Inland Empire Family Green Mom

Cleaning up the beach feels good

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:12:00 GMT

Last weekend, my kids and I participated in a beach cleanup in Seal Beach.

It was our second cleanup with the Save Our Beach organization. Both times, I have been extremely impressed with the organization of the clean up effort and dedication of the volunteers who run it.

There were hundreds of participants in Saturday’s cleanup. We filled eight dumpsters with trash (not to mention the recycling that was collected separately) just in one day! And the most amazing part, you can go out again this weekend and find just as much.

It’s a never-ending process, but an important one. Every piece of trash collected on the beach is less that washes out to sea, to potentially be eaten by sea life or end up in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (that double-the-size- of-Texas island of trash floating in the Pacific).

The best thing about a beach cleanup is that it’s such a hand-on activity. It’s something good that you can do for the earth that is specific and measurable. We don’t have many opportunities like that.

Also, if you sign up and register before this Friday, February 26th, you can qualify for Disney’s “Give a Day. Get a Day” promotion. Clean up the beach for a few hours, get a free ticket to Disneyland. You can’t beat that.

My kids worked so hard that day – crawling down between the rocks picking up pieces of plastic; Styrofoam (and Styrofoam, and Styrofoam, and even more Styrofoam); empty bottles and cans; chip bags and other food wrappers; a few random items like balls, hubcaps and kids toys; and lots of cigarette butts. They never once complained. I was one proud momma.

At some point into our day, my son looked up at me and said “It’s unbelievable how people treat the earth.” Later on my daughter asked “Mom, can’t we do our own cleanup every time we go to the beach? We can just bring our own bag and gloves, right?” And that is worth so much more than a ticket to Disneyland.

Here's my Whrrl about our beach cleanup. Click anywhere on the story below to see it.

More check-ins at Beach cleanup

Do you know where your food comes from?

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:57:00 GMT

Unless you grow it yourself in your backyard, the answer is probably a resounding no. I always thought I had a fairly good idea. But last weekend, I watched “Food Inc.” and realized I only knew a small part of the story. The movie had a profound effect on me and has totally changed how I look at food.

"Food Inc." is packed with information and made me ask questions like: Why can we can get ripened tomatoes year round? Why is it that a bag of chips costs less than a bundle of carrots? What is the reason that many chickens are never exposed to sunlight? And who on earth ever thought it was a good idea to feed corn to fish?

It was tough to watch at times but ultimately, I found it pretty inspiring. Knowledge is power and with more knowledge, I can make better decisions.

There is a great summary at the end of the movie that describes what we can do as consumers to make better food choices. Here are the suggestions that appear one by one on the screen:

Buy from companies that treat workers, animal and the environment with respect.
When you go to the supermarket, choose foods that are in season.
Buy foods that are organic.
Know what’s in your food. Read labels.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to the supermarket. Buy foods that are grown locally.
Shop at farmer’s markets.
Plant a garden (even a small one).
Cook a meal with your family and eat together.
Everyone has a right to healthy food. Make sure your farmer’s market takes food stamps.
Ask your school board to provide healthy school lunches.
The FDA and USDA are supposed to protect you and your family. Tell Congress to enforce food safety standards and re-introduce Kevin’s Law.
If you say grace, ask for food that will keep us, and the planet healthy.

It’s a great reminder that as consumers, we can vote to change this broken system. We get the chance to exercise our vote three times a day. For more information and suggestions of what you can do, visit Take Part.

I hope that everyone makes time to see “Food Inc.” Please see it for you, see it for the people you love and see it for the planet. Remember “you can change the world with every bite.”

Two-year old logic and global warming

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:11:00 GMT

Have you heard the news: it’s snowing back East? Oh my gosh, it’s snowing…in the Northeast…in February. Can you believe it?

In the middle of this week's storm, climate change naysayers are declaring that this storm in one region of one county totally disproves climate change. It’s people like Senator James Inhofe who constructed an igloo in Washington, DC and posted a sign reading "Honk if you heart global warming." It’s Senator Jim DeMint who tweeted "It's going to keep snowing in DC until Al Gore cries uncle." And you better believe that Fox News has jumped all over it, with story after story that totally distorts the facts to fit their agenda.

It’s hard for me to believe that some of this is even real. I mean, really, it’s ridiculous. It’s like me looking up at the night sky and saying “Well the sun must have gone away because it’s dark outside.” It’s two-year old logic, but there are people lapping it up and it scares me.

Now I realize that this is a particularly harsh storm impacting millions of people. I'm not trying to make light of it. But the climate change deniers are totally missing the point. As Giselle Barry from Repower America points out “Extreme weather is climate change! Not only does "Snowpocalypse" not disprove global warming, it actually matches scientific predictions that climate change will increase extreme weather events of many kinds, including heavy snowfalls in regions like the Northeast.”

The fact is that climate change is a very complex issue. It will lead to more temperature extremes, both cold and warm. And I don’t remember Al Gore ever saying that it would never snow again ever. I’m quite sure that’s not what hundreds of years of scientific evidence and study predict.

This clip from Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show is genius, and sums it up best. As usual, a little dose of humor makes me feel so much better:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Unusually Large Snowstorm

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Health Care Crisis

Last minute Valentine cards for kids

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:21:00 GMT

As usual, we are scrambling at the last minute to get our Valentine cards together for school. I always think I’m going to be that mom who has everything planned and organized well in advance, but somehow, I never seem to get there. This year, I totally forgot that Friday is a school holiday, so our Valentines cards have to be ready for Thursday’s class party.

If you are a last-minute like me and you’ve run out to the store to find that everything is sold out, why not try making Valentine’s cards? And you can spend nothing and use only things that you may already have at home.

We did just that tonight. The kids and I rummaged through the house and found all our extra colored paper, stickers, markers and stamps and gathered them together. Then, we printed a few labels on the computer (the “to, from” part of the card), and cut them into rectangles. Using scrap paper, we made larger colored rectangles cut slightly larger. The kids glued the labels on the paper scraps. Then, they addressed and signed each one and decorated with stickers, foam cutouts, stamps and markers. It got a little messy, but was a great exercise in creativity for the kids.

Finally, we hole-punched the cards on one side and tied each one with curling ribbon to a Trader Joe’s organic lollipop.

It took about an hour to make our Valentines using only materials we already had at home – no waste, no cost! Okay, I did have to run out and buy one extra box of Organic Lollipops from Trader Joe’s because we only had one box in the pantry. So I spent $3 on 58 Valentine’s for both classrooms. Here are the results:

They turned out cute I think. And best of all, not a plastic goody bag or cheap plastic trinket to be found.

Go green for Valentine’s Day

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:57:00 GMT

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I didn’t always enjoy this “Hallmark holiday”, even once I actually had a Valentine. But my attitude about the holiday changed about ten years ago when hubby and I decided to ditch the traditional Valentines’ day route and started our own tradition. Every year since, we avoid the hassle and expense of going out (reservations, overpriced wine, finding a sitter) and instead stay home. He cooks while I get the kiddos in bed early. Then, we pop open a great bottle of champagne (the kind that would be unaffordable at a restaurant but is reasonable at the store) and enjoy a gourmet home cooked meal with candles and the good china. No gifts either – our dinner, champagne, and time alone is our gift.

But if you are in the market for something for your sweetie, here are a few suggestions to make your gift a little greener:

Organic Flowers –when you touch or inhale the scent of non-organic flowers, it is likely that you are exposing yourself and your family to harmful chemicals. Pesticides and other toxic chemicals used on flowers also affect the health of farm workers and florists. Keep everyone pesticide-free by purchasing organic and in-season flowers. Some sources include California Organic Flowers, Organic Bouquet, and Local Harvest.

Fair Trade Chocolate - Traditional cocoa farming forces hundreds of thousands of children in West Africa to work under forced labor conditions on cocoa farms. Young boys are sold into slave labor and forced to work in cocoa farms, under inhumane conditions and extreme abuse. Kind of make’s that Hershey’s bar not taste so good doesn’t it? But when you buy Fair Trade chocolate, you ensure that farmers and workers receive a fair price for their product, helping them support their families and send their children to school rather than the field. Most Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate is also certified organic and shade-grown, which helps maintain the biodiversity of ecosystems, provides shelter for migratory birds, and uses far less energy than conventional farming. Yes, it’s a bit more expensive, but do we really need that much chocolate anyway? For eco-friendly chocolate, try one of these sites: Global Exchange, Equal Exchange, Dagoba Chocolate, and Coco-Zen (fair trade, organic and local – a triple winner!).

Eco-friendly Jewelry – Go for jewelry that is fair trade, responsibly manufactured, and made from sustainable materials. The good news is it’s also generally super affordable too. You can find jewelry made from recycled glass, like this line we sell at buygreen.com; handmade, eco-friendly bling at etsy.com; or, if you have a bigger budget, there is brilliantearth.com for ethical, conflict-free diamonds.

More Sustainable Love – After the champagne, flowers, chocolate and jewelry, there’s the umm…love…the best part of Valentine’s Day. And yes, there is in fact, even an organic line of personal lubricants – think of it as the “green” KY. The majority of personal lubricants on the market are made with petrochemicals and preserved with methyl and propyl parabens. But Good Clean Love personal lubricants are natural and organic so they not only feel good, but are good for you. I especially like this Cupid’s Travel Kit – would be a perfect Valentine’s gift.

So spoil your sweetie this Valentine’s Day with eco-friendly gifts that are not only good for them, but also the planet. Happy Valentine’s Day!

(Note: It's important to me to point out that none of the companies or products on this list paid me anything or gave me anything for free. Even my own company, BuyGreen.com - I don't get paid by them either (hee, hee), but maybe someday. These are just companies and products that I run across in my work and I enjoying sharing to help others find better, greener alternatives to traditional products.)

I can’t stand the smell of clean clothes

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:48:00 GMT

The other day, one of my daughter’s friends dropped off a bag of my daughter’s clothes at our house. For some reason, my daughter just can’t seem to come home with all of her clothes when she has a sleepover, or often lets her friends borrow clothes when they are at our house.

Like most times, I opened the bag, immediately caught a whiff, and stuck them right in the laundry. Were they still dirty? Did they have some awful smell on them? Am I a freak about germs?

Nope, it’s none of the above. I ended up washing the clothes even though some nice family already washed them for us – the reason is that I can no longer handle the smell of traditional chemical laundry detergents and fabric softeners. Once you get away from them, you will find that the smell is quite overpowering and you can’t go back.

Traditional laundry detergent, bleach, and fabric softeners are no good – for your family and the environment. As we strive to have clean, ultra-white, fresh-smelling clothes, we have inadvertently invited a whole host of toxic chemicals into our homes. We absorb these chemicals through our skin. In addition, those harsh chemicals are washed down the sink, entering the waste stream and contaminating our ground water.

Fortunately today, there are hundreds of eco-friendly products for getting your laundry fresh and clean. You can find them online and even in grocery stores and Target. Be sure to read the ingredient list and steer clear from the chemicals listed below and remember that “natural” does not necessarily mean eco-friendly.

Here are some things to keep in mind when buying detergents & other laundry products:

Do not use detergents or stain removers with phosphates (which are linked to lung cancer and damage our water systems).
Also steer clear of alkylphenol exthoxylates (APE's), linear alkylate sulforate (LAS) - both are known toxicants.
Do not use bleach with chlorine or sodium perborates. Chlorine gets into the waste stream and contaminates ground water. Use non-chlorine alternatives made from hydrogen peroxide or oxygen.
Do not use detergents with petroleum-based, chemical fragrances. Fragrances and harsh solvents like ammonia contained in some typical detergents and fabric softeners can trigger your allergies and asthma, and cause skin irritation.
Stay away from conventional fabric softeners. These are a skin irritant and also build up on clothing, making it look dull. They also lower the absorption of your towels and can leave a residue on your skin when you dry off. Yuck!

If you make the switch to eco-friendly laundry products, you will be surprised that your clothes can get clean without chemicals, don’t develop instant static cling without dryer sheets and are still soft without fabric softener. Really, we can have clean, fresh-smelling clothes without chemicals. And once you see how easy it is, you won’t want to go back either.

Check out the Go Green Expo this weekend

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:42:00 GMT

The Go Green Expo is this weekend at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event is open to the public on Saturday from 10-6 and Sunday from 10-5.

If you are just starting your journey to going green or even if you are well on your way, green expos and festivals like this are a great way to discover tons of green products, services, and information all in one place.

There will be over 300 booths and exhibits, interactive seminars and speeches (you can download speaker schedule). In addition to the Green Marketplace, there will be a screening of the film “Tapped” with a Q&A with the Director and Producer, Film Presentations by Blue Planet Film Festival, a rock climbing wall, yoga classes, and lots of demonstrations and hands-on activities. Tons of giveaways too – if you don’t already have a bunch of reusable shopping bags, this is the place to load up on them (for free).

For more information, go to gogreenexpo.com.

The rain should clear over the weekend and it’s a quick drive up to the Los Angeles Convention Center. Admission is just $10 for adults (which includes admission for both days) and free for kids under 12.

If you happen to go, stop by and say hi. We’ll be in booth 113.

If you can’t make this expo, here are just some of the many other upcoming Green expos in California:

Green Meets Green Expo – Del Mar, January 22-24
Natural Products Expo West - Anaheim, March 12-14. This is the premier event for healthy products. While it's primarily food (tons of samples - go hungry), there are also personal care and home goods. It's ranked one of the top 100 shows in the U.S. With thousands of vendors, wear walking shoes and bring some water. It's an all-day event with thousands of new products to discover.
The Green Festival – the mother of all green festivals and my favorite event of the year, organizers have just added a Spring show in San Francisco on April 10-11. The traditional fall festival will still be held Nov. 5-7. If you have never been to this show, it’s awesome – worth a trip to Northern California for sure.

Double digits and greener birthdays

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:57:00 GMT

This week, my daughter (my little girl) is turning 10. Yes, double digits – what the heck?! I’m freaking out about this and I’m not sure why. It’s not a case of “wow, if I have a ten year old, I must be old”. It’s just that I’m enjoying my kids so much at the age they are right now, I don’t want them to grow up. My husband and I always say to them, “Can you do me a favor and please stop growing?” Which we are kidding about, sort of…

Some unsolicited advice I would give to moms with younger kids is to enjoy every age to the fullest. When my kids (who are only 18 months apart) we young, I missed out on the enjoyment of their age just waiting for them to be older. I was so exhausted by nursing, diaper changes (two in cloth diapers – need I say more), and the endless supervision of young children that I didn’t stop to enjoy it as much. Now, I’m making sure that I don’t do that. I’m really trying to enjoy the now.

In honor of my baby girl’s birthday, here are some quick tips for keeping your birthday celebration simple and green:

Easy, inexpensive, reused party décor –You don’t need to spend a bunch of money on decorations. You (or some of your friends and neighbors) already have many things in your own home you can use to decorate for the party – decorations from previous parties, scraps of material, stickers. Use your creativity to save money and reduce waste.

Ditch the plastic goodie bag – I’m a big believer in no party favors or just one small favor for each guest – like a fairy wand if you having a princess party or a sword for a pirate party. Ditch the plastic goodie bag filled with cheap trinkets. Those end up broken and in the trash by the time your guests make it home. Not to mention the plastic bag is always trash bound and totally unrecyclable.

Think reusable –Most of us can find enough plates, cups and cutlery for a small group of kids. If you are having a larger party, consider biodegradable plates, cups and cutlery, or paper goods made from recycled paper.

Better gifts – Every year my kids end up with gifts (from well meaning family and friends) that we just have no room for, no patience for, or they have no interest in. Here is a great solution - invented by two moms who were tired of all the birthday party waste, Echoage makes greening kids birthday parties easy. With this service, you select an eco-friendly birthday party invitation, choose a cause and invite your friends. Instead of buying presents, guests simply rsvp online and make secure online contributions. All the contributions are pooled for the purchase of one memorable gift for the birthday boy and girl and the rest of the money is donated to the cause of your choice. How easy, stress free and waste free is that?

Here’s to making each birthday a simple, green, stress-free celebration and enjoying our kids at every age!

Are toxic cleaning products contaminating the air in your kids’ classroom?

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:22:00 GMT

The Environmental Working Group just released this new report titled “Can Cleaning Supplies Contaminate Classroom Air?”. The answer, as you can imagine, is a resounding yes.

Although I use natural, non-toxic cleaners at home, it didn’t really occur to me that my kids spend a big portion of their day at school, so they are being exposed to all kinds of toxic cleaning products there that are outside my control. And if you have kids with asthma or other health problems, there’s even more cause for concern.

After reading this report, I contacted the principal at my childrens' school. I requested a list of the cleaning products used at school. Pretty quickly, she got back to me and said she’s happy to provide the information (although at the moment, I’m still waiting for it) and what’s more, she said that the district is in the process of transitioning over the “green” cleaning products – good news! Even better, I don’t think she has labeled me the “problem mom”. I think she’s receptive to the whole idea. So far, this is working out well.

If you are also concerned about the cleaning products used at your children’s school, here are some suggestions for how to talk to your school about green cleaning. Go ahead, be the mom who stirs the pot. After all, natural cleaning products are healthier for everyone - kids, teachers and school staff too. Really, they’ll thank you some day. Okay, probably not, but you’ll feel better because you took some positive action to protect the health of all our kids – and that’s worth standing up for.

Yes to safe, natural, non-toxic, biodegradable products with ingredients like deionized water, vegetable based cleaning agents, surfactants, emulsifiers. That’s it!

No brand names to protect the not-so innocent but you know who these are - with ingredients like phosphates, alkylphenol exthoxylates (APE's), linear alkylate sulforate (LAS), ammonia, chlorine , sodium perborates and petroleum based colors and fragrances, these are a toxic soup.

Join me for No-Impact Week

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:42:00 GMT

This week, I’m participating in No-Impact Week hosted by the Huffington Post and Colin Beavan, better known as No-Impact Man.

It’s a weeklong carbon cleanse designed to help you live a better, happier and healthier life by reducing your consumption and buying less stuff.

The challenge runs Sunday, Oct. 18 through Sunday, Oct. 25. If you would like to try, it’s not too late to join. Each day has its own unique activity so you can participate each day or only some – any level of participation is better than none at all.

Sunday was the first day of the challenge. To get started, participants were asked to collect and save all their trash for the day – all of it. I collected every scrap that our family of four threw away that day. On Monday, the first thing to do was to sort Sunday’s trash according to things that you used for less than 10 minutes and things that were used for more than 10 minutes. This was to demonstrate that 99 percent of the stuff we use on a daily basis is trashed within six months – yes, 99 percent! Yikes! Looking at your trash for just one day is kind of eye-opening – more on that later.

Monday’s challenge was to do everything you can to stop making trash. As a start, participants were instructed to assemble a no-trash travel kit for the week. The kit includes a reusable water bottle, resealable food containers, reusable utensils (I included my glass straw, reusable shopping bags, produce bags, etc.).

Today’s challenge is burn calories, not fossil fuels. It calls for participants to look for alternative forms of transportation like biking, walking and carpooling.

Here is a summary of the upcoming challenges for the rest of the week:

Wednesday – Healthy eating can lessen your footprint.
Thursday – Explore no-energy alternatives to accomplish your daily tasks.
Friday – Soak up the personal benefits of using less water.
Saturday – Pay it forward. Feel the benefits of service.
Sunday – Take a break from everything – a day of rest and reflection.

For more details on each challenge, download the “No-Impact Week” guide here.

I’ll blog about some of my observations at the end of the week and would love to hear any of yours too. So, come join the challenge. It’s not too late to sign up and start reducing your impact today.

Reduce your plastic use

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:36:00 GMT

We’ve talked about the problem with plastics and how to use plastics more safely, and the last step now is to reduce plastic use.

As a start, here are three items that I carry with me every day. Each is small and inexpensive but has a big impact on reducing the use of disposable plastic:

A reusable water bottle – I have a pretty good collection going (in many sizes, colors and brands), but my favorite is the classic 27-ounce stainless steel Klean Kanteen bottle. It doesn’t scratch or wear, fits in the cup holder of my car and is made from safe, nonleaching food-grade stainless steel. It also helps me save money. I never have to purchase bottled water. I bring it pretty much everywhere – even when I’m traveling. You can take your reusable water bottle on the plane – just make sure it is empty before you go through security.

A reusable shopping bag – The only thing that outdoes my collection of reusable water bottles is my assortment of reusable shopping bags. I ended up with so many that I gave them away at our last garage sale – along with a free dissertation on the problem with plastic bags to each person who received one (I’m sure they so appreciated that). But, of all the shopping bags, the one that I always have with me, that has reduced my plastic bag use by hundreds of bags, is the Chico Bag. It’s so compact and light, and I have it in my purse all the time. It’s always there (no forgetting it in the car) and handy, even when I didn’t expect to do any shopping.

A reusable glass straw – I like to drink just about everything from a straw. And those suckers, even though they are small, can really add up. McDonald’s alone serves 52 million meals PER DAY. Imagine how many straws are thrown away from that chain alone? Straws are not reusable or recyclable, so reusable glass is a much better solution. I carry my GlassDharma straw in my purse all the time. It’s easy to carry and easy to clean, and something about drinking through glass instead of plastic just makes everything taste better, too.

Other suggestions for reducing plastic use:

Use reusable lunch kits, instead of plastic baggies.
Use real tablecloths instead of plastic and real silverware instead of disposable.
Carry reusable utensils like this To-go ware to reduce your use of disposable plastic utensils.
Bring your own coffee mug to work or your local coffee shop.
Bring your own reusable produce bags to the grocery store.
Ask your dry cleaner to return your clothes to you in a reusable bag like this one from Clothenik.
Pay attention to packaging and purchase products that use less plastic.
For even more suggestions on reducing plastic use, see the “plastic-free changes” page of fakeplasticfish.com.

These are just a few of the many ways to reduce your plastic use. And while some of these suggestions cost a little money up front, you save money in the long run by purchasing less disposable plastic. You don’t have to implement all the suggestions – just try incorporating one change into your day. Once you see the impact, you may be hooked and willing to try more. Reducing plastic use is good for your health, good for your wallet and good for the planet – now what could be greener than that?

Reduce your plastic use

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:36:00 GMT

Use reusable lunch kits, instead of plastic baggies.
Use real tablecloths instead of plastic and real silverware instead of disposable.
Carry reusable utensils like this To-go ware to reduce your use of disposable plastic utensils.
Bring your own coffee mug to work or your local coffee shop.
Bring your own reusable produce bags to the grocery store.
Ask your dry cleaner to return your clothes to you in a reusable bag like this one from Clothenik.
Pay attention to packaging and purchase products that use less plastic.
For even more suggestions on reducing plastic use, see the “plastic-free changes” page of fakeplasticfish.com.

Plastic by the numbers

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:13:00 GMT

I hope you will check out my previous post, “The problem with plastics,” for a better understanding of the need to reduce your plastic use in the first place. In addition to all the information I included there, in case I haven’t convinced you yet, please read this Planet Green blog post, “Is plastic making us fat?”

So not only is plastic bad for your health and bad for the environment, it can also make you fat?! What the heck – I’m never using plastic again. The problem with that solution is it’s totally impractical. The fact is that plastic is everywhere, so avoiding it altogether isn't realistic for most people. There are people who do almost entirely avoid plastic and live to tell – they even share their journey with us. For a look at a life (almost) plastic free, check out fakeplasticfish.com and lifelessplastic.com.

If avoiding plastic completely is not practical for you, what’s the answer? I think it’s to use plastics more wisely and more sparingly. You can reduce your use of disposable plastic, and choose safer plastics, particularly for those items that are likely to come into contact with your mouth, which is the most common way the chemicals in plastic enter our bodies.

The first step to choosing safer plastics is to understand what the numbers represent. So turn your plastic container over, check out the number inside the triangle and read on to see what those numbers mean.

Safer plastics include:

No. 1 PETE or PET (polyethylene terephthalate) – this plastic is used for most clear beverage bottles, such as water bottles and 2-liter soda bottles. It is one of the most commonly recycled plastics on the planet. The key here is to think about the No. 1 meaning “one-time use." So don't reuse single-use plastics. They can break down and release chemicals into your food or beverage when used repeatedly.

No. 2 HDPE (high-density polyethylene) – used to make most milk jugs, shampoo bottles and laundry detergent bottles. Because No. 2 plastic has been found not to leach, Nalgene water bottles are now made from this plastic rather than No. 7 as they were previously.

No. 4 LDPE (low-density polyethylene) – used in most plastic shopping bags, food storage bags, some cling wraps and some squeeze bottles.

No. 5 PP (polypropylene) – used in opaque, hard containers, including some baby bottles, cups and bowls, and reusable storage containers (i.e., Tupperware). Drinking straws, yogurt containers and cottage cheese containers are sometimes made with this.

Avoid these plastics:

No. 3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) – commonly called “vinyl,” it is used in commercial plastic wraps and salad dressing bottles, shower curtains and, believe it or not, kids toys, backpacks, lunch bags and binders. PVC contains phthalate (softeners need to make the plastic bend), and they have been found to interfere with hormonal development. The production of and burning of PVC plastic releases dioxin, a known carcinogen, into the atmosphere. It’s bad for our health and bad for the environment.

No. 6 PS (polystyrene) – used in Styrofoam cups, meat trays and clamshell-type containers. No. 6 plastics can release potentially toxic materials (including styrene), especially when heated. Yep, that’s right, when heated. So that insulated Styrofoam coffee cup and the to-go container that you put hot food in, well those don’t seem like such a good idea, do they?

No. 7 Other – A wide range of plastic containers are lumped into this category, basically any plastic not rated 1-6. The plastic to be concerned about in this category are the hard polycarbonate plastic bottles, which contain bisphenol-A (BPA). No. 7 plastic is used in some reusable water bottles, baby bottles and some metal can linings. Soft- or cloudy-colored plastic is not polycarbonate. Avoid polycarbonate, especially for children's food and drinks. Trace amounts of BPA can migrate from these containers, particularly if used for hot food or liquids.

In addition to understanding the numbers, you can also use plastics more safely:

Don't microwave in plastic containers. Heat can break down plastics and release chemical additives into your food and drink. Use ceramic or glass instead. Cover food in the microwave with a paper towel instead of plastic wrap.
Use plastic containers for cool liquids only, not hot.
Don't reuse single-use plastics (the No. 1 – PET plastics). They can break down and release plastics chemicals when used repeatedly.
Do not use old, scratched plastic containers. Exposures to plastics chemicals may be greater when the surface is worn down.
Wash plastics on the top rack of the dishwasher, farther from the heating element, or by hand.
When using an electric mixer, use a glass or metal bowl instead of plastic to avoid chipping bits into your food.
Use wooden cutting boards instead of plastic ones.
Pick a cotton shower curtain instead of vinyl.
Choose glass or BPA-free baby bottles with a clear silicone nipple.
Avoid plastic-to-mouth contact, especially for babies and kids. Give your baby natural teethers like frozen washcloths.
Look for toys made of natural materials, like wool, cotton and uncoated wood.
To avoid PVC in school supplies, check out the Center for Health Environment and Justice’s (CHEJ) "Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies," which lists the most common back-to-school supplies made out of toxic PVC and suggests safer PVC-free products in more than 20 product categories.

Finally, when rethinking and reducing your plastic, remember to recycle any that you don’t need or don’t feel safe using any more.

Keep in mind that No. 1 and No. 2 are almost universally recyclable. No. 5 plastics are usually not recyclable in curbside programs. Other numbers depend upon the recycler. To simplify plastics recycling, here is the basic rule of thumb – if the plastic bottle has a neck that's smaller than the body and has an "alor2" symbol on the bottom, nearly every recycling program will accept it. But please remove the caps from the bottles and throw them in the trash or participate in a program to recycle them. If left in with the recycling, those little caps can ruin a whole batch of recyclables.

The problem with plastics

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:47:00 GMT

When people ask me where to start going green, one of the first things I always suggest is to reduce the use of plastics, particularly disposable ones. I say this because it is one way to go green that is easy to do, healthier for you, better for the planet and puts money in your wallet. It’s a win-win for everyone.

But first, what’s the problem with plastics?

The toxicity of plastics is not fully understood or adequately tested. Most plastics contain chemical additives to make the plastic more pliable or UV resistant, etc. Some of these ingredients or additives are not thoroughly tested, and others we know are harmful, such as bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthalates (a chemical used as a plastics softener). These chemicals are both shown to be potent hormone disruptors and are increasingly linked to adverse health effects like cancer, infertility, early puberty, obesity, behavior changes and reproductive system damages. For more information, see this post, “What plastics do to your body.”

BPA is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic or items marked with the No. 7 on the bottom. BPA also is used to line the inside of metal food and soda cans, and can leach from the can liner into the food. Phthalates are found in No. 3 plastic, made with polyvinyl chloride or PVC and marked with the No. 3. In addition to the health concerns with PVC plastic, the production of and burning of PVC plastic releases dioxin, a known carcinogen, into the atmosphere. Basically, it’s bad for us and the environment.

We also know that plastics' chemicals leach into the food and water they contain. So that means BPA, phthalates and a host of other chemicals found in plastics end up in our food and water, and eventually, our bodies. While the amount may be small, it is still of concern. In fact, plastics are considered safe not because they have been proven to be safe, only because they have not been proven to be unsafe.

"There is very little published research on the potential adverse health effects of chemicals that leach from plastic food containers, so it's difficult to say they're safe with any degree of certainty, especially with long-term use," according to EWG senior scientist Dr. Anila Jacob.

The second problem with plastics is that they are a huge environmental problem. First, they are a nonrenewable, fossil fuel-based substance. Plastics are made from petroleum so they never ever biodegrade. In fact, every piece of plastic ever produced is still in existence in some form today. Over time (a long period of time) plastics actually photodegrade into smaller and smaller toxic pieces but never disappear. Many of these tiny pieces end up in our oceans and waterways, and are eaten by marine life.

There is so much plastic in the ocean that we have inadvertently created something called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It is roughly the size of Texas and contains approximately 3.5 million tons of trash, primarily plastic. In this accidental dump floating midway between Hawaii and San Francisco, plastic-to-sea-life ratios are 6-to-1. Birds and mammals are dying of starvation and dehydration with bellies full of plastics. Fish are ingesting toxins at such a rate that soon they will no longer be safe to eat.

“But I recycle my plastic,” people argue. The fact is, most people don’t. Only 3 percent of the 380 billion (that’s right, billion) plastic bags used in the U.S. each year get recycled. Even if you are one of the few who does recycle your plastic waste correctly, recycling plastic is an inefficient system. It’s actually referred to as “downcycling.” Unlike aluminum or glass, plastic degrades so not only can it never be made into the same form of plastic (like a plastic water bottle into another plastic water bottle), but we also need to introduce new virgin plastic during the recycling process. So while recycling plastic is certainly better than throwing it away, it’s not the silver bullet to solve our plastics problem.

Now that you know the problem with plastics, my next post will discuss how to choose safer plastics and handle them more carefully. Next up, how to reduce your use of plastics overall, and how that benefits your health and actually saves you money.

Safer cell phone use

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 09:28:00 GMT

Last week, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) released an interesting report on cell phone radiation. After a 10-month long study, scientists at EWG found that cell phones do indeed release radiation, and this radiation may be linked to possible cancer risks. So, the news for cell phone users (and really that means just about everyone) is not good.

Does this mean that we should all give up our cell phones? Of course that’s not practical for most people, but because many studies suggest that frequent cell phone use can lead to an increased risk for brain and mouth tumors, we should try to limit our cell phone radiation exposure as much as possible.

I encourage you first to download and read EWG’s guide to safer cell phones. There are many more details found there, but here is a quick summary of EWG’s recommendations for safer practices:

Buy a low-radiation phone – You can look up your phone on EWG’s buyer’s guide. If the radiation level of your phone is high, you may want to consider replacing your phone with one that emits a lower level. I was sad to find that my beloved iPhone does not rate well in EWG’s guide – it has a relatively high amount of radiation. But, I can’t even think about living life without it, so, instead, I’m going to try to limit exposure by implementing some of the other suggestions from EWG’s report.

Use a headset or speaker – Headsets emit much less radiation than phones. You can choose either wired or wireless – experts are split on which is safer – choose whichever works best for you. Some wireless headsets emit continuous, low-level radiation, so it is best to take yours off your ear when you're not on a call. As an added bonus, you won’t be embarrassed because you’ve been walking around all day and forgot your blinking bluetooth is still attached to your ear (unless you like that look of course). You can also talk on your phone in speaker mode, which reduces radiation to the head.

Listen more and talk less – Your phone emits radiation when you talk or text outgoing messages, but not when you're receiving messages.

Hold your phone away from your body – Keep your phone away from your body when you're talking (with headset or speaker), not against your ear, in a pocket or on your belt where soft body tissues absorb radiation.

Text more and talk less – If you are the parent of a teenager, this is probably already your primary form of communication. For those who have not yet embraced texting, consider it. Texting is convenient, and your phones use less power (therefore less radiation) to send text messages than phone calls. Also keep in mind that when you are texting, the phone is away from you so less radiation is close to your head. Of course, the one exception is if you are in a car. Texting or e-mailing in the car is not safe (and actually illegal in California). It’s better to talk on a speaker or on your headset.

If you have a poor signal, stay off the phone – Fewer signal bars on your phone mean that it emits more radiation to get the signal to the tower. Make and take calls when your phone has a strong signal and avoid calling when the signal is weak. Also, you won’t annoy callers by dropping the call and having to call back over and over.

Limit cell phone use for children – OK, this is scary. EWG's study shows that young children’s brains absorb twice the cell phone radiation as an adult’s. So, it’s better to wait on cell phones for kids as long as you possibly can – or until you can’t stand the whining anymore. Even then, limit cell phone talking for kids for emergencies only.

Skip the “radiation shield” – Radiation shields (antenna caps or keypad covers) and other radiation blocking devices actually do the opposite of what you may be purchasing them for. In fact, they reduce the connection quality of your phone, making it transmit at a higher power – therefore, higher radiation. So save your money and pass on any such devices that claim to lower the radiation level of your phone.

So, with a few modifications, cell phones can be used more safely. They are a way of life and one that we have become accustomed to, but they are not without their potential dangers. Therefore, like most things, good sense and moderation is the key.

Breathe easier during fire season

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:23:00 GMT

Unfortunately, fires are a reality of living in Southern California, especially in the late summer and fall. As we’ve seen this week, fire season has started early this year. And as hot and dry as it is right now, I fear this is not the last fire we will see before the end of the year.

Two years ago, the fires that were burning in Southern California felt like they were in my backyard. I mean really – here’s a picture taken from my backyard at that time.

I remember firsthand how bad the air quality was. It was awful for months. School was closed for a week, we wore masks every time we had to go outside, I had multiple air filters running day and night, and the ash covered every square inch of my yard for months after. I would clean it all up, then the winds would pick up at night, and it would be covered again.

But even if you aren’t near the area that is burning, air quality can be impacted for many hundreds of miles. For more information, see this article from treehugger.com: “Wildfires Causing Further Deterioration of Southern California’s Air Quality.” In it, Michael Kleinman, a professor of community and environmental medicine at UC Irvine, noted that soot particles (like those currently in the air from multiple fires) "can penetrate deeper in the lungs and have harsher health effects," often causing "tissue damage, inflammation and irritation."

What can you do to protect your lungs and keep your family breathing easy during fire season? Here are some suggestions:

If there is visible smoke in the air, stay inside as much as possible. And definitely do not exercise outside.
Sensitive individuals, such as those with heart disease, asthma or other respiratory diseases, should stay indoors as much as possible even in areas of Southern California (or anywhere that large-scale fires are burning) where smoke, soot or ash cannot be seen in the air.
Use an indoor air filter – if you spend most of your time in a couple rooms of your home, a portable air filter should do the trick. If you are looking to purify the air throughout your home, consider a whole-house filtration system. The performance of portable air cleaners is typically determined by its “Clean Air Delivery Rate” or CADR, which is basically the amount of clean air delivered each minute by the machine. CADRs can usually be found on the box of the air cleaner. For more information about CADRs and air filters, check out the Associate of Home Appliance Manufacturers' (AHAM) explanation of air cleaners here. You can also check out the EPA’s information on indoor air quality here.
If you run your air conditioner, make sure it is set to recirculate your inside air rather than pulling air in from the outside. As I found out a couple years ago, my air conditioning unit could be set to do either/or, so I had to read the manual to make sure I had the unit set on recirculate.
Keep more plants (the real kind) inside your home – plants not only look good, but they can remove dangerous chemicals from the air and produce clean oxygen. You don’t need a green thumb to keep them alive. There are many types that require just a little water once a week or so. To see which plants are most beneficial to your inside air, see “Top 5 Plants for Improving Air Quality.”
Do not use fireplaces (either wood burning or gas), candles and vacuums. Use damp cloths to clean dusty indoor surfaces. Basically, don’t do anything to stir dust particles into the air.
Don’t contribute any extra pollutants to your air – chemical-based cleaners, pesticides and cigarette smoke all contribute to poor indoor air quality. Switch to green cleaning products, natural pesticides and of course, don’t smoke (for many other reasons other than air quality, but add that to the list).

Finally, a big thank you to all the firefighters and other employees at the fire department who work so hard to protect our homes and families. It’s dangerous work, and they deserve all the recognition they receive and more.

'What was I thinking?'

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:29:00 GMT

"What was I thinking?!" This is the phrase that seemed to roll around in my head quite a bit this summer. By this I mean: How is it that I thought I could run a business full time and be a full-time mom at the same time? By full-time mom I mean: no nanny, no after-school care, no babysitter, no parents to help on a regular basis, no husband around to help (I mean I have a husband, but he travels A LOT). Yep, it’s me, taking care of two kids and trying to get a struggling business off the ground all at the same time.

This summer, with no school to occupy my kids during the day, it’s really hit home how crazy I must be. It’s been a struggle. Through a combination of working from home, bringing the kids to the office, some camp, swapping child care with neighbors, my mom helping out every once in a while, we have made it through – but barely. It’s been a juggling act for sure. The funny thing is that thinking back, I really thought I could do it. I thought the juggling act would be manageable. I’m finding out it may be more than I am willing (or able) to do some days.

I decided to start my own business so that I would have flexibility in my work schedule and not have someone else raise my kids. While I do have flexibility, at a certain point, there just aren’t enough hours in the day to even get things done, no matter how I arrange my schedule. Kids need time and attention, my business needs time and attention, household chores need to get done, and sometimes I need to have a little bit of time to myself (and I mean something other than my 6 a.m. 4-mile runs that I squeeze in when my husband is not traveling and my kids are still sleeping).

So, now I find myself at a crossroads – a place that I suspect many mothers find themselves. I feel like I am going to have to decide between the two jobs. My business, buygreen.com, is struggling in the current economy. If I want to make it over that hump, I’m probably going to have to devote my entire being into the business – put my kids in after-school care, put my head down and just go for it. With this effort, maybe I can make it through. On the other hand, I could give it up and devote myself full time to being a mom. Or, I can continue the juggling act, but at what expense to my family and me?

So, I realize that this is not really a “green” topic, but it certainly is a mom topic, and one that I’m sure I’m not the only one who struggles with. If you can relate (or commiserate), or have words of wisdom or advice for me, I would love it if you would share. I’ve found over the years that rather than suffering in silence, it’s better to reach out and ask for help. If anyone has suggestions, I would love to hear them. I sure could use some advice.

Back to school in green style

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:23:00 GMT

If you’ve turned on the TV, opened the newspaper or been out shopping lately, you can’t avoid the fact that it’s almost time to go back to school (even if you want to). While I’m a little sad about the end of summer drawing near, I’m also excited for the kids to get back in a routine again and looking forward to an end to my daily juggling act of being a full-time mom and full-time business owner.

Back to school usually means a lot of shopping. This year, get school started off right by making a back-to-school supply list that is better for your kids and good for the planet. Here’s how to do it:

Reuse – The first, easiest and more cost-effective thing to do is to reuse school supplies from last year. Dig through your kids’ desk drawers to find the pens, papers and pencils that you already have and can be used again. I realize this is not as much fun for your kids, but it saves money for you and reduces waste.

Look for reusable products – When you do buy new, look for reusable products, such as refillable highlighters like these AusPen markers or recycled binders by Rebinder, which have replaceable covers.

Buy used – Instead of buying new books, try looking in a local used bookstore for textbooks. You can also check out betterworldbooks.com for information about donating or purchasing used books.

Buy recycled – Most traditional school supplies consume vast amounts of virgin materials, particularly paper. Look for school supplies made from recycled materials, particularly those containing a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content! Check out these New Leaf recycled paper products, Smencils made from recycled newspaper or the Ellie Pooh products made from elephant dung. That’s right, paper made from elephant poop.

Purchase supplies online – Studies show that shopping online is more eco-friendly than driving to the store to purchase items. It’s also much more convenient. Last year, I purchased all our school supplies online. I didn’t drive anywhere, nothing was out of stock, and everything arrived at my door within days. I will never drive around town looking for backpacks and binders again.

Ditch dangerous toxins – Many children’s school supplies, such as lunchboxes, backpacks and binders, are often made out of PVC (polyvinyl chloride), a toxic plastic that is dangerous to our health and the environment. PVC, commonly referred to as vinyl, is dangerous throughout its entire life cycle – when manufactured, in use and when it’s thrown away. Unfortunately, you can’t always tell what products contain PVC. To avoid it, check out the Center for Health Environment and Justice’s (CHEJ) Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies, which lists the most common back-to-school supplies made out of toxic PVC and suggests safer PVC-free products in more than 20 product categories.

Say no to hand sanitizer – Research shows conventional antibacterial gels may do more harm than good. A better solution – just wash your hands with warm water and eco-friendly soap (free from petroleum solvents, dyes and artificial fragrances). If you must use hand sanitizer, look for all-natural, plant-based hand sanitizers, which are alcohol free and still kill 99 percent of germs.

Pack a better lunch – The average school-age child eating a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds of lunch waste during the year for just one average-size elementary school! If you switch to using reusable containers and reusable water bottles rather than traditional baggies and prepackaged food, you will save about $250 per school year per child and feed your kids healthier food too – prepackaged food is generally high in calories, sodium and fat, and most drink pouches are filled with high-fructose corn syrup. Remember to look for lunch boxes that are lead-free, BPA-free and PVC-free like these bento boxes from Laptop Lunch.

In the midst of the school shopping, remember to enjoy the last of the lazy days of summer with your family. The kids will be a grade older and back in school before you know it.

Composting part three: How do I compost?

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:35:00 GMT

If you have read my previous posts on the why and the what of composting, maybe you are ready to think about trying it yourself. This is part three of this series (sorry for the delay – I was busy enjoying a great vacation and some needed downtime with the family).

Here are some methods and products to help you start composting:

Basic Method – If you have a large yard, a low-cost, hassle-free, mess-free method to composting is to simply bury the kitchen scraps a shovel length or so deep in the garden (or in another low-traffic area of your yard) and then cover them back up with the soil and mulch. You can even plant immediately right on top of your buried compost.

Build It Yourself – You can build a compost bin yourself out of chicken wire and wood or metal posts. For instructions to building your own compost bin see this article from backyardgardener.com or this one entitled “How to Build a Compost Bin”

Compost Bins – Compost bins are the most traditional and reliant composters. They are the tried-and-true models of compost production. Whether your gardening or composting activity is passive or active, the compost bin accommodates both methods. Compost bins come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from slatted mesh and wired pens, to conical models. Here are some examples:

58 gallon compost bin

Outside Gourmet compost bin

Clean Air Gardening’s large bin – I especially like this one, because it’s made from 100 percent recycled polypropylene ( No. 5) plastic, which helps fuel a demand for recycling this widely used material that is generally not recycled.

Compost Tumblers – If you have a small space, this is the composter for you. I have this type of compost bin for two reasons. First, it takes up very little space in my yard. Second, I live next to an open area that houses lots of little critters. This raised, closed system keeps them from accessing my compost material and stealing my food scraps before they even have a chance to turn into compost. These tumblers also make it super easy to rotate your compost material to allow airflow to the waste material. Here are some examples:

Compost Tumbler

Eco-composter

Pet Waste Composter – As I mentioned previously, you cannot compost pet waste in your food waste composter, but there are composting systems available just for this material. For example, this Doggie Poo Eliminator installs in the ground, for clean, convenient waste disposal and odor control. You just drop in dog waste, and then occasionally add digester powder and water for continuous waste breakdown. This unit works by a leach-style system. It has an open bottom so that as the fast acting enzymes and bacteria action break the waste down, the liquid is absorbed into the ground. This unit also has a foot operated Lid Opener. So no more smelly trash can – you can compost your pet waste right in your own backyard.

To make your composting even easier and mess free, also check out these compost accessories:

Countertop collection bin – To reduce the hassle and mess of composting, I use this kitchen counter-top composting bucket and Biobag biodegradable compost bags. So, when my collection bin gets full, I just remove the bag and tie it at the top, then toss the whole thing into my composter. The bag biodegrades along with the food – no mess!

Compost accelerator - Although you can make compost perfectly well without a compost accelerator (also known as compost starter), a lot of people like to use them to speed up the composting time.

These are just a few of the many products on the market today to make composting easy and affordable for everyone – no matter how small a budget or a yard you have. So if you are ready to start reducing your household waste and creating fertilizer for free in your own backyard, go ahead and take the leap. You will find it easier and more enjoyable than you think. Happy composting!

Composting part two: What do I compost?

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:59:00 GMT

Once you are ready to start composting, one of the first things you need to know is what type of food waste can be composted and what can (or should) not.

Good compost material:

Fruit & vegetables. You can compost any part of your fruit and veggie waste – the peels, pits, stems, cores – even those tomatoes you find rotting in the bottom of your crisper because you bought more than you could use.

Egg shells. Egg shells are great, but not the actual eggs.

Tea bags and coffee grounds. Include the paper filter if you use one.

Yard waste. Cut grass, flower stems, leaves – almost any yard waste can be composted.

Biodegradable bags, cups, plates, etc. There are a variety of corn-based bags that can make collecting your compostable food easier and safer. They are fully biodegradable and compostable too – no plastic!

Straw. Straw is a good material for helping to keep a compost pile aerated, because it creates passageways for air to get into the pile. Be sure that the straw gets wet though, as it is very slow to decompose otherwise.

What not to compost:

Meat (including bones) or dairy. Although they will eventually biodegrade, animal products should generally not be composted in backyard composters. These materials smell and are more attractive to pests, so you are better off without them.

Animal waste. Though there are special composting bins just for this; more on that in my next post.

Diseased plants & pernicious weeds. Believe it or not, certain weeds can actually grow in your compost pile. If you are going to compost them, make sure they are dried out first so they can’t reproduce in your composter.

Very large yard clippings. I would keep large branches and leaves out of the home composter, as they just take a long time to break down. But if you have a compost bin for yard clipping through waste management, be sure to put that material in here. It’s more suitable for a commercial composting environment.

Now that you know what types of food waste you can compost, my next post will outline the various types of compost bins and systems available – they will make it easy and economical for you to get started composting today.