Posted by admin on April 27, 2010
Eliminating bottled water is an easy change that will bring triple rewards: it is better for the environment, your health, and your wallet!
The Pacific Institute reports that over 50 percent of Americans drink bottled water occasionally or as their main source of drinking water. The primary reason cited for choosing bottled water is that it is thought to be purer and healthier than tap or filtered water. However, approximately 44% of the bottled water sold in the United States is sourced from municipal water supplies, which may or may not be further processed/filtered. The rest is sourced from groundwater or springs. Although groundwater or spring sources may sound better than tap water, that is often not the case.
In the U.S., tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) while bottled water is regulated by far less stingent Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules. Because FDA rules do not apply to bottled water that is packaged and sold within the same state, 60-70% of the bottled water sold in the U.S. is totally exempt from FDA regulation. There is no uniform testing of bottled water for such pathogenic contaminants as E. coli, fecal coliform bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, fecal streptococci, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia, or for other toxins and carcinogens such as arsenic, toluene, and phthalates. Approximately 22% of the bottled water brands tested by the National Resources Defense Council contained chemical contaminants, including arsenic, toulene, xylene, phthalate, adipate, and styrene, as well as high levels of pathogenic contaminants.
Of additional significant concern are the resources, particularly energy resources, used in the life cycle processing of bottled water. A 2009 report estimated that the total energy requirements for bottled water consumed in the U.S. in 2007 ranged between 32 and 54 million barrels of oil. This amount of energy represents about 2,000 times the energy needed to produce tap water, which is generally of high quality, in the United States.
The production of every liter of bottled water results in the consumption of approximately 3 liters of water. The depletion of local water systems such as groundwater aquifers and streams by water-bottling plants is a growing concern. For example, Fiji produces more than a million bottles of water every day for global consumption, yet less than half the population has access to safe, reliable drinking water. [And just think of the energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with exporting bottled water from Fiji to the U.S.!]
Approximately 3 tons of carbon dioxide are produced in the manufacture of each ton of PET plastic bottles (Pacific Institute, 2008). The Pacific Institute estimates that in 2006 over 2.5 million tons of CO2 were produced in the manufacture of plastic bottles for bottled water. Additional carbon emissions result from transporting water to factories, filling bottles and preparing them for distribution, transportation to outlets, retail and home refrigeration, and transportation to recycling centers or landfills. For example, the shipment of 18 million gallons of bottled water from Fiji to California produced approximatley 2,500 tons of greenhouse gas emissions while the transportation of bottled water from Western Europe to New York City produced approximately 3,800 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
The production of plastics can cause serious pollution problems that affect both the environment and human health. The Polaris Institute (2007) states that, “(b)ottled water manufacturers are the end point of a supply chain that contains some of the biggest polluters on the planet”. The specific manufacturing processes for water bottles release extremely dangerous toxic chemicals and contaminants, such as nickel, ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide, and benzene, into the air, water, and soil.
While most bottled water comes in recyclable PET plastic bottles, approximately 87% of those bottles are never recycled; they end up in landfills instead. The NRDC (2008) estimated that approximately 2 million tons of plastic water bottles ended up in landfills in 2005 and the Polaris Institute (2009) states that plastic water bottles are the fastest growing form of municipal solid waste in the United States and Canada. According to the California Department of Conservation, more than 1 billion water bottles end up in the trash in California each year. Some of these are destined for landfills and waterways, others for the incinerator. Incineration of plastic bottles emits toxic vapors, including dioxin, which pose serious risks to human. Moreover, incineration creates greenhouse gases that damage the ozone layer and contribute to climate change.
Safeguard your health, protect the environment, and save money in the process – kick the bottled water habit today!
Posted by admin on April 20, 2010
Earth Week marks a fitting end to the recent hiatus…Eco Tuesdays is active again!
A recent study commissioned by the St. Petersburg Times tested arsenic levels in several commercial brands of apple juice. Arsenic is a heavy metal known to cause many types of cancer.
The study found that most brands of apple juice contained some level of arsenic. Alarmingly, the arsenic levels in more than 25% of the brands tested exceeded the FDA’s ‘level of concern’ of 23 parts per billion. Motts, Apple & Eve Organics, & Wal-Mart’s apple juice contained 25 to35 ppb of arsenic. Many more brands exceeded the EPA and World Health Organization (WHO) limit of 10 ppb for arsenic in drinking water. Juicy Juice, Minute Maid, Tree Top, and Target’s Market Pantry apple juice contained 12 to 24 ppb.
The results of this study aligned with another recent study conducted by the University of Arizona which demonstrated that 9 out of 10 samples of apple and grape juice contained 10 to 47 ppb of arsenic.
Posted by admin on May 22, 2009
The Green Teen: The Eco-Friendly Teen’s Guide to Saving the Planet
is written by Jenn Savedge who is a wealth of green information.
The Green Teen is named “the eco-friendly teen’s guide to saving the planet” and wow is it ever! Jenn has a way of writing that is informative but yet simple so going green and being green isn’t difficult or stressful. This book is an easy enjoyable read (which teens – as well as adults – will appreciate), making green living a pleasure not seem like a task.
Teens are fortunate to have this resource available to them. With the information contained in The Green Teen, teens and anyone who reads this book will be able to make a change in the world by helping the environment. A variety of topics are discussed, from “greening yourself”, “green home”, “green school” and “green world”. There is a wealth of information jam packed in this 183 page book.
Fortunately our children are being brought up in a time where environmental issues are being publicized and many are trying to salvage the planet, make changes and do whatever they can to save the planet…The Green Teen will make this task even easier!
No one person has to do it all but if each one of us follow our heart and our own inclinations we will find the small things that we can do to create a sustainable future and a healthy environment. – John Denver
The John Denver quote says it all…each teen, each person who reads The Green Teen will be able to find small things that they can do to help.
Order your copy here now or visit The Green Teen online here
Posted by admin on May 19, 2009
Get your free copy of High Raw now!
It goes along with today’s green tip of the day.
You’ll eat better and have better health, less negative impact on the environment, more energy and will enjoy being more active…thus you will have more time, energy, desire to enjoy nature and all this Earth has to offer.
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Posted by admin on May 12, 2009
This is actually an original post from a friend of mine, The Good Human -David on twitter, that I think everyone should read.
You can read the full article at:
http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2009/05/07/why-you-should-want-to-live-a-green-life/
Posted by admin on May 5, 2009
Wrap your lunch in eco friendly reusable items.
This’ll save on waste big time and save you money too!
My son uses these items, and at first he just laughed at me (c’mon he’s 20… of course he’s going to be like “sure mom” but he knows it’ll save money and he’ll be greener in the process).
See the stats on what you can save environmentally annually, not to mention you’ll save about $235 too!
If you use:
To Go Ware you can save 250 plastic utensils from landfill a year.
Wrap N Mat, you’ll save 350 plastic sandwich bags from being tossed in landfill or lakes, water ways.
Stainless Steel Drinking Bottle it’ll save 182 lbs of carbon emissions yearly. Not to mention no plastic water bottles or soda cans to be trashed.
Recycled cotton lunch bag, cuts down the amount of paper bags tossed into landfill by about 300 annually.
So, by wrapping and reusing all your lunch needs you’ll save money & the environment
Posted by admin on April 28, 2009
We all have to eat so here are some steps to how you can eat green.
~~Buy & eat local
~~Eat seasonally – which really falls into the above of eat locally since if you eat seasonally, you’re eating what’s in season locally to you. This helps since you won’t be contributing to the fuel consumption of cross country or worse yet cross global transportation of your food.
~~Eat less or no meat – yep go vegetarian or better yet vegan! It takes more water, energy and resources to produce one pound of meat, than it does to produce a pound of grain or produce. (A pound of beef can require about 12,000 gallons of water to produce, compared to 60 gallons for a pound of potatoes.)-source care2.com
~~Organic isn’t necessarily greener, unless it’s local organic! Buying local would be better than buying organic if it’s grown conscientiously. Some farmers can’t afford the organic certification but are still a good green healthy choice when buying fruit, produce. If you can, talk to the farmers and farmers markets and fruit stands to see if they use green eco friendly agricultural methods.
~~Grow your own garden and you don’t have to have a yard, lots of room to do this. You can do container gardening, an herb garden just about anywhere.
Posted by admin on April 7, 2009
“Going green“
It’s what everyone is talking about.
It’s the newest “fad”…now only if more people would realize it’s not a fad but a much needed way of life.
Everyone’s in “green mode” this month because Earth Day is April 22nd so everyone seems to be jumping on the bandwagon. This is good and bad…Good people and companies are acknowledging it but bad if it’s not a permanent life change and is simply a means of greenwashing by businesses.
We have the world at our fingertips, but that doesn’t mean we should trash it, pollute it, overwhelm it with junk and stuff. We need to take care of the earth.
Now, some people feel overwhelmed with all the information and green things they can/should be doing. I mention overwhelm in a recent interview for an article in the Sun Sentinel paper. People…you can make small changes that will add up. One small change is better than no effort at all.
Don’t feel like you have to go from the way you’re living now to 100% green. It’s hard to do, it’s even difficult for some die hard people who’ve been green before green was the thing to be. You will have to obtain information and weigh the pro’s and con’s and decide what’s best for you on your green journey.
Do what’s best and comfortable for you, do it in stages, take time to do it so you and your family aren’t totally overwhelmed which may turn them against ideas of living a greener lifestyle. Make it fun and enjoyable…not stressed and overwhelming.
Some simple tips that you may want to apply:
Reduce: buy less, use less.
Reuse: repair, repurpose, swap, sell, or donate items you no longer need or want. Buy reusable shopping bags and bottles for filtered water.
Recycle: paper, plastic, glass, cans, of course. Include aluminium foil and soup and vegetable cans as well as soda cans. Do this at work, at home and when traveling.
Grow some of your food and yes you can do this even if you don’t have a yard! I’m doing it on the 3rd floor balcony of my apartment via containers, earth boxes and stack/grow method.
There are so many things you can do that will make a change. Pick some and go green one step at a time.
No one person has to do it all but if each one of us follow our heart and our own inclinations we will find the small things that we can do to create a sustainable future and a healthy environment. – John Denver
Posted by admin on April 6, 2009
Today’s review is on Sage Hill Farms.
I’ve personally known Bea Kunz for few years and can honestly say her herbs are AWESOME!
Bea and her husband Michael own Sage Hill Farms which is their sustainable herb farm located in TN.
Their mission statement is:
* To produce chemical free herbs by using organic, approved products to enrich and sustain our soil.
* Through composting and cover cropping, nature can and does supply us with needed elements to meet our goals.
* Our aim is to leave a better legacy for the next and all future generations to build on.
I’ve ordered a variety of herbs and mixes from them over the years.
They’re all excellent.
The English Thyme is outstanding.
When you open the tin bag you can smell the fragrant aroma from the Thyme.
I use the Thyme in a lot of the meals I prepare.
The Cajun Blend is made up of thyme, paprika, onion zest, garlic zest,
all spice, cayenne, parsley and my son loves this used in his meals.
Other favs of ours are:
Italian Blend
Poultry Blend (daughter loves this on many of the chicken entrees I make for her)
Basil
I love the Salad Mix too!
So, all in all if you’re looking for excellent quality herbs along with outstanding owners and fast shipping you have to try Sage Hill Farms
p.s. They offer teas too, but nobody here drinks tea so I can’t review that for you. You’ll have to order and try it for yourself.
Posted by admin on March 31, 2009
There are numerous reasons to clean using natural eco-friendly products and methods.
Did You Know?
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According to an EPA study, the air in homes has chemical contamination levels 70 times greater than outdoor air.
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50% of all illnesses are caused by or aggravated by polluted indoor air.
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Approximately 15% of the American population suffers from chemical sensitivity.
Researchers have traced this to synthetic chemicals in consumer products and furnishings.
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The typical American household is the number one violator of chemical waste per capita.
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The average American home has 3-10 gallons of hazardous materials.
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Nationwide more than 32 million pounds of household cleaning products are poured down the drain each day.
Many of these products contain toxic substances that are not adequately processed by sewage treatment plants and septic systems
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Chemicals in household cleaners break down slowly in the eco-system and can lead to harmful algae blooms and accumulation of toxins in the fatty tissues of fish and wildlife.
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U.S. industries reported manufacturing 6.5 trillion pounds of 9,000 different chemicals and the prevalence of many diseases and illnesses – including cancers, birth and reproductive system defects, asthma, nervous system disorders is on the rise and environmental factors may play a significant role in these increases.
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The U.S. government has not conducted even basic toxicity testing for about 75 percent of the 15,000 high volume chemicals in commercial use. More than 90 percent of these high volume chemicals have not been tested for health effects on children.
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A study by the New York Poison Control Center found that 85 percent of product warning labels they studied were inadequate.
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In 1999, 2.1 million human poisonings were reported to the poison control centers in the United States. More than 50 percent of the cases involved children under the age of five.
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Over 150 chemicals found in the average home have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities.
Did you know that if you have regular commercially sold cleaners in your home, you have hidden and not-so-hidden dangers.
Laws requiring manufacturers to disclose the existence and possible side effects of contaminants are lax, offering you and your family insufficient safeguards. The poison, explosive and corrosive warnings on containers & packaging only tell half of the story.
Most people don’t know that:
85% of product warning labels are either inadequate or incorrect in identifying a poison.
Indoor air is 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air.
Products must list active ingredients, but not the (often-significant) number of inert chemicals they contain.
More than 150 toxic substances linked to cancer are present around the average home.
The human body can absorb chemicals left behind by household products several months after they were used.
“Volatile organics” are chemicals that rapidly evaporate into the air at room temperature, contributing to multiple chemical sensitivity and a range of symptoms including breathing problems, depression and fatigue, autoimmune disorders, a “flu-ish” feeling, and many other complications. Many detergents and cleaning supplies contain volatile organics.
Cancer rates have double since 1960.
Asthma has increased 600% since 1980.
Experts cite household chemicals as a factor.
Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene, xylene can cause cancer and erode the immune system~~ These are in many household cleaners.
Naptha depresses the central nervous system. Diethanolsamine is a possible liver poison. Chlorophenylphenol is a metabolic stimulant and considered toxic. All three chemicals are common to most dishwashing detergents.
Most air fresheners don’t clean the air.
They either coat your nose with an oily film or release a chemical that deadens the nerves we use to smell.
Indoor chemical “pollution” can contribute to allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, hormonal problems, fertility problems and sudden infant death syndrome.
I use either homemade cleaners that I’ve made myself or Seaside Naturals Toxic Free Cleaning Kit. It’s only $21 and includes one of each: All-purpose cleaner 24 oz. Spray, glass cleaner 24 oz. Spray, dusting 24 oz. Spray, scouring powder, and bathroom cleaner 24 oz. Spray.
