Wednesday, December 15, 2010

A Plastic World - BPA'd To Death

"I have seen the results of this culture's quest for immortality, and these results are not pretty. We have achieved a sort of immortality, and it's name is plastic."    Derrick Jensen

But this 'immortality' is killing everything, including us!

From the book, What We Leave Behind by Derrick Jensen and Aric McBay
Industrial civilization pumps out about 6 billion pounds of BPA per year, and it's found in nearly every human being, and presumably a similar proportion of nonhumans (not that most of us particularly care about them). The effects on living beings are horrific. Exposure levels of only .025 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (at this point low levels of human exposure from diet are around 1.5 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day, and relatively high levels are around 13; of course prior to the invention of plastic, everyone's ingestion was at precisely zero micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day) cause permanent changes to the genital tract, as well as changes in breast tissue that predispose cells to the effects of hormones and carcinogens. Two micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day lead to a 30 percent increased in prostate weight (have you wondered why there are so many ads for chemicals to reduce the effects of enlarged prostates?). At 2.4, the victims (for that's what they, or rather we, are) suffer early puberty and a decline in testicular testosterone. At 2.5, there is an increased risk of breast cancer (and you have noticed the explosion in breast cancer rates, have you not?). Doses of 10 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day lead to increased risk of prostate cancer (Do I need to keep putting in the parenthetical comments, or do you see this now in your own life and the lives of those you love?). That same does leads to decreases in maternal behavior. Double it and you've got damage to eggs and chromosomes. Raise it up to thirty micrograms per kilogram per day and you've got hyperactivity, and also a reversal of normal sex differences in brain structure (where are those damn family values people when you need them?). Raise it all the way up to fifty-one micrograms per kilogram and you've finally exceeded what the United Stated deems safe exposure.
The real kicker: 51 MICROGRAMS PER KILOGRAM AND YOU'VE FINALLY EXCEEDED WHAT THE UNITED STATES DEEMS SAFE EXPOSURE! This is a good reminder that the US government certainly is not looking out for my best interests!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Thanks For Your Purchase, Here's Your BPA Receipt

I wanted to continue the discussion about bisphenol A (BPA). In addition to plastic bottles, toys, and food can linings, bisphenol A can be found in the chemical coating on thermal papers - the type used in cash registers that turn color when exposed to heat.

Just a reminder that bisphenol A is considered an endocrine disruptor because it mimics estrogen, a natural hormone, and may fool the body by stimulating reactions that are unnecessary and potentially harmful. Scientists have linked BPA to a higher incidence of heart disease, diabetes and liver abnormalities in adults as well as brain and hormone development problems in fetuses and young children. Other tests have shown that BPA can promote human breast cancer cell growth, decrease sperm counts in rats, and cause erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in men.

From the article: EWG Tests Find High BPA Loads on Receipts

Laboratory tests commissioned by Environmental Working Group (EWG) have found high levels of the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) on 40 percent of receipts sampled from major U.S. businesses and services, including outlets of McDonald's, CVS, KFC, Whole Foods, WalMart, Safeway and the U.S. Postal Service. Receipts from Target, Starbucks, Bank of America ATMs and other enterprises were BPA-free or contained only trace amounts.

The total amounts of BPA on receipts tested were 250 to 1,000 times greater than other, more widely discussed sources of BPA exposure, including canned foods, baby bottles and infant formula.

Wipe tests conducted by the lab easily removed BPA, indicating that the chemical could rub off on the hands of a person handling the receipt.

Several recent studies have shown than BPA is easily absorbed into the body through the skin. Once BPA makes it through your layers of skin, it has easy access to your bloodstream.

A study published July 11 by scientists with the Official Food Control Authority of the Canton of Zürich in Switzerland found that BPA transfers readily from receipts to skin and can penetrate the skin to such a depth that it cannot be washed off. This raises the possibility that the chemical infiltrates the skin's lower layers to enter the bloodstream directly.

As a consumer, we're often asked if we want our receipt. We say "yes" right? Or push that 'yes' button on the gas pump. And then what do you do with those receipts? Save them? Trash them? How many times do you actually need the receipt? On a side note, don't recycle the BPA receipts because traces of BPA are now being found in 'recycled' paper.

Solutions? You could start reducing your exposure by not getting the receipt! Which also saves paper and the extra handling of that toxic 'goodie' not only by you but the cashier too. Imagine how much BPA a cashier is being exposed to by the repetitive handling of receipts. Being a new cashier myself, I'm overjoyed that Ukiah Natural Foods receipts are BPA free (there is only one company that makes the thermal imaging receipts without the BPA residue). Yeah for UNF!
You may also choose to shop and support businesses where you can get receipts that do not have the BPA residue!

Monday, December 6, 2010

Celebrity Petrochemical Perfume

Yet another follow up to 'Fragrance'. I first talked about it in my October 12, 2010 blog titled Fragrance - It's A Bad Word

From the article, Celebrity-branded perfumes loaded with toxic petrochemicals:

The Federal Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1973 explicitly exempts manufacturers of cosmetics and personal care products from having to disclose any of the ingredients used to give fragrance to their products, as long as "fragrance" is listed in on the label. 
Upon request from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, the Environmental Working Group sent 17 brand-name perfumes to be tested by the independent laboratory Analytical Sciences. Thirteen of the perfumes had been purchased in the United States, and four had been purchased in Canada.

Researchers uncovered 40 different chemicals in the perfume samples, in addition to the 51 listed on product labels. Of the 40 ingredients found, only two were listed on the label of every product containing them; the other 38 were unlisted on at least one of the 17 labels.

Even more seriously, researchers uncovered 10 chemicals known to disrupt the hormonal (endocrine) system, with each perfume containing an average of four. The perfumes Halle by Halle Berry, Quicksilver and Jennifer Lopez J. Lo Glow all contained seven different endocrine disruptors -- six estrogen mimics and a thyroid disruptor.
For more details, read the full article at the link above!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Got Safe Toys?

As the Holiday season nears,

Are we giving our children safe toys? Free of toxins and dangerous components? Are we showing our children what truly matters isn’t the gift itself but the love embedded in the act of giving?
From the Climate Counts blog: Is There Room for a Holiday Climate Message For Our Kids?

A gift free of toxins and filled with thoughtful love is the best way to say Healthy Holidays to those special kids in your life!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

BPA Bust

Senate Fails to Pass BPA Ban on Children's Products!

Read the article here

Sunday, November 21, 2010

NEARING Thanksgiving

The sign of a culture who has lost its tradition!



As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday there is much focus on family coming together and enjoying the 'traditional' turkey dinner. The general population might even take a moment to reflect on which they are thankful. There may be thanks given for 'good health' without a second thought. But what is good health? This is a big topic, more than can be discussed in this one blog. I think a person of good health is not only eating nutrient dense foods but has a positive mind, an active lifestyle and gives thanks daily.

One of my favorite quotes comes from the book, The Making of a Radical by Scott Nearing (published in 1972).
Health is the finally effective test of the interaction of the human organism with its total environment. Judged on this basis, the automated, computer-directed society of the United States is a ghastly failure. In an affluent society like that of the United States, tens of millions of adults are suffering from degenerative diseases, while other tens of millions suffer from constipation, insomnia, indigestion, nervous tension. Why should this be? The answer is obvious. The average American has no idea what good health is or how to go about obtaining it. When he feels the effects of ill health he goes to the doctor, who, like his prospective patient, knows little or nothing about health although he knows a great deal about diseases. He can relieve suffering by administering "wonder drugs", but he cannot prevent the disease which accompanies lack of health. The doctor, who suffers himself from the common ailments and fatal diseases which play such a prominent role in American life, is not concerned primarily with health. His specialty is disease. If there were no disease, that is, if people were healthy, doctors would be out of business except for accidents and the helplessness of infancy and old age.
This blog could quickly become one devoted to food if I followed the path of explaining the benefits nutrient dense foods. Certainly there will be future blogs about food because our foods are laced with toxins and you need to know how to avoid them!

So in general I want to encourage everyone to be meaningful in their thoughts, actions and food consumption. Take the time to prepare your meals from scratch, soak your beans, grind your grains, invest in the organic, humanely-raised turkey, share special moments in the kitchen with family, teach your children the value of nutrient dense food. Because what better investment can you make if not in your health? Health care has us investing in our future diseases, but we can take actions now to ensure a healthy lifestyle and reduce our dependency on the inundated health care system.

From the Weston A. Price Foundation Wise Traditions publication is a great article titled Modernizing Your Diet With Traditional Foods. The following roughly outlines healthy practices among non-industrialized cultures.
Here are nine dietary habits practiced among healthy non-industrialized peoples. The cultures consumed different specific foods, but the patterns among these different peoples were easy to identify.

All traditional cultures . . .
1. Consume some sort of animal protein, including organ meats and fat, every day.
2. Consume foods that contain very high levels of minerals and fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin D and vitamin K2 found in seafood, organ meats and animal fats).
3. Consume some foods with a high enzyme and probiotic content.
4. Consume seeds, grains, and nuts that are soaked, sprouted, fermented, or naturally leavened in order to neutralize a portion of the naturally occurring anti-nutrients in these foods.
5. Consume plenty of natural fats but no industrial liquid or hardened (partially hydrogenated) oils.
6. Consume natural, unrefined salt.
7. Consume animal bones, usually in the form of gelatin-rich bone broths.
8. Provide extra nutrition for parents-to-be, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and growing children, to ensure the health of the next generation.
9. Do not consume refined or processed foods, including white flour, refined sweeteners, pasteurized and lowfat milk products, protein powders, industrial fats and oils and chemical additives.
Have a joyous and meaningful Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Healthy Home Checklist

Check out the EWG Action Fund's Healthy Home Checklist to see how your home stacks up!

Ready to create an eco-healthy home?

We created this Healthy Home Checklist for you to use as you walk through your home -- and open your bathroom cabinet, look under your sink, and check those laundry supplies. It's an easy, hands-on way to create a less toxic environment for your family. When you're done, you'll breathe easier (literally!) knowing that you've tackled the toxics that matter most in your home.

Notice the mentioning of bisphenol-A (BPA) in the lining of canned foods. And check out this ENVIROBLOG topic: Can EWG staff live a week without canned food? Can you?

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

BPA - Alphabet Soup

You might have heard a lot about BPA (bisphenol A) in the news. Many plastic water bottles now have stickers announcing that they are BPA-Free. But did you know that BPA is one of the chemicals used in the lining of aluminum cans?


From the report, Seeking Safer Packaging 2010:
Nearly every canned food and beverage product on the market today contains a highly controversial chemical, bisphenol A (BPA), in its can lining.
Since the first publication of Seeking Safer Packaging in spring 2009, momentum to reduce exposure to BPA has increased.
2010 BPA Scorecard
BPA has been known to be estrogenic since the 1930's. That means that BPA can mimic the estrogen made in our own bodies. Estrogen is a key steroid compound for women. And if you guys out there think you're off the hook, well think again! Men have low levels of estrogen in their bodies (All vertebrates produce estrogen).

From BPA Chemical Leaches From Hard Plastic Drinking Bottles Into The Body:

Several studies have shown that BPA disrupts hormones in animals, leading to early sexual maturity, changes in development and organization of tissue in mammary glands and reduction in sperm in the affected organism's offspring. The early stages of fetal development are thought to be the most vulnerable to harm from BPA, said the authors in a prepared statement.

Karin B Michels, associate professor of epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
said that:

"We found that drinking cold liquids from polycarbonate bottles for just one week increased urinary BPA levels by more than two-thirds."

"If you heat those bottles, as is the case with baby bottles, we would expect the levels to be considerably higher," she added, explaining that is worrying because "infants may be particularly susceptible to BPA's endocrine-disrupting potential".

For years I was enjoying my eco-conscious, unbreakable Nalgene bottle (with the #7 recycle number on the bottom). I filled it daily and was proud not to be using bottled water. I was unknowingly dosing myself daily with BPA. Having been diagnosed with an endocrine cancer, I have to wonder about its effects on me.
Hard plastic polycarbonate bottles are often used as refillable containers by students, campers and others. They are also used as baby bottles, although two months ago 6 manufacturers in the US said they would stop selling hard plastic baby bottles made with BPA.

If a hard plastic bottle carries the recycling symbol showing the number 7, then it is most likely made of polycarbonate, since 7 is the category for "all other plastics", which includes polycarbonate (according to the SPI resin identification coding system).
So check your cabinets! Are they filled with BPA canned food? It's time to take your health seriously and stop funneling your hard earned money to these companies who care more about making a buck than your health!

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I found this little blurb in which you may be interested. It speaks to breast cancer and mammary glands specifically but you could use the same idea to consider impacts on any body system/cells.

From the article, We Won't Identify Breast Cancer Risks from Chemicals Until We Test for Them, I've copied a few excerpts below.

Most of the 80,000 chemicals in circulation since World War II have not been tested for toxic impacts on humans. Yet even for the small portion that does get tested—including pharmaceuticals and pesticides—current protocols don’t call for examining what chemicals do to mammary glands.
Breast cancer is a hormone sensitive disease, so something has to be triggering the disruptions in our endocrine systems. Toxic chemicals are a possible culprit, but we won’t know until we test them specifically for their links to mammary tumors.
A review done by the organization Silent Spring looked at the chemicals that have been studied intensively by the national and international authorities. They identified 216 chemicals that cause mammary tumors in animals, but only three are regulated based on danger to mammary glands—a sign that risks to breast tissue is not a high priority.
 To learn more about your endocrine system and endocrine disruptors check here.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Heavy Metal Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner! Any plans for face painting? Maybe you're planning to be a cat or a Wizard of Oz munchkin? Halloween aside, aren't kids frequently getting their faces painted? Lots to think about!

I just found this article, Pretty Scary: Heavy Metals in Face Paints. Campaign for Safe Cosmetics did an independent study sampling 10 random children's face paints.
A new report by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, "Pretty Scary," reveals that some children’s face paints contain lead, a neurotoxin, as well as nickel, cobalt and chromium, which can cause lifelong skin sensitization and contact dermatitis.
Creepier yet, these metals were not listed on the products' ingredient labels. Some products even bore misleading claims (like "hypoallergenic" and “FDA compliant”), making it tough for parents to find safe face paints.
So, what can you do to avoid all this?
  • Choose costumes that don't require face paint or masks (which may also contain toxic chemicals and impair vision and breathing).
  • Make your own face paint with food-grade ingredients. 
  • If you do use face paint, keep it away from kids’ mouths and hands so they don't ingest it.
You can make non-toxic face paint from natural food coloring or just food itself. You can use ingredients like cocoa butter, strawberries, blackberries, beets, avocado, blueberries, spirulina, chocolate, squid ink and powdered sugar. The cool thing is, making up your own face paint would be fun for you and your child and could become a favorite Halloween tradition. And think how proud you'll be when you tell your friends you made your own face paint!

Be SAFE this Halloween!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Classroom Air Pollutants


Every wonder what chemicals are used to clean the classrooms where your children sit for at least 6 hours each day they are at school? How about teachers who spend 8-10 hours in their classroom each teaching day? Does your child suffer from asthma? How about the janitors who are exposing themselves to cleaning chemicals simply because it's part of their job?

I just found the following article and of course there are many things of interest in it.
Green School Cleaners Emit Fewer Air Pollutants 
I found this article through a link from another article called Cleaning at School may Dirty your Child's Classroom Air

What caught my eye though was the reference to Febreze (I guess I'm still not over my Febreze assault).

Febreze Air Effects, an air freshener that gave off 89 airborne contaminants including acetaldehyde, a chemical linked to cancer.  

Worst Cleaners: These products released the largest number of air pollutants
  • Comet Disinfectant Powder Cleanser
  • Simple Green Concentrated Cleaner/Degreaser/Deodorizer
  • Febreze Air Effects
Worst Product Types: These types released the largest number of air pollutants
  • Graffiti Removers
  • Air Fresheners
  • Floor Finishes
 
Anyone still using Comet in their house?
As it happens, it’s not just the cleaners used in schools. Some of the products we had tested are also under the sink in millions of American homes. One of them, Comet Disinfectant Powder Cleanser, released 143 contaminants into the air – including formaldehyde, benzene, chloroform and four others that California has formally identified as causers of cancer or reproductive problems. Yuck.
Making your own cleaning products is pretty simple and only takes a small amount of time. Probably as much time as it would take to research which products were safe to buy. Basic ingredients include: borax, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, water. Pretty simple right? I've only bought a few cleaning products which serve many purposes. Bon Ami is a polishing cleanser similar to Comet but without all the airborne contaminants. CitraSolv is another multi-purpose cleaner I use. I bought it once in a spray bottle and subsequently bought in concentrate form and fill up my spray bottle.
 
I never use air fresheners but often burn bees wax candles.
Beeswax is a renewable resource which produces negative ions that actually clean your air of odors, pollens, smoke, dust, dust mites, viruses and other allergens and hazards.
I think it's important to not get discouraged when identifying contaminants in your life. It takes time to find them, weed them out and to replace them with safer products.  If you look under your sink and find it full of unsafe products, don't fret. Try changing out a product every few weeks or so. Don't let it overwhelm you, simply change things one step at a time!

Friday, October 15, 2010

The Story of Cosmetics

This is a great video! I thought it was pertinent to the whole Fragrance topic!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Fragrance - It's A Bad Word

Has it really been almost 5 months since my last post? I'm not entirely sure where the time goes but it is indeed October! I spent June on Smart's Mountain Farm taking care of the place for my parents. July found us road trippin' through Oregon. The 2nd week of August was spent at Emerald Earth Sanctuary learning about all things natural and building. I'll have to do some future posts about the benefits of building naturally! Then Eric was off to Wisconsin for 3 weeks to work on Rising Sun Farm. After that we met up in Seattle, Wa to resume our aborted Pacific Crest Trail hike from last year. Our quest for Canada was again cut short by weather so we headed to Central California Coast to soak us some much needed sun. You can view our still being updated 2010 PCT journal if you're interested.

Slip-straw and slip-and-chip walls being built at Emerald Earth. Cob wall started in foreground.

On our return from Washington on the Amtrak train, I had the most unfortunate experience of an Amtrak employee spraying my backpack with Febreze. I was outraged! How dare they spray toxic chemicals on my personal belongings? I feel as if I were profiled because I was traveling with a backpack. There were other bags there that absolutely reeked on cigarette smoke, but they were not sprayed. Ok, enough.....

This is a really big topic, and it got me thinking about the scents that we are subjected to that come from other people. Or maybe even scents that you put on yourself. What gives your scented products or perfume their fragrance? Unless your products are made from essential oils, it's likely that the manufacturing agency hasn't shared that little tid bit with you. I found a good article with general information called Breaking the Bottle: The Dangers of Perfume by Stef McDonald. She shared the following:

"One of the tougher lessons I've learned since becoming aware of the dangers of personal care products is that most perfumes contain chemical toxins I don't want on or anywhere near my body. Worst of all: you don't really know what those toxins are because of old laws protecting perfume makers from revealing their trade secrets. And this applies to all products, not only perfumes. When you see the word "fragrance" on a label, you're being hoodwinked. "Fragrance" can include numerous chemicals that are not good for you (or the environment)."

So check your products, do any of them have an ingredient called Fragrance? On the Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database, Fragrance receives a score of 8 out of 10. Any product or ingredient in the 7-10 range receives the title high hazard. Also in the list of product ingredients, the word Parfum is sometimes used instead of Fragrance but they both mean the same thing! Fragrance receives such a high score because like the article states, it can contain any number of known toxins. And the companies making these products are not required to tell us consumers.
"How bad can a little perfume be, right? Wrong--unless you're okay with using chemicals classified as hormone disruptors that can increase your risk of cancer, or harm a developing fetus, or contribute to thyroid and other problems."
If you're about to shed a tear because you think you have to give up scented products completely do not fret. There is hope! There are safe alternatives for you and the environment that can give you your scent fix.
"There are pure and safe and stunningly beautiful perfumes being made that are far superior to the ones I had used. Now, I am a lover of perfumes made from pure essential oils--nothing artificial, nothing toxic. My dresser is now filled with small bottles of non-toxic oils and perfume blends I've found to satisfy my love of scent without sacrificing my well-being."

You can find a list of companies who are doing it right at Campaign for Safe Cosmetics and the fore mentioned Skin Deep: Cosmetic Safety Database. Make a change for the positive!

So, my backpack still totally reeks of Febreze but I am grateful that I had everything inside it bagged in plastic garbage bags. Luckily my sleeping bag and all my hiking clothes don't also reek of Febreze. If they did, I would not be able to use them at all! I have filed a claim with Amtrak and will follow up with a letter. So beware if you are a future Amtrak traveler.......keep that backpack nearby or else!

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Sun Powered Vitamin D

As the Summer Solstice nears, the days lengthen and the Earth's warmth calls us out into her arms. We love the sun but do you know how to best utilize her energy?

The below material is paraphrased from The UV Advantage by Michael F. Holick, PH.D., MD.

Sunlight Science
Sunlight consists of a mixture of electromagnetic radiation of various wavelengths. Ultraviolet, or UV radiation, consists of UVA, UVB and UVC rays. UVC is completely absorbed by the atmosphere. Although mostly absorbed by the ozone layer, some UVA and UVB rays still reach the Earth's surface. UVA radiation causes wrinkles while UVB is the form of radiation that reddens skin and causes sunburn. UVB also starts the reaction in skin that stimulates the production of vitamin D.

Exaggerated warnings about the perils of sun exposure are driving Americans to hide beneath long sleeves, floppy hats, wraparound sunglasses and to slather every square inch of skin that isn't covered with high-SPF sunscreens. The result of all this is to block out the sun that humans need to make vitamin D. The inescapable fact is that we humans have evolved in such a way as to be dependant on sunshine for life and health. Sunlight is as natural for human health as are food, water, oxygen and physical activity!

How Sun Exposure Benefits Human Health
Improves bone health
Enhances mental health (SAD, PMS, depression, general mood)
Prevents certain cancers
Improves heart health
Alleviates skin disorders
Decreases risk of autoimmune disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Type I diabetes mellitus, and rheumatoid arthritis

"Some is good" doesn't mean that "a lot is better"
According to Michael Holick MD., to make approximately 800 to 1,500 IU (International Units) of vitamin D, you need to expose 25% (face, hands, arms) of your body's surface area to 25% of 1MED two to three times per week at all times of the year when you can activate vitamin D in your skin. 1MED is the time it takes for your skin to turn pink. 

So, if you get pink after being in the sun for 1 hour, 15 minutes would be enough time for you to get your dose of vitamin D for the day.


Sunscreen Safety
Sure, there are lots of sunscreen choices but does your sunscreen really protect you against UVA and UVB radiation? Is it safe for the health of you and the environment? Healthy Child has a great article on sunscreen safety that is relevant for adults as well as children. Please remember that despite the amazing features of your skin, ingredients from skincare products are absorbed in minutes through your skin and into your bloodstream. Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database is a wonderful resource for checking the safety rating of all skincare products.

After doing extensive research, I've chosen to use Badger sunscreen which provides strong protection for both UVA and UVB rays. The zinc oxide (not from nano particles) does tend to leave a slightly white residue but with some persistence you can get it rubbed into the skin. I don't mind the extra effort because I know this product is safe for me and my environment.

Be safe and enjoy the summer!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Mighty Mite


Got allergies and just think that it's the pollen in the air? Maybe your home is being over run by mites.That's dust mites of course! 

Just imagining these dust mites living in your pillow by the millions, eating your dead skin and hair, is enough to make anyone think twice about these pests. Dust mites are microscopic (smaller than 1/70th of an inch) and thrive on sloughed-off human and animal skin. 70% of dust is human skin and the remaining 30% consists of pet dander, dirt, fibers, mold, bacteria and insects. 

High concentrations of dust mite allergen are a significant risk factor for the development of allergic diseases such as asthma and hay fever. Studies at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) suggest that more than 45% of U.S. homes have bedding with dust mite concentrations that exceed a level equated with allergic sensitization.

Dust mites thrive in warm, dark, moist places. They thrive in bedding because that is where they find their biggest meals. Humans shed about 1/5 ounce of dander (dead skin) each week. A typical used mattress may have anywhere from 100,000 to 10 million mites inside. It's the feces and body parts from the dust mite that are the allergens, so simply killing the mites won't remove the allergen. 

How to Minimize and Remove Mite Populations:


  • Direct sunlight kills dust mites, so hang bedding in the sun whenever possible.
  • Dust mites die when the humidity drops below 40%. A dehumidifier would help if you live in a humid climate.
  • Wash bed linens once a week in hot water. Water temps need to be above 130 degrees F or higher to kill mites.
  • Steam-cleaning carpets.
  • Vapor steam-cleaning. 
  • The natural lanolin in wool repels dust mites. Yet another reason to buy wool bedding.
  • Eliminate wall-to-wall carpeting. Carpeting accumulates pounds of dust mites, dirt, pesticides and other toxins brought in on shoes, feet and pet's paws over the years. 
  • Freezing stuffed animal toys (in a tightly closed plastic bag) in the freezer for 24hrs will kill but not remove the dust mite residue.
  • Clean weekly.  
Scheduling a regular cleaning routine will help you accomplish the tasks needed to keep dust mites at bay. Find one small area that you can clean everyday. Spending just 10-15 minutes a day on a task can make the cleaning project as a whole not seem so daunting. Pretty soon your cleaning routine will become habit and you can breathe deeply in your home with confidence.

Source Material: Home Enlightenment by Annie Bond

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Children's Pajamas - A Flaming Issue


So the big question here is, do your concerns about fire safety outweigh the use of chemicals and their effect on the environment and your child?

Children's sleepwear has been the center of controversy since the 1970's when the now titled group Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) specified that sleeping garments must self extinguish when exposed to an open flame for 3 seconds. The garment must also pass the test after 50 wash cycles!

It's hard to say it better than this article on the flame-resistant baby pajamas controversy.

Polyester and cotton and the most common materials used to make children's pajamas. Most synthetic fiber sleepwear has a flame retardant inserted into the fabric fiber, including most polyester fabrics, as opposed to the fabric being “chemically treated” with a flame retardant.  If they are treated with flame retardants, they must be labeled as such. Depending on the company, chemicals used on pajama fabrics could include chlorinated and brominated flame retardants, inorganic flame retardants such as antimony oxides, and phosphate-based compounds. Like I've mentioned before polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) accumulate in the environment and our bodies and have been linked to compromising the function of our nervous, reproductive and endocrine systems. North Americans have the highest body burden of PBDEs in the world.

The CPSC recommends that children's pajamas be either flame resistant or snug-fitting. Snug-fitting sleepwear does not have to be treated with flame-resistant chemicals. The idea is that snug-fitting pajamas have less air spaces and therefore less oxygen that can accelerate flames. Pure wool sleepwear would also be exempt from mandated treatment.

I think it is crucial to ask not only what is important for your child but what will best benefit our home, planet Earth. By purchasing organic or natural fiber clothing you are supporting companies that are investing in the healthy future of this planet and all its inhabitants.

Additional Pages of Interest:
Guide To Less Toxic Products
5 Minutes For Going Green



Friday, February 12, 2010

Your Child's Mattress Stinks


How many well meaning parents do you know that upon learning of their expectant child have prepared the best nursery possible? New paint, new carpet, new furniture, new clothes, etc... Has the parent-to-be made their own paint, purchased low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, installed natural fiber carpet with natural latex or jute backing, made or purchased furniture without pressed wood, made or purchased natural fiber clothing? If not, then they have unsuspectingly created a ultra-toxic environment for the newest addition to their family.

Children are especially sensitive to chemical exposures. Evidence is emerging that because of a child's dynamic growth and development, they have an increased risk to certain diseases in part from exposures to environmental chemicals during childhood.



The Crib Mattress
Crib-size mattresses are usually waterproof which means that the covering is made out of some kind of plastic (oil). Typically, plastic coverings are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) covered with cotton or polyester layers, which as you probably guessed emit toxic fumes that are suspected carcinogens and can cause acute toxicity to the respiratory tract.

A popular material used to fill mattresses is polyurethane which of course is made from petroleum and highly flammable. Additionally, polyurethane is found to not break down in landfills therefore contributing to long term waste problems. Polyurethane poses a high fire hazard, thus enters the use fire retardants.

According to this blog, in 1972, California passed legislation requiring flammability standards for upholstered furniture and baby products like high chairs, strollers and nursing pillows. Manufacturers met these new standards by using inexpensive, toxic and untested flame retardant chemicals. In each animal species studied, these brominated and chlorinated flame retardants were shown to cause cancer, birth defects and neurological, reproductive and endocrine disruption. As mentioned in my pillow blog, the most pervasive fire retardant contaminant is polybrominate dipheylethers (PBDEs) which can increasingly be detected in mother's breast milk. Californians, in fact, have earned the dubious honor of having the highest amount of toxic flame retardant chemicals in their bodies of any people on the planet.

USA Today: Fire Retardant found in toddlers' blood


Solutions 
Choices are limited when it comes to finding a mattress that has not been treated with fire retardants. Because wool naturally absorbs and releases water and is resistant to fire, dust mites and mold, it is an excellent choice for a mattress. Make sure you get organic or 'PureGrow' wool. Another option is organic pure latex (rubber). Be sure the latex is not a blend and has not been treated with drying chemicals. Like wool, natural latex is antimicrobial, resistant to dust mites, mildew and fire and breathes which wicks moisture away from the body. Organic cotton mattresses are also an improvement but due to federal regulations they are treated with a fire retardant.

If purchasing a new mattress is not in the budget you can seal in some of the synthetic fumes from mattresses and pillows by using a barrier cloth encasement. Barrier cloth is made of cotton that is so tightly woven (often 300 threads per inch) that it blocks fumes from passing through its weave. Make sure it's organic and not made of plastic which will outgas chemicals, totally defeating the purpose!

Helpful Resources

 I do not have children and a wool mattress is an expensive endeavor so, unfortunately, it still sits on my wish list. My newest mission is to search out an organic barrier cloth. We have a mattress pad now but I'm sure if I looked I would see that at least part of it, if not all, is made out of polyester. More toxic outgassing in addition to Eric's farting. Ha! I can't wait to get an organic wool mattress for healing, rejuvenating sleep!



Next Time: Children's Sleepwear and Fire Retardants.


Sunday, February 7, 2010

Pillow Talk


I suspect that there is a great misconception that the products we can purchase from a business must be safe for our use. How else could they be available to us? Somebody has done the testing to ensure a products safety right? Well, this isn't always the case, which puts the responsibility on the consumer to do their own research.

You think, hey I need a new pillow so I'll run out and get the cheapest one I can find. But have you asked yourself, what is that pillow made of and what possible chemical treatments have been applied to this pillow? We spend approximately 1/3 of our life in bed. So why not make it as safe and healthy as you can? This blog is the first in a series that will peel back the covers of your bed.

We spend our nights tucked into our beds with our noses buried in or next to our pillows. Because of this, your pillow is the most important part of having a healthy bed. Unless you have a pillow made of natural fibers, you are unsuspectingly breathing in fumes that the pillow is outgassing.

Consider a polyester fill/cotton shell pillow. Polyester is a synthetic material (plastic) that is made from polyethylene terephalate (PET), a derivative of petrochemicals (oil). It can give off fumes of plastic, like when you smell a new ziploc bag. The weave of a pillow case is too loose to block these plastic fumes. Also, Polyester/cotton-blend bedding is heavily treated with a formaldehyde-based resin which also outgasses. Low levels of exposure to formaldehyde can irritate the eyes, nose and throat, cause skin problems, serious breathing problems and can increase your risk of certain kinds of cancer. OSHA regulates formaldehyde as a cancer-causing substance.

It's very likely that your pillow has also been treated with a fire retardant. A significant source of human exposure to one type of flame retardant chemical comes from polybrominated dipheylethers (PBDEs). These chemicals are long-lasting in the environment, our bodies and are being linked to irreparable developmental and reproductive disorders.

Does any of this sound like something you want to be breathing at least 1/3 of your life while trying to enjoy restful and peaceful sleep?

Some Natural Fiber Alternatives:
Organic Cotton
Organic or "PureGrow" Wool
Buckwheat
Kapok
Down
Syriaca Down

I purchased my "PureGrow" Wool pillow several years ago at a local eco-friendly store. Wool is naturally flame resistant, inhospitable to dust mites and resistant to mold and mildew but does tend to lose some of its loft. To freshen my pillow, I simply hang it out on the clothes line in the sun. It has been a wonderful and welcome addition to my healthy sleep habits. More than likely, you will not find these natural fiber alternatives at a Walmart or Target and will have to seek out either a local eco-friendly store or online resources which there are now many. Please always make an attempt to find a store close to home.


Next time.........A look at fire retardants and the chemical applications used on children bedding products.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Dusting Off The Research


I know nothing has happened on here for many, many months, nearly a year! But I'm getting back in the routine and will change that. I am resuming my research so that I may bring you useful information about toxins in our environment.

Much has happened since my last blog. My partner, Eric, and I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. It's a national scenic trail that winds through California, Oregon and Washington. It covers 2,650 hiking miles from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. It's hard to summarize the experience. It was hard and yet incredibly fun too. All the blisters, hot days, and tumbles were well worth all the amazing friends we made on the trail. While out there I wasn't sure that I wanted to do more long distance hiking. But soon after leaving the trail, returning to the hiking community was all Eric and I could think about. If you want to read more about our adventure you can visit our PCT trail journal.

We've had a slow transition trying to acclimate back to life with beds, tv, jobs, stuff and moving cars. Last April, we moved our belongings from Arcata, Ca to Ukiah, Ca, where we now live. Ukiah is where I grew up......sort of. My 'home' is about a 30 minute drive outside of town up a rough and bumpy dirt road on Smart's Mountain. But Ukiah is my hometown and we are now living in the house where my grandparents used to live. There is much cleaning and sorting to do in the house and the yard needs an overhaul. I feel that this home provides us a place to transition into the next phase of our life. The sustainable phase! I hope that in not too many years, we will be able to live up on the mountain, build our own natural home and grow a bountiful garden!

Aside my toxin research is my newest obsession, bicycle advocacy. Ukiah certainly is no Arcata when it comes to biking. I can go a whole day here and not see anyone else on a bike. Sad! Ukiah is not that big of a town and people could very easily bike to their destinations. Rather than let this totally bum me out, I'm seeing it as an opportunity to influence change. I've slowly found others that want to make Ukiah a safer community in which to ride bikes. Thus starts the quest to create a bicycling advocacy group.

So, stay tuned for some more toxic updates!