when the new standards take effect; it is said that if the new standards will take effect today, more than 300 American counties would be in violation. EPA suggests that sensitive people should stay inside on days when the ozone is under “code orange” or higher.

Check the air quality in your area whenever you like on AirNow.

The First Eco Certified Computer

2008-04-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

Lenovo’s M57/M57P “Eco” is the first computer that is certified by the Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI) (the largest certifier of chemical emissions from building materials and furnishings in the U.S.) after going through rigorous testing for up to 2000 chemical emissions.

Eco is the first ThinkCentre computer made with recycled, post-consumer plastics and is EPEAT Gold and Energy Star ® 4.0 rated. The system comes with Intel vPro technology, Core 2 Duo E6550 / E8200 / E8400 Processor, 2GB DDR2 RAM, 160GB HDD, Dual Layer DVD Burner, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100, and Windows Vista Business.

I found the news very interesting and promising since it is well known that lots of phthalates (for example) in the environment are coming from electronic and computer products. I hope this kind of certification takes care of that too.

USDA Certified - Cosmetics, Body Care and Personal Care Products

2008-04-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

The organic trend is just starting in the cosmetics industry, so be prepared for the same "gold rush" of marketing claims as we've seen in other product categories. The good news is that some regulation exists in the US, check for the USDA Organic logo on cosmetic products that claim to be organic (unfortunately not too many, yet).

USDA uses the following rules to apply its organic seal on cosmetics:

100% organic - "Product must contain (excluding water and salt) only organically produced ingredients. Products may display the USDA Organic Seal and must display the certifying agent’s name and address."

Organic - "Product must contain at least 95 percent organically produced ingredients (excluding water and salt). Remaining product ingredients must consist of nonagricultural substances approved on the National List or nonorganically produced agricultural products that are not commercially available in organic form, also on the National List. Products may display the USDA Organic Seal and must display the certifying agent’s name and address."

Made with organic ingredients - "Products contain at least 70 percent organic ingredients and product label can list up to three of the organic ingredients or “food” groups on the principal display panel. For example, body lotion made with at least 70 percent organic ingredients (excluding water and salt) and only organic herbs may be labeled either “body lotion made with organic lavender, rosemary, and chamomile,” or “body lotion made with organic herbs.” Products may display the USDA Organic Seal and must display the certifying agent’s name and address."

Less than 70% organic ingredients - "Products cannot use the term “organic” anywhere on the principal display panel. However, they may identify the specific ingredients that are USDA-certified as being organically produced on the ingredients statement on the information panel. Products may display the USDA Organic Seal and may not display a certifying agent’s name and address. (Water and salt are also excluded here.)"

For more information go here.

Cosmetics that are using the USDA organic seal are: (last updated August 1st, 2008)

Origins – only some of their products are USDA certified.
Dr. Bronner – only some of their soaps are USDA certified.
Terressentials - USDA certified.
Aubrey Organics - only some of their products are USDA certified.
One Group - only some of their products are USDA certified.
Organic Essence - all of their products are USDA certified.
Nature's Baby Organics - baby products that are USDA certified.

Dont't forget: The USDA Organic Certified products must have displayed the USDA organic seal on them.

Going Green: Product Review of the Week - Baby Wipes

2008-04-24T16:13:00.000-07:00

Until I discovered the 7th Gen wipes I have used both Pampers and Huggies. With Pampers, my child got a very bad rush any time when I used them. I used to like Huggies a lot; I never had a problem with them - they were efficient and non-irritating. Now I use 7th Generation and I like them a lot too and not only because they are free of fragrance (Huggies has some wipes free of fragrance too), but they are a little thiner which makes them easier to use. They are free of chlorine, which means that they can biodegrade easier. Some friends are complaining that they get dry easily, but it never happened to me; I probably finish the pack before that.

Natural/Green	$/wipe	Conventional wipes	$/wipe
7th Generation Unscented	0.04	Huggies Cucumber & Green Tea	0.04
		Huggies Unscented	0.04
		Pampers Sensitive	0.04
		Luvs	0.03

Air Fresheners - The Chemical Fresheners

2008-04-22T12:57:00.000-07:00

Like fragrance, the air fresheners are responsible for high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the home. A study made at University of Bristol examining the effects of air fresheners and aerosols, showed that the frequent use during pregnancy and early childhood was associated with higher levels of diarrhea, earache and other symptoms in infants, as well as headaches and depression in mothers.

“32% more babies suffered diarrhea in homes where air fresheners (including sticks, sprays and aerosols) were used every day, compared with homes where they were used once a week or less. They also suffered more from earache.

Air fresheners and aerosols also affected mothers, with those who used them daily suffering nearly 10% more headaches. 16% of mothers who used fresheners reported depression, compared with 12.7% of those who seldom used them. This represents an increased risk of over 26%.”

A report prepared by the California Air Resources Board showed that the use of some air fresheners in presence of ozone can produce toxic pollutants of serious health concern. These pollutants include formaldehyde (a known human carcinogen and a respiratory irritant) acetaldehyde, organic acids, hydrogen peroxide, secondary organic aerosol, and hydroxyl radicals. According to the California Air Resources Board, air cleaners or air “purifiers” that intentionally produce ozone should never be used; they emit very high levels of ozone, a reactive gas that is harmful to human health.

I do not use air fresheners at all, I like to keep the windows open and get some fresh air from outside. Here are some tips to get rid of the smell:
- open the windows for some fresh air; even the air from outside is not perfectly fresh and clean is far better than the chemicals from the air fresheners;
- clean the source of odor with non-toxic products or use natural ways to get rid of it: baking soda, vinegar, squeeze a fresh lemon, simmer some cinnamon or fresh ginger, or use some organic sachets of lavender;
- empty the garbage regularly;
- pet smells and other foul smells are only disolved by enzymes (and that's why european detergents are all the rage and are slowly showing up in the "green" detergents in the US).

Green or not? Natural vs. Eco-friendly Living

2008-04-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

I was looking to buy some new pillows (made from organic cotton and filled with down) when I came across this product on the Macy’s website (image below). This is a pillow with the cover made from organic cotton, filled with polyester, has a biodegradable packaging, and a good price. The organic cotton is certified, which is great because I learned to always look for certifications, and the packaging is biodegradable (although it has to be certified to be accurately true but it can be meaningful even if is not certified as shown in previous post ).

Now here's the dilemma: the polyester fill is made from recycled plastic bottles which, of course, is great for the environment. But is this great for human health too? I wonder what kind of chemicals are used in the cleaning process of the bottles and what other chemicals are used along the way of the process? Well, I am all for an eco-friendly world but in the same time I am seeking a more natural way of leaving. But in my effort to become green should I choose these kinds of products over those that are made from natural fibers and ingredients?

This product is all the marketing buzz you can stuff in a tag line, but is it worth paying for chemically processed garbage in an organic cotton bag and use it as a pillow?

Update on Bisphenol A

2008-04-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

A new draft report released by the National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institutes of Health, states that even low levels of exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) by infants can lead to prostate and breast cancer. This is the first report of this kind released by a government institution. Last year, FDA concluded that BPA does not cause any health problems if exposed to low doses and so, decided that it can be used with confidence by the manufacturers. BPA is found in many products like canned food, plastic bottles, plastic food containers, infant formula, etc.

As I suggested in some previous posts the better way to stay out is:
- to use glass whenever possible,
- avoid plastic food containers. I found some very nice glass food containers at Amazon; they are very durable and they come in different sizes (they do have plastic lids, though...).
- choose the safest formula for babies and chose safe baby bottles,
- if cannot avoid plastic at all, look for the ones that seem to be safer,
- avoid plastic labeled as number 7 and/or PC. The BPA is used to harden the polycarbonate (PC).

Wise Word: Cosmetic Labels

2008-04-15T10:52:00.000-07:00

Label	Where?	What it means?	Is it verified?	Is it meaningful?
Leaping Bunny	Skin, hair, eye care products, mouth care products, sunscreens, fragrance products, makeup products.	It signifies that the product is made by a company that adheres to the Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals (developed by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics ).	Yes. The CCIC verifies and the products have to be marked with the logo. Check the companies at www.leapingbunny.org	Yes. The logo indicates that the product is made by a company who pledges that its ingredient suppliers do not conduct or commission animal testing of their products after the date of the agreement.
Certified Vegan	Skin, eye, hair, shaving products, baby products, bath products, medications.	Contains no animal ingredients or by-products, use no animal ingredients or by-products in the manufacturing process, and not tested on animals by any company or independent contractor.	Yes, the Vegan Awareness Foundation.	Yes. These products should have the logo of the Vegan Awareness Foundation.
No Methylparaben or Propylparaben/ No Parabens	Skin, hair care products, baby products.	The product does not contain any parahydroxy-benzoate (paraben) preservatives.	No.	Yes. The claim is very specific. Check the list of ingredients.
No Sodium Lauryl or Laureth Sulphate	Skin, hair, eye care products, mouth care products, baby products, makeup products.	No standard definition. However the claim is very specific.	No.	Yes. The claim is very specific.
100% Vegetarian Ingredients	Skin, hair care products, bath products, sunscreens, fragrance.	Avoids animal products for cosmetics	No.	Somewhat. Check the list of ingredients. Cosmetics are required to list their ingredients with the exception of fragrance.
Alcohol Free	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, fragrance products, mouth care products, and sunscreens.	It implies that the product does not contain alcohol.	No.	Somewhat. Check the list of ingredients. Cosmetics are required to list their ingredients with the exception of fragrance.
Biodegradable	Skin, hair, shaving products, bath products, baby products, sunscreens.	A product is degradable when exposed to air, moisture, bacteria or other organisms and that the materials will break down and return to nature within a reasonably short time after customary disposal.	No.	Somewhat. Some products may take longer to biodegrade. Note: Being biodegradable does not mean it is healthy or safe for you or the environment. There are toxins that biodegrade in even more toxic substances.
DEA Free	Bath products, skin, hair care products, eye makeup, baby products, sunscreens.	The product does not contain the ingredient diethanolamine(DEA).	No.	Somewhat. It is a fairly specific claim. However, many companies do not use this ingredient anymore. Check the list of ingredients!
Antibacterial/ Antimicrobial/ Bactericidal/ Germicidal/ Kills Germs/ Kills Pathogenic Bacteria	Skin and mouth care products, sunscreens.	The product contains substances that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria.	Yes. FDA regulates the use of this claim on lotions, hand washes, soaps, cosmetics and other personal care products.	Somewhat. FDA did not approve the claim on any lotion.
No Animal By-products/ No Animal Ingredients	Skin, hair products, bath products, fragrance products, sunscreens.	No standard definition. It means that no ingredients are by-products from slaughtered or rendered animals.	No.	Somewhat. Check the list of ingredients.
No Detergents	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, feminine hygiene products, mouth care products, fragrance products, and sunscreens.	No standard definition.	No.	Somewhat. It may still contain harsh solvents or cleaning chemicals as an alternative to detergents. Check the list of ingredients.
No Parrafin/ No Paraffin Wax	Skin, hair, eye care products, sunscreens, makeup products.	The products does not contain any substances that are derived from petroleum, coal tar, wood tar.	No.	Somewhat. Check the list of ingredients and look for words like methane, ethane, propane, butane, octane, mineral oil.
Water-based	Skin and hair care products, makeup products, fragrance products, baby products.	No standard definition. Water-based products can contain chemicals that are harmful to health.	No.	Somewhat. It is not meaningful on products that contain mostly water. Check the list of ingredients.
Fragrance Free	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, feminine hygiene products, mouth care products, and sunscreens.	It implies that the product does not contain any fragrances.	No.	Somewhat. Check the ingredients!
100% Biocompatible	Skin care and mouth care.	It implies that is “tolerated by the living organisms”	No.	No. The word is invented by manufacturers.
100% Vegan	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, fragrance products, mouth care products, and sunscreens.	Does not contain any animal-derived ingredients.	No.	No.
Allergy Tested	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, fragrance products, mouth care products, and sunscreens.	It implies that a product was tested for allergic reactions on skin.	No.	No. FDA states that manufacturers are not required to perform tests to prove the claim and states that all cosmetics are possible to cause an allergic reaction in sensitive people. In general, fragrance is the most likely ingredient to produce allergy.
Cruelty Free	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, fragrance products, mouth care products, and sunscreens.	No standard definition.	No.	No. Some companies can use materials that were tested on animals many years back; others can test their raw products on animals but not the final products; others may indeed not use animal testing.
Dermatologist Tested	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, fragrance products, mouth care products, and sunscreens.	It implies that a product was tested by a dermatologist and shown to not cause any skin reactions.	No.	No. FDA states that manufacturers are not required to perform tests to prove the claim and states that all cosmetics are possible to cause an allergic reaction in sensitive people. In general, fragrance is the most likely ingredient to produce allergy.
Effective Against E. Coli and Staphylococcus	Skin care, products, sunscreens, and mouth care products.	The product kills or inhibits the growth of two specific types of bacteria that can cause disease: E. coli and staphylococcus.	Yes, it is regulated by FDA (on lotions, hand washes, soaps, cosmetics and other personal care products).	No. FDA has not yet finalized its rules; and did not approve the claim on any lotion.
Environmentally Friendly/ Environmentally Preferable/ Environmentally Safe	Skin care products, bath products.	It implies that the product or packaging has some kind of environmental benefit or that it causes no harm to the environment.	No.	No. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) considers this claim too vague.
Hypoallergenic/ Non Irritating	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, feminine hygiene products, mouth care products, fragrance products, and sunscreens.	It implies that a product will be less likely to cause allergic reactions or irritate the skin.	No.	No. FDA considers products claiming to be “hypoallergenic” or “non irritating” as misbranded.
No Synthetic Detergents	Skin and hair care products, baby products.	No standard definition.	No.	No. All detergents and soap products are synthetic. Regardless of the source, the oils used must be chemically processed to make the surfactant.
Non Comedogenic	Skin and hair care products, makeup products, sunscreens.	The product does not contain common pore-clogging ingredients that could lead to acne. However, there is no official FDA definition or list of ingredients that are considered to be non-comedogenic.	No.	No. FDA considers products claiming “non comedogenic” as misbranded.
Sensitivity Tested	Skin, hair, nail, eye care, makeup, feminine hygiene, shaving products, bath products, baby products, feminine hygiene products, mouth care products, fragrance products, and sunscreens.	It implies a product was tested for sensitivity on skin.	No.	No. FDA considers products claiming “sensitivity tested” as misbranded.
Unscented	Skin care products, shaving products, bath products, fragrance products, baby products.	It implies that the product does not have any odor or scent.	No.	No. FDA considers products claiming to be “unscented” as misbranded.

Going Green: Product Review of the Week - Tub and Tiles Cleaners and Toilet Cleaners

2008-04-11T21:26:00.000-07:00

Tub and Tiles Cleaners

I used heavily Kaboom and I have to admit it: it works great; it cleaned very easily the tub and very well. I have used all the conventional cleaners in the table until I have tried Seventh Generation. I think I almost tried all of their products. It works pretty well, of course not as effective as Kaboom; it cleans well the tiles but for the tub I have to scrub it hard, really hard sometimes. I plan to try EcoDiscoveries next; I hope it will work better. It seems that the conventional cleaners are more expensive, so why not try to switch to the green ones?

Natural/Green	$/ounce	Conventional tub and tiles cleaners	$/ounce
7th Generation	0.17	Lysol	0.24
EcoDiscoveries	0.19	Colgate Palmolive Ajax	0.28
Watkins	0.22	Kaboom	0.24
		Lime-A-Way	0.19

Toilet Cleaners

For toilet I always wanted something that, of course, will clean the toilet but also to disinfect it. I have used Clorox and Lysol a lot, until I decided to switch to a more earth friendly alternative, so I got (duh!) Earth Friendly toilet cleaner. It was not that bad, but I did not feel it right, I discovered that I have to clean the toilet more often than I used to. Then, I found on sale Clorox Greenworks. Although I am wary about Clorox becoming green all of a sudden, (they have to convince me the the two names next to each other (Clorox and Green...the green Clorox) are not an oxymoron), I decided to buy it and use it. It is green color and it looks like the product is actually quite good; I am using it now and I like it; it cleans well, does not smell too strong (it has a citric smell); overall, effective.

Natural/Green	$/ounce	Conventional toilet cleaners	$/ounce
Earth Friendly	0.11	Clorox	0.10
Bi-O-Kleen	0.17	Lysol	0.18
Ecover	0.17	Lime-A-Way	0.12
7th Generation	0.12
Clorox Greenworks	0.16

The Danger of Plastic Bottled Water

2008-04-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

There have been news recently on National TV warning about the danger of chemicals released from plastic bottles. As I stated in a previous post tap water is safe to drink and if we want it to be safer we can use a filter. The news are stating that "certain plastics used to make reusable water bottles leak a chemical into drinking water that may pose a risk, especially to children and pregnant women." It is already known that plastic baby bottles are releasing substances dangerous for babies health. Well, I would not be surprised if in one day they will find the same results with the plastic bottled juice.

I am always concerned for the health of my family so until it is decided that the chemicals released are bad or not for our health I took the approach "better safe than sorry" and eliminated plastic bottled water from our consumption. It was a little hard to get used to the heavier glass bottles, but only for a short time; now I fell like in the 90's. :)

Here are some tips I follow:

if you cannot avoid the plastic bottled water, do not reuse the plastic bottle; recycle it. In fact, do not reuse any plastic bottle.
use glass whenever possible.
just fill your glass bottle with tap water (filtered tap water) in your way out.
use glass bottles for babies and kids.